SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-007

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 12, lines 2-3.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the statement: "This will result in more listings
as the species that are being ignored continue to decline."

**Response:**

There are numerous studies and documents regarding the importance of
providing the habitat conditions that a species needs to survive and
reproduce. The concept of properly functioning conditions is a key
element in recovery planning and analysis and conservation biology. We
would refer BPA to the Independent Science Advisory Board excellent
report: Return to the River at
<http://www.nwcouncil.org/library/return/2000-12.htm>. We have also
attached the NOAA Fisheries guidelines for recovery planning and the
Council's guidelines for subbasin planning (see attachments
BPA-CR-007A.pdf and BPA-CR-007B.pdf).

If species do not have the conditions they need to survive and reproduce
their populations will decline. There are myriad examples of human
activity that decreases the quality of habitat that species need. As
populations reach low levels, the species becomes a candidate for
listing under the Endangered Species Act. Focusing activities on listed
species, at the expense of non-listed species, will mean that the
environmental conditions for the non-listed species will continue to
decline.

An example of this problem is the lamprey. Various researchers have
conducted a number of studies that show that lamprey populations are
severely depressed. Pacific lamprey are highly regarded culturally and
religiously by Native American tribes. Former lamprey abundance provided
both tribal and non-Indian fishing opportunities throughout Columbia
River Basin tributaries. For example, significant lamprey collection at
Willamette Falls for fish food processing in 1913 was documented at 27
tons (CRITFC 1999). Commercial fishermen in the 1940\'s harvested 40 to
185 tons annually (100,000 to 500,000 adults) at Willamette Falls for
use as vitamin oil, protein food for livestock, poultry, and fish meal.

Although adult lamprey counting at mainstem Columbia and Snake River
dams is not standardized, population trends indicate precipitous
declines (Table 1). Based on 1997 fish ladder passage estimates, there
was a 65% drop in Pacific lamprey abundance between Bonneville (Columbia
River km 235) and The Dalles (Columbia River km 308) dams, with another
large drop (72%) between John Day (Columbia River km 347) and McNary Dam
(Columbia River km 470) counts. Passage over upriver dams in the Snake
and Columbia rivers in 1997 was low. Only 3% of the Pacific lamprey that
crossed Bonneville Dam were counted at Lower Granite Dam (Snake River km
173) and approximately 6% crossed Wells Dam (Columbia River km 830).

Table 1. Comparison of Historic and Recent Passage Counts of Adult
Pacific Lamprey at Columbia and Snake River Dams (from CRITFC 1999)

  ------------------------ ---------------------------- ------------------
  Dam                      Former Counts                1997 Counts

  Bonneville               350,000 in early 60\'s       22,830

  The Dalles               300,000 in early 60\'s       14,835

  John Day                 \-\-\--                      14,845

  McNary                   25,000 in early 60\'s        4,213

  Ice Harbor               50,000 in early 60\'s        1,454

  Lower Monumental         \-\-\--                      217

  Little Goose             \-\-\--                      245

  Lower Granite            \-\-\--                      1,274

  Rock Island              \-\-\--                      2,321

  Rocky Reach              17,500 twice in 60\'s        1,405

  Wells                    \-\-\--                      773
  ------------------------ ---------------------------- ------------------

Pacific lamprey are a key indicator of the ecological health of the
Columbia Basin and appear to be a choice food for avian and fish
predators over salmon smolts (FCO 1959). Lamprey were designated as
Category 2 candidate species for ESA listing in 1994 by the USFWS. The
Council's 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program noted the decline of lamprey
and requested a status report which was completed (Close et al. 1995).
On January 28, 2003, Pacific lamprey were petitioned for ESA listing by
a host of environmental organizations (ONRC 2003).

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-007

SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-008

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 16, lines 24-25.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the statement: "Based on the history of the
Northwest, there is significant uncertainty about future loads"

**Response:**

The Northwest Power Planning Council has written extensively on this
issue. For example, please see the 1983 Northwest Conservation and
Electric Power Plan, the 1986 Northwest Conservation and Electric Power
Plan, and the 1991 Northwest Conservation and Electric Power Plan. Also
please see the paper entitled "Path Along the Ridge" (see
BPA-CR-008A.rtf)

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-008

SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-009

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 35, lines 13-20.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the increase to \$537 million in non-operational
fish and wildlife spending for FY02.

**Response:**

The CRITFC testimony describes the process used to develop this
estimate. Please see SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 33, line 11 through Page 36,
line 19. In the attachment SN-03-E-CR-01JJJ, the Actions tab lists all
of the RPA actions in the FCRPS Biological Opinion. The Recovery and
Mitigation Costs tab provides our expert judgments on the costs
associated with each action for FY01-FY06. Our estimates assumed a
phasing in of some programs. This tab also includes our assumptions
regarding which Federal agency would have the responsibility to
implement the RPA based on past experience and practice. The Agency
Break-Out Tab organizes the RPAs and budgets by agency. The Summary tab
provides a summary total for each Federal agency. The spreadsheet also
includes a tab on the cost estimates of meeting the Clean Water Act
standards for dissolved gas. It also includes a tab for the CEQ
estimates FY01-FY06 and notes and sources for our estimates.

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-009

SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-010

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 35, lines 13-20.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the increase to \$587 million in non-operational
fish and wildlife spending for FY03.

**Response:**

Please see the response for BPA-CR-009.

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-010

SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-011

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 35, lines 13-20.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the increase to \$629 million in non-operational
fish and wildlife spending for FY04.

**Response:**

Please see the response for BPA-CR-009.

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-011

SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-012

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 35, lines 13-20.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the increase to \$669 million in non-operational
fish and wildlife spending for FY05.

**Response:**

Please see the response for BPA-CR-009.

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-012

SN-03-CR/YA Data Response

**Request No.:** BPA-CR/YA-013

**Request:** Witnesses: Sheets, et al

Exhibit: SN-03-E-CR/YA-01, Page 35, lines 13-20.

Please provide all data, studies, documents, correspondence or any other
material that supports the increase to \$703 million in non-operational
fish and wildlife spending for FY06.

**Response:**

Please see the response for BPA-CR-009

April 29, 2003 Data Response:BPA-CR/YA-013