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Highlights from the 2023 ODFW and Tribal Partnership Annual Report
- ODFW collaborated with Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (CTWSRO) staff regarding input on several action committees of mutual interest. These include the Lower Deschutes Managers, Deschutes Resource Conservancy, Pelton Hydro Mitigation Fish and Wildlife Committees, Governing Board for Pelton Mitigation Fund, OWEB, Habitat Conservation Plan Working Group, Crooked River and Upper Deschutes Watershed Councils, Hood River Watershed Council, Hood River Focused Investment Partnerships, and several other working groups and committees.
- ODFW staff continued to coordinate with CTWSRO on making flow management recommendations in the Crooked River relevant to the Crooked River Jobs and Securities Act.
- ODFW staff continued to work closely with CTWSRO staff on multiple facets of the upper Deschutes River anadromous reintroduction effort, including a proposal to begin utilizing wild lower river steelhead as brood stock for reintroduction when the lower river population is sufficiently strong to support the take. Engaged in discussions regarding the risk/benefit of passing excess Round Butte Hatchery adults above the project in support of the reintroduction process.
- ODFW District Fish Staff coordinated with the CTWS on developing a pilot study and monitoring plan to pass a limited number of excess Round Butte hatchery brood summer steelhead into the Upper Deschutes Basin in 2023-34 to support reintroduction efforts.
- ODFW District Fish Staff coordinated with the CTWS on updating angling regulations on Lake Simtustus in 2024 to include no limit on the size or number of bass to provide additional opportunity to harvest bass and reduce impacts on native fish.
- ODFW continued to coordinate with the USFWS, USFS and CTWSRO staff on the reintroduction of bull trout to the Clackamas River. The primary focus of the project in 2023 was continued monitoring of redd abundance and water temperature. ODFW conducted spawning surveys in known bull trout habitat, and eDNA surveys in potential spawning and rearing habitats.
- The CTWSRO is an active participant in the Clackamas FIP effort to secure OWEB restoration project funding and still has at least one project (Austin Hot Springs) currently included in the list of projects proposed for funding via the FIP. CTWSRO staff are in the process of designing a habitat restoration project at this location.
- ODFW continues to work with CTWSRO staff to coordinate necessary maintenance and repair at the Moving Falls fish ladder on the West Fork Hood River.
- ODFW cooperated with CTWSRO fisheries staff on in-basin management of Deschutes River spring and fall Chinook salmon. Efforts include developing annual run size prediction, run reconstruction efforts, joint harvest sampling and consistency with angling regulations.
- ODFW staff coordinated with Tribal staff considering the disposition of spring Chinook salmon eggs, juvenile rearing, and release strategies for fish collected at Round Butte and Warm Springs Hatcheries.
- ODFW collaborated with CTWSRO to implement the Hood River Production Program, a co-managed project aimed at rebuilding populations of winter and summer steelhead and re-introducing spring Chinook salmon. Implementation involved the operation of fish trapping sites on the east and west fork Hood River to remove hatchery steelhead and collect spring Chinook for brood.
- ODFW coordinated with the CTWSRO regarding management of fisheries and habitat in the Hood, Deschutes, and Fifteenmile Basins including regulations, planning, monitoring, restoration, and habitat protection.
- Participated with CTWSRO staff on the Lower Deschutes River Wild and Scenic Managers group and Intergovernmental Technical Team.
- Coordinated with CTWSRO staff on fall Chinook carcass recovery, carcass surveys, and aerial redd counting surveys on the Deschutes River.
- ODFW provided 50 adult spring Chinook as well as 168 summer steelhead to the CTWSRO from Round Butte Hatchery for tribal subsistence and ceremonial use.
- ODFW staff worked with CTWSRO staff on hunting and management of game animals on ceded lands.
- ODFW continued coordination with CTWSRO officials regarding management of archaeological sites on wildlife areas.
- ODFW and CTWSRO staff work to monitor the success of Rocky Mountain goat reintroductions on Mt. Jefferson. The current population estimate is 170 mountain goats in the central Oregon Cascades.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO staff to monitor, inventory, evaluate and manage bighorn sheep relocations into the Mutton Mountains.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO regarding monitoring for adenovirus and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk.
- ODFW participated in the annual Pine Creek Conservation Area advisory group committee meeting to discuss long-term habitat management plans as well as Tribal and public hunting opportunities on the Conservation Area.
- ODFW has completed work with CTWSRO to update the MOU to include additional fee access lands besides the Pine Creek area.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO staff on monitoring the White River, and Warm Springs wolf packs, assisting with depredation investigations, conducting wolf necropsies, and investigating wolf reports received through ODFW online wolf submission system.
- ODFW has taken a more active role in assisting the CTWSRO in wolf trapping efforts since USFWS is no longer taking the lead. Trapping/collaring efforts are occurring on two different groups of wolves.
- CTWS wildlife biologists have participated in meetings with two different working groups in Central Oregon that ODFW plays a lead role in. One is a HWY 20 wildlife passage working group, and the other is a Metolius winter range preservation and enhancement working group.
- The CTWSRO has been coordinating on, and is supportive of, the expansion of the cooperative Travel Management Area in the Ochoco WMU.
- ODFW provided technical help to CTWS biologists and staff on a reservation wide elk collaring project.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO staff on spring Chinook, summer steelhead, and bull trout redd counts in the John Day Basin.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO staff on activities related to the John Day River Bull Trout Working Group, the Hood River Bull Trout Working Group, and the Lower Deschutes Bull Trout Working Group.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO staff on forest management issues as a part of the Wasco County Forest Collaborative and the STEW crew out of Hood River Ranger District.
- ODFW collaborated with CTWSRO to monitor the distribution of Bull Trout and Brook Trout in the John Day basin.
- ODFW collaborated with CTWSRO staff and the John Day Partnership in the ATLAS prioritization for fish habitat restoration work in the John Day basin.
- With assistance from CTWSRO staff, ODFW pit tagged juvenile steelhead in Fox Creek during CTWSRO restoration activities to develop a habitat restoration evaluation.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO for habitat monitoring on the Middle Fork John Day River.
- ODFW coordinated with CTWSRO for abundance estimation and tagging of juvenile chinook on the Forrest Conservation Area.
- ODFW assisted with a large fish salvage effort on the Middle Fork Forrest Conservation Area related to a fish habitat restoration project.
- Continued partnership on NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) monies applied for by CTWSRO staff. ODFW worked with CTWSRO staff to identify project sites, which will be an opportunity to complete various cooperative fish enhancement projects on the upper mainstem John Day River.
- ODFW Screens Program staff collaborated with CTWSRO staff on fish screen, passage, habitat, and water diversion projects.
- ODFW collaborated with CTWSRO fish habitat program staff on joint habitat projects including riparian plantings and Beaver Dam Analogue construction.
- ODFW provided parts of bears, cougars, deer, wolves, and elk for use by CTWSRO members for cultural and educational purposes.
- ODFW collaborated with CTWSRO staff on deer herd composition surveys in the Santiam WMU.
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