This is the proposal from 2015 and mirrors the 1990's work.

Recommendations for the use of the
Wynoochee Dam Salmon and Steelhead Trust Fund
Draft July 30, 2015

Summary
The “Agreement for Mitigation and Enhancement at Wynoochee Dam” (“Agreement”) of 1991 established the Wynoochee Dam Salmon and Steelhead Trust Fund (“Trust”) to enhance the fishery resources of the Wynoochee River. The Agreement envisioned the construction and operation of a hatchery near the base of the Wynoochee Dam. However, for a variety of reasons the hatchery was never constructed and the funding provided through the Agreement remains largely unexpended. The Trust balance has grown to approximately $2.5 million dollars.

This document provides a proposal to increase fish production in the Wynoochee River and fully expend the Fund through the remaining 22 years (through 2037) of the Agreement. The proposal includes the following components:

1) 55,700 increase in coho salmon smolts;
2) 25,000 increase in summer steelhead smolts; and
3) Improvements in fish collection facilities at the Wynoochee Dam and at the Lake Aberdeen Hatchery to support these programs.

The preliminary projected cost of the proposed project over the remaining 22 years of the Agreement is $2,035,773.

Mitigation History
In 1991 the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Chehalis and Quinault tribes, and the cities of Aberdeen and Tacoma signed the Agreement for Mitigation and Enhancement at Wynoochee Dam (“Agreement”). In the Agreement, the Cities agreed to create a fund for a hatchery to mitigate for continuing impacts to downstream migrants.

The fund was intended to support the construction and operation of a small hatchery and acclimation facility downstream from the dam on land owned by the US Forest Service. However, for a variety of reasons the hatchery was never constructed and the funding provided through the Agreement remains largely unexpended. In a letter dated July 9, 1993, the directors of the Washington Department of Fisheries, and Washington Department of Game requested the cities of Aberdeen and Tacoma to continue to hold funds set aside for the hatchery facility, until an alternative plan was developed. The Trust is currently being held by Tacoma Power and has grown to approximately $2.4 million dollars.

Project Proposal
The proposed project provides an increase in fish production for the Wynoochee River and includes the following components:

1) 55,700 increase in coho salmon smolts;
2) 25,000 increase in summer steelhead smolts; and
3) Improvements in fish collection facilities at the Wynoochee Dam to support these programs.

Each of these components is discussed in greater detail below.

Coho Salmon Production Enhancement
The objectives of the proposed coho salmon program are to increase the number of coho salmon available to fisheries. As originally envisioned in the Agreement, each year 55,000 coho salmon smolts would be funded by the Trust. Eggs would be incubated and initial rearing would occur at the Lake Aberdeen Hatchery. To maximize survival rates and returns to the Wynoochee River, smolts would be reared in net pens in the Wynoochee Reservoir for up to 6 months before release immediately below the Wynoochee Dam.

Projected costs of the coho salmon project for the next 22 years are summarized in Table 1. All cost projections assume an average annual inflation rate of 3%.

Table 1. Projected costs for coho salmon program over 22-year period of proposed project.

Source Cost Comments
Netpen at Wynoochee Reservoir $13,595
Trucking Juveniles and Adults $17,255
Mass Marking $61,498
Feed $120,128
Miscellaneous Goods & Services $79,374 Includes replacement of pen netting at 5-10 year intervals.
Planting Truck $200,000 Designed to couple with fish handling facility hopper. Used for transport of both adults and juveniles.
Staffing $785,856 6 months of staffing for trap operation and tending of net pens.
Indirect @28% on all items except Feed and Planting Truck $271,928
Total $1,549,634



Summer Steelhead Production Enhancement
The objective of the proposed summer steelhead program is to increase the number of steelhead available to fisheries. Each year the production of 25,000 summer steelhead salmon smolts would be funded by the Trust. Eggs would be incubated and initial rearing would occur at the Lake Aberdeen Hatchery. To maximize survival rates, returns to the Wynoochee River, and to facilitate the collection of adults, smolts would be reared in net pens in the Wynoochee Reservoir for up to 6 months before release immediately below the Wynoochee Dam.
Projected costs of the steelhead project for the next 22 years are summarized in Table 2. All cost projections assume an average annual inflation rate of 3%.

Table 2. Projected costs for summer steelhead program over 22-year period of proposed project.

Source Cost Comments
Planting Truck - Included in costs for coho program.
Staffing - Included in costs for coho program.
Net Pen at Wynoochee Reservoir $13,595
Trucking Juveniles and Adults $7,745
Mass Marking $27,602
Feed $117,892
Miscellaneous Goods & Services $35,626
Indirect @28% on all items except Feed and Planting Truck $23,679
Total $226,139


Fish Trap Enhancements
The current fish trap, which is located about 2 miles below the Wynoochee Dam (Figure 1), offers only a rudimentary ability to collect and sort returning adults. Live fish must be dip-netted from the flume, handled and examined individually while in the dipnet. Adults are then sorted to one holding tank, individual fish transferred to a transport tank manually, or marked and returned to the river. It doesn’t prevent fish from cycling through the facility multiple times, and is rough on fish and fish handlers. Handling adults in this manner causes damage and potential mortality due to slime and scale loss caused by the net material and fish handlers’ gloves.

The facility upgrade will require installation of an elevated platform (false floor), modification to the flume, installation of holding/anesthetic tanks and a brail system (lift system) to transfer adults to transport tankers.

The projected costs for enhancements to the trap are summarized in Table 3.

Table 3. Projected costs for facility enhancements.

Source Cost Comments
Wynoochee Dam Trap Enhancements $200,000 Tacoma cost estimate.
30% Contingency $60,000
Total $260,000






Figure 1. Map of the Wynoochee Dam and Fish Trap.


Adaptive Management
Substantive uncertainty exists regarding the expected performance and cost of this project. To provide for management flexibility, the performance and cost of the fish production programs will be reviewed at 5-year intervals. The fish production programs may be modified by the Parties to more effectively address the goals o
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Dazed and confused.............the fog is closing in