Pacific Lamprey Artificial Propagation and Release Research (DOE/EA-2104)

Umatilla County, OR; Benton County, WA; Yakama County, WA; Walla Walla County; WA and Columbia County, WA

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) proposed to fund a program to evaluate the feasibility of artificial propagation and release for early life stage (egg, prolarva, larva, and juvenile) Pacific lamprey in the Yakima, Walla Walla, and Tucannon subbasins. This program would be implemented by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (YN), the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) and is designed to be a scientific experiment that would evaluate the feasibility of using artificial propagation techniques as future enhancement actions for Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River Basin.

Existing facilities at the Water and Environmental Center (WEC) facility at Walla Walla Community College and at Prosser Hatchery would be used to spawn adult lamprey and incubate/rear fertilized eggs to the desired life stage prior to release. Following release, lamprey would be monitored to determine habitat use, growth, densities, movements, and survival over the next 5-10 years. Releases of early life stage lamprey would occur in the spring (April/May/June/July) and fall (September/October). Post-release monitoring at release sites would occur twice soon after release to evaluate any movements or significant mortality. After that, release sites would be monitored annually.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA described anticipated impacts to natural and human resources.

CURRENT STATUS

BPA released the Final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

CONTACT

For environnmental information, contact:
Ted Gresh         Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist Direct Line: 503-230-5756
Bonneville Power Administration, EC-4 Email: esgresh@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208

For project information, contact:
Debbie Docherty         Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Project Manager, EWM-4         Direct Line: 503-230-4458
Bonneville Power Administration, EC-4 Email: dldocherty@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97208

DOCUMENTS

FINAL EA
Final EA  (05/07/2021)
FONSI  (05/07/2021)
Public Letter  (05/07/2021)

DRAFT EA
Draft EA comments received
Draft EA  (01/25/2021)
Public Letter  (01/25/2021)
Comment Form  (01/25/2021)

SCOPING
Scoping comments received
Public Letter  (03/11/2019)
Project Map  (03/11/2019)
Comment Form  (03/11/2019)