Upper Columbia Spring Chinook and Steelhead Acclimation Program (DOE/EA-1998)

Chelan and Okanogan counties, Washington

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BPA has decided to fund the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation’s Upper Columbia Spring Chinook and Steelhead Acclimation Program. The program would include the development and use of ponds to acclimate existing hatchery-bred juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead prior to releasing them into the Methow and Wenatchee river basins in Okanogan and Chelan counties, Washington.

Currently, hatchery-reared spring Chinook and steelhead are released in the Wenatchee and Methow watersheds without any acclimation to their release sites, and thus the fish remain imprinted on the hatchery waters where they were raised. Upon return from the ocean, their spawning instinct returns them to those hatcheries or nearby waterbodies unsuitable for spawning. Acclimating juvenile fish to natural spawning habitats throughout their native watersheds would help ensure their return as adults to locations where they can spawn successfully.

The program would involve using six acclimation ponds currently used or planned for acclimating coho salmon in the Methow and Wenatchee watersheds, and constructing one new pond in the Wenatchee watershed. No additional hatchery production is proposed.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA describes anticipated impacts on natural and human resources, as well as mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts. During this process, BPA communicated with landowners, tribes, federal, state and local agencies, and interest groups.

CURRENT STATUS

BPA released the draft EA for public review and comment in November 2106 and received no comments in response. Following completion of consultation under the Endangered Species Act, a final EA was produced in early July, 2017. Based on the EA analysis and mitigation measures to help lessen impacts, BPA has found that the project will not cause any significant impacts, and has issued a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact
Carolyn Sharp
Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist  
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4
P.O. Box 3621 Portland, Oregon 97208-3621
Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Direct line: 503-230-5206
Email: casharp@bpa.gov

DOCUMENTS

FINAL EA and FONSI
Public Letter  July 28, 2017
Final EA  July 2017
FONSI and Mitigation Action Plan July 13, 2017

DRAFT EA
Draft EA comments received
Public Letter  November 2, 2016 
Draft EA  November 2016
Comment Form  November 2, 2016 

SCOPING
Scoping comments received
Public Letter  April 2, 2015
Project Map  September 2014
Comment Form  April 2, 2015