**MAGIC VALLEY HATCHERY**

**LOWER SNAKE RIVER COMPENSATION PLAN**

**2007 OPERATIONS REPORT**

**By**

**Rick Lowell, Fish Hatchery Manager II**

**Patrick Moore, Assistant Fish Hatchery Manager**

**Wade Symons, Fish Culturist**

**Brandon Filloon, Fish Culturist**

**MAGIC VALLEY STEELHEAD HATCHERY**

Magic Valley Steelhead Hatchery has been a part of the Lower Snake River
Compensation Plan since the completion of construction in 1987. The
hatchery\'s annual production goal for the 2006 brood year was 1.6
million \"A\" and \"B\" strain steelhead smolts for release into the
Salmon River and tributaries. Information for 2006 brood year is found
in Table l. Table 2 shows current information for brood year 2007.

Brood year 2006 production was completed in April 2007 with the stocking
of steelhead smolts (Table 3). The five steelhead stocks released as
smolts were 614,383 \"B\" strain from Dworshak, in addition to 127,266
Upper Salmon \"B\" strain from the Squaw Creek Acclimation Pond; 50,592
East Fork Natural \"B\" from the East Fork of the Salmon River; 536,450
\"A\" strain Pahsimeroi stock; and 295,958 Sawtooth "A" stain stock.

With the exception of 145,483 smolts released for Shoshone-Bannock
Tribal programs and 50,592 East Fork Natural stock, all smolts released
were adipose fin clipped. In addition, 495,985 fish were coded wire
tagged with 480,577 being released. An additional 3,691 were tagged with
passive integrated transponders (PIT Tags) in February of which 3,345
were released at nine different locations.

In April, May and June 2007 the hatchery received a total of 2,034,574
eyed eggs to begin the 2007 brood year. Of those eggs 496,518 were \"A\"
strain from Pahsimeroi, 409,157 \"A\" strain from Sawtooth stock;
863,651 \"B\" strain from Dworshak; 185,100 \"B\" strain from the East
Fork Salmon River a.k.a. East Fork Natural stock, and 80,148 USB (Upper
Salmon B). Our current inventory consists of Five stocks: 708,976
Dworshak \"B\" strain fish weighing 34,548 pounds, 63,720 Upper Salmon B
\"USB\" strain steelhead weighing 2,656 pounds, 381,044 Pahsimeroi \"A\"
strain steelhead weighing 19,074 pounds, 349,546 Sawtooth \"A\" fish
weighing 15,645 pounds, and 161,417 East Fork Naturals weighing 7,277
pounds.

Although water rights during the current phase of production allow for
125.59 cfs, maximum raceway flows have been measured at approximately
92.1 cfs.

[PERSONNEL]{.underline}

Personnel presently consist of Rick Lowell, Hatchery Manager II; Pat
Moore, Assistant Fish Hatchery Manager; Wade Symons, Fish Culturist; and
Brandon Filloon, Fish Culturist.

[MAINTENANCE PROJECTS]{.underline}

During the year, the following projects were completed:

1.  Modifications and improvements to the residence"C" basement were
    completed. They included constructing a partition wall to make an
    additional bedroom, and constructing an enclosed bathroom area in
    the laundry room.

2.  Landscape preparation and installation of sod at residences A" and
    "D".

3.  Completed a gravel based turn-around area for residence A.

4.  Purchased blinds for all four residence basement egress windows.

5.  Installed wall heater in residence C basement bedroom.

6.  Had the transmission rebuilt on our primary fleet vehicle.

7.  Had the electric motor on the south feed bin metering valve rebuilt.

8.  A local HVAC contractor repaired the heat pump in residence "D"

9.  Met with contract engineers to evaluate raceway wall deterioration
    issues.

10. Local contractors completed the interior painting and down-stairs
    carpet installation for residence "D".

11. Purchased a safety lifting harness for the T Size Oxygen bottles

12. LSRCP sold our surplus semi-square vats, the old gas-powered Cushman
    Cart, and the old, pressure washer/steam cleaner on GSA auction.

13. Had an irrigation pump rebuilt and electrical switch repairs
    completed.

14. A local electrical contractor completed installing 15 new flex
    conduit connectors to the bridge feeders.

15. LSRCP had a contractor take concrete core samples from various
    raceway walls to determine reasons for the extensive cracking we
    have observed.

16. Received 25 yards of topsoil and installed a new irrigation system
    and sod around residence B.

17. A local contractor completed the installation of remaining vinyl
    windows in all residences and the Hatchery Dormitory.

18. Painted the master bathroom and kitchen in all hatchery residences.

19. LSRCP purchased new furniture for the hatchery dormitory and 88 new
    aluminum dam boards.

20. Boise Rigging completed the installation of the new buss bar system
    for our traveling feeding bridge.

21. A local electrical contractor installed new 50 amp electrical
    service for the MATS marking trailers.

22. Surveyed for state auction our old 1983 Ford 2-Ton.

23. All four residences exterior painted.

24. Cut down several dead and dying trees around the settling pond area
    and removed shrubs.

### TABLE 1. BROOD YEAR 2006 STEELHEAD SURVIVAL RATES.

  --------------- ------------ --------- ----------- -------------- ------------ -----------
                  **DWORSHAK   **UPPER   **EAST FORK **PAHSIMEROI   **SAWTOOTH   **GRAND
                  \"B\"**      SALMON    NATURAL     \"A\"**        \"A\"**      TOTAL**
                               \"B\"**   \"B\"**                                 

  EGGS            932,190      149,260   66,543      747,535        338,094      2,233,622

  \% HATCHED      87%          97%       97%         99%            99%          96%

  SMOLTS STOCKED  614,383      127,266   50,592      536,450        295,958      1,624,649

  WEIGHT SMOLTS   139,703      27,411    12,191      128,105        68,199       375,610

  NO./LB.         4.39         4.64      4.15        4.19           4.34         4.32

  TOTAL NUMBER    817,983      133,296   50,592      608,450        295,958      1,906,279

  TOTAL WEIGHT    141,325      27,501    12,191      128,707        68,199       377,924

  \% SURVIVAL                                                                    

  EGG/RELEASE     87.7%        89.3%     76.0%       81.4%          87.5%        85.3%

  POUNDS OF FOOD  142,469      26,616    11,133      116,491        63,292       360,000

  CONVERSION      1.01         0.97      0.91        0.91           0.93         0.95
  --------------- ------------ --------- ----------- -------------- ------------ -----------

TABLE 2. BROOD YEAR 2007 (11/07)

  --------------------- ---------- -------------- ------------- --------- --------- -----------
                                                                                    

  Magic Valley Hatchery                                                             
  Summary                                                                           

                                   October 24,                                      
                                   2007                                             

                                                                                    

                                   Broodyear 2007                                   

                                                                                    

                                                                                    

  **Stock**             **DWOR**   **USB**        **EFK/NAT**   **PAH**   **SAW**   **TOTAL**

  Total Eggs Received   863,651    80,148         185,100       496,518   409,157   2,034,574

  Inventory/Start       710,158    63,809         161,818       381,962   350,366   1,668,113
  Outside                                                                           

  Weight/Start Outside  5,867      286            674           2,746     1,288     10,861

  Inventory/Beginning   709,520    63,732         161,545       381,482   349,874   1,666,153

  Inventory/Ending      708,976    63,720         161,417       381,044   349,546   1,664,703

  Weight/Total 1st      22,141     1,554          4,142         11,111    8,688     47,636

  Weight/Total Last     34,458     2,656          7,277         19,074    15,645    79,109

  No./lb(Avg.)1st       32.0       41.0           39.0          34.3      40.3      35.0

  No./lb(Avg.)Last      20.6       24.0           22.2          20.0      22.4      21.1

  Length(Avg.)1st       4.33       3.99           4.05          4.23      4.01      4.20

  Length(Avg.)Last      5.01       4.76           4.89          5.06      4.88      4.98

  Length Increase       0.69       0.78           0.84          0.83      0.87      0.77

  Mortality/Month \*\*  544        12             128           438       328       1,450

  Percent Mortality     0.08%      0.02%          0.08%         0.11%     0.09%     0.09%

  Survival To Date      91.8%      90.0%          94.2%         93.0%     96.7%     93.2%

  Monthly Feed          11,114     1,021          2,674         5,902     5,506     26,216

  Monthly Conversion    0.90       0.93           0.85          0.74      0.79      0.83

  Conversion to date    0.83       0.80           0.80          0.75      0.73      0.79

  Feed to date          23,835     1,896          5,251         12,326    10,532    53,840
  --------------------- ---------- -------------- ------------- --------- --------- -----------

TABLE 3. BROODYEAR 2006 STEELHEAD SMOLT DISTRIBUTION

  -------------------------------------- ----------------------- ----------- ----------------------- ----------------------
  [Site]{.underline}                     [Number                 Stock       [Fish/lb]{.underline}   [Pounds]{.underline}
                                         Released]{.underline}                                       

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                     

  Squaw Creek Acclimation Pond           59,567                  Dwor B      4.99                    11,937
  (acclimated fish)                                                                                  

  Squaw Creek Acclimation Pond           63,597                  USB         4.89                    13,006
  (acclimated fish)                                                                                  

  Little Salmon R (Stinky Springs)       215,170                 Dwor B      4.53                    47,499

  East Fork Salmon River (lower)         207,487                 Dwor B      4.36                    47,587

  East Fork Salmon River (above E. Fk.   50,592                  Natural B   4.15                    12,191
  Weir)                                                                                              

  Squaw Creek                            132,159                 Dwor B      4.04                    32,680

  Squaw Creek                            63,669                  USB         4.42                    14,405

  Pahsimeroi River (below weir)          30,591                  Pah A       4.45                    6,874

  Salmon River (Section 16) Includes:                                                                

  (Red Rock)                             129,930                 Pah A       4.33                    30,000

  Salmon R. (Section 17) Includes:                                                                   

  (Colston Corner)                       165,473                 Pah A/Saw A 4.18                    39,600

  (Shoup Bridge)                         78,847                  Pah A       4.22                    18,700

  Salmon R. (Section 18) Includes:                                                                   

  (McNabb Point)                         119,727                 Paw A/SAW A 4.18                    28,663

  (Tunnel Rock)                          60,439                  Pah A/Saw A 4.10                    14,741

  (Valley Creek)                         54,640                  Saw A       4.25                    12,856

  Yankee Fork                            60,783                  Saw A       4.28                    14,202

  Yankee Fork                            30,451                  Saw A       4.32                    7,049

  Slate Creek                            41,136                  Pah A       4.40                    9,342

  Slate Creek                            60,392                  Pah A       4.23                    14,277

  Totals                                 1,624,649                           4.33                    375,610
  -------------------------------------- ----------------------- ----------- ----------------------- ----------------------