columbia river basin fish and wildlife program annual ...

7.127.12 STURGEON STUDIES(Fund Ongoing Studies>903(e)(l)BPA shall fund research to determine the impacts of developmentand operation of the hydroelectric power system on sturgeon inthe Columbia River Basin. These studies may include: 1) habitatrequirements; 2) maintenance of genetic integrity; 3) stockassessment; 4) potential for artificial propagation; and5) migrating potential. Specific recommendations for the ,protection, mitigation, and enhancement of sturgeon may besubmitted to the Council upon completion of these studies.ACTION ITEM ACTIVITY SUMMARY:Objectives:To determine the impacts onoperation of the hydropowerprotection, mitigation, andBackground and Progress to Date:Plans:white sturgeon from the development andsystem. Develop recommendations for theenhancement of white sturgeon.Impacts on white sturgeon from the development and operation ofhydropower have not been determined, but there is evidence that,theimpacts have been substantial. From a series of workshops funded byBPA, a work plan for sturgeon research was developed, followed by asturgeon research program implementation plan. These were submittedto the Council, as called for by Action Item 7.12. Two projects arecurrently being funded by BPA. The University of Idaho (UI> studytransferred from the University of Washington will determine earlylife history requirements and the genetic makeup of the stocksthroughout the Basin. The other study, a four-agency project todetermine the habitat requirements and status of stocks downstreamfrom McNary Dam, is in its fourth field season.The genetic identification study is being expanded into the UpperColumbia Basin and the Kootenai River areas, where a sturgeonhatchery is proposed. The habitat requirements and stock assessmentstudy has been designed as a 6-year project because of the largestudy area and the multiple objectives involved.1 9 3