1. UMATILLA HATCHERY MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROJECT Richard Carmichael, Wes Stonecypher, Gerold Grant, and Will Cameron Project # 19900500 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife NE Fish Research and Development, Hermiston and La Grande, OR Funded by:

2. Background Chinook salmon were extirpated and summer steelhead were significantly reduced in the Umatilla River by the early 1900s due to agricultural development and habitat degradation Umatilla hatchery was built in the late 1980s and began rearing and releasing subyearling and yearling fall and spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in the 1990s Umatilla hatchery monitoring and evaluation project began in 1990 to assess hatchery performance in reintroducing spring and fall Chinook salmon and supplementing summer steelhead Umatilla hatchery M&E project is part of comprehensive Umatilla River anadromous salmonid research program that includes outmigration and survival, natural production, river passage and flow enhancement projects

3. Objectives Determine success in achieving adult return andsmolt-to adult survival goals Develop optimum rearing and release strategies for spring Chinook, fall Chinook and summer steelhead Determine catch distribution, catch contribution, straying and escapement for spring Chinook, fall Chinook and summer steelhead Determine success in restoring and enhancing recreational fisheries Assess success of reestablishing natural production of spring Chinook salmon Compare life history characteristics and productivity of natural and hatchery summer steelhead

4. Spring Chinook Results

5. Adult Spring Chinook Salmon Returns to the Umatilla River 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 19881990199219941996199820002002 NUMBER Hatchery adults Natural adults Total adults 2004 Subbasin Plan goal = 2,000 2004 Subbasin Plan goal = 6,000 YEAR

6. Smolt-to-Adult Survival for Spring Chinook Salmon from Umatilla and Little White Salmon Hatcheries 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 199119921993199419951996 BROOD YEAR % SURVIVAL Umatilla Little White Salmon Master Plan goal=0.75 Bonneville

7. Catch and Escapement Distribution of Spring Chinook Salmon 1995-1998 Brood Years 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 PROPORTION OF ADULTS Columbia River Rec./Commercial Columbia River Tribal Umatilla Recreational Umatilla River Tribal Strays Brood Stock & CWT Spawning Escapement Ocean

8. Spring Chinook Salmon Progeny-to-Parent Ratios BROOD YEAR PROGENY:PARENT RATIO Progeny:parent ratio (redds estimate) Progeny:parent ratio (mortality estimate) Progeny:spawning escapement ratio 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 1992199319941995199619971998

9. Disposition of Spawning Escapement 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 1991199319951997 1999 2001 YEAR NUMBER OF FISH Unaccounted spawning escapement (mean = 35%) Prespawn mortality (mean = 20%) Spawners (mean = 45%)

10. Female Pre-spawn Mortality 1996-2000 Natural origin Hatchery origin RIVER MILE % MORTALITY Acclimation Site North Fork 95 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 657075808590

11. Spring Chinook Salmon Recreational Fishing Effort and Harvest in the Umatilla River No Season 0 3,000 6,000 1990199219941996199820002002 RUN YEAR ANGLER DAYS 0 200 400 600 800 NUMBER HARVESTED Angler days Number harvested 2,000 5,000 1,000 4,000

12. Fall Chinook Results

13. Adult Fall Chinook Salmon Returns to Three Miles Fall Dam 3,000 199519961997199819992000 RETURN YEAR NUMBER OF FISH Hatchery Natural 6,000 0 2004 Subbasin Plan goal = 6,000 1,000 2,000 4,000 5,000

14. Smolt-To-Adult Survival of Sub-yearling and Yearling Fall Chinook Salmon 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 199119921993199419951996 BROOD YEAR % SURVIVAL Subyearling Release Umatilla Yearling Release Umatilla Yearling March Release Bonneville Yearling April Release Bonneville Master Plan goal = 0.75 Master Plan goal = 0.3

15. Adult Fall Chinook Salmon Catch and Escapement Distribution 1991-1995 Brood Years PROPORTION OF ADULTS 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 Ocean Columbia River Rec./Commercial Columbia River Tribal Umatilla Recreational Strays Brood & CWT Spawning Escapement

16. Percentage of Umatilla Destined Fall Chinook that Strayed into the Upper Columbia and Snake Rivers 0 20 40 60 80 100 1990199119921993199419951996199719981999 RETURN YEAR % ESCAPEMENT Subyearling Yearling

17. Distribution of Stray Fall Chinook Salmon Brood Years 1992-1999 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 Hanford Reach Priest Rapids Hatchery Ringold Springs Hatchery Yakima River Lyons Ferry Hatchery Lower Granite Dam Above McNary Sport Recovery Site PROPORTION Subyearling Yearling

18. Fall Chinook Salmon Recreational Fishing Effort and Harvest in The Umatilla River 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 199219941995199619971998199920002001 RUN YEAR ANGLER DAYS 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 NUMBER HARVESTED Angler Days Number Jack Harvested Number Subjack Harvested 1993

19. Summer Steelhead Results

20. Adult Hatchery Steelhead Returning to Three Miles Fall Dam 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 91- 92 92- 93 93- 94 94- 95 95- 96 96- 97 97- 98 98- 99 99- 00 00- 01 01- 02 02- 03 RETURN YEAR NUMBER Natural Adults Hatchery Adults 2004 Subbasin Plan goal = 4,000 2004 Subbasin Plan goal = 1,500

21. Summer Steelhead Smolt-To-Adult Survival 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 199219931994199519961997 BROOD YEAR % SURVIVAL Small Grade Large Grade Minthorn Release Large Grade Bonifer Release Master Plan goal = 2.7%

22. Catch and Escapement Distribution of Summer Steelhead 1992-1996 Brood Years 0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 Columbia River Tribal Columbia River Rec./Commercial Umatilla Tribal Umatilla Recreational Brood Stock & CWT Spawning Escapement Proportion

23. Progeny to Parent Ratio For Natural and Hatchery Summer Steelhead 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 19911992199319941995199619971998 PREDOMINANT SMOLT OUTMIGRATION YEAR RATIO Natural Steelhead Hatchery Steelhead

24. Summer Steelhead Adult Migration Timing 1992-2000 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun Month PROPORTION Natural Hatchery

25. 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 199119921993199419951996199719981999 PREDOMINANT SMOLT OUTMIGRATION YEAR PROPORTION OF RETURN Natural male one-salt Hatchery male one-salt Proportion of Umatilla Summer Steelhead Returning as One-Salt

26. Summer Steelhead Recreational Fishing Effort and Harvest in the Umatilla River 0 6,000 92- 93 93- 94 94- 95 95- 96 96- 97 97- 98 98- 99 99- 00 00- 01 01- 02 RUN YEAR ANGLER DAYS 0 50 100 150 200 250 NUMBER HARVESTED Angler days Number Harvested 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000

27. Conclusions Spring Chinook salmon adult return and smolt-to-adult survival goals have not been achieved for most years Progeny per parent ratios of naturally spawning hatchery fish have been mostly below 1.0, resulting in few natural adult returns Adult pre-spawning mortality is a significant factor limiting production of spring Chinook salmon Reestablished popular recreational fishery for spring Chinook salmon that continues to grow

28. Conclusions Fall Chinook adult return and smolt-to-adult survival goals have not been achieved for any year Umatilla fall Chinook salmon contribute substantially to ocean and Columbia River mainstem fisheries Fall Chinook stray rates into the Snake and Upper Columbia Rivers are high, but have declined through time Little success in establishing a recreational fishery for fall Chinook salmon

29. Conclusions Summer steelhead adult return and smolt-to- adult survival goals have not been achieved for any year Progeny-per-parent ratios for hatchery fish have been well above 1.0, in contrast ratios for naturally spawning hatchery/natural fish have been below 1.0 for most years Life history characteristics of hatchery steelhead are similar to natural steelhead Harvest of hatchery origin summer steelhead in the Umatilla River has been low

30. Adaptive Management Eliminated spring Chinook salmon rearing and release strategies that survived poorly Testing spring Chinook fall transfer strategy to improve survival Investigating broodstock management and release location options to reduce spring Chinook pre-spawn mortality Reduced fall Chinook smolt production level based on poor smolt-to-adult survival and reduced adult return goals

31. Adaptive Management Implemented fall Chinook salmon 100% marking/tagging strategy to allow trap and removal at Snake River dams Testing larger size at release and lower river release locations for subyearling fall Chinook salmon Reduced production levels for summer steelhead to reduce rearing density Modified grading, release location, and acclimation strategies