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Fisheries Biology, Consulting, and Software Publishing
890 L Street, Arcata, California USA 95521
P.O. Box 4678, Arcata, California USA 95518
(707) 822-8478

Example Projects

Example #1

Project: Oroville Facilities (FERC No. 2100) Relicensing

Client: DWR (as sub to Montgomery Watson, Harza)

Contact: Mark Anderson, DWR, (916) 653-6271

Time Period of Project: 2001-2004
Background and Objective of Project: Hydroelectric Relicensing (Alternative Licensing Process)
Basic Project Description: Environmental Studies for Project Relicensing
Status: Relicense documents filed with FERC

Value Added: TRPA successfully completed PHABSIM analyses using as much existing DWR as possible and minimizing new data collection. 

Key Personnel: Principal/Project Manager: T. Payne; Team Leads: T. Gast and M. Allen
Description: TRPA reviewed the existing DWR Feather River instream flow studies as part of the Oroville relicensing under the Alternative License Process.  The objective of the review was to examine the existing PHABSIM results, supplement existing hydrologic and biologic information through data collection and analysis, and establish tools to evaluate future potential operational scenarios and other protection, mitigation, and enhancement (PM&E) measures.   Additional hydraulic data was collected primarily with the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) enabling a field crew of only two or three biologists to collect high flow (5000cfs) velocity measurements.  The additional transects were merged with the original DWR data, reweighed and analyzed with the latest version of RHABSIM, the TRPA developed and released software.  Microhabitat data for Chinook salmon and steelhead were collected by DWR between 1991 and 2003.  TRPA biologists reviewed and synthesized this data to create the habitat suitability criteria used in the new PHABSIM analysis to compute the weighted usable area (WUA) index to habitat suitability for the five species/life stages.  The WUA provides the capacity to evaluate various flow regimes and operating scenarios.

 

 

Example #2

Project: Klamath Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2082) Relicensing

Client: PacifiCorp (as sub to CH2M Hill)

Contact: Linda Prendergast, PacifiCorp Environmental Services, (503) 813-6625

Time Period of Project: 2002-2005
Background and Objective of Project: Hydroelectric Relicensing (Traditional Licensing Process)
Basic Project Description: Environmental Studies for Project Relicensing
Status: Application submitted, license pending completion of supplemental studies

Value Added: TRPA successfully completed hydraulic and habitat suitability criteria data collection and analyses during high flow conditions and in a contentious relicensing forum 

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Managers: S. Eggers and M. Allen; Team Leads: D. Bremm and T. Gast
Description:  TRPA conducted extensive instream flow studies on the upper Klamath River between Link River Dam and Copco Reservoir in Oregon and California.  The reaches of the Klamath included in the evaluations included the Link River, J.C. Boyle Bypass, J.C. Boyle peaking, and Copco 2 Bypass.  TRPA habitat mapped 29 miles of the Klamath River and another 0.9 miles of the Fall River (a tributary).  The habitat mapping surveys included data collection on macrohabitat distances, widths, depths, gradients, and substrates.  Hydraulic data was collected at 167 individual transects and included measurements at high flow conditions (850 and 1,500 cfs) using wading and ADCP technologies.  TRPA employed an agency-requested complex substrate and cover coding system, which was combined with the hydraulic calibration data resulting in the simulation of habitat index-flow relationships for several resident fish species and life stages.  Site-specific habitat suitability criteria were also developed for redband trout adult, juvenile, and fry.  TRPA is just now embarking upon a habitat time series analysis as part of a relicensing AIR.   

 

 

Example #3

Project: Borel Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 382) Relicensing 

Client: Southern California Edison Company

Contact: John Kennedy, SCE Project Manager, (760) 376-2837

Time Period of Project: 2001-2005
Background and Objective of Project: Hydroelectric Relicensing (Traditional Licensing Process)
Basic Project Description: Environmental Studies for Project Relicensing
Status: Relicense documents filed with FERC

Value Added: TRPA provided services that allowed Southern California Edison to establish Borel Project relicensing conditions, including collecting creel survey data, sampling fish populations, conducting a demonstration instream flow assessment, evaluating intake canal fish entrainment, rescuing entrained fish, and assisting with resource agency discussions.

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Managers: T. Salamunovich, D. Bremm; Team Leads: D. Parkinson, T. Gast, S. Eggers, and S. Riley
Description: TRPA conducted fisheries studies associated with hydroelectric relicensing of this project on the Kern River below Lake Isabella.  The studies included conducting fish population monitoring using both backpack electrofishing and direct observation snorkel surveys.  TRPA also designed and managed a recreational angler creel and use survey for the Borel Reach of the Kern River as well as the project canal system and several popular campgrounds downstream of the project powerhouse.  TRPA has coordinated several project entrainment surveys of the diversion canal and project intake.  TRPA also installed thermographs at several sites in the project area to collect water and air temperatures as well as relative humidity data, which was then used to apply the SNTEMP stream temperature model to the project reach of the Kern River.  This technical information was reported and included in the Exhibit E of the license application prepared by MWH.  TRPA has remained involved in the negotiations of flows and the fisheries monitoring plan preparations.  TRPA coordinated an on-site instream flow index (IFI) evaluation with agency and SCE biologists as part of the negotiations of minimum bypass flows for the project reach.  TRPA was involved in the fisheries monitoring plan development and is responsible for continuing to conduct the remaining fish population and fish entrainment monitoring studies.

 

 

Example #4

Project Name: Mad River Water Pipeline Rehabilitation Project    

Client: City of Eureka, California

Contact: Lisa Shikany, Environmental Planning, (707) 268-5265

Time Period of Project: 2001-2003
Background and Objective of Project: The City of Eureka upgraded its water supply pipeline, which transports water from Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District pumps on the Mad River.  This upgrade consisted of installing a new 24-inch diameter high-density plastic pipeline adjacent and parallel to its existing steel pipeline, including a five mile section across diked former tidelands which required crossing several tidal sloughs, non-tidal sloughs, freshwater streams, drainage ditches and wetland swales. 

Basic Project Description: Aquatic Resource Protection, Mitigation, and Enhancement Project associated with Pipeline Trenching/Construction

Status: Pipeline project successfully completed to satisfaction of all resource agencies

Value Added: City of Eureka successfully upgraded its drinking water delivery system without significant impacts to sensitive aquatic species

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Manager: T. Salamunovich; Team Leaders: M. Allen, T. Gast, and S. Riley

Description:  TRPA developed and conducted aquatic resource protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures for ESA-listed species for construction projects impacting several northern California coastal streams and sloughs.  TRPA conducted habitat and water quality assessments and reviewed all available fisheries information for twenty-two proposed water crossings along a five mile pipeline route between cities of Eureka and Arcata, which crossed several stream and sloughs known to support ESA-listed species, including Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, tidewater goby, and northern red-legged frog.  TRPA biologists attended agency meetings, conducted agency site visits, and developed a comprehensive fisheries mitigation plan for construction activity.  TRPA took lead on fisheries issues during ESA Section 7 Formal Consultations and was the responsible party for the resulting take permits issued through the NOAA Fisheries, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Game, and the California Coastal Commission.  TRPA biologists conducted salvage and nearby relocation of fishes and macroinvertebrates prior to construction activity at eight slough and stream crossings using netting, seining and electrofishing techniques.  During the trenching activity TRPA biologists oversaw construction crews during in-water work and developed protocols for stopping and notifying the supervisory biologist in the event of contact with or sighting of sensitive aquatic resources.  The mitigation measures used during this project resulted in the salvage and relocation of over 7,900 fish (including 40 juvenile coho, 31 juvenile steelhead, and 3 juvenile Chinook), 9 amphibians (including 7 adult red-legged frogs) and over 2,100 invertebrates. 

 

 

Example #5

Project: Cantara Loop Chemical Spill Recovery Evaluations 

Client: California Department of Fish and Game

Contact: Bruce Deuel, DCFG Project Manager, (530) 225-2143

Time Period of Project: 1991-2001
Background and Objective of Project: TRPA was responsible for monitoring the population recovery of rainbow trout and other resident fishes within 37 miles of the upper Sacramento River following the July 1991 train derailment and chemical spill at Cantara Loop near the town of Dunsmuir, CA.

Basic Project Description: Basin-wide fisheries monitoring project following major environmental disturbance  

Status: TRPA successfully completed post-spill monitoring programs, annual and final reports submitted to CDFG; scientific publication being prepared 

Value Added: TRPA developed state-of-the-art sampling design for censusing basin-wide fish populations, added significantly to information on the recovery of fish populations following environmental disturbances
Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Manager: M. Allen; Team Leaders: D, Bremm, S. Eggers, T. Gast, and T. Salamunovich

Description:  TRPA has conducted 10 annual surveys to assess fish distribution and abundance employing a sophisticated stratified sampling design to the direct observation/snorkel counts for trout, pikeminnow, suckers, and spotted bass.  TRPA has also used quadrat sampling and SCUBA techniques for assessing the recovery rates for the small and cryptic benthic-dwelling riffle sculpin.  An ancillary evaluation of the food habits of spotted bass captured by hook and line/catch and release sampling provided by volunteer anglers from local fishing clubs was conducted to evaluate the impacts of this introduced predatory fish on the recovery of the native trout and sculpin populations.  The studies involved several habitat mapping surveys of the entire thirty-seven miles of river from Box Canyon Dam downstream to Shasta Lake.  Supplemental studies were also conducted to assess the distribution, abundance and conditions of the potential re-population sources within the non-impacted project area tributaries using backpack electrofishing.  TRPA also participated in the data collection of scales and other genetic materials used to assess fishery losses and estimate the total fish kill from the initial chemical spill.               

 

Example #6

Project Name: Battle Creek Fisheries Investigations

Client: California Department of Fish and Game, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Contact: David Hoopaugh, CDFG, (retired)

Time Period of Project: 1988-1991
Background and Objective of Project: TRPA conducted a basin-wide fisheries investigation of the Battle Creek system to provide CDFG with reliable information from which to make management decisions aimed at enhancing salmon and steelhead production in the Sacramento River basin.  Battle Creek is extensively developed for hydroelectric power production by Pacific Gas and Electric Company and serves as the water source for operation of Coleman National Fish Hatchery as well as several private irrigation diversions. The basin is home to naturally reproducing populations of anadromous fishes - both steelhead and Chinook salmon (spring-run and fall-run), and has become a major focus for restoring Central Valley Chinook salmon stocks. 

Basic Project Description: Basin-wide fisheries investigation of the Battle Creek system including evaluation of the existing PG&E hydroelectric facilities (FERC No. 1121) and the Coleman National Fish Hatchery and their impacts on the anadromous fish stocks within the basin.     

Status: TRPA successfully completed the evaluations and final reports

Value Added: TRPA analyses have been used in the CalFed forum to initiate changes to hydroelectric and hatchery operations to the benefit of Battle Creek salmon and steelhead stocks.   

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Managers: M. Allen; D. Bremm, S. Eggers, D. Parkinson, and T. Salamunovich

Description:  TRPA conducted studies for California Department of Fish and Game and US Fish and Wildlife Service on the Battle Creek system in Northern California. 

The primary focus of the Battle Creek studies was to evaluate the existing fishery resources and to develop recommendations that might enhance the basin’s fish resources.  This included evaluating the impacts of existing and potential water management on basin fisheries.  Many of the evaluations were performed using the IFIM process, which included the use of PHABSIM models.  Elements of this approach included development of site-specific habitat suitability criteria for both Chinook salmon and rainbow trout that were used in subsequent habitat simulations.  Extensive temperature modeling for the basin using the USFWS’s Stream Network Temperature Model (SNTEMP) was performed to evaluate thermal impacts of water management scenarios within the basin and associated power canals using both pre- and post-project hydroelectric project hydrology.  The results of this model (and subsequent enhancements) have been used to suggest changes in basin hydropower operations to benefit anadromous salmonid stocks.  Other physical and biological evaluations were conducted under the Battle Creek studies.  These included a fish population abundance and distribution survey (using both electrofishing and snorkel census techniques), as well as extensive stream surveys of 52 miles of the creek to describe existing habitat conditions including documenting the location and amounts of spawning gravel, and identification of barriers to anadromous fish migration.  The gravel surveys were augmented by sediment transport modeling studies that described spawning gravel dynamics within the basin.  The barrier analysis was used in conjunction with the spawning gravel survey to prioritize existing barriers in terms of upstream spawning potential and has used by Fish and Game for subsequent removal efforts.  The Battle Creek studies also included an evaluation of the operation and management of CNFH and its impacts on the basin’s naturally reproducing salmon population using CWT data, projections of ocean harvest and hatchery returns, and comparison of reproductive attributes to other Sacramento/San Joaquin River stocks.  This evaluation resulted in a series of recommendations for hatchery spawning and release practices that would benefit both the artificial and natural propagation of Battle Creek’s salmon stocks.  

 

 

Example #7

Project Name: Lower Putah Creek Fisheries Investigations

Client: Solano County Water Agency (SCWA)
Contact: David Okita, General Manager, (707) 445-1103

Time Period of Project: 1991-2005
Background and Objective of Project: During the summers of 1989 and 1990 drought conditions combined with riparian pumping resulted in intermittent stream flow along portions of the lower 23 miles of Putah Creek.  Local creek advocates sued SCWA and Solano Irrigation District alleging damages to the native fishery from their operations.  In 1991 SCWA employed TRPA to conduct investigations in the lower basin to monitor existing fish population distribution and abundances and their relations to stream flows.  

Basic Project Description: Fisheries monitoring and assessment of irrigation project operation impacts 

Status: TRPA has been continuously involved in conducting a variety of fishery related investigations and monitoring projects for the water agency as they pursue environmentally sound management of the Solano Project operations.  

Value Added: Unknown   

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Manager: T. Salamunovich; Team Leaders: M. Allen; D. Bremm, S. Eggers, and T. Gast

Description:  TRPA has been involved with providing a variety of environmental and aquatic resources monitoring studies through a continuing services contract with the Solano County Water Agency.  The long-term studies have involved monitoring the resident fish populations throughout the lower basin.  This effort has involved twenty-two fish abundance and distribution surveys using tote-barge electrofishing gear conducted at multiple index sites over a thirteen year period.  Some limited snorkel censuses have been performed in specific areas in a continuing effort to document the presence of trout redds in the stream channel below the Putah Diversion Dam.  In addition, seven years of larval fish sampling using a variety of techniques has been conducted to assess the reproductive success of the resident stream fishes during the spring spawning period.  TRPA conducted water quality (dissolved oxygen and water temperature) measurements throughout the lower basin during the drought year of 1992 and continued to monitor water temperatures throughout the basin throughout the drought.  This water quality monitoring has provided data that may be useful for any future efforts to expand salmonid habitat in the lower basin.  TRPA conducted the only known creel and angler use survey for the lower basin during 1994 in order to assess the recreational use of the creek resources.  This evaluation indicated that lower basin’s warmwater fishery is a heavily used resource by local anglers.  These findings were shared with and used by the US Public Health Service as they prepared and evaluated data for their 1998 Health Consultation report for the fishes of lower Putah Creek.  The initial focus of the studies was to collect data on the existing conditions of the basin preparatory to an impending civil lawsuit.  During the appeal phase of the judicial decision, parties reached an amicable settlement that included continuing the annual monitoring of the resident and any anadromous fish populations within the lower creek.  The data was also used by the Bureau of Reclamation and Solano County Water Agency during their renewal of the Solano Project water delivery contracts.  The continuing monitoring has also served to fulfill requirements imposed by the USFWS’s March 1999 biological opinion for the Solano Project water service contract renewal.  This opinion stipulates both the Bureau and Solano County Water Agency will continue the monitoring of aquatic habitats in Putah Creek as part of the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan.  TRPA has conducted numerous habitat assessments throughout the lower basin, including developing a habitat suitability index model for smallmouth bass, a USFWS management species of concern.  TRPA has also recently completed a habitat survey and PHABSIM analysis and time series analysis to model habitat for spawning and rearing stages of ESA-listed steelhead and evaluate project impacts to these life stages. 

 

 

Example #8

Project Name: Upper North Fork Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2105)  

Client: Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Contact: Stuart Running, Technical and Ecological Services, (925) 866-5847

Time Period of Project: 1999-2005
Background and Objective of Project: Hydroelectric Relicensing (Hybrid Licensing Process)
Basic Project Description: Environmental Studies for Project Relicensing
Status: Relicense documents and AIR filed with FERC; project now in the initial phases of CEQA process.

Value Added: TRPA completed the environmental studies, helped write Exhibit E document filed with FERC, and completed all AIR evaluations.

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Managers: D. Bremm and M. Allen; Team Leaders: S. Eggers, T. Gast, S. Riley, T. Salamunovich
Description: Conducted aquatic studies associated with hydroelectric relicensing of this project including Butt Creek portion of project.  Activities included project scoping, attending meetings with resource agency biologists, developing study plans, and habitat mapping 20 miles of NFFR between Belden PH and Canyon Dam and 2 miles of lower Butt Creek below Butt Valley Dam (including spawning gravel and LWD surveys and barrier analysis).  The habitat assessments also included documenting the accessibility and distribution of trout spawning in several major project area tributaries.  TRPA also conducted PHABSIM data collection and analysis, which included developing site-specific habitat suitability criteria for resident rainbow trout and Sacramento sucker, which were used in the analysis of the habitat simulations for rainbow trout, Sacramento sucker, and macroinvertebrate community diversity.  TRPA analysis also included the application of the SNTEMP stream temperature model, which was then combined with the habitat simulations to generate temperature-conditioned relative habitat suitability indices.

 

 

Example #9

Project Name: Spring Gap-Stanislaus Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2130)  

Client: Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Contact: Thomas Studley, Technical and Ecological Services, (925) 866-5834

Time Period of Project: 2000-2004
Background and Objective of Project: Hydroelectric Relicensing (Hybrid Licensing Process)
Basic Project Description: Environmental Studies for Project Relicensing
Status: Relicense documents and AIR filed with FERC; FERC final EIS issued; project now awaiting completion of SWRCB CEQA process and 401 certification

Value Added: TRPA completed the environmental studies included in Exhibit E filed with FERC and completed all AIR evaluations

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Managers: D. Bremm and M. Allen; Team Leaders: S. Eggers, T. Gast, and T. Salamunovich
Description:  Conducted aquatic studies associated with hydroelectric relicensing of this project on the South Fork and Middle Fork Stanislaus River, including 12.2 miles of the upper MF Stanislaus between Relief and Donnells reservoirs.  The studies were conducted cooperatively and in conjunction with relicensing efforts for Tri-Dam’s Beardsley/Donnells Project (FERC No. 2005) on the MF Stanislaus River through the Stanislaus Planning Action Team (SPLAT).  Activities included project scoping, developing study plans and coordinating and conducting the PHABSIM analyses, including a supplemental habitat simulation re-analysis of the Sand Bar Diversion Bypass Reach on the lower MF Stanislaus basin.  The habitat assessments included habitat mapping of 24.6 miles of the Middle Fork, 12.1 miles of the South Fork, and 1.9 miles of the Stanislaus River downstream of the MF/SF confluence.  Gravel and LWD surveys were conducted along the entire SF and the MF Relief Reach of the project area.  TRPA also conducted PHABSIM data collection and analysis, which included conducting HSC transferability studies designed to evaluate the appropriateness of applying existing criteria curves to a new or geographically remote project area.  A wide variety of species/life stage simulations were performed in the different reaches which included trout, suckers, hardhead, sculpin, and macroinvertebrate community diversity.  TRPA analysis also included the application of the SNTEMP stream temperature model to the SFS portion of the project area as well as a time series analysis of aquatic habitat for the suite of resident fishes and macroinvertebrate guilds in the SF and MF Stanislaus River project area.

 

 

Example #10

Project Name: Poe Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2107)  

Client: Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Contact: Stuart Moock, Technical and Ecological Services, (925) 866-5848

Time Period of Project: 1999-2004
Background and Objective of Project: Hydroelectric Relicensing (Traditional Licensing Process)
Basic Project Description: Environmental Studies for Project Relicensing
Status: Relicense documents filed with FERC; SWRCB CEQA process pending

Value Added: TRPA completed the environmental studies and helped prepare Exhibit E filed with FERC

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Managers: D. Bremm and M. Allen; Team Leaders: S. Eggers, T. Gast, S. Riley, and T. Salamunovich
Description:  Conducted aquatic studies associated with hydroelectric relicensing of this project on the North Fork Feather River.  Activities included project scoping, attending meetings with resource agency biologists, developing study plans, and habitat mapping 7.6 miles of NFFR between Poe PH and Poe Dam.  The habitat mapping survey included documenting the distribution and amount of suitable salmonid spawning gravels.  An evaluation of the potential impacts to fishery resources from the PG&E tunnel spoils pile near Bardees Bar was made at the time of the survey.  Snorkel surveys to assess the distribution and abundance of fishes in the project reach were conducted.  TRPA also conducted PHABSIM data collection (using both wading and boat/winch based measurement techniques) and analysis.  In support of the instream flow evaluation, a separate study to develop site-specific habitat suitability criteria was conducted.  The HSC data were collected from the Poe Project Reach as well as from upstream in the Cresta and Rock Creek reaches of the NFFR.  The goal of the study was to develop suitability curves for the adult and juvenile life stages of five target species including: rainbow trout, Sacramento sucker, Sacramento pikeminnow, hardhead, and smallmouth bass.  HSC curves were successfully developed for the adult stages of rainbow trout, Sacramento sucker, Sacramento pikeminnow, hardhead, and smallmouth bass and for the juvenile stages of rainbow trout, sucker, and for a combined category of hardhead and pikeminnow juveniles. The HSC curve types developed included: 1) density-based curves, 2) preference-based curves, and 3) presence/absence-based curves, which were used in the resulting habitat simulations. An analysis of the project on stream temperatures was conducted by application of the SNTEMP model to the project area.  Detailed output from the hydraulic simulation was provided to another sub-consultant for use in an incipient motion model to evaluate substrate movement in the project area.  

 

A spawning gravel survey of the two major project area tributaries (Flea Valley and Mill Creek) was conducted in the early winter of 2004.  A supplemental PHABSIM re-analysis of the resident trout spawning habitat in the Poe Reach using the original Poe Reach hydraulic data collected in 2000 and rainbow trout spawning criteria developed upstream in the Upper North Fork Project (FERC No. 2105) area was conducted in 2004.

 

 

 

Example #11

Project Name: Rock Creek-Cresta Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 1962) Recreational Flow Biological Evaluation: Stranding and Displacement Studies, 2002-2004   

Client: Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Contact: Stuart Running, Technical and Ecological Services, (925) 866-5847

Time Period of Project: 2002-2005
Background and Objective of Project: Evaluations of impacts of managed recreation flows specified in the Rock Creek-Cresta Settlement Agreement
Basic Project Description: Environmental impact studies performed under the Ecological Resources Committee (ERC)
Status: Three year study completed, annual reports written, final report being reviewed by ERC

Value Added: TRPA completed the environmental studies and information being used by ERC to make recommendations for future management of project flows

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Manager: T. Salamunovich; Team Leaders: S. Eggers, T. Gast, S. Riley, and D. Parkinson
Description:  Conducted aquatic studies to determine impacts of monthly managed recreation boating/rafting releases from Rock Creek and Cresta reservoirs on amphibians, fish, and macroinvertebrates of the North Fork Feather River.  TRPA was responsible for evaluating the impacts of 1) high flows for displacing juvenile fish downstream, 2) receding water levels during down-ramping for stranding fish, macroinvertebrates, and amphibian tadpoles.  TRPA used comparative pre- and post-recreation snorkel counts and hourly stranding bar surveys during down-ramping from multiple study sites over three field seasons as the basis for the evaluations.  Ancillary surveys were also included in the analyses to document and estimate overnight losses of stranded fish to scavengers and predators, as well as estimate search efficiencies of survey crews for stranded organisms.  TRPA also conducted a supplemental analysis of the timing and density of larval fishes in driftnet samples collected by another consultant evaluating the effects of the elevated recreation flow on macroinvertebrates to enhance its displacement analyses.  The stranding analysis included detailed elevation surveys of the nine stranding evaluation study sites as well as identifying, measuring the total stranding area, and estimating losses within the project area at multiple flows.   Annual reports included extensive review of displacement and stranding impacts from scientific literature.  

 

Example #12

Project Name: San Luis Obispo Water Reuse Project    

Client: City of San Luis Obsipo (California)

Contact: Katie DiSimone, current Water Projects Manager, (805) 781-7239

Time Period of Project: 1992-2005

Background and Objective of Project: This project was intended to evaluate potential impacts on and mitigation options for ESA-listed steelhead due to a new water re-use system in lower San Luis Obispo Creek
Basic Project Description: Annual surveys of ESA-listed steelhead abundance, downstream migration, stranding potential, and detailed habitat assessments (including a temperature-conditioned PHABSIM study).  A habitat assessment was also conducted in a nearby stream (Coon Creek) for evaluation as potential mitigation habitat.
Status: Fish population, migration, and habitat studies have been completed; monitoring steelhead use of the habitat enhancement/improvements in nearby Coon Creek is expected to begin in 2006.

Value Added: TRPA completed the environmental studies and information being used by the City of San Luis Obispo and NOAA Fisheries to progress with completing and initiating this large water reuse project.  Results from the migration and abundance study will soon be published and will contribute to knowledge of southern California stocks of steelhead (Spina, A.P., M.A. Allen, and M. Clarke.  2005/2006.  Downstream migration, rearing abundance and pool habitat associations of juvenile steelhead trout in the lower mainstem of a south-central California stream.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management  in press)

Key Personnel: Principal: T. Payne; Project Manager: M. Allen; Team Leaders: D. Bremm, S. Eggers, S. Riley, and T. Salamunovich
Description: Six miles of lower San Luis Obispo Creek was habitat mapped and streamflow requirements were assessed in 1992.  Supplemental analyses, including a temperature-conditioned PHABSIM analysis were completed in 1994.  Mapping was repeated annually and abundance of juvenile steelhead was assessed from 2000-2003, using state-of-the-art direct observation methodologies (i.e. Method of Bounded Counts).  The population survey was extended to the entire SLO watershed in 2003 and included electrofishing methodologies and basin-wide estimation procedures.  Downstream emigration of juveniles was conducted from 2000-2003 using an Alaskan weir-type trap.  Detailed habitat assessments were conducted in lower San Luis Obispo Creek and in nearby Coon Creek using the USFWS Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models for evaluating Coon Creek as a mitigation site.  Coon Creek was accepted as mitigation, and a barrier to upstream migrating steelhead was removed in 2004.  A study plan is currently under development with the City and NOAA Fisheries to monitor the colonization of Coon Creek by ESA-listed steelhead.

 

 

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