Within the Snake River Basin, there are numerous lesser order streams and tributaries that have populations of salmon or steelhead and sometimes both. Each of these populations are somewhat unique in their strength of numbers, ability to migrate, genetic background and life history. Within the Snake River Basin, scientists have identified four “ecological significant units” (ESUs) for the four salmon and steelhead populations found there. The chapters accessed through this page describe the hierarchy of various populations, their status and characteristics that “add up” to the four ESUs listed to the left that define the basic populations and geographic areas upon which recovery planning is based.
"Limiting Factors Analysis" (14 page 60k pdf) opens a discussion of the sources of data that define the limiting factors for each of the ESUs in Idaho and describes how maps were produced ((2 page 16k pdf) to show limiting factors for both salmon and steelhead. These factors represent the human caused conditions that may limit the ability of each population to occupy or persist within their historic ranges. As such, recovery planning must include actions that will overcome these limiting factors to allow salmon and steelhead to repopulate and thrive in these watersheds.
What’s in the Documents?
Chapter 3 describes the various populations that make up the four ESUs and the criteria by which the viability of each population is measured. The subsequent chapters 4 through 9 provide much more detailed information on each of the ESUs, including discussions of where they exist, their current status, the factors that may limit their ability to survive and goals which must be met if their recovery is to be assured.
What Comments Would be Helpful?
Obviously, these chapters constitute the bulk of the information regarding recovery planning for each species and each watershed where the fish currently live. As such, we anticipate that readers will spend most of their time understanding and offering comments on Chapters 4-9. Your thoughts on these questions will be most helpful to us:
- Have we identified the most important populations upon which to focus our recovery efforts?
- Are stream reaches that show spawning, rearing and potential spawning areas correct, based on your knowledge and experience?
- Do you have information that would help us better describe habitat conditions or limiting factors within each watershed?
- Have some of the existing limiting factors been overcome? Have there been actions that have reduced some of the threats to achieving recovery goals?
- Are the recovery goals realistic?
