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:
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 |
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