BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
Project #:155144
Award Title: Impacts of Overwater Structures on Bull Trout in Lake Pend Orielle, Bonner County, ID. Award Purpose: The purpose of the proposed study is to provide the Corps of Engineers and fisheries managers with information on the life history of juvenile bull trout in Lake Pend Oreille, and the information needed to make decisions regarding the effects of overwater structures on juvenile bull trout susceptibility to predators, the impacts of structures on predator/prey interactions, and potential mitigation features of overwater structures. The Battelle-Team study provides a targeted approach towards accomplishing each objective outlined in the Scope of Work solicited by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District under Battelle?s IDIQ contract # W912EF-08-D-0004. Our team proposes to use snorkeling surveys to study use of littoral habitats by juvenile bull trout and to quantify fish community structure of developed and undeveloped littoral areas, and to employ a combination of electrofishing and spear fishing to capture predators for an analysis of stomach contents. All of these methods are proven techniques to address the objectives of this study. Deliverables: One report including an introduction, a thorough description of methods, results, and a discussion section identifying key results will be drafted beginning in January 2012 and a draft final report will be submitted to the COE by March 31, 2012. The COE will then have 30 days to review the draft report and respond to Battelle by April 30, 2012. Battelle will submit an electronic copy and 10 hard-copy final reports to the COE by May 31, 2012.