Indian Creek Bull Trout Population

Overview

Indian Creek flows into the northwest end of Rimrock Reservoir, which inundated an extensive meadow complex known as McAllister Meadows after impoundment in 1925. Before impoundment Indian Creek was a tributary of the North Fork Tieton River. It becomes one again each year when the reservoir is drawn down and the North Fork Tieton River flows across the dry bed of the reservoir, usually between late September and mid-October. Fish passage conditions at the mouth of Indian Creek can deteriorate during this time period in dry years, although bull trout access was precluded only in 2001. Indian Creek originates in the William O. Douglas Wilderness Area, and approximately five miles of the stream is accessible to bull trout below a waterfall that is a total barrier to upstream passage. The lower four miles of this reach is on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, with the upper mile in the wilderness area. Several springs contribute flow to Indian Creek in the accessible reach; other than these no perennial tributaries enter the Indian Creek below the barrier waterfall. Short reaches of the creek can experience dewatering in extremely dry years.

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Population Information

Population Distribution and Life History

Indian Creek supports a single local population of bull trout, which displays an adfluvial life history type. It is possible that a resident component exists although this has not been confirmed. The primary spawning area for this population extends from the U.S. Highway 12 bridge to the barrier waterfall 4.3 miles upstream although occasionally a few fish have been observed spawning a short distance below the bridge, usually within about a tenth of a mile (the distance from the bridge to the mouth of the creek is about a half mile). Between 2.0 and 2.5 miles above the bridge several springs enter the creek. Two of these in particular All three springs contribute significant flow and are utilized for spawning. Juvenile bull trout use the entire length of Indian Creek for rearing. Rimrock Lake provides FMO habitat for subadult and adult fish (Figure 11). Adult bull trout enter the creek in late August/early September just prior to commencement of spawning (James 2002a). In 2024 during a culvert replacement on Andy Creek (a seasonal tributary to rimrock lake only 0.25 miles from Indian Creek) the Washington Department of Transportation found several sub-adult bull trout taking refuge in the pool below the culvert. More surveys are needed to collect genetic and distribution data, however, it is likely the bull trout originated from Indian Creek.

Natural Barriers limiting distribution

Approximately five miles upstream of the confluence with the North Fork Tieton River, there is a waterfall that is thought to be a total barrier to upstream passage. However, in 2022 two surveyors from Mid-Columbia Fisheries noted a probable bull trout redd not far upstream of the falls?? (zac??). At the barrier falls, the majority of the flow comes from a steep cascade on river-right which originates from another spring while the remainder of the flow falls down a different cascade on river-left and originates from Apple and Pear Lakes.

River-left barrier falls on Indian Creek

Population Genetics

The Indian Creek population is genetically distinct from all other populations in the Yakima Basin including the other adfluvial populations residing in Rimrock Lake to which it is physically connected (South and North Fork Tieton rivers). All genetic samples that have been analyzed to date were collected from post-spawn adults captured in 1996 in a box trap deployed in the creek, although additional juvenile samples were collected in 2011. Anything to edit or add from updated USFWS genetic collection?? Connectivity and thus the potential for genetic exchange with downstream populations in the Naches River fluvial system was eliminated by the construction of Tieton Dam in 1925. Recent work by USFWS (grey literature? citation?) suggest entrainment rates are higher than previously thought. Bull Trout entrained through Tieton dam may be contributing genetics to fluvial populations in the Naches river system.

Population Monitoring

Redd Survey Data

The spawning period for the Indian Creek population occurs primarily during the month of September but can extend through mid-October. Complete redd surveys have been conducted on Indian Creek since 1988 from the U.S. Highway 12 bridge upstream to the barrier waterfall, a distance of 4.3 river miles. The index area includes a spring (South Spring) contributing single-channel flow, which enters the creek on the right bank at about the half-way point of the reach and another spring (North Spring) which enters from the left bank about a little further upstream. The latter is a spring complex with multiple channels of significant length, together totaling an estimated 0.25 mile? of spawning habitat. The surveyed index area covers nearly the entire length of the stream currently utilized for spawning. When did WDFW start monitoring the other spring? upper or lower south spring? Have they been lumped as one in the past?

Figure 10

The number of redds observed in Indian Creek rose steadily over the first eight years of surveys to average over 200 between 1995 and 2000 (Figure 10). At the time the Indian Creek population was considered the strongest in the Yakima Basin. In 2001, redd numbers declined to an average of 94 redds with two particularly depressed years. It is speculated that this may have been the result of the large winter flood in 1996 that scoured the primary spawning and rearing area for multiple age classes. This could have affected adult recruitment five years later. Redd counts have increased since 2009 from 2007 to 2012, although not quite to the level observed during the peak period. In 2013 a major landslide occurred in Indian Creek, xxx more info xxx, which crashed spawning to a historic low. In the past decade, redd counts have been steadily increasing again to a high of 177 redds in 2023.

Other Distribution Data (eDNA, etc.)

-WDFW demographic data 2022-2023

-USFWS Trap and Haul data

Population Status and Trend

The USFWS (USFWS 1998) did not consider the Indian Creek population singularly, but considered the Rimrock “subpopulation” to be stable and increasing. Any new information from species status assessment?? WDFW similarly lumps the Rimrock adfluvial populations and rates the status of this stock as healthy (WDFW 2004). Given the spawning pattern evident over the last 25 years, it is difficult to determine a distinct trend for this population. To a great extent it appears to have recovered from the eight-year depression to be resilient enough to rebound from major disturbances. Counts obtained over the next few years may confirm this trend. At this point the population can still be considered one of the healthiest in the basin.

(Insert graph of redd counts; ideally via live link)

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== Habitat ==

=== Habitat Overview ===

A BTTF Technician sits below the barrier falls on river-right at Indian Creek

=== Extent of available spawning and rearing habitat ===

=== Habitat Monitoring ===

==== Field Habitat Surveys ====

==== Stream Temperature Data ====

==== Other Habitat Data/Monitoring ====

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== Threats ==

Tied to stuff from SSA

=== Connectivity ===

==== Fish Passage Barriers (Check/update FDSI) ====

==== Entrainment (Dams? Irrigation Diversions?) ====

==== Dewatering due to flow management ====

==== Other? ====

=== Land-use Issues ===

==== Forestry ====

==== Agriculture and Grazing ====

==== Recreation ====

==== Roads and Development ====

==== Mining ====

==== Other ====

=== Ecological Interactions ===

==== Brook Trout ====

==== Other Invasive Species ====

==== Diminished Prey Base ====

==== Disease ====

=== Water Quantity and Quality ===

==== Flow issues/dewatering ====

==== Current and modeled future temperature conditions ====

(iFrame of NORWEST results?)

==== Other changes in hydrology ====

=== Fisheries Impacts ===

==== Angling Regulations/Fisheries Use/Poaching ====

==== Fisheries Management/Monitoring ====

=== Other Threats ===

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== Summary of Primary Limiting Factors ==

(Look at threat summary table format and Teanaway example)

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== Recovery Strategy ==

=== Population-level Recovery Strategy ===

(High-level discussion of priority needs)

=== Monitoring Needs/Key Questions ===

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== Actions ==

=== Past Bull Trout Recovery Actions ===

(Mix of narrative and table, or could be a database)

=== Recommended Actions ===

(Link to or summarize BTAP database)

=== Actions in the Yakima Steelhead Recovery Plan that benefit this population ===

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== Update Notes ==

(Time, people, process for last major updates)