Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)
$49,942

Our proposed monitoring in Thirtymile Creek, a tributary to the John Day River, near Condon, Gilliam County, OR aims to quantify the impact of nonnative SMB bass invasion on ESA-listed Mid-C summer steelhead productivity under current environmental conditions as well as quantify the strength of the interaction under altered thermal regimes and invasion scenarios, which are predicted to occur as a result of proposed restoration activities. Specifically, our project aims to 1) document the timing degree of sympatry that currently exists between smallmouth bass and steelhead by examining smallmouth bass entry timing and steelhead emergence timing, 2) quantify smallmouth predation on steelhead and the relationship between predation and temperature, and 3) describe and quantify the competition for food resources that occurs between all size classes of smallmouth bass and steelhead. Because management of the smallmouth sport fishery and the conservation of threated steelhead is a strong topic of conversation/controversy between small bass anglers and steelhead conservationists and anglers, we are also proposing to engage members who identify with both groups into our research and monitoring by hosting a volunteer sampling event. Additionally, we are committed to hosting an education station at the 2023 and 2024 Tupper Outdoor School to educate sixth graders about predator prey dynamics in the John Day River.   The results of this monitoring are both critical and time-sensitive to the development of ongoing successful restoration strategies aimed at improving steelhead productivity in both Thirtymile and other tributaries that currently, or are predicted to, support smallmouth bass.