THE ROLE OF A CONSULTING FIRM
COLLECTING FISH MIGRATION DATA ON
THE SNAKE AND COLUMBIA RIVERS
COL (RET) CURT THALKEN
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
ABOUT NORMANDEAU ASSOCIATES
• Over 40 years of experience in environmental consulting
• One of the largest, most well-known natural resources
management companies in the U.S. (EBJ)
• Recognized ability to tackle large, complex projects
• 250 employees in 13 states
We qualify as a small business under
Federal NAICS code 541712 Research
• Technical Disciplines
and Development in the Physical,
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Marine Sciences
Fisheries and Aquatics
Terrestrial / Wetlands / Wildlife
Water Resources
Hydrology and Geology
Biological Laboratories and
Field Equipment
– Public Involvement
Employee owned since 2000!
Engineering, and Life Sciences. Other
NAICS codes include: 541620
Environmental Consulting Services
and 541690 Other Scientific &
Technical Consulting Services.
PORTS & WATERWAYS FIELD SERVICES
• Sediment / Dredge Materials Characterization Studies
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Sediment coring and grab sampling
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)
Side Scan Sonar
Sediment Profiling
Bathymetry
• Collection and Characterization of Marine Species
– Benthic macro invertebrates, Shellfish,
Ichthyoplankton, Phytoplankton,
Zooplankton and Aquatic Plants
• Remote Methods
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Hydroacoustics
Sediment Profile Cameras
Video Characterizations
Dive Surveys
FISHERIES AND AQUATICS
• Active Hydroacoustics
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Natural resources management
Hydropower
Coastal nuclear and fossil fuel energy
Offshore renewable energy
Ports, waterways, coastal development
• Technologies include
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DIDSON
Single-beam, multi beam echosounders
Side scan sonar
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)
Acoustic Telemetry
• Patented Technology
– Hi-Z Turb’N Tag®
ADULT FISH COUNTING CONTRACT
Why a Private Sector Small Business?
• In 2011, USACE initiated a market research survey. This includes issuing a “Sources
Sought” requesting qualified businesses to notify USACE of their ability to
accomplish the work.
• In accordance with federal regulations, should two or more small businesses
respond to a federal agency’s request for sources sought, and these businesses
adequately demonstrate they are capable of performing the work, that federal
agency is required to set the procurement aside for only small businesses.
• Normandeau was one of a group of firms that responded to the sources sought—
requiring the next contract to be competed among qualified small businesses.
• As the result of a competitive small business process, USACE awarded the adult
fish counting services contract for the Snake and Columbia Rivers
to Normandeau Associates Inc. on November 8, 2012.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
• Furnishing accurate counts of adult fish passing
though 14 fish ladders at 8 Corps projects.
• Government-furnished computer system is used to
tally each fish.
• Nine species of fish are counted, including Chinook,
coho, sockeye, pink, and chum salmon; steelhead;
bull trout; American shad; and Pacific lamprey.
• Chinook and coho are also counted as either adults
or jacks, based on length.
• Wild and hatchery steelhead must be distinguished
through the presence/absence of an adipose fin.
• Fish tags/marks, injuries, and signs of gas bubble
trauma are noted.
FISH COUNTING LOCATIONS
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Bonneville Dam (Visual and Video Counts)
• Bradford Island Fish Ladder
• Washington Shore Ladder
The Dalles Dam (Visual and Video Counts)
• East Fish Ladder
• North Fish Ladder
John Day Dam (Visual and Video Counts)
• South Fish Ladder
• North Fish Ladder
McNary Dam (Visual and Video Counts)
• Oregon Shore Fish Ladder
• Washington Shore Fish Ladder
Ice Harbor Dam (Visual and Video Counts)
• South Shore Fish Ladder
• North Shore Fish Ladder
Lower Monumental Dam (Visual Counts Only)
• South Shore Fish Ladder
• North Shore Fish Ladder
Little Goose Dam South Shore Fish Ladder (Visual Counts Only)
Lower Granite Dam South Shore Fish Ladder (Visual and Video Counts)
FISH COUNTING SCHEDULE
• Real time fish counting
– All projects, April 1 – October 31
– 50 minutes/hour, 16 hrs/day (5 am – 9 pm)
• Video fish counting
– Night counts annually at selected projects
 June 15 – Sept 30 (9 pm -5 am)
– Winter counts annually at selected projects
 Nov 1 – Mar 31 (5 am -9 pm)
FISH COUNTING
• Staff of 50 counters with experience
ranging from several months to 35 seasons
• Ongoing training for new and experienced
counters as the season progresses and
fish passage conditions change
• Quality Assurance program dictates that
each counter is tested by a supervisor on a
monthly basis
SEE WHAT THE BONNEVILLE COUNTERS SEE
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environment/Fish/Cameras.aspx
FISH COUNTING DATA
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environment/Fish/Data.aspx
• Fish have been counted at Bonneville since 1938 and at other federal
hydroelectric projects since they were completed.
• Both the NOAA Fisheries BiOp and the Northwest Power Planning Council
(NPPC) Fish and Wildlife Program establish regional processes for fish passage
management.
• Counting schedules, which fish species are counted, how counts are reported,
and expansion or estimation methods are overseen by the Fish Passage and
Operations Management (FPOM) committee (comprised of NOAA, CRITFC,
ODFW, WDFW, IDFG, BPA, and Corps of Engineers biologists).
• Normandeau staff enter fish data directly into a regional database maintained by
the Corps of Engineers Fisheries Field Office at Bonneville Dam and available at:
• http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environment/Fish/Data.aspx
EXAMPLE OF FISH COUNT DATA
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environment/Fish/Data.aspx
NORMANDEAU QUESTIONS?
OFFICE LOCATIONS