BPA Logo.  Links to the Bonneville Power Administration home page. Environment, Fish & Wildlife text graphic. Links to the home page of this site.
fish & wildlife   pollution prevention   environmental planning/analysis   contacts   index
Drawing of horizontal line.

Fish and Wildlife Project Summary

Project 199404900

KOOTENAI RIVER RESIDENT FISH ASSESSMENTS


Location: KOOTENAI SUBBASIN basin, including sites listed below.
KOOTENAI RIVER [ID].

Summary Description: Assess resident fish populations in the Idaho portion of the Kootenai River and identify fisheries enhancement opportunites for white sturgeon, kokanee salmon, bull trout, burbot, Westslope cutthroat trout and redband trout.

Background: The Kootenai River is an aquatic ecosystem in the state of collapse. One possible reason for this collapse is the alteration of the natural hydrograph of the Kootenai River. Since Libby Dam began operating in the early 1970's, the Kootenai River hydrograph has been very unstable, unnatural and virtually reversed from pre-impoundment conditions. Impoundment water has been retained during historical periods of high discharge and released from Lake Koocanusa during historically low flow periods (Partridge, 1983). Consequently, the last substantial naturally produced year class of white sturgeon to recruit to the Kootenai River population was produced in 1974. This white sturgeon population, endemic to the Kootenai River system was listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act on October 6, 1994, because of the lack of recruitment. Fish populations of other species in the Kootenai River system have also declined since 1974. Kokanee salmon runs (South Arm Kootenay Lake stock) numbering thousands of fish as recent as the early 1980's (Partridge, 1983), have declined to less than 85 fish in eight historic spawning streams combined (Anders, 1994; Anders 1993). Catch rates of rainbow trout, and standing stock estimates and growth rates of mountain whitefish in the Kootenai River have decreased since the early 1980's (Paragamian, 1994). The burbot population has also declined during recent decades, as indicated by an ongoing burbot population study in the which eight burbot were captured during 887 sampling hours (Paragamian, 1994). Total zooplankton densities (mean < 0.1/L) are lower than other rivers in the northwestern United States ( Williams, 1961; Paragamian , 1994). Another potential reason for the decline in population densities of aquatic biota appears to be nutrient retention in Lake Koocanusa. Woods (1982) reported that 63% of total phosphorus and 25% of nitrogen in the Kootenai River system never passes Libby Dam to provide biological benefit downstream. Lake Koocanusa (impounded by Libby Dam) is acting as a nutrient sink, trapping sediment with efficiencies exceeding 95% and storing nutrients in the bottom substrates (Synder and Minshall, 1994: Woods, 1982).In the past, biological data have been collected, often intermittently from the Kootenai River system to address the status of specific species in certain trophic levels. However, no study to date has simultaneously and comprehensively collected or complied data necessary to complete a suitable status review for aquatic organisms in all trophic levels. Completion of such a comprehensive inventory is essential, prior to recommending and implementing ecosystem and fishery improvement measures for the Kootenai River system.

Milestones: No implementation measures have been decided on at this time. Multiagency scoping and the federal recovery planning process will contribute to future sampling designs and statistical testing. Identify best management options in order to enhance the aquatic ecosystem and recover native populations of white sturgeon, kokanee salmon, bull trout, burbot, Westslope cutthroat trout and redband trout in the Kootenai River system. Accomplishments: 1995 Completion of the "Kootenai River Biological Baseline Status Report" 1996 Development of a working computer simulation model of the Kootenai River system. Completion of a one-year macroinvertebrate investigation. 1997 Completion of a water quality monitoring program on the Kootenai River. Completion of the macroinvertebrate investigation report "Kootenai River Macroinvertebrate Investigation". Completion of the first year of a multi-year project to survey all the tributaries of the Kootenai River. Completion of the first season of evaluating biological and population parameter data for all fish species in the Kootenai River using electrofishing techniques

Results: Not recorded

Publications:
Publication Title Report Type Coverage Years Published Pages DOE/BP Number
Kootenai River Biological Baseline Progress 1929 - 1989 Feb 1997 40364-1
R 121
Sherman Creek Hatchery Annual 1995 - 1996 Jan 1997 21191-1
R 122

Project Classification Keys:
Primary: All projects in the Resident Fish Program
Secondary: Monitoring, baseline, assessment, and O&M;
Tertiary: Basline surveys and research, feasility studies

Work Sites
Site/Subsite Names Site Type Types of Work Performed
KOOTENAI RIVER [ID]/Stream (river, creek, canal, etc.)Survey, study, research, monitor, evaluate

Project Budget and Obligation:
Fiscal
Year
Initially
Authorized
Latest
Authorized
Authorized
Change
Obligation
In Process
Bonneville
Overhead
Contracted
Obligation
Contracted
Agent
1995 $175,000 $175,000 $0 $0 $0 $175,000 KOOTENAI TRIBE of IDAHO
1996 $175,000 $232,353 $57,353 $0 $0 $232,353 KOOTENAI TRIBE of IDAHO
1997 $226,572 $223,858 $-2,714 $0 $0 $223,858 KOOTENAI TRIBE of IDAHO
1998 $250,000 $200,000 $-50,000 $0 $0 $200,000 KOOTENAI TRIBE of IDAHO
Totals: $826,572 $831,211 $4,639 $0 $0 $831,211 .


Please direct questions or comments to the Fish and Wildlife Web Coordinator