Editor Stacey H. Stovall, Conservation Innovations, Inc. Subbasin Team Leader

Needed Future Actions

Fisheries/Aquatic

1. 
   (USGS) A comprehensive monitoring program is needed for the middle Snake River including measures of pollutant loads and associated aquatic life as related to beneficial uses. Long-term monitoring sites are needed on the mainstem as well as major tributaries and springs. Information is needed to evaluate the progress of the middle snake TMDL and assess the status and trends of federally listed snail species as part of the USFWS Snake River snail recovery efforts.
   

IDFG

2. 
   Improved flow regime that resembles a more natural hydrograph for the Snake River and tributaries throughout the subbasin. The timing, quantity and quality of the water needs to mimic the natural, historic condition. Particular flow needs include:
   

• 
  Spring spawning flow requirements for white sturgeon.
  
• 
  Improved low flow conditions.
  
• 
  Flushing flows for sediment (10,000 cfs identified)
  

1) The purchase of water rights or land with water rights.

2) Changes in the state’s water laws to allow the conversion of consumptive water rights into an instream beneficial use for fish and wildlife.

3) Elimination of load following activities at hydroelectric facilities.

4) Acquire storage space in subbasin reservoirs and large storage facilities upstream such as American Falls and Palisades reservoirs.

5) Initiate water conservation and enforce moratorium on new water rights throughout the basin. For example, water is currently over-allocated for irrigation and aesthetic uses in the upper Big Wood River system that has caused the Big Wood River to be essentially dried up downstream of Bellevue and upstream of the Hwy 20 bridge. The cumulative effect from the numerous water withdrawals from the Big Wood River channel has resulted in a change in channel capacity and riparian area that is adapted to smaller stream flows. When there are significant flows due to higher than normal snowpack, it becomes more of a catastrophic event because of this change in the riparian area.

6. 
   Restore year-round flows to the Little Wood River downstream of Little Wood Reservoir and upstream of its confluence with Silver Creek.
   

Strategy: Install a mechanism to conserve reservoir water through a pressurized delivery system (e.g. pipes instead of open canals) with the savings used for a minimum instream flow.

6. 
   Reduce high water temperatures in lowland streams.
   

Strategies may include

1. 
   increase in flows or
   
2. 
   riparian restoration and protection from development or grazing and
   
3. 
   upland shrub plantings to reduce soil temperature.
   

6. 
   Improve water quality in lower Rock Creek in Twin Falls County. Rock Creek currently receives large quantities of sediment and nutrients through agricultural runoff.
   
7. 
   Restore riparian, streambank, channel, floodplain, and wetland conditions throughout the subbasin where habitat has been severely degraded.
   
8. 
   Decrease water temperatures in the mainstem of the Snake River.
   

Strategy: Increasing summer time flows through this section of the river by increasing bypass flows through Milner Dam.

6. 
   Improve water quality on the mainstem of the Snake River and tributaries throughout the subbasin, including reducing the build up of sediments and organic pollutants in the river.
   

Strategies:

1. 
   Increasing summer time flows through this section of the river by increasing bypass flows through Milner Dam.
   
2. 
   Constructing settling ponds and wetlands to filter sediment and other pollutants.
   
3. 
   Implement various TMDL’s and associated BMP’s.
   

6. 
   Reduce entrainment of white sturgeon between the Snake River dams.
   

Strategy: Provide safe and effective two-way fish passage on the Snake River Dams, including C.J. Strike Dam.

6. 
   Development and implementation of biologically-based flow regimes for the Snake River and tributaries throughout the subbasin.
   
7. 
   A detailed, quantitative assessment of the impacts of proposed and ongoing aquifer recharge projects on fish and wildlife habitat and populations.
   
8. 
   Screening of irrigation canals throughout the subbasin to prevent the loss of fish through the canal system.
   
9. 
   Reconnect tributaries to the Snake River and to other tributaries to allow free passage of fish to historic habitats.
   
10. 
    Determine and establish minimum conservation pools in subbasin reservoirs to sustain aquatic and terrestrial resources.
    
11. 
    Fish and wildlife loss assessments for the BOR owned Little Wood River Reservoir and other reservoirs throughout the subbasin.
    
12. 
    Describe the relative importance of the Snake River and key tributaries to redband trout.
    
13. 
    Provide fish passage around or remove manmade barriers to fish passage (e.g. irrigation diversion structures, dams).
    
14. 
    Complete the TMDL for the CJ Strike reach (huc # 17050101).
    
15. 
    Protect the remaining undeveloped springs along the Snake River.
    

Miscellaneous Aquatic.

and extrapolated to this population; however, major differences occur:

1. 
   furthest upstream and most isolated population
   
2. 
   habitat differs
   

1. 
   smaller river, habitat may be limiting for various life history stages
   
2. 
   major food source has disappeared or been reduced (salmon/steelhead, large freshwater molluscs)
   
3. 
   water quality impairment is severe.
   

There is a strong need in this subbasin to have a common method and geographic unit for collecting, collating and presenting data for comprehensive assessments of aquatic condition (stream/fish habitat, riparian, wetlands). There are no overall comprehensive assessments of aquatic habitat, wetland or riparian habitat for the subbasin. Each management agency and landtype/landuse has different methods of assessment and geographic units and scales for reporting information. Furthermore, there are also different degrees of data and information synthesis and summaries. For example, The USFS (USFS 2000) has identified the need/desire to assess streams using Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) methods, which would be more similar to the methods employed by the BLM.

1. 
   Continue to inventory native salmonids in the upper and middle Snake River provinces to determine current status and major factors limiting their distribution and abundance, and based on these findings, develop and implement plans and strategies for recovery where populations are at risk of extirpation.
   
2. 
   Use genetic markers to detect and quantify levels of hatchery produced O. mykiss introgression within native redband trout populations and to delineate genetic population structure of redband trout throughout their historic range. This fundamental genetic information with regards to introgressive hybridization and genetic population structure is needed to identify remaining pure populations, preserve existing genetic variability, and identify population segments for the development of management plans and the designation of conservation units/management units.
   
3. 
   Compare rates of hybridization and introgression between hatchery produced O. mykiss and native populations of Yellowstone cutthroat, redband trout, and westslope cutthroat trout. A greater understanding of the phenomenon of hybridization and introgression observed within Oncorynchus populations throughout the middle and upper Snake River provinces should allow a better assessment of the impacts of past hatchery produced O. mykiss introductions and allow a better evaluation of the possible future genetic risks native Oncorynchus populations face with regards to hybridization and introgression.
   
4. 
   Continue coordinated collection of water temperature data (between USFS, DEQ and IDFG) throughout the middle and upper Snake River provinces.
   

(BLM)

There is a need to improve vegetation habitat diversity and plant community structure on much of the mid-elevation and lower elevation range sites on lands north of the Snake River. There are extensive areas that are dominated by exotic annual and introduced perennial herbaceous plant communities. This has created narrow corridors of an intact sagebrush habitat that link sagebrush communities north and south of the Snake River. In addition, the plant communities which contain a shrub overstory are becoming increasingly separated by wildfires. Many of these lower elevation sagebrush communities also lack native perennial herbaceous species. The resulting plant communities do not contain either the desired multi-level habitat structure or the diversity of plant species, which is necessary to meet the life-cycle needs of a more diverse assemblage of wildlife species. The greatest opportunities for sustained changes in habitat values for wildlife occur primarily on lands administered by the BLM.

Efforts to improve wildlife habitat quality for a greater number of native resident and migratory wildlife species should include a variety of vegetation rehabilitation techniques. It is estimated that 444,000 acres (in Shoshone and Burley BLM FO only) in the subbasin would benefit by some type of habitat conversion or augmentation. The rehabilitation effort should result in a mosaic of plant communities with their attendant structural differences. This would help restore suitable habitat conditions to meet the seasonal needs of a greater number of native wildlife species than exist with current plant communities.

1) Approximately two-thirds of the vegetation treatment area would benefit by increasing native shrub establishment in perennial herbaceous plant communities.

2) The remaining area would require the re-establishment of a perennial grass, forb and shrub plant community.

A partial listing of some of the habitat improvement techniques which would likely be used include:

• 
  Prescribed burning followed by drill seeding;
  
• 
  Plowing followed by drill seeding;
  
• 
  Herbicide treatment followed by drill seeding;
  
• 
  Herbicide treatment;
  
• 
  Interseeding of missing perennial habitat structural components.
  

(IDFG)

1. 
   Reduce mortality of big game on Interstate 84.
   

Strategy: Install fencing along the interstate in areas where deer are known to winter in large numbers and providing crossings where needed (under or overpasses).

2. Restore and protect sagebrush in areas where sagebrush obligate wildlife species need large contiguous blocks of sagebrush for survival.

Strategy: Purchase of land or conservation easements in areas where there is a need to restore or protect this habitat.

3. Improve the mechanism for restoring native vegetation after range fires. There needs to be a greater emphasis on restoring native vegetation after large fires by having a more dependable source of native seeds available. Historically, the BLM’s policy was to reseed burnt rangeland with crested wheatgrass when other native vegetation is not available. Reduce the spread of noxious weeds in sagebrush steppe habitat.

3. 
   Improve critical nesting and wintering habitat for sage grouse. Sage grouse require the presence of residual plant materials associated with sagebrush communities for successful nesting and brood rearing.
   

Strategies: 1) Improvements in grazing management and better control of noxious weeds.

2) Improved wintering habitat could be provided through the same mechanisms.

4. 
   Expansion of the sharptail grouse range through habitat improvements and reintroductions.
   

Strategy: Sharptail grouse have specific habitat requirements that could be provided with 1) changes in current rangeland management practices and by 2) reseeding or planting vegetation in upland areas suitable for sharptail grouse.