Status of Redband Trout in the Upper Snake River Basin of Idaho

Abstract

Redband Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri are likely the most abundant and most widely distributed native salmonid in the Columbia River basin, yet their current distribution and abundance across the landscape have not been well documented. We sampled 1,032 randomly distributed stream sites (usually 100 m in length) across more than 60,000 km of stream network to assess Redband Trout occupancy, abundance, and genetic purity in the upper Snake River basin of Idaho. Study locations were more often in dry desert subbasins (49% of sites) than in montane subbasins (20%), and 25% of the dry “stream sites” had no discernible stream channel whatsoever, indicating a lack of flowing water for perhaps millennia. Redband Trout were estimated to occupy 13,485 km of stream (22% of the total) and were captured more often (389 sites) than Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis (128 sites), Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus (37 sites), or Brown Trout Salmo trutta (16 sites). Redband Trout were also the most abundant species of trout, with an approximate abundance of 3,449,000 ± 402,000 (90% confidence interval) of all sizes, followed by Brook Trout (1,501,000 ± 330,000), Bull Trout (159,000 ± 118,000), and Brown Trout (43,000 ± 25,000). Approximately 848,000 ± 128,000 Redband Trout were adults. From 1913 (the earliest year of record) to 2001, roughly 43 million hatchery Rainbow Trout were stocked in streams in the study area, 17.5 million of which were of catchable size (i.e., ≥200 mm total length); since 2001, all catchable trout have been sterilized prior to stocking. Genetic results from 61 study sites suggest that hybridization with hatchery Rainbow Trout is more likely to occur in streams that were directly stocked with catchable trout from 1913 to 2001. Applying these results across the landscape, we estimated that Redband Trout likely remain pure in about 68% of the streams occupied in the upper Snake River basin.

Received November 13, 2012; accepted January 9, 2014

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Tony Olsen and Phil Larsen assisted invaluably with EMAP-derived study site selection. Bruce Zoellick provided expert knowledge regarding a priori ranking of Redband Trout distribution and also assisted with fieldwork. Thanks to Steve Elle, Tony Lamansky, John Cassinelli, and a host of others for their field sampling efforts. The states of Oregon and Nevada graciously allowed us to sample trout within their borders. Jeff Dillon, Joe Kozfkay, Bruce Zoellick, and several anonymous reviewers improved earlier versions of the manuscript with thoughtful comments and suggestions. This project was funded by the Sport Fish Restoration Act and the Bonneville Power Administration.