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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 2018)
November 30, 2018 T he C olumbia P ress 5 River flows increased to ensure spawning Turning in poachers has its rewards b y d aVid W ilson Bonneville Power Administration Sometimes being underwa- ter is a good thing, especially for Columbia River salmon nests, called redds. This fall, federal agencies are increasing river flows be- low Bonneville Dam to en- sure the redds of spawning chum salmon stay covered with water. The agencies have conducted these “chum oper- ations” every fall since 2000. Earlier this month, the river was being held between 11 1/2 to 13 feet above sea level to ensure chum could spawn at the mouth of Hamilton Creek in the Columbia River Gorge. For chum operations to oc- cur, water is released from reservoirs as far away as Hun- gry Horse and Libby dams in Montana, more than 850 river-miles above Bonneville Dam. The water is then cap- tured and released as needed to create spawning flows that keep the redds underwater. The annual run of Columbia River chum salmon histor- ically numbered more than 1 million. However, habitat loss, harvest and other fac- tors caused their numbers to plummet during the last century to a low of just a few thousand fish returning to the river each year. The federal government listed Columbia River chum as threatened un- der the Endangered Species Act in 1999. Called “dog” salmon because of their canine-like teeth, chum are the last salmon of the year to return to the Co- lumbia to spawn, and their young are the first to leave for the ocean in the spring. Chum generally spawn in the lower part of the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, in ar- eas where warm ground water pushes up through the grav- el where salmon make their nests. The warm water incu- Courtesy BPA A chum salmon caught on the Columbia River. bates their eggs. The Bonneville Power Ad- ministration has funded two hatchery programs and con- structed new spawning habi- tat for chum in several areas of the lower Columbia Riv- er. The efforts are showing signs of success – more than 20,000 chum returned to the Columbia in 2015, the highest number since 2002. Chum are not the only salm- on to benefit from special river operations. River levels above McNary Dam are also adjusted this time of year for chinook salmon spawning on the Vernita Bar and down through Hanford Reach, a 50- mile free-flowing stretch of the Columbia that ends near Richland, Wash. Vernita Bar is a large grav- el bar in the Columbia River, 4 miles downstream from Priest Rapids Dam. There, and in three other places in the Hanford Reach, salmon dig redds in the gravel to lay eggs. The fish come back like clockwork, so river flows are adjusted each year beginning Oct. 15. From mid-October to the weekend before Thanksgiv- ing, river levels below Priest Rapids Dam are reduced during the day. Lower water encourages chinook salmon, which spawn mainly during the day, to dig their redds lower on the riverbanks. At night, flows are increased to allow any excess water to go downstream. The objective is to ensure that eggs are depos- ited in areas that will remain submerged until they hatch and emerge in the spring. Redds made higher on the riv- er banks could dry out when water levels decrease. Historically, scientists be- lieve only a small number of chinook spawned in the Ver- nita Bar area. However, river operations during some sea- sons have helped to increase that number to as many as 250,000 salmon. A new program will pro- vide big game preference points in lieu of a cash re- ward to people who turn in poachers. The program builds on the longstanding Turn in Poach- ers Program, a collaboration between the Oregon Hunt- ers Association and Oregon State Police. Until now, it provided cash-only rewards. This year, a person who provides information that leads to an arrest or citation for the unlawful taking, pos- session or waste of big game are eligible for preference points or the cash reward. Up to five preference points will be awarded depending on the wildlife involved. The new program is due to the passage of House Bill 3158 by the 2017 Oregon Legislature, which directed the Department of Fish and Wildlife to offer big-game preference points in lieu of cash for people providing information leading to ci- tations or arrest of poach- ers. The Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted rules for the program last month at their meeting in Bandon, and the rules are retroactive until Jan. 1, 2018. “Poaching is a serious problem for Oregon’s wild- life,” says Travis Schultz, ODFW access and habitat coordinator. “It can have significant long term im- pacts on our wildlife popu- lations.” Report wildlife violations via email to TIP@state.or.us or by calling *OSP or 800- 452-7888.
