1. Willamette Biological Opinion
Implementation
December 12, 2012
Ian Chane
Acting Biological Opinion Implementation Program Manager
Portland District
US Army Corps of Engineers
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2. Detroit
Big Cliff
Green Peter
Foster
Willamette Project
13 multi-purpose
dams
Cougar
Blue River
Dexter
Fall Creek
Lookout Point
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Hills Creek

3. Authorized
purposes
 Flood damage
reduction
 Hydropower
 Navigation
 Irrigation
 Fish & wildlife
 Recreation
 Water quality
 Municipal & industrial
water supply
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4. Willamette Project Biological Opinions:
Consultation under the ESA
Federal Action Agencies prepare Biological Assessments (BA)
describing effects of actions on ESA-listed fish
NMFS and USFWS issue Biological Opinions (“BiOps”) that tell
Action Agencies how to reduce impacts
Two biological opinions (NMFS and USFWS) issued on July 11,
2008 after eight years of “ESA Consultation”
► Biological Opinions cover 15 years (through 2023)
 Proposed Action Includes:
► Continued operation of 13-dam complex
► Continued maintenance of 42 miles of revetments
► Operation of hatchery program
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5. Willamette BiOp
Major Actions
 Downstream Passage
 Upstream Passage
 Water Quality
 Instream Flows/Ramp
Rates
 Hatcheries
ESA-Listed Resident Fish
Species
Oregon chub bull trout
ESA-Listed Anadromous Fish Species
winter steelhead spring Chinook salmon BUILDING STRONG®

6. Willamette Action Team for Ecosystem Restoration (WATER)
Teams and Workgroups
Assesses feasibility,
Corps Manager’s Forum integrates, and
prioritizes actions and
Team/Process assesses
Assesses
biological benefits
WATER Team technical
Steering Team feasibility, designs
of actions
Configurations
Public Affairs Team Design Operations
Teams/PDTs Plan (COP)
Reservoir
Fish Passage &
Regulation
Hatchery Management
(FPHM)
Coordinates
modeling &
Other Work operational
feasibility
Groups Flow Management &
Water Quality
Habitat Tech Team
(HTT)
RM&E Team
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7. Columbia/Willamette Comparison
Mainstem Columbia Dams
• Operated primarily for hydropower, run-of-river; in series on mainstem
• Primarily migration concerns (adult/juvenile)
Willamette Basin Dams
• Operated primarily for flood
damage reduction (storage)
• High-head dams
• Located in tributaries
• All lifestages present
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8. Willamette BiOp Actions: A life-cycle approach
Evaluate Downstream Fish
Passage Improvements spawning
•Cougar habitat
•Lookout Point
•Detroit
Upstream fish passage
for adults via “trap-
and-haul”
•Cougar
•Minto
•Foster
•Dexter
•Fall Creek
•Adult Release Sites
Downstream Habitat
Improvements
•Flow
•Temperature
Research, Monitoring,
•Hatchery
and Evaluation
improvements
•Habitat Restoration
Projects BUILDING STRONG®

9. Implementation Updates
 Instream Flows
► Data collection completed on N. & S. Santiam
► Evaluation underway
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10. Implementation Updates
 Water Quality
► Temperature Control Operations
► Cougar WTC (Detroit – Alternatives Study)
► Total Dissolved Gas
65 North and South Santiam Average Daily Temperatures and 65 Middle Fork Willamette, South Fork McKenzie and Fall Creek
64 64
63 63 Average Daily Temperatures and Cougar Temperature
62 62 Targets
61 61
60 60
59 59
58 58
57 57
56 56
55 55
54 54
53 53
52 52
51 51
50 50
49 49
48 48
47 47
46 46 Spawning
45 45
44 Spawning 44 Begins 9/1
43 Begins 43
42 42
41 9/1 41
40 40
6/1/2012 7/1/2012 8/1/2012 9/1/2012 10/1/2012 11/1/2012 6/1/2012 7/1/2012 8/1/2012 9/1/2012 10/1/2012 11/1/2012
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11. BUILDING STRONG®

12. Adult Fish Facility Updates
 Adult Fish Collection Facilities
► Cougar – SF McKenzie completed (3rd year)
► Minto – N. Santiam complete in spring 2013
► Foster – South Santiam under construction
► Dexter – Middle Fork Willamette in design phase
► Fall Creek – Fall Creek (MF Willamette) alternatives study phase
 Adult Release Sites
► Improvements complete in 2013
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13. Downstream Passage Updates
 McKenzie Subbasin
► RM&E on-going
► Drawdown operations 2012-2013
► Alternatives Assessment underway
 Middle Fork Willamette Subbasin
► Fall Creek drawdown
► RM&E on-going
 South Santiam Subbasin
► Foster fish weir operations
 North Santiam Subbasin
► RM&E on-going
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14. BUILDING STRONG®