CX-018785: Viable Salmonid Population Estimates for the Yakima River Steelhead Major Population Group Project

Bonneville Power Administration proposes to fund this project to provide viable salmonid population estimates for steelhead within the Yakima River Basin. This project was developed to expand Research, Monitoring, & Evaluation activities conducted by the Yakama Nation and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to better evaluate viable salmonid population parameters (abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and diversity) for Yakima River steelhead populations. Data from this project is used to evaluate population status and trends, inform National Marine Fisheries Service status reviews and implementation of the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion, and address critical uncertainties. The improved understanding of steelhead population performance produced by this project provides long-term status and trends monitoring data for the Yakima River Steelhead Major Population Group populations, and directly informs efforts to recover steelhead populations in the Yakima River Basin.