2019 Knowledge Assessment

2019-20 Knowledge Assessment (KA) The GCDAMP periodically undertakes a review of the knowledge on which it bases its advice to the Secretary. This knowledge and advice crucially help inform the decisions of the Secretary concerning adaptive management of dam operations and their impacts. The review – here termed a ‘knowledge assessment’ – assesses the knowledge, and the reliability or certainty of the knowledge, for three broad objectives, to: (1) summarize what is known; (2) assess ongoing needs for monitoring to sustain crucial knowledge; and (3) identify crucial gaps and weaknesses in this knowledge that require attention. This KA is intended as a planning tool to help the TWG with developing a recommendation to the Adaptive Management Work Group for the FY21-23 Budget and Work Plan. It is a part of a broader process of information gathering and assessment used for the GCDAMP that also includes but is not limited to formal consultations (e.g., tribal government to federal government consultations), Annual Reporting meetings, TWG meetings, and TWG ad hoc group meetings. For example, the outcomes of this KA are intended to be used by the Budget Ad Hoc Group to help organize discussions of potential work activities to be considered for the FY21-23 Budget and Work Plan. Because this document describes only a western scientific knowledge assessment approach and not a traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) assessment approach, the product from this effort is only a part of a broader assessment of knowledge. A TEK assessment approach is expected to be piloted this year so it is important to again note that this western scientific knowledge assessment is only part of a broader assessment of knowledge. [1]

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Updates Upcoming calls Aquatic Food Base: Ted Kennedy (Team Lead) Archaeological and Cultural Resources: Humpback Chub: Charles Yackulic (Team Lead) Hydropower and Energy: Craig Ellsworth (Team Lead) First call: December 19, 2019 from noon – 2pm MST Second call: January 9, 2020 from 1pm – 5pm MST Conference line: 866-820-4802;4086526# Invasive Fish Species: David Rogowski (Team Lead) Other Native Fish Species: Brian Healy (Team Lead) First call: December 17 at 2:00 PM MST Second call: December 20 at 10:00 AM MST Phone Number: Rainbow Trout Fishery: Mike Yard (Team Lead) Recreational Experience: Lucas Bair (Team Lead) First call: December 12 from 2:00 - 3:30 PM MST Second call: January 2 from 10:00 - 11:30 AM MST Phone Number: 703-648-4848;686871# Sediment: Paul Grams (Team Lead), David Topping (Team Lead) Water Quality: Bridget Deemer (Team Lead), Peggy Roefer (Team Lead) First call: December 10 at 3:00 PM MST Second call: December 19 at 1:00 PM MST Phone Number: 844-621-3956 Webex: click here Summary [1] The present Knowledge Assessment seeks to answer three sets of questions for each of the ten selected resource topics, from a scientific perspective: Status and Trend What is our present understanding (hypotheses) concerning the status of the condition(s) addressed by the topic? (Note, quantifiable objectives have not been developed for most resource topics, therefore, a lesson learned from the 2017 Knowledge Assessment was that this question may not be appropriate for all resource topics). What is our present understanding (hypotheses) concerning the strength and direction of any trend(s) in these conditions? How certain or uncertain is this understanding (confidence)? Drivers and Constraints What is our present understanding (hypotheses) concerning the factors (drivers and constraints – see definitions below) that significantly shape the status and trends in these conditions? What is our present understanding (hypotheses) concerning the strength and direction of these effects? How certain or uncertain is this understanding (confidence)? Effects of Management Actions What is our present understanding (hypotheses) concerning the ways in which each type of GCDAMP management action affects or could affect the status and trends in these conditions? What is our present understanding (hypotheses) concerning the strength and direction of these effects? How certain or uncertain is this understanding (confidence)? The last of these three sets of questions may focus on the following actions, identified in the LTEMP FEIS as components of the Selected Alternative and in other agency decision documents (Note, a lesson learned from the 2017 Knowledge Assessment was that not all management actions need to be evaluated every year.): Spring HFEs ≤ 45,000 cfs in March or April Proactive Spring HFEs ≤ 45,000 cfs in April, May, or June Fall HFEs ≤ 45,000 cfs in October or November Fall HFEs > 96‐hr duration Trout management flows Macroinvertebrate production flows Humpback chub translocation Mechanical removal of rainbow trout from LCR reach Mechanical removal of invasive fish species Larval humpback chub head-start program Riparian vegetation restoration (not assessed for 2019-20) Incentivized harvest (new for 2019-20) Through its answers to the three core questions presented above, the present Knowledge Assessment seeks to: Summarize information on status, trends, and the state of knowledge for the nine priority resource topics, from a scientific perspective. Summarize expectations about the likely effects of proposed LTEMP management actions. Document the state of knowledge of how antecedent conditions, as well as external drivers and constraints, may affect the outcomes of different management actions. Identify potential needs for continuing, increasing, reducing, revising, or adding monitoring, research, and other information-gathering efforts to address potentially crucial gaps in knowledge.

Links and Information 2017 Knowledge Assessment (KA) Knowledge Assessments, Annual Reporting Meetings, and SCORE Reports Page FY18-20 GCDAMP Triennial Work Plan The Long-term Experimental and Management Plan (LTEMP) Page Science Advisors Page Documents GCDAMP 2019-20 Knowledge Assessment Guidance (2019-11-13) KA guidance webinar (2019-12-02) GCDAMP 2019-20 KA Tables v2 (insert_impact_topic_name)_(insert_version_date) Presentations Final Knowledge Assessment Summary Tables for All Resources Final Knowledge Assessment Tables for Individual Resources Aquatic Food Base Archaeological & Cultural Resources Humpback Chub Hydropower & Energy Invasive Fish Species Other Native Fish Species Rainbow Trout Fishery Recreational Experience Sediment Water Quality