Installation and Maintenance of Fish Monitoring Hardware at Leaburg and Walterville Fish passage Facilities

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District intends to enter into a sole source cooperative agreement with the Eugene Water and electric Board (EWEB) for the installation of PIT tag interrogation sites at Leaburg and Walterville Dams. The juvenile bypass screens at Leaburg and Walterville Dams are EWEB real-estate and ideal locations for the monitoring of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged fish. There are no other known suitable locations on the McKenzie River to deploy this type of technology. The cooperative agreement represents an opportunity to partner with regional stakeholders to provide an important tool for fisheries research that will not only benefit USACE Willamette Valley Project Biological Opinion implementation efforts, but the region as a whole. USACE, Portland District will fund the design, installation, and, if necessary, the removal of all hardware associated with the system, including any modifications to EWEB facilities associated with installation or removal. USACE will coordinate with the design team to design an antenna system that is not only effective at tag detection, but also mitigates impacts to EWEB during installation and operation and maximizes ease of removal should that be necessary. Funds will be awarded pursuant to the Water Resource Development Act of 1999, Sec 582. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR COLUMBIA AND SNAKE RIVERS SALMON SURVIVAL.