F-S4: CHINOOK SALMON PRESENCE ABOVE DEVILS …DRAFT 2012 Chinook Salmon Presence Above Devils Canyon —January 25, 2012 2 2010). Total Chinook escapement is estimated for all of Upper

Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project FERC #14241 Alaska Energy Authority DRAFT 2012 Chinook Salmon Presence Above Devils Canyon —January 25, 2012 1

F-S4: CHINOOK SALMON PRESENCE ABOVE DEVILS CANYON STUDY - DRAFT

INTRODUCTION

The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) is preparing a License Application that will be submitted to

the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric

Project (Project). The application will use the Integrated Licensing Process (ILP). The Project

is located on the Susitna River, an approximately 300 mile long river in the Southcentral region

of Alaska. The Project’s dam site will be located at River Mile (RM) 184. The results of this

study and of other proposed studies will provide information needed to support the FERC’s

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for the Project license.

Project construction and operation, as described in the Pre-application Document (PAD, AEA

2011), will inundate approximately 39 miles of the Susitna River and tributaries within the

reservoir footprint and will modify the flow, thermal, and sediment regimes downstream of the

reservoir. In addition, the Project will block fish migration between the upper and lower river.

These modified conditions will affect aquatic habitat and may affect Chinook salmon (and other

fish species). This study plan outlines the objectives and methods for collecting baseline data

regarding the distribution of Chinook salmon (and other fish species) above Devils Canyon. This

study will initiate a multi-year fish study effort, which will include data collection activities

beginning in 2012.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the study is to obtain baseline data regarding the distribution of adult

and juvenile Chinook salmon and relative abundance of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Susitna

River and its tributaries above Devils Canyon. A secondary objective is to collect species

composition and relative abundance of all fish species within the reservoir inundation zone. The

specific objectives of this study include:

Characterize aquatic habitat in the Susitna River and its tributaries/lakes upstream of Devils Canyon suitable for Chinook salmon;

Determine the distribution and relative abundance of Chinook Salmon (and other fish species) in the Susitna River and its tributaries/lakes upstream of Devils Canyon;

Assist in the 2013-2014 study plan development for resident and anadromous fish upstream of Devils Canyon.

EXISTING INFORMATION

The Susitna River Chinook salmon stock is fourth largest in Alaska (Ivey et al. 2009). The

ADF&G has management responsibility for this species and conducts a majority of the ongoing

stock assessment programs. Chinook salmon escapement in the Susitna watershed is currently

monitored with aerial and foot spawning ground surveys in clear water tributaries and with

limited weir counts. The ADF&G has conducted annual aerial Chinook escapement surveys on

nine Eastside streams and five Westside streams since 1979. Since 1995, a weir count project

estimates the Deshka River Chinook salmon escapement. These data provide escapement

trends across years but offer little information regarding the total escapement (Fair and Willette


2010). Total Chinook escapement is estimated for all of Upper Cook Inlet, which includes 5

major river systems, but is not apportioned further thus the total escapement for Chinook to the

Susitna River is unknown. Abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile Chinook salmon

above Devils Canyon and the proposed Watana dam site is poorly understood (HDR 2011).

Prior to 1982, Devils Canyon was thought to provide a barrier to upstream migration of all

salmon (AEA 2011). However, subsequent studies conducted by ADF&G, reported that a few

Chinook salmon (20–45 individuals) were observed in small tributaries upstream of the Canyon

(ADF&G 1983, ADF&G 1984). In 1984 Chinook spawning was documented above Devils

Canyon at Chinook Creek and Fog Creek (ADF&G 1985). In 2003 ADF&G conducted

electrofishing in the upper Susitna above Watana Canyon. Juvenile Chinook salmon were

observed in Kosina Creek (RM 201) and as far upstream as the mouth of the Oshetna River

(RM 225) (ADF&G 2011). In 2011, ADF&G completed further Chinook presence investigations

and observed adults at Kosina Creek. No other adults have been observed in these tributaries,

but the presence of rearing juveniles suggests the possibility of Chinook spawning this far

upstream.

STUDY AREA

The study area includes the mainstem Susitna River, tributary, and several lake systems of the

Susitna River from Devils Canyon (~RM 152) upstream to and including the Oshetna River, as

indicated in Table 1 and Map1.

METHODS

Methods will be developed in consultation with AEA, resource agencies and other licensing participants. Existing data within the overall study area will need to be synthesized to further refine the approach and study area. This effort will need to be coordinated with AEA and the contractor selected to implement the 2012 F-S1 Synthesis of Existing Fish Population Data to ensure no duplication of efforts. The study will include the following components:

Adult Chinook salmon surveys (July – August)

Coordinate with the companion 2012 F-S3 study that includes adult Chinook salmon radio telemetry and aerial spawning surveys. Participate with the F-S3 study, as appropriate, to identify locations where Chinook salmon spawning occurs and quantify the relative abundance of spawning Chinook salmon. Also, identify the locations where ground surveys are necessary to survey spawning activity and/or redds.

Ground surveys will be conducted in 1) streams within the study area during the juvenile sampling effort; 2) locations of adult Chinook salmon above Devils Canyon documented during aerial spawning surveys; and 3) potential spawning areas that cannot be effectively surveyed by helicopter.

The following data will be collected at all Chinook salmon spawning locations, at a minimum:

o Stream name and GPS coordinates


o Number of Chinook salmon present and activity and/or number of redds and fish per redd

o Habitat type, substrate composition, water temperature, velocity, etc.

Sampling of Juvenile Chinook Salmon and Other Fish Species (~July – August)

Develop and implement a systematic juvenile Chinook salmon (and other fish species) sampling approach (in coordination with AEA and licensing participants) for the tributary and lake locations identified in Table 1 and Map 1 that incorporates:

o Qualitative and quantitative sampling of tributary habitats to identify both distribution and relative abundance estimates. For example, either use (1) a combination of qualitative sampling sites (single pass) and quantitative sampling sites (multi-pass population estimates) or (2) a Hankin and Reeves (1988) habitat mapping and two-stage sampling approach;

o Appropriate sampling methods for large and small tributaries with shallow water <2.5 feet (backpack electrofishing, seining), deeper water (snorkeling), swift water (electrofishing from raft, sampling along margins or within slow-water habitats) and for lake habitats (gillnetting and minnow trap catch-per-unit-effort [CPUE]). This should include appropriate qualitative sampling methods for locations where sampling is difficult such as deep/fast rivers (e.g., sampling along margins methods);

o Physical habitat measurements of habitats sampled (length, width, habitat type, photographs) and measurements of fish encountered during sampling (number, length, weight); and

o Appropriate genetic sampling of Chinook salmon and/or other species, and Dolly Varden and/or humpback whitefish otolith collection, in coordination with ADF&G as appropriate.

Potentially develop a simple geomorphic model with appropriate criteria (e.g. channel gradient, confinement, sediment size, presence of barriers, fish sampling results), to identify the distribution of juvenile Chinook habitat in mainstem river and tributary streams.

Develop and implement a juvenile Chinook salmon (and other species) sampling approach (in coordination with AEA and licensing participants) for the mainstem Susitna River habitats (main channel, side channel, side slough, upland slough, tributary mouths) that incorporates:

o Identification of potential juvenile rearing habitats, including spring brooks and beaver ponds;

o Selection of representative habitats to sample;

o Qualitative/relative abundance sampling (e.g., CPUE) in the mid-July-August time frame of habitats using appropriate methods (seining, electrofishing, gillnetting, minnow traps, snorkeling).


o Physical measurements of habitats sampled (length, width, habitat type, photographs) and measurements of fish encountered during sampling (number, length, weight), including genetic samples of juvenile Chinook and/or other species, as appropriate.

Habitat Mapping

Develop and implement a habitat mapping approach (in coordination with AEA and licensing participants) for the tributary locations identified in Table 1 that incorporates:

o Macrohabitat features including gradient, channel type, geology/substrate, flow, and riparian vegetation;

o Mesohabitat types (e.g., run, pool, riffle), and features such as spawning gravels, large woody debris, cover/riparian vegetation, springs etc.; and

o Upstream fish passage barriers (including GPS coordinates, physical measurements, and photographs).

Develop a habitat mapping/classification approach for mainstem Susitna River habitats and lakes (in coordination with AEA and licensing) for inclusion in the 2013-2014 Fish Study Plans.

2013-2014 Upper River Fish Study Plans

Assist AEA and licensing participants in developing the 2013-2014 study plans designed to assess fish distribution and abundance in the Susitna River, tributaries, and lakes upstream of Devils Canyon (~RM 152) for both anadromous and resident fish species and to evaluate the riverine habitat within the reservoir inundation zone up to an elevations of approximately 2,200 feet msl. At a minimum, attend Work Group meetings, prepare presentation materials, and develop draft and final Proposed and Revised Study Plans to be submitted to FERC.

NEXUS BETWEEN PROJECT AND RESOURCES TO BE STUDIED AND HOW THE RESULTS WILL BE USED

The proposed Project will inundate approximately 39 miles of the Susitna River (~RM 184 –

~RM 223) and operations will modify the flow, thermal, and sediment regimes downstream to

and beyond Devils Canyon (~RM 150-154). Tributaries to the Susitna River within the proposed

reservoir will be inundated up to an elevation of approximately 2,100 ft msl at normal maximum

full pool and will be subject to seasonal water level fluctuations between approximate elevations

of 2,000 ft and 1,850ft msl. In addition, the Project will block fish migration between the upper

and lower river at RM 184 and will alter stream flow through Devils Canyon, potentially

impacting fish passage conditions through the canyon. Understanding the distribution and

relative abundance of Chinook salmon populations above Devils Canyon and the proposed

Dam site is essential to assess potential impacts to Chinook salmon, refine Project design, and

develop Protection, Mitigation and Enhancement measures (PM&Es).

Existing fish and aquatic resource information appears insufficient to address the following

issues that were identified in the PAD (AEA 2011):


Upper River Fish and Aquatic Issues (Upstream of the Watana Dam Site [RM 184])

F1: Effect of change from riverine to reservoir lacustrine habitats resulting from Project development on aquatic habitats, fish distribution, composition, and abundance, including primary and secondary productivity.

F2: Potential effect of fluctuating reservoir surface elevations on fish access and movement between the reservoir and its tributaries and habitats.

F3: Potential effect of Watana Dam on fish movement.

Information from this study will also be used to identify study areas or potential survey locations

for other studies such as Instream Flow and the 2012 F-S3 Distribution and Middle River Habitat

Utilization Study.

PRODUCTS

Study products to be delivered in 2012 will include:

Final 2012 study plan. The 2012 component of the study will be finalized through consultation

with AEA, the resource agencies and other licensing participants. The AEA-selected

environmental contractor will participate in the Work Group meetings as the technical lead and

will prepare interim materials and revise the study plan accordingly.

Data. All original data collected in the field in 2012 will be QC’d and delivered to AEA. The data

will be entered into the relational database described below, QC’d and delivered to AEA.

Geospatially-referenced relational database. A geospatially-referenced relational database of

historic data used in the analysis, if applicable, and data collected during the 2012 field season

will be prepared. This database will form the basis for additional data collection in 2013-2014.

All new field data must be associated with location information collected using a Global

Positioning System (GPS) receiver in unprojected geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude)

and the WGS84 datum. Naming conventions of files and data fields, spatial resolution, and

metadata descriptions must meet the ADNR standards established for the Susitna-Watana

Hydroelectric Project.

Spatial products in ArcGIS software. Spatial products will be developed from the relational

database. At a minimum, spatial products will include a geodatabase and maps indicating

survey area, fish presence by species-lifestage, habitat types sampled and locations of

significant features such as barriers and springs. Naming conventions of files, data fields and

metadata descriptions must meet the ADNR standards established for the Susitna-Watana

Hydroelectric Project. All map and spatial data products will be delivered in the two-dimensional

Alaska Albers Conical Equal Area projection, and North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

horizontal datum consistent with ADNR standards.

Summary of Interim Results. A brief interim report will be prepared and presented to AEA and

the licensing participants to indicate the progress of the study, summarize Chinook salmon

presence, identify any issues that have occurred, and allow for further refinement of the 2013-


2014 upper river studies. All original data collected to date and the draft database will be

delivered to AEA at this time.

2013-2014 Upper River Fish Study Plans. The 2013-2014 upper river fish study plans will be

developed to, at a minimum, 1) assess fish distribution and abundance in the Susitna River,

tributaries, and lakes upstream of Devils Canyon (~RM 152) for both anadromous and resident

fish species; and 2) evaluate the riverine habitat within the reservoir inundation zone up to an

elevation of approximately 2,200 feet msl. These plans will be developed through consultation

during the Work Group meetings under the formal FERC ILP study plan process. The AEA-

selected environmental consultant will participate in the Work Group meetings as the technical

lead and will prepare interim materials and revise the study plans accordingly. Deliverables for

each study include draft and final Proposed Study Plans and draft and final Revised Study

Plans.

Technical Memorandum. A technical memorandum, along with spatial data products,

summarizing the 2012 results will be presented to AEA, resource agency personnel and other

licensing participants.

SCHEDULE

This is a multi-year study. The following tentative schedule is for the significant 2012 scope of

work deliverables. The schedule for the 2013-2014 components will be developed with the AEA-

selected environmental consultant during the final 2013-2014 study planning process.

Final 2012 Study Plan – March 20, 2012

Final Draft 2013-2014 Study Plan Outline – March 20, 2012

Draft 2013-2014 Proposed Upper River Fish Study Plans – April 27, 2012

Final 2013-2014 Proposed Upper River Fish Study Plans – May 21, 2012

Draft 2013-2014 Revised Upper River Fish Study Plans – August 15, 2012

Summary of Interim Results – September 10, 2012

Final 2013-2014 Revised Upper River Fish Study Plans – September 24, 2012

Original QC’d 2012 Data - November 9, 2012

QC’d geospatially-referenced relational database – November 9, 2012

Final Technical Memorandum on 2012 Activity – November 9, 2012.

REFERENCES

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). 1981, Subtask 7.10 Phase 1 Final Draft

Report: Resident Fish Investigations on Upper Susitna River.


Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). 1982. Upper Susitna River Impoundment

Studies.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).1983. Adult anadromous fish studies, 1982.

Susitna Hydro Aquatic Studies. Phase II Basic Data Report. Volume 2. Prepared for

Alaska Power Authority, Anchorage, Alaska.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).1984. Susitna Hydro aquatic studies report no.

1. ADF&G, Susitna Hydro Aquatic Studies Report Series, Susitna Hydro Document No.

1450, Anchorage, Alaska.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). 1985. Availability of invertebrate food sources

for rearing juvenile Chinook salmon inturbid Susitna River habitats. ADF&G Susitna

Hydro Aquatic Studies Report 8. Susitna Hydro Document No. 2846. Anchorage, Alaska.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) 2011. Synopsis of ADF&G’s Upper Susitna

Drainage Fish Inventory, August 2011.

Alaska Energy Authority (AEA). 2011. Pre-Application Document: Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 14241, December 29, 2011.

Buckwalter, J.D. 2011. Synopsis of ADF&G’s Upper Susitna Drainage Fish Inventory, August 2011. November 22, 2011. ADF&G Division of Sport Fish, Anchorage, AK. 173 pp.

Fair, L.F., T.M. Willette. 2010. Review of Salmon Escapement Goals in Upper Cook Inlet,Alaska, 2011. ADF&G, Division of Sport Fish, Fisheries Manuscript Series No. 10-06.December 2010.

Hankin, D. G., and G. H. Reeves. 1988. Estimating total fish abundance and total habitat area in small streams based on visual estimation methods. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 45:834-844.

HDR. 2011. Aquatic Resources Data Gap Analysis. Draft. Prepared for Alaska Energy Authority. July 20, 2011.

Ivey, S., C. Brockman, and D. Rutz. 2009. Area management report for the recreational fisheries of Northern Cook Inlet, 2005 and 2006. Fishery Management Report No. 09-27.


Table 1. Summary of 2012 Tributary and Lake Sampling Locations

Watershed1 Survey Area

2 Available Access Comments

Fog Creek

Mainstem and several tributaries upstream to El. 3,000’ Lower Fog Creek is large and swift, not likely wadeable; continuous sampling feasible above canyon; tributaries wadeable

Fog Lakes Complex (outlet at N62.771, W148.511)

Unnamed northern tributary ~1 mi downstream of Tsusena Creek

Mainstem upstream to El. 3,000’ Likely wadeable; may have waterfalls in lower end

Rightbank tributary Likely wadeable

Tsusena Creek

Mainstem upstream to waterfall at ~RM 3 Marginally wadeable

Deadman Creek

Mainstem from mouth to waterfall (~RM 0.5)

Mainstem from waterfall (~RM 0.5) upstream to Deadman Lake

3

Deadman Lake3

(N63.002, W148.274)

Unnamed lake east of Tsusena Butte4

(N62.921, W148.508)

Unnamed northern tributary between Deadman and Watana creeks

Mainstem upstream to El. of 3,000’ wadeable

Watana Creek

Mainstem upstream to El. of 3,000’ raftable in lower portion; wadeable further upstream

Tributary upstream to Big Lake or first anadromous barrier; two tributaries upstream to El. of 3,000’

Big Lake4 (N62.981, W148.194)

Unnamed southern tributary downstream from Kosina Creek

Watana Lake (N62.739, W148.058)

Kosina Creek

Mainstem upstream to El. 3,000’ raftable

Gilbert Creek (mouth to Clarence Lake) Tsisi Creek (mouth to El. 3,000 ft)

wadeable

Clarence Lake (N62.670, W147.856)

Jay Creek

Mainstem and tributary upstream to El. 3,000’ Wadeable, snorkelable

Unnamed Southern tributary between Jay and Goose Creek

Mainstem and tributaries upstream to El. 3,000’ Wadeable

Unnamed Northern tributary downstream from Oshetna Creek

Mouth to waterfall ~RM 0.5 wadeable

Goose Creek

Mainstem upstream to El. of 3,000’ wadeable

Oshetna River


Mainstem upstream to El. of 3,000’

1 Chinook salmon were documented in Fog, Tsusena, Kosina and Oshetna creeks during 2003 and/or 2011 surveys

(Buckwalter 2011). 2 For all tributaries, sample upstream to an elevation of 3,000 ft, an anadromous fish barrier, or the end of

potential Chinook salmon habitat, whichever occurs most downstream. 3 There may be a surface connection between Deadman Lake and Big Lake. If field reconnaissance indicates that

there is no anadromous barrier in Watana Creek between the Susitna River and Big Lake AND there is a surface connection between the lakes, the portion of Deadman Creek between the water fall (~RM 0.5) and Deadman Lake as well as Deadman Lake will be surveyed in 2012. 4 Sample in 2012 if there is a surface water connection with the Susitna River free of upstream migration barriers.

Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project FERC #14241 Alaska Energy Authority DRAFT 2012 Fish and Aquatic Resources Studies —January 5, 2011 10

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Documents

F-S4: CHINOOK SALMON PRESENCE ABOVE DEVILS …DRAFT 2012 Chinook Salmon Presence Above Devils Canyon —January 25, 2012 2 2010). Total Chinook escapement is estimated for all of Upper