1. Middle Fork American River Project AQ 2 – Fish Population Technical Study Report 2007 -2008 Overview March 3, 2009

2. 1 Study Objectives Document fish species composition, distribution, and abundance in the Project bypass and peaking reaches. Document fish species composition, distribution, and abundance in the Project bypass and peaking reaches. Characterize fish growth, condition factor, and population age structure in the Project bypass and peaking reaches. Characterize fish growth, condition factor, and population age structure in the Project bypass and peaking reaches. Characterize fish species composition, relative abundance, and size in Project reservoirs and diversion pools. Characterize fish species composition, relative abundance, and size in Project reservoirs and diversion pools.

3. 2 AQ 2 – Fish Population Study Elements and Reports

4. 3 Study Implementation After reviewing the 2007 study results, the Aquatic TWG identified a set of river study sites to sample in 2008 to augment the 2007 river sampling results. After reviewing the 2007 study results, the Aquatic TWG identified a set of river study sites to sample in 2008 to augment the 2007 river sampling results.

5. 4 Fish Population Study Sites 2007 Sites   21 River, 4 Reservoirs, 3 Diversion Pools 2008 Sites   14 River (3 New), Qualitative Hardhead, Ralston Afterbay

6. 5 Fish Population Study Sites 2007 River Study Sites

7. 6 Fish Population Study Sites 2008 River Study Sites

8. 7 Fish Population Study Sites 2008 River Study Sites Hardhead Qualitative

9. 8 Study Reporting This report includes 2007 – 2008 results. This report includes 2007 – 2008 results. The 2008 results have been combined with the 2007 study results and the discussion has been updated. The 2008 results have been combined with the 2007 study results and the discussion has been updated.

10. 9 Study Results Distribution and Diversity Distribution and Diversity  Reservoirs and Rivers Abundance Abundance  Reservoirs, Rivers, Ralston Afterbay Trout Biomass Trout Biomass Fish Population Comparison Sites Fish Population Comparison Sites Fish Size, Age, Growth and Condition Factor Fish Size, Age, Growth and Condition Factor Timing of Fry Timing of Fry Others Others  Electrofishing versus Snorkeling  Small Stream Diversion Pool Sampling  Species and Lifestage Periodicity Chart  Water Temperature

11. 10 Rivers (2007 & 2008) Rivers (2007 & 2008)  Project Bypass and Peaking  Comparison Rivers  Above Small Stream Diversions Reservoirs Reservoirs  2007  Hell Hole Reservoir, French Meadows Reservoir, Middle Fork Interbay, Ralston Afterbay  2008  Ralston Afterbay (Sonar, Gill Nets, Electrofishng) Distribution, Diversity, Abundance, Biomass Data Sets

12. 11 Distribution and Diversity  Rivers (Trout and Minnows)

13. 12 Distribution and Diversity  Streams (Trout and Minnows)

14. 13 Distribution and Diversity

15. 14 Abundance Reservoirs (Gill Netting)

16. 15 Trout Abundance (Rivers 2007)

17. 16 Trout Abundance (Rivers 2007) Carefull with interpretation..see previous slide for pound per mile

18. 17 Trout Abundance (Rivers 2007) (linear estimates only)

19. 18 2007 Duncan Creek Data Sheet Error 2007 Report2008 Report Correction Error found during 2008 resampling: 17’ not 171 (also analysist swapped length and width in 2007 “recognizing” length should be longer than the width)

20. 19 Trout Abundance (Rivers 2008)

21. 20 Trout Abundance (Rivers 2008) (linear estimates only)

22. 21 Study Wide (2007-2008)   127 Hardhead   90% < 6”, 95% from Ralston Afterbay   217 Pikeminnow   95% < 6”, 56% from Ralston Afterbay Ralston Afterbay   >1000 per mile of shoreline (3 miles of shoreline)  Majority were 80-150 mm River Sites   Overall very few observed at river sites (patchy distribution)   Bypass Reaches—Majority just upstream of Ralston in Rubicon River   Peaking Reach—Few locations (e.g., Otter Creek, Horseshoe Bar)   Comparison Reaches—Patchy distribution Hardhead/Pikeminnow Abundance

23. 22 Hardhead/Pikeminnow Abundance Distribution above Ralston Afterbay limited by barriers Distribution above Ralston Afterbay limited by barriers

24. 23 Comparison Sites Comparison Sites  Upstream and Downstream Diversions Sites  South Fork Long Canyon Diversion (2007,2008)  North Fork Long Canyon Diversion (2007)  Duncan Creek Diversion (2007,2008)  Upstream and Downstream of Reservoir Sites  French Meadows Reservoir (2007)  Hell Hole Reservoir (2007)  Comparison River Sites Versus  Peaking Reach Sites (2007,2008?)  Bypass Reach Sites (2007,2008) Fish Population Comparisons

25. 24 Physical Comparability of River Comparison Sites

26. 25 Above & Below Diversions 2007 NF Long Cyn SF Long Cyn Duncan Crk

27. 26 NF Long Cyn SF Long Cyn Duncan Crk Above & Below Diversions 2007 (linear estimates only)

28. 27 Above & Below Diversions 2008 SF Long Cyn Duncan Crk

29. 28 SF Long Cyn Duncan Crk Above & Below Diversions 2008 (linear estimates only)

30. 29 Other River Comparison Sites 2007 (linear estimates only)

31. 30 Other River Comparison Sites 2008 (linear estimates only)

32. 31 2007 Trout Size Rivers & Streams

33. 32 2008 Trout Size Rivers & Streams

34. 33 Trout Condition Factors in Rivers

35. 34 Ralston Afterbay Gill Netting Gill Netting  CPUE (see previous reservoir results) Sonar Sonar  Map & Estimates by depth Electrofishing Electrofishing  Map & Estimates by fish species and size Gear Selectivity Gear Selectivity  All fish  Hardhead

36. 35 Ralston Afterbay Gill Netting Locations Gill Netting Locations

37. 36 Ralston Afterbay Sonar Transects Sonar Transects

38. 37 Ralston Afterbay Sonar Results Sonar Results

39. 38 Ralston Afterbay Electrofishing Locations Electrofishing Locations

40. 39 Ralston Afterbay Electrofishing Electrofishing

41. 40 Ralston Afterbay Gear Size Selectivity Gear Size Selectivity

42. 41 Ralston Afterbay Hardhead Hardhead

43. 42 Other Survey Results (see 2007-2008 Report) Trout Age and Growth Rivers Trout Age and Growth Rivers Reservoir Trout Size Reservoir Trout Size Timing of Fry Timing of Fry  Rainbow and Brown Trout Fry  Hardhead-Pikeminnow 2007 Electrofishing Versus Snorkeling 2007 Electrofishing Versus Snorkeling 2007 Small Stream Diversion Pool Sampling 2007 Small Stream Diversion Pool Sampling Species and Lifestage Periodicity Species and Lifestage Periodicity Water Temperature Water Temperature

44. 43 Fish Population Sampling Sites 2009 Fish Population Sampling Sites 2009 Review 2007 and 2008 data with Aquatic TWG to determine which river sites will be sampled in year 3, if any, to identify the temporal abundance of fish species. Review 2007 and 2008 data with Aquatic TWG to determine which river sites will be sampled in year 3, if any, to identify the temporal abundance of fish species. Identify appropriate fish standing crop comparison datasets in collaboration with the Aquatic TWG Identify appropriate fish standing crop comparison datasets in collaboration with the Aquatic TWG Consultation Needs