Posts Tagged ‘ army corps of engineers ’

Dry Times Ahead For Willamette Valley Reservoirs

March 24, 2010
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Sunrise at Fern Ridge Reservoir, one of three expected to fill up this spring. Photo by Bob Heims, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

With Willamette Valley snow pack way below average, and no extra rain in the forecast, the Army Corps of Engineers says most of the reservoirs it operates in the valley won’t fill up this spring.

We’re not anywhere near drought conditions. But the dry forecast means the Corps will have a tougher job managing how much water it releases and when. Releasing too much water now means there won’t be enough for salmon and other fish in the fall.

And boaters are sure to notice a difference.

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Sea Lion Trapping At Bonneville Dam: How’s That Working Out?

November 6, 2009
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Courtesy ODFW

Courtesy ODFW

The controversial program to trap and remove sea lions at Bonneville Dam just might be doing what it’s supposed to do, getting rid of troublesome sea lions and reducing the numbers of salmon they eat.

After two years, it’s still too early to draw firm conclusions. But after looking at the latest report by the Army Corps of Engineers, here’s what they found.

There are fewer sea lions at the dam.

In 2009, wildlife officials counted 80 sea lions at Bonneville. This is one of the lowest numbers on record and down about 20% from last year. California sea lion numbers are down dramatically, but Steller sea lions numbers are up some.

They’re still eating lots of salmon.

A record amount in fact. The sea lions ate nearly 4,500 salmon from January through May. That may be due to one of the largest salmon runs in decades. Percentage wise, the sea lions ate 2.4% of the salmon trying to get over the dam, that’s slightly down from last year.

Hazing them doesn’t appear to work.

There are two main methods of hazing, scaring them with noisemakers and spraying them with hoses. The report says the noisemakers are pretty much worthless (although it said so in much nicer language) and the hose hazing only works temporarily. When the hazing stops, the sea lions return.

They’re targeting the worst of the bunch.

Wildlife officials have what you might call a “hit list” of sea lions, ones that spend the longest amount of time at the dam and eat the most salmon. This targeted approach appears to be working. The 25 sea lions that were captured and removed in 2008 and 2009 were indeed among the group that stayed the longest and ate the most. The report estimates removing them spared about 1,000 salmon.

Things should improve next year.

The Corps recommends continuing the program. It predicts another sharp drop in California sea lions in 2010 and as a result, fewer salmon will be eaten.

The trapping program is controversial with some parts of the environmental community because, quite often, the sea lions are killed. In 2009 for example, 20 sea lions were captured. While six were tagged and released, and four went to zoos or aquariums, ten of the sea lions were euthanized by wildlife officials. Medical tests on the animals determined they had health conditions that didn’t allow them to be placed in captive programs.

While sea lions haven’t exactly been strangers to Bonneville Dam, it wasn’t until 2001 and 2002 that they began to show up in large numbers. The dam acts as a bottleneck for endangered salmon, creating a large pool of fish for hungry sea lions.

The Dream of Salmon Salvation

May 5, 2009
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Could it be that the dams on the Snake River will come down, and salmon runs will be restored to their glory years?

Chinook Salmon Courtesy USGS

Chinook Salmon Courtesy USGS

This article in the High Country News says the right combination of political and legal forces are coming together to make it a real possibility. With Judge Redden expected to rule any day on the latest Columbia River salmon recovery plan, growing support from farmers and a new chief at NOAA, the website says, “for the first time in decades, the answer may be yes.”

And for anyone interested in just learning more about salmon issues, the story is a good history lesson as well.

Bonneville Sea Lion Totals: 15 Caught, 7 Euthanized

April 24, 2009
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With about a month left in the sea lion trapping program at Bonneville Dam, here’s where things stand.

  • 15 sea lions captured
  • 7 euthanized
  • 4 relocated to a zoo or aquarium
  • 4 released

The 11 that were killed or released were on a special watch list of sea lions that are especially heavy predators of salmon at the dam. The seven sea lions that were put down had viral infections making them unsuitable for zoos or aquariums. Although it’s unlikely wildlife officials would have found homes for all of them, even if they were healthy.

One sea lion, numbered C287, has been especially lucky at the dam, taking about 100 fish so far this spring. He remains at large.

Big Boost In Spending For Columbia River Salmon Habitat

April 8, 2009
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Three federal agencies want to add another $40 million to a program that protects and restores salmon estuaries along the Columbia River.  The money would be spent on projects such as restoring wetlands near the coast and improving fish passage.

An agreement between the agencies and the state of Washington would nearly double the funding for the program over the next 9 years.  The money comes from the Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration and the Bureau of Reclamation.  It’s on top of more than $49 million the agencies have already agreed to spend.  Washington Fish and Wildlife will manage the program.

WDFW Interim Director Phil Anderson says the money will help them speed up the habitat restoration and because of that, other types of wildlife will also benefit.

Meanwhile, Bonneville Power is taking public comments at this website:

Estuary Habitat MOA with State of Washington