An Updated Summary of Steelhead Kelts Collected at Lower Granite Dam and Reconditioned at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (2011-14)

Populations of wild steelhead have declined from historical levels in the Columbia and Snake rivers.  Some stocks in the upper Columbia River are listed as endangered, and some in the Snake and Middle Columbia rivers are listed as threatened.  One approach to increase natural production of steelhead is to utilize their iteroparous life history by reconditioning kelts.  Kelts were intercepted at Lower Granite Dam’s Juvenile Fish Facility during their spring emigration in 2011 to 2014, diverted to a temporary adult holding tank supplied with fresh river water, and sampled daily.  Fish lengths were recorded, the general condition of each kelt was assessed, and PIT tags were inserted into fish that did not have an existing tag.  Select fish were then transferred to Dworshak National Fish Hatchery for long-term reconditioning, and fish not selected for reconditioning were released.  Surviving kelts were released into the Snake River following a six to nine month reconditioning regime.  Comparisons of run timing, length frequency distribution, fish condition, return rate for released fish, and reconditioning survival and post-release migration will be presented.