Ford Hatchery Annual Report: August 1, 2001 - July 31, 2002

Bonneville Power Administration’s participation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ford Hatchery, provides the opportunity for enhancing the recreational and subsistence kokanee fisheries in Banks Lake. Funds from the BPA will improve water quality and supply at the Ford Hatchery enabling increased fingerling production for the kokanee program. Funding from BPA also allows for additional fish food, materials and supplies associated with this program, as well as an additional employee (currently, a 9- month temporary) to assist in the operation and maintenance of the program.

The Ford Hatchery will produce 11,666 lbs. (700,000) kokanee for release as fingerlings into Banks Lake in October. Ford Hatchery’s production (along with Sherman Creek and the Spokane Tribal Hatchery) will contribute to a goal of one million kokanee yearlings for Lake Roosevelt and one million kokanee fingerlings and fry for Banks Lake. While the origin of hatchery stock comes from Lake Whatcom, current objectives will increase the use of native (or, indigenous) stocks for propagation in Banks Lake and the Upper Columbia River.

The Ford Hatchery continues to produce resident trout (80,584 lb. per year) to promote the sport fisheries in trout fishing lakes in eastern Washington (WDFW Management, Region 1). Operation and maintenance funding for the increased kokanee program was implemented in FY 2001 and scheduled to continue through FY 2010. Engineering design and NEPA permits for the water improvement projects are concluding from FY 2001. A hatchery site visit by BPA and WDFW personnel associated with the improvement project on August 12, 2002 will complete the planning phase. The water projects are scheduled to begin in FY 2002.

Monitoring and evaluation of the Ford stocking programs will include existing WDFW creel and lake survey programs to assess resident trout releases in trout managed waters. BPA is also funding a creel survey to assess the harvest of hatchery kokanee in Banks Lake.