The intent of this project is to gather the baseline data that is necessary to inform the feasibility of salmon reintroduction upstream of chief joseph and grand coulee dams

The data will replace a number of key assumptions modeled within phase 1 salmon reintroduction studies (ucut 2019), with empirical data and includes the following objectives specific to juvenile chinook salmon: 1) estimate survival and travel time from the mouth of the sanpoil river and kettle falls to grand coulee DAM; 2) estimate survival and travel time from little falls DAM, long lake DAM, nine mile DAM, and lower hangman creek to grand coulee DAM; 3) estimate survival and travel time from grand coulee DAM to chief joseph DAM; 3) assess near-DAM behavior and estimate route-specific passage survival at grand coulee DAM; and 5) assess near-DAM behavior and estimate route-specific passage survival at chief joseph DAM. The proposed project anticipates collection of additional data associated with juvenile salmon survival and behavior throughout the study area. This will in turn provide the salmon reintroduction team with the baseline data necessary to proceed through full-scale feasibility testing of salmon reintroduction to the upper columbia basin. This project will also provide salmon managers in the region with important information regarding the potential for salmon reintroduction and recovery above other dams constructed without fish passage.