Klickitat Hatchery Spring Chinook Upgrades (DOE/EA-2207)

Klickitat County, Washington

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to fund upgrades to the Klickitat Hatchery in the Klickitat River Basin in partnership with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The proposal includes funding capital improvements to the Klickitat Hatchery facilities to support an increase in spring Chinook salmon production from 600,000 spring Chinook yearling smolts to 800,000 smolts, and a transition from a segregated to an integrated spring Chinook program that incorporates natural-origin fish in the broodstock. The hatchery is located at River Mile 42 of the Klickitat River within the bounds of the Yakama Nation Reservation and is operated jointly by the Yakama Nation and WDFW. The hatchery was built in 1954 and most of the facilities have not been renovated since then.

Capital improvements include replacement of the water supply pipeline from the spring water source; rehabilitation of an existing surface water pump station; repairs to the existing hatchery fishway; construction of a new adult holding and spawning facilities, circular raceways, and a new distribution box to supply to them; and a new effluent treatment system. If available funding allows, BPA may also make improvements to the interior of the administration building, construct two new hatchery residences for hatchery workers, and install predator control netting on an existing raceway.

All fish production (spring and fall Chinook and coho salmon) operations and facility maintenance at the hatchery has been funded through the National Marine Fisheries Service under the Mitchell Act of 1938 (16 U.S.C. 755-757) since the hatchery was built in 1954. BPA is not proposing to fund fish production or to assume responsibility for any Mitchell Act funding for the Klickitat Hatchery. BPA funds would be limited to the proposed capital improvements to support spring Chinook production.


ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA considered the proposed action, as well as a no-action alternative in which no upgrades would be implemented. The EA describes anticipated impacts to natural and human resources and identifies mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts. Yakama Nation and WDFW both cooperated in the preparation of the EA. The draft EA was released for public review and comment in April 2023; comments were received on the draft EA from 5 people or agencies. The Final EA and FONSI were signed on August 30, 2023.

The schedule for the environmental review was as follows:

Scoping comment period August 12, 2022 – September 12, 2022
Draft EA available for public comment April 10, 2023 - May 9, 2023
Virtual Public Meeting on Draft EA   April 25, 2023
Final EA August 2023
Finding of No Significant Impact   August 2023
If decision to build, construction would start Fall 2023

 

CURRENT STATUS

BPA, Yakama Nation and WDFW have released a final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI includes a Mitigation Action Plan to help avoid or lessen potential impacts.

 

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Carolyn Sharp        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist        Direct Line: 503-230-5206
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4 Email: Casharp@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621


For project information, contact:
Mary Todd Haight Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Fish and Wildlife Administrator Direct Line: 502-230-3112
Bonneville Power Administration - EWU-4 Email: mthaight@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

 

DOCUMENTS

FINAL EA
Public letter (09/13/2023)
Final EA (August 2023)
Errata Sheet (August 2023)
FONSI and MAP (August 2023)

DRAFT EA
comments received
Public Letter (04/10/2023)
Comment Form (04/10/223)
Draft EA (March 2023)

SCOPING
comments received
Public Letter  (08/12/2022)
Comment Form  (08/12/2022)

EA Determination  (02/23/2023)