Cheakamus Project Water Use Plan Monitoring ... - BC Hydro

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Cheakamus Project Water Use Plan Monitoring Programs Annual Report: 2011 4.3 Program #2: Trout Abundance Monitor in Cheakamus River (Daisy Lake Dam to Cheakamus Canyon) 4.3.1 Management Questions The key management question addressed by this monitoring program is: 1) Do Daisy Lake Dam releases affect the resident rainbow trout population located immediately downstream of Daisy Lake Dam? The parameters of interest include fish density or relative abundance, age class distribution, size-at-age, and relative condition. 4.3.2 Overview The purpose of the monitor is to relate changes in trout abundance to changes in Daisy Lake Dam operations if such a relation exists. The abundance of resident trout downstream of Daisy Dam was considered by the Consultative Committee (CC) to be a critical component in the WUP trade-off process. There were two reasons for this importance. First, was resident trout’s inherent value to CC members who consider it to be an indicator of ecological health. The second and probably more important reason was because there was a general perception among CC members that trout abundance was highly susceptible to changes in Daisy Lake Dam flow releases, particularly relative to pre-WUP dam operations. Because of its relative importance and a WUP fish management objective, as well as the high level of uncertainty surrounding the consequence of flow regime changes, the CC members recommended that a monitor be carried out to track the status of rainbow trout populations. Monitoring Indicator: (a) Abundance of juvenile and adult rainbow trout. This program is comprised of two main components: sampling of juvenile rainbow trout using electrofishing; and sampling adults using a standardized angling effort. In addition, there will a data analysis and reporting component. 4.3.3 Status This program was initiated July 2007 and will be carried out over the next five years. The fourth program report has been completed. The field work for Year 5 was completed October 2011. 4.3.4 Interpretation of Data Interpretation of data will occur after the conclusion of data collection. BC Hydro Page 6
Cheakamus Project Water Use Plan Monitoring Programs Annual Report: 2011 4.4 CMSMON-3: Cheakamus River Steelhead Adult Abundance, Fry Emergencetiming, and Juvenile Habitat Use and Abundance Monitoring 4.4.1 Management Questions The key management questions addressed by this monitoring program are: 1) Do increased flows during July and August negatively affect emergent steelhead Young of Year (YOY)? 2) How do changes in flow effect habitat use of steelhead YoY and parr? 3) Does an annual index of parr abundance provide a more robust estimate of steelhead production in the Cheakamus River relative to the current downstream migrant trapping program? 4) Does flow affects juvenile steelhead production? 4.4.2 Overview The primary objective of the monitor is to improve our understanding of the effects of flow on steelhead production in the Cheakamus River. The population bottlenecks limiting freshwater production and their relationship with flow are uncertain. The monitor therefore indexes the abundance of four life stages; spawners, Young of Year (YoY) in the fall shortly after emergence, YoY in the spring when the fish are approximately nine months old from date of hatch; and parr in the spring that are 1.9 years and older (1+, 2+, and 3+ parr). The monitoring program consists of enumerating adults using snorkel counts in the spring, sampling YoY steelhead during the emergence and post emergence periods in the summer and fall by backpack/shore-based electrofishing, and sampling larger YoY and parr by electrofishing and snorkel-based surveys during the early spring. Monitoring Indicator: (a) Abundance of adult and juvenile steelhead. This monitoring program involves the following five main components: Spawner Escapement; Emergence Timing; Habitat Surveys; Fall and Spring Backpack/Shore- Based Electrofishing Surveys; and Springtime Parr Surveys. In addition, there will be project coordination and reporting components. 4.4.3 Status This program was initiated July 2007 and will be carried out over the next five years. The third program report has been completed. The fourth program report is currently under review. The field work for Year 5 started in September 2011. 4.4.4 Interpretation of Results Interpretation of data will occur after the conclusion of data collection. BC Hydro Page 7
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Cheakamus Project Water Use Plan Monitoring ... - BC Hydro

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