Bull Trout Population and Habitat Surveys in the McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette Presented by: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife February 22,

Bull Trout Population and Habitat Surveys in the McKenzie and

Middle Fork Willamette

Presented by:

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

February 22, 2002

Project Number 199405300

Project Goal

Attain population health and long term sustainability of bull trout and their habitat in the Upper Willamette Basin.

Major Study Locations

100 20 30 40 50

KILOMETERS

WILLAMETTE BASIN,

OREGON

EUGENE

SOUTH FORK

MCKENZIE

MCKENZIE

MIDDLE FORK

WILLAMETTE

TRAIL BRIDGE

RESERVOIR

Project History

• 1992 - ODFW - Initiated monitoring in McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette

• 1994 - BPA funded – Bull Trout Population and Habitat Surveys in the McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette Basins

• 18 Cooperators

Project Partners

• Bonneville Power Administration

• Willamette National Forest

• US Fish and Wildlife Service

• Eugene Water and Electric Board

• Oregon Department of Transportation

• Oregon State Police

• Oregon Council Federation of Flyfishers

• McKenzie Flyfishers

• Trout Unlimited

• Native Fish Society

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Bring

Back the Natives Program)

• Weyerhaeuser Company

• Bureau of Land Management

• McKenzie Watershed Council

• Saturday Academy (Apprenticeships in Science

and Engineering)

• Oregon Chapter American Fisheries Society

• Salvelinus confluentus Curiosity Society

• US Army Corps of Engineers

Upper Willamette Bull Trout Objectives

• Distribution• Population Size• Life History Characteristics• Implement Rehabilitation Plan for MFW• Effectiveness of Restrictive Angling

Regulations• Distribute Information

MethodsMigration, Distribution, and

Abundance

• Radio telemetry• Standard pool counts• Video cameras at Leaburg Dam and

Sweetwater Creek• Electronic fish counters in Anderson and

Roaring River• Trapping• Day and night snorkeling

Bull Trout Distribution – McKenzie Basin

Eugene Springfield

Blu

e R

iver

Trail Bridge Dam

South Fork McKenzie

Leaburg Dam

Cougar Dam

McKenzie River

Bull Trout DistributionMiddle Fork Willamette 1990-97

Springfield

Eugene

Oakridge

WillametteRiver

.

Hills Creek Res.

Fall Creek

Little Fall Creek

N. Fork Middle Fork WillametteDexter

Res.

Lookout Point Res.

Gold Lake

Salt Cr.

Waldo Lake

Salmon Cr.

One 35 cm bull trout

McKenzie Basin Bull TroutRedd Counts

0

20

40

60

80

1001

98

9

19

91

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

20

01

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

dd

s

Anderson Olallie Sweetwater Roaring River

Estimated Adult PopulationMcKenzie and South Fork McKenzie

• Anderson Creek

– 1999 249

– 2000 138

– 2001 107

• Roaring River

– 1999 41

– 2000 81

– 2001 67

Bull Trout Spawning Run TimingAnderson Creek

0

4

8

12

16

20

Bu

ll tr

ou

t

Upstream 00 (n=138)

Downstream 00 (n=107)

Bull Trout Adult Length FrequencyAnderson Creek

0

10

20

30

40

50

<30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 >81

Length (cm)

Nu

mb

er o

f B

ull

tro

ut

Upstream 00 (mean = 46.2)

Downstream 00 (mean = 36.5)

Bull Trout Migration - Time of DayAnderson Creek

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Time (hours)

% F

ish

/

ho

ur

Upstream 00

Downstream 00

Age 1+

Fry

Downstream Migrant Trap Anderson Creek

Anderson Creek Bull Trout Juvenile Trapping (Fry)

0

4,000

8,000

12,000

16,000

20,000

24,000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Nu

mb

er o

f F

ish

Anderson Creek Bull TroutJuvenile Trapping (Age 1+)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 *2001

Nu

mb

er o

f F

ish

* Did not trap during final four weeks of the trapping season

Bull Trout Releases for Rehabilitation

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Nu

mb

er o

f F

ry

Sweetwater Cr.

Olallie Cr.

MF Willamette

Middle Fork WillametteJuvenile bull trout release sites

Staley C

r

Release Sites

Middle Fork W

illamette

Hills Creek Reservoir

Oakridge

Swift

Cr

Hills Creek Dam

Hatchery Rainbow Trout Program Changes

Year Location Action

1988 McKenzie River(RK 0 to RK 24)

Rb stocking discontinued

1992 McKenzie River Ad fin-clipped harvest only

1994 McKenzie River(RK 105 to RK 133)

Rb stocking discontinued

1997 South Fork McKenzie Rb stocking discontinued

1997 Trail Bridge Reservoir Ad fin-clipped harvest only

1997 Middle Fork Willamette(above Hills Creek Res)

Ad fin-clipped harvest only

Restrictive Angling Regulations

Year Location Action

1991 Willamette Basin Taking bull trout prohibited

1992 McKenzie River (Mainstem and South Fork)

All wild trout must be released

1994 McKenzie River (RK 105 to RK 133)

Artificial flies and lures only

1997 South Fork McKenzie Artificial flies and lures only

1997 Trail Bridge Reservoir All wild trout must be released

1997 Middle Fork Willamette (above Hills Creek Res.)

Artificial flies and lures only

All wild trout must be released

2001 Most McKenzie River tributaries and Trail Bridge Reservoir

Artificial flies and lures only

All wild trout must be released

Information DisseminationUpper Willamette Bull Trout Working Group

Project Summary

• Determined bull trout distribution, population size and trends

• Preliminary success with rehabilitation

– Spawning in Sweetwater Creek

– Sub-adult rearing in Middle Fork Willamette

• Angler awareness

• Information dissemination

Willamette Bull Trout2003 Proposed Activities

Re-introduction Study

Obj 1 Feasibility & suitability study

Obj 2 Collect & transfer bull trout

Obj 3 Monitor re-introduced bull trout

Obj 4 Monitor donor population

Long Term Monitoring

Obj 5 Monitor bull trout basin-wide

Objective 1

Feasibility & suitability study

1. Identify suitable introduction sites

• habitat

• temperature

• fish communities

• Assess donor population

• Test hatchery protocol

Objective 2 Collect & transfer bull trout

• Collect 10-20% out migrating fry from donor stream

• Identify with ventral clip

• Transfer half to introduction sites and half to Marion Forks Hatchery

• Rear in hatchery for approximately one year

• Transfer hatchery reared fish to introduction sites

Objective 3

Monitor re-introduced bull trout

1. Determine distribution

2. Estimate abundance of fish

3. Estimate growth

4. Estimate abundance of redds

5. Monitor stream temperatures

Objective 4 Monitor donor population

• Annual estimates of abundance for:

• Migrant juvenile

• Resident juvenile

• Adult

• Redds

• Determine long term trends

Objective 5Monitor bull trout basin-wide

1. Determine annual abundance of spawning bull trout

2. Determine summer distribution

3. Relate abundance of spawning bull trout progress towards recovery goals

Willamette Subbasin Summary

Re-introduction Study

• Assess potential to re-introduce bull trout in Santiam, Clackamas and Middle Fork Willamette watersheds

• Restore extirpated populations

Willamette Subbasin Summary

Long Term Monitoring

• Coordination & integration of monitoring efforts

• Increased monitoring of status & trends

• Prioritize restoration & protection efforts

• Protect & recover existing fish populations