BULL TROUT CONSERVATION AND MONITORING

Bull Trout restoration in the Upper Willamette Basin is planned and prioritized by Upper Willamette Bull Trout Working Group. The McKenzie River Cooperative contributes to working group project priorities identified in the Bull Trout Recover Plan.

Efforts to increase the range of bull trout to historic distribution in the McKenzie Basin recently expanded to include the Middle Fork Willamette Basin. With the strength of the McKenzie River population of bull trout improving, the McKenzie is considered stable and able to provide donor stock for he extirpated population in Middle Fork Willamette River (Upper Willamette River Basin) and the "at high risk" of extinction population in Trail Bridge Reservoir (McKenzie River Basin). The McKenzie River population of bull trout is the only population of 62 in Oregon whose status was upgraded in condition in the 1997 Status of Oregon's Bull Trout report, and will likely provide the donor stock for basin wide recovery effort. Population condition was described in 1997 status report as improving from "at moderate risk" of extinction to "of special concern".

The McKenzie River Cooperative, active in bull trout reintroduction since 1995, continued bull trout monitoring and fry collection in Anderson Creek in 1999. Monitoring effort was funded in part by a Eugene Water & Electric Board contribution. U. S. Forest Service and ODFW participated in bull trout reintroduction in Sweetwater Creek and Middle Fork Willamette tributaries. Between mid-March and May 1999, bull trout fry reintroduction into Sweetwater Creek totaled 997 fry; fry transferred to Middle Fork Willamette totaled 1,978 fry. Bull trout are believed to be sexually mature at age 5 or 6, and are then expected to provide natural production in recipient streams.

Downstream migrating fry and age 1+ and older juvenile bull trout were monitored at the Anderson Creek trap in early 1999. The seasonal downstream migration of bull trout fry was found to closely parallel 1997 and 1998 total migration through early-June 1999. Similar numbers of bull trout redds were found in all three years (1997-99) above the Anderson Creek trap, ranging from 79 to 85 redds.

Radio tracking of implanted adult bull trout from McKenzie River and South Fork McKenzie River populations has assisted managers in learning about adult migration patterns, information important to ODFW bull trout management plans. This project, as well as remote sensing of adult bull trout migration, accomplished in FY 1999-2000, are activities funded in part by the McKenzie River Cooperative. Remote sensing units were placed on spawning streams, Roaring River and Anderson Creek, and are expected to provide information valuable in estimating adult bull trout population size.

Other activities supported by the McKenzie River Cooperative are periodic snorkel surveys of bull trout spawning and rearing streams, as well as an educational brochure describing the life history and physical appearance of bull trout to aid anglers in identification and release.

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