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2012 Resident Trout Monitoring Survey Page i

TableofContents

1. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 1

2. SURVEY RESULTS – 2012 DATA ....................................................................................... 2

3. PROJECT MONITORING ..................................................................................................... 5

4. FUTURE REPORTING .......................................................................................................... 5

AppendicesAPPENDIXA PHOTOSOFHABITATCONDITIONSDURINGAUGUST2012SURVEY

APPENDIXB 2010AND2011SURVEYDATA

ListofTablesTable 1. Number and size of rainbow trout observed during late summer snorkel surveys, Hancock Creek, 2012. ..................................................................................................................... 2 Table 2. Snorkel data summary (2010-2012). ............................................................................... 5


2012 Resident Trout Monitoring Survey Page 1

1. OVERVIEW The Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County (District) has completed the third year of pre-Project baseline resident trout monitoring for the Hancock Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. P-13994) (Project). This brief report and attached appendices summarize the 2012 survey. The survey involved snorkeling a series of eight index pools on three occasions over a 4 week period between mid-August and mid-September. Habitat conditions during the survey are photo documented in Appendix A; a map of population monitoring site is included as Figure A-1. Despite a wet June, extreme low flow conditions were observed during the summer/early fall 2012. These dry conditions resulted in complete dewatering of portions of the upper reach of Hancock Creek during early fall. As a summary, a total of 16 rainbow trout were observed within the index area on the first survey followed by a total of 37 and 46, respectively, being observed on the two subsequent surveys (Tables 1-3). Observations during 2012 indicate an increase in relative abundance over time possibly indicative of migration into the index area from upstream habitats. Further evidence of this downstream migration is the presence of a natural barrier to upstream migration below Pool 6. Surveys conducted between 2010 and 2012 indicate considerable natural variability in rainbow trout populations both in relative abundance and size class structure (Table 4).



2. SURVEYRESULTS–2012DATA Table 1. Number and size of rainbow trout observed during late summer snorkel surveys, Hancock Creek, August 28, 2012. Stream/Date _Hancock Creek / 8-28-12 Surveyors _LL, KB Start/End Time_0935/1100 Conditions_Overcast, Air Temperature = 60 degrees F, Water Temperature = 11.2 degrees C @ 0935 Visibility _~ 8 feet Discharge_ ~10 cfs

POOL # <50 mm (YOY) 50-100 mm (juvenile) 100-150 mm (small adult)

150-200 mm (adult)

> 200 mm Total

1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 3 1 1 2 4 1 1 2 5 3 3 2 8 6 0 7 0 8 0

TOTALS 0 3 5 6 2 16



Table 2. Number and size of rainbow trout observed during late summer snorkel surveys, Hancock Creek, September 7, 2012. Stream/Date _Hancock Creek / 9-7-12 Surveyors __LL, KB Start/End Time_1200/1305 Conditions_Clear, Air Temperature = 80 F, Water Temperature = 11.4 degrees C @ 1200 Visibility_ ~ 8 feet Discharge_ ~ 8 cfs


150-200 mm (adult)

> 200 mm Total

1 2 5 3 10 2 1 1 3 1 1 4 2 2 2 1 7 5 2 5 7 3 17 6 0 7 1 1 8 0

TOTALS 0 8 13 12 4 37



Table 3. Number and size of rainbow trout observed during late summer snorkel surveys, Hancock Creek, September 17, 2012. Stream/Date _Hancock Creek / 9-17-12 Surveyors __LL, KB Start/End Time_0830/0955 Conditions _ Clear but hazy from fires, Air Temperature = 60 degrees F, Water Temperature = 10.4 degrees C @ 0900 Visibility_~ 5 feet Discharge_ ~ 8 cfs


150-200 mm (adult)

> 200 mm Total

1 2 9 2 13 2 0 3 0 4 1 1 5 1 8 6 3 18 6 3 5 8 7 0 8 1 3 2 6

TOTALS 0 4 23 16 3 46

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3. PROJECTMONITORING Data from surveys conducted between 2010 and 2012 are summarized in Table 4; data tables for 2010 and 2011 are included as Appendix B. Table 4. Snorkel data summary (2010-2012).

Source Date Number of Rainbow Trout Observed by Age Class

Fry Juvenile Small Adult Adult Total

Cedarock 8/17/2010 6 48 54 2 110

Cedarock 9/17/2010 2 44 37 10 93

Cedarock 9/28/2010 0 25 37 13 75

District 8/15/2011 0 17 10 8 35

District 8/30/2011 0 8 12 17 37

District 9/16/2011 0 12 14 20 46

District 8/28/2012 0 3 5 8 16

District 9/7/2012 0 8 13 16 37

District 9/17/2012 0 4 23 19 46

4. FUTUREREPORTING This report represents the baseline status of the trout population in Hancock Creek prior to Project operation. A similar survey and subsequent annual report will be prepared as indicated in the Resident Trout Monitoring Plan. Please contact Keith Binkley (Generation - Natural Resources Manager, fish biologist) at [email protected] if you have any questions about the data collected to date and how they apply to the Resident Trout Monitoring Plan.


2012 Resident Trout Monitoring Survey Appendix A

APPENDIX A Photos of Habitat Conditions during August 2012 Survey


2012 Resident Trout Monitoring Survey Appendix A-1

Figure A-1. Map of Monitoring Site Reach. Waypoint 001 indicates downstream boundary of trout monitoring site.


2012 Resident Trout Monitoring Survey Page A-2

Photo A-1. Pool 1, August 2012.















2012 Resident Trout Monitoring Survey Page B

APPENDIX B 2010 and 2011 Survey Data



Hancock Snorkel Survey Results ‐2010

August 17, 2010

YOY Juvenile Small Adult Adult

Pool # <50mm 50‐100 mm100‐150

mm >150 mm Total

1 4 33 4 0 41

2 0 1 0 0 1

3 1 6 4 0 11

4 0 1 1 0 2

5 0 2 21 1 24

6 0 2 14 0 16

7 1 0 2 0 3

8 0 3 8 1 12

6 48 54 2 110

September 17, 2010


Pool # <50mm 50‐100 mm100‐150

mm >150 mm Total

1 0 23 13 1 37

2 2 2 0 1 5

3 0 3 0 1 4

4 0 6 3 2 11

5 0 7 8 3 18

6 0 1 7 1 9

7 0 0 0 0 0

8 0 2 6 1 9

2 44 37 10 93



September 28, 2010


Pool # <50mm 50‐100 mm100‐150

mm >150 mm Total

1 0 10 17 3 30

2 0 3 2 0 5

3 0 3 2 1 6

4 0 3 4 1 8

5 0 4 6 2 12

6 0 0 3 2 5

7 0 2 0 0 2

8 0 0 3 4 7

0 25 37 13 75

Maximum ControlResidual Pool

Pool # Length Width Depth Depth Depth

1 95 28 4.0 1.0 3.0

2 31 14 2.4 1.0 1.4

3 27 20 2.8 1.3 1.5

4 32 17 3.6 1.5 2.1

5 70 22 7.0 1.1 5.9

6 67 21 10.0 1.1 8.9

7 38 20 5.0 0.8 4.2

8 34 52 6.5 0.8 5.7

In feet, measured August 15, 2010



Hancock Snorkel Survey Results ‐ 2011 Stream/Date _Hancock/8-15-2011

Surveyers _LL, KB start/end time_1100/1300

Conditions_partly cloudy, 70 f (air), 13 c @1100 (water), 13.3 c @ 1300 (water) Visibility _~ 10 feet RBT unless noted Brook Trout

POOL # <50 mm (YOY)

50-100 mm (juvenile)

100-150 mm (small adult) >150 mm (adult) Total <50

50-100

100-150 >150 Total

1 4 4 1 1 2 2 0 0 3 0 0 4 4 4 0 5 6 7 7 20 2 2 6 3 3 1 7 0 7 0 0 8 0 0

TOTALS 0 17 10 8 35 1 3 4

Stream/Date _Hancock/8-30-2011 Surveyers __LL, KB start/end time_1000/1200 Conditions _ overcast, 64 f (air), 13.7@ 1000 (water), 13.7 c @ 1200 (water) Visibility_ ~ 6 feet RBT unless noted Brook Trout

POOL # <50 mm (YOY) 50-100 mm (juvenile) 100-150 mm (small adult) >150 mm (adult) Total <50 50-100

100-150 >150 Total

1 3 1 4 8 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 0 3 1 1 2 3 3 4 0 0 5 4 8 7 19 0 6 2 4 6 2 2 7 0 0 8 0 0

TOTALS 0 8 12 17 37 7



Stream/Date _Hancock/9-16-2011 Surveyers __LL, KB start/end time_0900/1100Conditions _ partly cloudy, 64 f (air), 11.0 c @ 0900 (water) Visibility_~ 6 feet RBT unless noted Brook Trout

POOL # <50 mm (YOY) 50-100 mm (juvenile) 100-150 mm (small adult) >150 mm (adult) Total <50 50-100

100-150 >150 Total

1 2 3 6 11 1 1 2 1 1 2 0 3 2 1 1 4 0 4 0 0 5 4 6 9 19 1 1 2 6 0 0 7 1 1 0 8 2 3 4 9 1 1

TOTALS 0 12 14 20 46 4

Documents

Hancock CCreek Hydroelectric ect...anco oele RC N t Trou Annu 2012 Pre Eve Dece ck C ctric o. P‐1 t Moni al Rep Surve pared by rett, WA mber 201 Creek Proj 3994 toring ort y: 2 ect