Cooperative Agreement R23AC00447

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF REINTRODUCING SALMON TO CURRENTLY IMPASSABLE AREAS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER. THIS COULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR SALMON TO RETURN TO AREAS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ACCESSIBLE IN MANY YEARS AND HELP THE POPULATIONS OF THESE THREATENED AND ENDANGERS SPECIES TO INCREASE.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: OBJECTIVE 1: PROJECT ADMINISTRATION, COORDINATION AND REPORTINGUCUT AND THE MEMBER TRIBES WILL REGULARLY COORDINATE P2IP ACTIVITIES IN UPPER COLUMBIA RIVERBASIN THROUGH SITE VISITS, MEETINGS, CONFERENCE CALLS, AND OTHER REGULAR AND TIMELYCOMMUNICATIONS. UCUT WILL TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN COORDINATION AND REPORTING, WITH CTCRAND THE OTHER UCUT TRIBES REGULARLY PARTICIPATING. THIS AGREEMENT REQUIRES PROGRESS REPORTINGON A SEMI-ANNUAL BASIS INCLUDING FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORTS TO RECONCILE THE TASKSCOMPLETED WITH THE FUNDS EXPENDED. TECHNICAL REPORTS PRODUCED TO REPORT ON THE OUTCOMES OFSTUDIES OR ACTIVITIES UNDER THESE OBJECTIVES SHOULD ALSO BE SUBMITTED AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE ANNUAL OR FINAL REPORTS OF STUDIES WITH A DESCRIPTION OF METHODS, RESULTS, DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND REFERENCES.OBJECTIVE 2: ACTIVE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATIONSEVERAL ACTIVE PROJECTS ARE EITHER UNDERWAY OR PLANNED WITHIN THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT THAT WILLBE PARTIALLY SUPPORTED BY RECLAMATION FUNDING. THESE PROJECTS ARE FULLY DESCRIBED IN THE P2IPAND SUMMARIZED IN THE OBJECTIVES SECTION ABOVE. IMPLEMENTATION OF P2IP PROJECTS IS EXPECTED TOPROGRESS IN AN ADAPTIVE MANNER, WITH OUTCOMES OF ONGOING STUDIES LEADING TO ADJUSTMENTS INFUTURE WORK. THE UCBAAF PROCESS PROVIDES A FORUM FOR USING COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE TO REVIEWRESULTS AND PLAN NEXT STEPS. THE STUDIES AND ACTIVITIES LISTED ARE INTERRELATED AND ARE BEING DONECOLLABORATIVELY WITH SEVERAL PARTNERS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING, PROVIDING IN-KIND SERVICES, AND ORPROVIDING FUNDING. WHERE THESE COLLABORATIONS ARE KNOWN AND ESTABLISHED, THEY ARE DISCUSSEDBRIEFLY HERE. THE CTCR WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THESE ACTIVITIES.OBJECTIVE 3: FISH REARING AND MARKINGTHE ENTIAT NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY HAS PROVIDED EGGS FOR THE REINTRODUCTION EFFORT SINCE 2020. THESE EGGS HAVE BEEN REARED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT FACILITIES (COAT HATCHERY, FORD HATCHERY, WELLS HATCHERY) AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IN THE FUTURE ADDITIONAL HATCHERIES COULD BE INVOLVED. FOR BROOD YEAR 2022, APPROXIMATELY170K CHINOOK FISH ARE BEING REARED AT BY DOUGLAS COUNTY PUD AT WELLS HATCHERY. THE CTCR HAS A FACILITY USE AGREEMENT IN PLACE TO AUTHORIZE AND PAY FOR THIS AND IS THE LEAD ON THIS ACTIVITY. FISH HEALTH MONITORING AND TAGGING WILL BE DONE THROUGH AGREEMENTS OR CONTRACTS FACILITATED BY UCUT AND UCUT TRIBES. WE EXPECT THE FISH REARING SITUATION TO BE SIMILAR FOR BY 2023, BUT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY TO ADAPT TO THIS RAPIDLY EVOLVING PROGRAM. THE CONTRACT FUNDING IDENTIFIED IN THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IS TO PARTIALLY FUND THE REARING AND TAGGING COSTS FOR THE PROGRAM. UCUT AND THE MEMBER TRIBES WILL USE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE REARING COSTS. UCUT AND THE MEMBER TRIBES ALL ASSIST IN ASPECTS OF THE FISH REARING AND TRANSPORTATION ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS MOVING EGGS OR PARR BETWEEN HATCHERY LOCATIONS, TAGGING OR MONITORING TAGS AT EACH HATCHERY LOCATION, INSTALLATION, MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF FISH IN THE NET PENS.OBJECTIVE 4: DATABASE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT POPULATE DATABASE WITH HIGH-QUALITY ACCURATE INFORMATION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE UCUT TRIBES AND OTHER PARTNERS.EXPECTED DELIVERABLES OR OUTCOMES: THIS AGREEMENT WILL HELP TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF RESTORING SALMON TO THE BLOCKED AREAS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVERINTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE TRIBES WHO HISTORICALLY RELIED ON SALMON RETURNS TO THE REGION FOR SUSTENANCE, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO ENJOY FISHING FOR SALMON IN THESE WATERS. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES (IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT TIME OF AWARD): NONE