Concerns to be Addressed. The power peaking operation of the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids Projects have had and will continue to have adverse impacts on native fish populations and their habitat in the river reach between Cabinet Gorge Dam and Lake Pend Oreille. This is particularly true for migratory, native salmonid populations that historically used the Xxxxx Fork River as a travel corridor between Lake Pend Oreille and tributary spawning and rearing habitats located upstream of the dams. Two such species, bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, have experienced substantial declines in distribution and numbers throughout their range, resulting in the recent Endangered Species Act listing of bull trout as threatened and the current consideration of listing westslope cutthroat trout. Concern for the status of these native salmonids and the effects of the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids Projects to the river habitat and migratory corridor of the lower Xxxxx Fork River were identified by relicensing participants as significant issues needing to be addressed at the earliest stages of this collaborative relicensing process (see Initial Stage comment letters and various Xxxxx Fork Relicensing Team and Fisheries Work Group Meeting Summaries).
Concerns to be Addressed. Concern for the status of native salmonids, particularly bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, and the effects of the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids Projects to the river habitat and migratory corridor of the lower Xxxxx Fork River, were identified by relicensing participants as significant issues needing to be addressed at the earliest stages of this collaborative relicensing process (see Initial Stage comment letters and various Xxxxx Fork Relicensing Team and Fisheries Work Group Meeting Summaries). In addition, MFWP and several other participants expressed concern about the impacts of the projects to the existing and historical recreational fisheries occurring along the lower Xxxxx Fork River. Lastly, virtually all participants in the relicensing have identified concerns that implemented measures be monitored and evaluated to determine if they are achieving the desired results or whether efforts should be modified or better directed to new or different programs.
Concerns to be Addressed. Prior to the construction of dams on the Xxxxx Fork River, a number of adfluvial (freshwater, migratory fish that spawn and rear in streams but complete maturity and live as adults in lakes) fish species, including bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, utilized the Xxxxx Fork River as a migratory corridor between Lake Pend Oreille and upstream tributary spawning, nursery, and rearing habitat. Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids dams are impassable barriers that block access to approximately 58 miles of the Xxxxx Fork River and the associated tributaries for adfluvial fish in Lake Pend Oreille. Recently, concern over declines in the range and numbers of both bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout have resulted in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) listing of bull trout as threatened (pursuant to the Endangered Species Act) throughout the Columbia River watershed, and the currently ongoing consideration of listing the westslope cutthroat trout as well. Fragmentation of historically larger, more interconnected populations, and isolation of the remaining populations due in part to the construction of dams, has been implicated in the decline of bull trout. The continued operation of the Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge Projects, without provisions for fish passage, will continue to isolate adfluvial fish. These concerns are addressed by this PM&E measure through the implementation of a variety of fish passage related programs, focused initially on bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, that will provide for a comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility, desirability, and the most appropriate and beneficial methodologies for accomplishing fish passage. The PM&E measure provides for an ongoing WWP commitment to fish passage evaluation and programs, and a funding mechanism to provide for the necessary fish passage facilities and programs as they are further defined or as may be identified in the future.
Concerns to be Addressed. Bull trout are a key target resource associated with the relicensing of the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids Projects. The populations associated with the Lake Pend Oreille - Xxxxx Fork River (LPO-CFR) system have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The State of Idaho identified the illegal harvest of bull trout in spawning streams as a significant threat to Lake Pend Oreille bull trout with the potential to effectively wipe out the entire spawning run in a stream. They presented evidence to the Fisheries Work Group (FWG), at the June 11-12, 1997, meeting concerning the magnitude of the problem which may range into the “hundreds of fish lost annually,” and requested support for an enhanced law enforcement effort and public education program beyond the limited resources currently available. Without such a program, there is concern that gains realized through other efforts (e.g. fish passage, tributary habitat protection and enhancement, etc.) could be nullified by illegal harvest or habitat disturbances. Given the limited number of natal streams supporting the Lake Pend Oreille bull trout population, the potential loss of any component of that population or even individual fish in some of the smaller spawning runs would represent a significant blow to the goal of maintaining the long-term population health and viability.
Concerns to be Addressed. There appears to be little question the operation of hydroelectric projects has an impact on the indigenous aquatic life inhabiting rivers and streams. The Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids Projects have had and will continue to have impacts to stream and riverine habitats and the indigenous aquatic life that inhabit them (Beak 1997, 1998a, 1998b; Lang 1997). Concerns were expressed early on in the consultation process that Washington Water Power (WWP) should attempt to eliminate, minimize, or mitigate for these impacts, and this measure was one of those sponsored by the Fisheries Work Group (FWG) to help meet these objectives.
Concerns to be Addressed. Excessive nutrient levels and the resulting productivity enrichment problems have been reported as significant water quality concerns in the Xxxxx Fork River (Xxxxxx 1992, USEPA 1992). However, these concerns are most acute in the upper portions of the river, and due to dilution by tributary inflow and other factors, nutrient concentrations in the lower Xxxxx Fork River are generally low and algae blooms are uncommon (Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxxx 1988; ND&T 1994; WWP 1995, 1996). Heavy metals contamination resulting from extensive mining activities in the headwaters and upper Xxxxx Fork River basin has resulted in establishment of several Superfund sites, although they are located over 100 miles upstream of the Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge Projects. With the focus on these concerns confined largely to the upper basin, relatively little hard data was available on nutrient and metals conditions in the vicinity of the projects prior to Washington Water Power’s (WWP) recent evaluations. However, earlier conclusions and the results of the recent evaluations have indicated that the two project reservoirs do serve as sediment sinks, and therefore do retain nutrients and metals. The relative effectiveness of the reservoirs to serve in this capacity appears to be highly variable depending on loading and river flow conditions, but at least some benefit through net annual retention is provided by the Projects to Lake Pend Oreille (X. Xxxxxxx, Xxxx, pers. comm. to WRWG). Given the high priority of these concerns in the LPO-CFR system, a better understanding of trends in water quality in project waters, and the influence of the projects on downstream water quality, remains an interest of participants in the relicensing process.
Concerns to be Addressed. This measure will address the concern of whether Xxxxx Reservoir stratification and low oxygen conditions at near-bottom depths are resulting in remobilization of nutrients and/or metals that have accumulated in reservoir sediments. This information will be provided to the Management Committee and appropriate technical committees for further consideration and possible action.
