Initial draft.
CA Planning Group
Working DRAFT 2/15/13
CAPG Please Provide Edits and Comments
By Thursday February 28, 2013
Coordinated Assessments for Salmon and Steelhead
Phase V Work Plan
The Coordinated Assessments (CA) Project is an effort to develop efficient, consistent, and transparent data-sharing
among the co-managers (fish and wildlife agencies and Tribes) and regulatory agencies (BPA & NOAA) of the Columbia
River Basin (CRB) for anadromous fish related data. The project has been coordinated by the Pacific Northwest Aquatic
Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA), with support from the
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) StreamNet project. Oversight is provided through the Coordinated
Assessments Planning Group (CAPG) which consists of Kasey Bliesner, ODFW; Cedric Cooney, ODFW; Brodie Cox, WDFW;
Henry Franzoni, CRITFC; Jim Geiselman, BPA; Lance Hebdon, IDFG; Jay Hesse, NPT; Nancy Leonard, NPCC; Dan Rawding,
WDFW; Phil Roger, CRITFC; Katie Barnas, NOAA; Stacy Schumacher, CTUIR; and Russell Scranton, BPA. Facilitation and
support are provided through the Coordinated Assessments Core Team (Jen Bayer, PNAMP; Tom Iverson, CBFWFA; and
Bruce Schmidt, StreamNet). The CA project involves nearly a hundred biologists and data managers across the
Columbia River Basin, representing essentially all agencies and tribes with an interest in anadromous fish management
and recovery.
This proposed work plan builds from the earlier CA work plans and identifies the next steps and expected activities
required to implement the Columbia River Basin Collaborative Data Sharing Strategy for Salmon and Steelhead
Population Abundance and Productivity Indicators (Strategy) and initiate data sharing consistent with the initial Data
Exchange Standard (DES) for those indicators.
Accomplishments to Date
This work plan is the fifth in a series of work plans for the Coordinated Assessments Project. The project has been
implemented in a step-wise fashion, building on each preceding success. Details of previous phases may be found on
the PNAMP website: (http://www.pnamp.org/project/3129).
The initial CA work plan was adopted in July 2010 and described near, medium, and long term plans for developing the
components of a data exchange network for salmon and steelhead data. In the first months of the project, the comanagers vetted the work plan within their agencies and tribes and conducted internal reconnaissance to understand
existing data sources, status, and intentions of managing data within existing monitoring projects. A workshop was held
in October 2010 to review and approve proof-of-concept materials including a preliminary Data Exchange Template
(DET) and Data Flow Diagrams. The CA Workgroup (workshop attendees) agreed to move forward with performing data
management assessments for three VSP indicators (Abundance of natural spawning adults, Adult to adult return rate,
and Smolt to adult return rate) within each of the three state agencies and six tribes and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal
Fish Commission that manage salmon data in the CRB.
Phase II of the CA project focused on performing a Gaps, Needs, and Priorities assessment for data management within
each of the agencies and tribes based on the three priority indicators. Temporary technicians were hired to assist the
agencies and tribes in completing data flow analysis diagrams and draft data exchange templates for as many
populations as was necessary for each entity to adequately evaluate their data sharing capabilities. Workshops were
convened at the beginning and end of the data management assessments to ensure continuity among the agencies and
tribes. The agencies and tribes developed individual Data Management and Sharing Strategies for Three Viable
Salmonid Population (VSP) Indicators (Strategies). The individual Strategies were integrated into a basin-wide Strategy.
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The Phase III work plan, adopted at the September 2011 workshop, sought to move the Strategies to sponsoring
agencies for adoption and to identify priority projects that will advance their agency or tribe and the Basin towards the
goals outlined in the overall Strategy. Specifically, Phase III results included: development of the first ever complete
Data Exchange Standard (DES) for four fish population (VSP) indicators (juveniles per spawner were included in the final
draft), and prioritized needs for BPA and other funding.
Phase IV began in August 2012 with an emphasis within the individual agencies and tribes to begin incorporating the DES
into their common data management business practices. The agencies and tribes also worked toward staffing essential
elements of their data management Strategies as best they could; however, funding remains a primary limiting factor for
implementation. CA participants engaged with NPCC and BPA through the Program Evaluation and Review Committee
(PERC) and the proposed BPA Data Management Framework, resulting in recommendations from NPCC and priorities
identified by BPA. A grant application was also developed and submitted to EPA to fund essential elements of the
Strategies, emphasizing infrastructure needs. A workshop is scheduled for Spring 2013 to discuss progress towards
implementation of the existing DES, potential new DES tasks, and to confirm the work plan for the project’s next phase
(Phase V).
Phase V Funding Dilemma
Since its inception, this project has been a collaborative endeavor, with staff from several BPA funded projects providing
the leadership and staffing to support project management and facilitation. The participating agencies and tribes have
used BPA funding and their own internal funding to participate throughout the course of the project. PNAMP provided
workshop facilitation services, travel assistance for workshop participation, general coordination, participation in the
Core Team to guide the project, and a close connection to the Federal agencies involved in salmon and steelhead data
management, sharing and reporting. CBFWA provided key coordination for the agencies and tribes (salmon managers)
participating in the project, primary support to drafting project products such as work plans and development of the
agency/tribe and regional strategy documents, and participation in the Core Team. StreamNet provided technical
leadership and organization of the process to develop the Data Exchange Standards, conduct of the initial data
compilation by data techs supported by a one-time budget modification, and support for its participation in the Core
Team. In developing their FY 2013 BPA regional coordination and data management proposals, it was anticipated a
similar funding arrangement would be supported, with 2013 activities specifically planned to be led by CBFWF staff, with
PNAMP and StreamNet assisting to a lesser degree. As members of the CA Core Team, staff from these three entities
performs significant work between CAPG meetings and workshops in developing draft documents, conducting outreach
and education to participants, and encouraging participation. Project management has been essential for tracking
progress, managing a time line, and planning next steps.
For FY 2013, CBFWA will no longer have adequate funding to continue support of the CA Project facilitation. The Federal
regional coordination funding allocation was removed from the CBFWA budget and the remaining CBFWA Members can
no longer provide the financial support they have in the past for CBFWA staff facilitation of the CA Project. The FY 2013
PNAMP budget only included limited support for CA Project facilitation and while the FY 2013 StreamNet budget
includes CA tasks, they are focused on facilitating the technical team for implementation of the DES within agency and
tribal databases and initiating data sharing and did not anticipate policy level facilitation and support for the CAPG or
expansion of the DES (project management).
In the absence of CBFWA funding, a gap remains for staffing of the CA Core Team. Therefore, the following work plan
has been developed to demonstrate what will be accomplished with and without targeted funding for this work.
Currently the CBFWA funding will expire on March 31, 2013 and facilitation of the CAPG will continue through PNAMP
on a limited basis. StreamNet will continue facilitation of the Steering Committee and Technical Committee where DES
implementation will be facilitated and supported.
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Facilitation and project management support tasks essential to the project that will no longer be provided under the
current funding assumptions include managing a timeline and holding participants accountable for deliverables, writing
draft and final documents, such as the next iteration of this work plan and future updates to the Columbia River Basin
Collaborative Data Sharing Strategy, education and outreach to the participating agencies’ and tribes’ personnel (policy
level and field/regional biologists), and outreach to alternative funding sources to expedite development and
implementation of data exchange standards.
In addition to coordination and facilitation funding, the agencies and tribes are seeking funding to support the individual
priorities within the data sharing Strategies. Essential elements of the individual Strategies remain unfunded and this
threatens the pace and integrity of addressing the goals and priorities of the comprehensive Collaborative Data Sharing
Strategy. While this work plan will carry the CA Project forward, there is risk in losing buy-in to this large collaborative
effort if external funding sources are not identified in the near future.
Goals/Activities/Deliverables
1) Continue Phased Approach to Facilitation Implementation of Coordinated Assessments Project:

Maintain tiered-model for facilitating and managing CA project: Core Team/CA Planning Group/CA
Workgroup (periodic teleconferences, infrequent workshops)

Continue development of phased work plans as milestones are completed

Outreach to policy and technical staff at agencies and tribes to encourage continued participation when
possible
Deliverable: Maintain progress in developing consistent salmon and steelhead data sharing systems across agencies
and tribes within the Columbia River Basin to the degree the data management Strategies can be implemented with
existing funding; maintain communication between data providers and data users to make data sharing more
efficient; and, enable discussion and communication among interested parties for salmon and steelhead data.
In the absence of a facilitation contract, PNAMP and StreamNet will host a limited number of meetings of the CAPG and
encourage continued participation. Only limited outreach and logistical support for agencies and tribes will be possible,
including targeted solicitation to individuals to attend key meetings. A contract for project facilitation, as has been
previously available, would provide added value to fund facilitation of meetings as often as necessary to maintain
momentum of the CA project; fund development, writing and managing phased work plans to ensure focused
implementation (project management); and, provide funding for outreach to participants to encourage and support
adequate participation.
2) Prove DES Concept:

Continue facilitating management and further development of the initial DES through the StreamNet
Technical Committee

Incorporate the DES into agency and tribal data systems as they are developed, maintained, and
upgraded

Discuss and develop initial data sharing agreements for use in exchange of key indicators

Initiate inter-agency sharing of VSP indicators using the DES format
Deliverable: Interim database at StreamNet with VSP indicators in DES format, SPS Data base capable of receiving
data in DES format, and NOAA Fisheries receiving VSP data in DES format for annual status assessments as data are
made available.
In the absence of a facilitation contract, StreamNet will host regularly scheduled quarterly meetings of their technical
committee to discuss implementation aspects related to the DES by data managers within the agencies and tribes.
Communication will occur among participants in StreamNet’s technical committee without the benefit of
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biologist/policy perspectives being regularly included in discussions. A contract for facilitation would add the ability to
support internal coordination within agencies and tribes in their development of systems for sharing data using CBFWF
staff’s institutional knowledge and personal relationships to facilitate internal agency/tribe communication and provide
alternate perspectives on implementation issues.
3) Expand the initial DES to include hatchery indicators:

Due to work being done in the Snake River Basin, the agencies and tribes have agreed the next priority
for developing a DES should include a limited set of hatchery indicators.

Review the list of hatchery indicators from Hatchery Science Review Group report(s) and the Ad-hoc
Supplementation Workgroup’s recommendations and prioritize a suite of indicators and metrics for the
next iteration of the DES

Working with biologists and data managers, develop a hatchery DES for 3-5 initial indicators

Discuss sub-indicators (measures and metrics of existing indicators) and potential standardization to
feed calculation of indicators.
Deliverable: Completed Data Exchange Standard (DES) for 3-5 hatchery indicators; expanded initial DES to include
some standardization of measures and metrics where appropriate.
In the absence of a facilitation contract, PNAMP will host CAPG meetings to discuss prioritization of hatchery indicators
on a much slower timeline than was followed for the initial DES. A contract for facilitation would add the ability to
perform outreach to agencies and tribes to ensure proper representation within various CA forums and discussion
groups; ensure expansion of the DES is consistent with existing data sharing capacity through 1:1 meetings; provide
outreach to narrow DES guidance and make process more efficient; and, facilitate meetings as often as necessary to
focus on tasks that ensure success.
4) Pursue comprehensive funding for CA Strategy implementation:

Work with other programs to encourage funding of state and tribal data systems (staffing and
infrastructure) that incorporate DES elements and support overall data sharing

Develop amendment recommendation for the NPCC Program Amendment process that identifies the
priority data necessary for evaluating Program objectives and directs adequate funding for data
management and sharing functions
Deliverable: Outreach to other major programs such as PCSRF, OWEB, WASRFB, etc. to encourage funding data
management elements of the Collaborative Data Sharing Strategy. Develop a collaborative Program Amendment
recommendation for consideration by the CA Project participants that supports appropriate data management
requirements within the NPCC’s Fish and Wildlife Program.
In the absence of a facilitation contract, incidental outreach will occur through the PNAMP steering committee and Data
Management Leadership Team meetings but generally this task would not be directly funded. A contract for facilitation
would add the ability to provide pro-active outreach to large programs to recruit financial assistance for elements of the
Collaborative Data Sharing Strategy; and, to develop a collaborative Program Amendment recommendation to better
define data sharing needs and priorities within the Council’s F&W Program.
Timeline
Insert timeline table
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