Washington State lead a pooled fund project, Fish Passage Capability through Modified Culverts: Flume Research Study, SPR-3(096), with FHWA, Alaska, Oregon, and California to construct a one of a kind culvert test facility on the Skookumchuk River Fish Hatchery located near Tenino, Washington. This innovative research facility has the ability to test and observe salmon and other fish species as they pass through culverts under various conditions. This information can be used to understand salmon and other fish species motivation and capability as well as a wide range of biology and engineering issues related to fish passage through highway culverts. There is interest by a number of other parties to fund certain research activities using the research facility including: the U. S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Corp of Engineers and private land owners. In order to fund the entire breath of the research possibilities, it was prudent that the study be opened to additional partners from the other state DOT's concerned with fish passage issues.

The objectives for the use of the culvert test facility include: 1. Assessment - Provide empirical data to assess the passability of existing culverts for juvenile salmon and other aquatic organisms and provide techniques for measuring passability in the field. 2. Retrofit Design - Provide empirical data on the efficacy of engineered modifications designed to improve fish passage success.

Research activities at the culvert test bed may be organized into three research topic areas: standard protocols, biological science, and engineering design. Standard protocols are methods consistently applied during research activities so that results are as comparable as possible across activities, e.g., time of day to conduct experiments. The biological science area includes empirical data on the relationships between juvenile fish responses and environmental conditions, such as maximum sustained fish swimming speed, leaping ability, and depth requirements. The engineering design area concerns how structural and hydraulic characteristics of the culvert, such as inlet conditions and roughness, influence juvenile fish passage success. Relationships among the three topic areas and the overall goals are depicted in Figure 1 of the study document. Standard protocols are necessary for research in both biological science and engineering design. Biological science activities will involve direct assessment of culvert passability and identification important biological factors. The passability assessment leads to the go/no-go decision on culvert rehabilitation. Engineering design data are used directly to engineer culvert retrofits, one of the programs primary goals. Both biological science and engineering design activities produce information that can be used to achieve the other program goal of assessment with, for example, use of tools such as FishXing. Potential Tests and Recommended Strategy: The existing Fish Passage Partners identified numerous potential tests that could be performed at their meeting in February 2004 (Table 1 of the study document). They placed top priority on the motivation/capability issue for the standard protocols because resolving this issue is of fundamental importance to research in the culvert test bed. The test of juvenile fish leaping ability was also identified as a useful short-term endeavor because it will enhance the field techniques and modeling used to assess passability. The other potential tests are necessarily longer-term than these. Therefore, the Fish Passage Partners recommended strategy is to address the motivation/capability issue along with leaping ability in the short-term and continue to scrutinize and prioritize the other potential tests for the long-term. Accordingly, a detailed work plan will be developed in consultation with the existing study partners and the states wishing to participate.

We are seeking 10 states to contribute $30,000 to $40,000 per year for 5 years