Glossary
This glossary is sorted by category. Friendly reminder: use Ctrl+f to search the document! ;)
In progress!--CM 11/24/2025
Technical Terms
Additional technical terms available in the YBTAP, pg. 215-219 (222-226 of the PDF), and the Yakima Steelhead RME Plan VSP Section, pg. 67-71 (71-75 of the doc). Abundance: In the context of salmon recovery, unless otherwise qualified, abundance refers to the number of fish. For example, "adult abundance" is the number of fish returning to spawn.
Abundance: In the context of salmon recovery, abundance refers to the number of fish. For example, "adult abundance" is the number of fish returning to spawn.
Acoustic Tag: bigger than PIT tags but bigger range (?)
Acre-foot: The volume of water needed to cover an acre of land to a depth of one foot (≈325,000 gallons), a common unit for quantifying how much water is in our reservoirs
Adaptive Management: Adaptive management in salmon recovery planning is a method of decision making in the face of uncertainty. An overall implementation plan incorporates a monitoring, evaluation, and feedback framework in which the results of actions become feedback on design and implementation of future actions.
Adfluvial: A life history strategy of fish species in which spawning by adults and rearing of juveniles occurs in streams, but subadults and adults live in lakes or reservoirs. Contrast with Anadromous, Fluvial.
Alevin: Freshly hatched tiny salmonids that still have the yolk sac from their eggs attached to their bellies. Once they have consumed the yolk sac and grown in size, they emerge from their nest gravel (Redd) and are considered Fry.
Alluvium: Loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach.
Anadromous: Life history strategy of fish species in which fish are born and rear in freshwater, migrate to and mature in salt water, and return to freshwater to spawn. Contrast with Adfluvial, Fluvial.
- Anadromy: The expression of the anadromous migratory life cycle.
Anastomosing (Channel): Read more here. Contrast with Braided.
APE: Area of Potential Effects of projects on historic properties. Projects must complete an APE assessment to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act.
Aquifer: an underground layer of rock or earth that holds groundwater. Aquifers feed springs and wells.
Avulse: when the flow of a river is diverted and forms new channels. See Anastomosing.
(Stream) Bank: The sloping ground that borders a stream.
Barrier: Obstacles to fish passage. Barriers don't just prevent fish from moving upstream but can also prevent them from moving downstream. They include manmade structures like culverts and dams, waterfalls, low water flow, high stream temperatures, poor water quality, etc.
- 100% Barrier: Under no conditions can fish pass the barrier.
- Partial Barrier: Under certain conditions (seasonal high flows, floods), fish can pass the barrier, but not generally. Degree of passability indicated with a percentage.
- Seasonal Barrier: Under recurring seasonal conditions, a barrier occurs (such as high temperatures or low flows).
Base Flow: The sustained low flow of a stream in between precipitation events. Fed by groundwater seeping into the stream.
BDA: Beaver dam analog. Human-constructed habitat features that function like a beaver dam--holding back water to inundate the floodplain and raise the water table. BDA's may be installed to get the benefits of beaver dams in places without beavers, or to encourage beavers to settle in a particular area.
Bedrock: The solid rock that lies underneath soil or stream gravels. When stream velocity is too high, stream gravels can get washed downstream, eventually exposing bedrock. Bedrock is unsuitable for spawning.
Braided (Channel): Contrast with Anastomosing.
cfs: Cubic feet per second, a common unit for quantifying streamflow
CD: Conservation District. CD's are county-level natural resource conservation organizations coordinated by the WA Conservation Commission.
(In-stream) Complexity: The amount of variety in suitable habitat (in the stream) for all needs of a species; for fish, this includes the amount and distribution of deep pools, amount of large woody debris, variety in substrate (gravel size), etc. Habitat restoration tools include ELJ's, BDA's, etc.
Connectivity: Refers to the ability of a species to move unimpeded between adjoining, accessible habitats of different types and sufficient quantity and quality to support various life stages of a species; especially critical to migratory species such as anadromous salmonids. See Passage.
Core Area: The USFWS uses this term to define the basic unit on which to gauge recovery. For bull trout, a core area represents the closest approximation of a biologically functioning unit (metapopulations).
(Barrier) Correction: The process of taking a manmade barrier to fish passage (e.g., culverts, dams) and either removing the barrier or making it easier for fish to pass through/around it.
Culvert: Structures that allow water to flow under a road, railroad, trail, or other waterway obstruction. An undersized or improperly placed culvert can limit or totally block fish passage.
Dam: A physical structure running the width of a river system to capture or impound water. Some fish species are very poor jumpers and cannot get past even low height dams. Contrast with Diversion, Weir.
DEM: Digital Elevation Model
Diversion: a structure that redirects water from a natural stream for another purpose, such as irrigation. Diversion projects may include the construction of dams, weirs, levees, pumping stations, irrigation canals, or any other manmade structure that modifies the natural flow of a waterway. These structures can be harmful to fish if the fish are redirected along with the water into the irrigation system (see entrainment) or if the fish get caught on the water intake structure.
DPS: Distinct population segment, a term applied to a fish stock if it is a) substantially reproductively isolated from other stocks, and b) an important component in the evolutionary legacy of the species. A DPS is larger than an MPG (Major Population Group), which is larger than a Population. The Yakima Basin MPG is within the Middle Columbia DPS (see map).
EA: Environmental Assessment
EIS: Environmental Impact Statement
ELJ: Engineered Log Jam. ELJ's mimic natural log jams, which provide numerous benefits to fish.
Endangered: Endangered species are at risk of extinction throughout a significant portion of their range. Contrast with Threatened.
Entrainment: when a fish goes through or over a dam/barrier such that it can't get back over. Think of fish getting stuck in irrigation ditches when headgates get closed in the Fall, or going through a dam by accident and not being able to go back upriver.
ESA: Endangered Species Act.
- ESA-listed: a species or sub-population of a species that is either considered “endangered” with extinction or “threatened” with becoming endangered. In the Yakima Basin, we have no “endangered” fish species, but we have two ESA-listed “threatened” fish species, steelhead (the anadromous form of rainbow trout) and bull trout. These are the highest priority species the Recovery Board works to recover.
Estuary: a transitional, brackish habitat where a large river meets and mixes with saltwater. Generally more biologically productive than the river; learn more here.
ESU: Evolutionarily Significant Unit
Extirpation: Elimination of a species from a particular local area.Floodplain: The relatively flat areas adjacent to river channels that are partially or totally flooded in flood events. A floodplain is “well-connected” when water is able to spread out from the main channel in flood events (as opposed to a “channelized” stream that has been artificially straightened or restricted by manmade structures). Well-connected floodplains have numerous ecological benefits—they lead to less intense flood events by allowing the water to disperse and slow down, give young fish a refuge from being swept downstream, and more.
- X-year Floodplain: The area which has a 1/X annual chance of flooding. For example, a 100-year floodplain has a 1/100 or 1% annual chance of flooding, while a 2-year floodplain has a ½ or 50% annual chance of flooding.
Flume: An artificial channel to maintain fish passage during stream dewatering. They are constructed above-ground, as opposed to a trench. When Gold Creek or Box Canyon Creek dewater seasonally, WDFW organizes "flume build" volunteer events to quickly construct flumes for Bull Trout.
Fluvial: Of or found in a river. Also: A life history of fish species in which spawning by adults and rearing of juveniles occurs in tributaries, but the subadults and adults occupy habitats in larger streams and mainstem rivers. Contrast with Adfluvial, Anadromous.
FMO: Feeding, migrating, overwintering
Freshet: a great rise or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melted snow
Fry: A juvenile salmonid that has consumed its yolk sac, about 1-2 inches long. Following life stages include Parr and Smolt.
FS: Forest Service (also, Forest Service road)
Genotype: The genotype of an organism is the chemical composition of its DNA, which gives rise to the phenotype, or observable traits of an organism.
Groundwater: water that has infiltrated the soil beyond the surface and collected in empty spaces underground. Vital for Base Flows.
Headgate: a gate for controlling the water flowing into a channel (such as an irrigation ditch). See Diversion.
Heterozysosity: An estimate of the amount of genetic variation in a population.
HPA: Hydraulic Project Approval. Administered by WDFW.
Incision: The process of a stream cutting its channel into the bed of a valley through erosion. An "incised" channel is one that has cut so deeply into the bed that it is disconnected from its floodplain.
ID: Irrigation District, a public entity which owns water rights and distributes water for irrigation
Introduction: Fish planted into a habitat where the species did not exist historically.
Introgression:
JARPA: Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application
J-Hook: a stream restoration structure that protects against erosion and creates pools.
Kelt: a salmonid that has recently spawned and is recovering. Unlike Pacific salmon, trout (and Atlantic salmon) don’t all die after spawning, and anadromous (as opposed to resident) trout can return to the ocean before spawning again.
Kelt Reconditioning. An experimental method where steelhead are captured during the post spawning migration and held in a facility until the spawning window of the following year, at which point they are released to return to natal streams to spawn again.
Large Woody Debris: Wood pieces larger than 16" in diameter. Important for stream health; may be added to streams where it is lacking as part of restoration projects.
Legacy Effects: Impacts from past activities (usually a land use) that continue to affect a stream or watershed in the present day.
Levee: An earthen low ridge or embankment along the edges of a stream or river built to prevent flooding of adjacent land. Levees cut off rivers from their floodplains and wetland areas, which denies important side channel habitat to fish and increases stream velocity to inhospitable speeds.
Life History Strategy: the age- and stage-specific patterns and timing of events that make up an organism's life, such as birth, weaning, maturation, reproduction, and death. See Adfluvial, Anadromous, Fluvial, and Resident.
LOA: Landowner Agreement. A contract spelling out the conditions under which a project can be conducted on private property. (?)
LWD: see Large Woody Debris.
Mainstem: Term applied to the principal channel of a major stream or river. Mainstems are fed by numerous tributaries that compose a watershed.
Meander: An extreme U-bend in the course of a stream, usually occurring in a series.
Mitigation: efforts to prevent, reduce, or compensate for adverse effects of various activities to aquatic habitats and species (e.g., transportation projects)
- Mitigation Banking: a method of mitigation compensation.
- Washington Alternative Mitigation Policy Guidance
MPG: Major Population Group. See DPS.
OHWM: Ordinary High-Water Mark
Parr: Once fry have grown to about 5 inches and developed vertical fingerprint marks on their sides called “parr marks”, they are considered Parr. If they are anadromous, when they journey to the ocean to mature, they become Smolts.
Passage: Describes whether a fish is able to move upstream or downstream freely. See Barrier, Connectivity, and (Barrier) Correction.
Phenotype: The observable characteristics of an organism (such as its external appearance, development, biochemical or physiological properties, and behavior) that result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. Contrast with Genotype.
- Phenotypic characteristic: An aspect of the phenotype.
PIT tag: Passive Integrated Transponder tag (a tracking device implanted in fish to study their movements). See Radio Telemetry.
Precipitation: Rain, snow, hail, etc. "Precip" for short.
Productivity: The average number of surviving offspring per parent. Used as an indicator of a population’s ability to sustain itself or its ability to rebound from low numbers.
Radio Telemetry: Transmission of data from tags attached to an animal that transmit radio signals. The signals are read at either fixed receiving stations or by mobile tracking devices. Radio tags for fish are usually inserted into the stomach or surgically into the body cavity.
Recovery Unit (bull trout): A USFWS term for one of the nested units delineated for recovery efforts. Biologically, recovery units are considered groupings of bull trout for which gene flow was historically or is currently possible. The Yakima Core Area is one of many core areas within the Middle Columbia recovery unit, and there are multiple recovery units within the Distinct Population Segment (DPS). Used widely?
Redd: A salmonid spawning bed, or "nest". Redds are dug by female salmonids in streambed gravels, and females deposit and bury eggs into them. Redds can be distinguished in the streambed gravel by a cleared depression and an associated mound of gravel directly downstream.
Resident: Life history strategy in which the entire life cycle occurs in a water body, such as that of resident Ahtanum Creek bull trout, which occur in small headwater streams.
RFEG: Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group. Nonprofits created in 1990 through the Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group (RFEG) Program to involve local communities, volunteers, and landowners in WA's salmon recovery efforts.
Rip: Short for "Riparian."
Riparian: relating to, living on, or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river), or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater. Commonly referred to as “rip” for short.
Riprap: rocky material placed along shorelines, bridge foundations, steep slopes, and other shoreline structures to protect from scour and erosion
RM: River Mile. River miles count upward from a stream’s lowest point (where it either joins a larger stream or meets the ocean. Or a lake with no outlet, but that doesn't matter for our purposes). So, “Yakima River RM 0” would be the confluence with the Columbia River, “Naches River RM 0” would be where the Naches River joins the Yakima River, etc.
RME: Research, monitoring, and evaluation
Rock barb: (stream barbs?) a low rock sill structure angled upstream to decrease flow stresses on a bank. They are designed to redirect streamflow away from the near bank region.
Rootwads: A root wad is a bank stabilization and aquatic habitat improvement strategy that involves burying a dead tree into the streambank with the root system still attached. Benefits of installing root wads include bank stability, fish habitat and insect habitat
S&T: Status & Trends.
Salmonid: Fish of the family Salmonidae, including salmon, trout, chars, grayling, and whitefish. In general usage, the term most often refers to salmon, trout, and chars (subfamily Salmonidae).
Salvelinus confluentus: Bull Trout.
SAR: Smolt-to-Adult Ratio--the percentage of smolts that survive and return to spawn. An important metric for tracking the impact of the hydropower system on salmon and steelhead and how sustainable the rates of returning adults are over time.
Smolt: A fish that is migrating out to the ocean.
- Smoltification: is a series of bodily changes that salmonids undergo to transition from a freshwater to saltwater environment.
Spawning Adult: Spawning adult salmonids look distinct from their adult ocean counterparts; depending on the species, their body color changes from silver to shades of brown, green, or red. The males of some species develop a hooded snout, humped back, and elongated teeth. Salmonids do not feed once they leave the ocean and begin the migration to their freshwater spawning grounds; they spend all their energy navigating back to their natal streams to spawn. After spawning, Pacific salmon die. Some trout (and Atlantic salmon) become Kelts.
Stochastic: Describes a natural event or process that is random or unpredictable. Examples include environmental conditions such as rainfall, runoff, and storms, or life-cycle events, such as survival or fecundity rates.
Subpopulation: Groups of local populations between which migration is presumed to occur.
Supplementation: The release and management of artificially propagated fish in streams with the intent to increase or establish naturally spawning fish populations while minimizing associated genetic and ecological risks.
(Stream) Substrate:
Thalweg: the center of the mainstem of a river/the main flow path of a river
Thermal Refugia:
Threatened: A status of a species that is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range—as defined in the Endangered Species Act. Contrast with Endangered.
TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load. A TMDL is the calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so that the waterbody will meet and continue to meet water quality standards for that particular pollutant.
Trib: Short for "Tributary."
Tributary: A river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake. Commonly referred to as “trib” for short.
USGS: US Geological Survey
VSP: Voluntary Stewardship Program. The VSP offers counties and agricultural landowners farm-friendly options for protecting fragile and/or hazardous natural resources — referred to as “critical areas” — in places where agricultural activity is conducted.
- Also: Viable Salmonid Population (not in current wide usage).
Wasting/mass wasting??
Watershed: A catchment area of a sloping landscape that collects precipitation and drains the resulting surface and groundwater.
Water Table: the level in the soil below which groundwater fills any spaces between sediments and within rock, referred to as the saturated zone.
Weir: a small dam in a stream or river to raise the water level upstream or divert its flow (see Diversion). Weirs allow water to flow over their top, unlike dams.
WRIA: Water Resource Inventory Area. Term for WA watersheds; the Yakima Basin has WA WRIA’s 37, 38, and 39. Commonly pronounced, “Rye-uh.”
Young of Year (YOY): Fish born within the past year. Life stage overlaps with Fry.
Technical Resources
DART: Data Access & Retrieval Tool (UW’s database that includes tons of data on fish in the Columbia Basin)
FPDSI: Fish Passage & Diversion Screening Inventory (tells you where fish passage barriers are; not comprehensive)
Juvenile Salmonid and Small Fish Identification Aid
SWIFD: State-Wide Integrated Fish Distribution database (tells you which fish live where)
Organizations
BIA: Bureau of Indian Affairs
BLM: Bureau of Land Management
BPA: Bonneville Power Administration (federal hydropower marketing administration within the Dept of Energy; a source of grant funds)
BTWG: Bull Trout Working Group. A group local to the Yakima Basin that updates and monitors progress on the Yakima Bull Trout Action Plan (YBTAP).
CBFWA: Columbia River (Basin?) Fish and Wildlife Authority
CRITFC: Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
DOE: Department of Ecology
DOT: Department of Transportation
DNR: Department of Natural Resources
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
GSRO: Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office (partners with RCO)
KCCD: Kittitas County Conservation District
KCT: Kittitas Conservation Trust
KID: Kennewick Irrigation District
KRD: Kittitas Reclamation District
MCF(EG): Mid-Columbia Fisheries (Enhancement Group)
ICTRT: Interior Columbia Technical Recovery Team
NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Their fisheries department, NOAA fisheries, helps fund SRFB grants via the PCSRF. Also regulates offshore fisheries in federal waters and implements ESA and Manguson Act programs that protect marine fish, including salmon and steelhead, and their habitats.
- NMFS: National Marine Fisheries Service (the division of NOAA also referred to as NOAA fisheries)
NPCC (formerly NPPC): Northwest Power & Conservation Council (created following the 1980 Northwest Power Act to “inform and advance a regional vision for power and fish & wildlife in the Columbia Basin”)
NRCS: National Resources Conservation Service, the USDA’s primary private lands conservation agency
NYCD: North Yakima Conservation District
Reclamation (also BOR, USBR): Bureau of Reclamation, a water management agency in the Western US. Federal manager of the Yakima Project irrigation water infrastructure and a source of grant funds.
RCO: Recreation & Conservation Office (Lead Entities are contracted through this office. Elizabeth Butler works for RCO as the Yakima Basin's regional grant manager)
SRFB: Salmon Recovery Funding Board (commonly pronounced "Surfboard") which runs the annual grant round for all Lead Entities across the state.
SVID: Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District
SWG: Steelhead Working Group. A group local to the Yakima Basin that updates and monitors progress on the Yakima Steelhead Recovery Plan (YSRP). This group hasn’t been convened since 2014 (?); to be reconvened asap to update the YSRP.
SYCD: South Yakima Conservation District
TU: Trout Unlimited
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
USFS: United States Forest Service
USFWS: United States Fish & Wildlife Service
WDFW (also, DFW): Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
WRCD: Washington Resource Conservation & Development council
WWT: Washington Water Trust
YBFWRB: Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board
YBIP habitat subcommittee: a subcommittee of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, a 30-year collaborative water resource plan (2013-2045). The Lead Entity coordinates with this committee to fund projects in the Yakima Basin.
YKFP: Yakima-Klickitat Fisheries Project This project does have FT staff, right? It's got its own department?
YN: Yakama Nation
YRBWEP: Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Is this the name of the group we met with in Dec?
YSPB: Yakima Subbasin Fish and Wildlife Planning Board (a precursor organization to the Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board)
YTAHP: Yakima Tributary Access & Habitat Program
Legislation, Programs, & Plans
CCA: Climate Commitment Act (legislation passed in WA in 2023). Initiative I-2117 (2024) aimed to repeal the CCA, but it did not pass.
ESA: Endangered Species Act
GMA: Growth Management Act. See VSP.
National Historic Preservation Act: See APE.
PPFL: Planned Project Forecast List.
SMA: Shoreline Management Act
SRP: Salmon Recovery Portal.
YBIP: Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, a 30-year collaborative water resource plan (2013-2045)
(Y)BTAP: (Yakima) Bull Trout Action Plan. The primary guiding document for bull trout recovery in the Yakima Basin. The Bull Trout Working Group (BTWG) updates and monitors progress on the plan. This glossary borrowed from the BTAP's glossary (Pg. 217).
YSBP: Yakima Sub-Basin Plan
YKFP: Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project
YRBWEP: Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (a BOR project enacted by Congress, 1979-present), one product of which is the YBIP
YSRP: Yakima Steelhead Recovery Plan. The primary guiding document for steelhead recovery in the Yakima Basin. Updated by the Steelhead Working Group (SWG); last updated in 2009.
- Yakima Steelhead RME Plan VSP Section: This is a supplement to the YSRP completed in 2011. This glossary borrowed from its glossary (Pg. 57).
YTAHP: Yakima Tributary Access & Habitat Program
Grant Round Terms
CC: Citizen Committee
LE: Lead Entity (There are 25 across WA. Ours includes the TAG, the CC, the LE Coordinator, and a grant administrator—the YBFWRB Board of Directors)
NMI (Needs More Information): A rating the SRFB review panel can give projects, typically following site tours; means the review panel needs more information before they can either clear the project or designate it a POC (Project of Concern). A project might pass easily by supplying the requested additional information, or might not. See POC.
PCSRF: Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (a source of grant funding; established by Congress to reverse the decline of West Coast salmon. Managed by NOAA fisheries). Commonly pronounced, "pack-surf".
POC (Project of Concern): a rating the SRFB review panel can give projects, typically following site tours; means the SRFB review panel has such significant concerns about a project that it recommends that the SRFB not fund the project. Lead Entities typically remove POC’s from the annual funding list they submit to the SRFB (though there is an appeals process through which a Lead Entity can ask the SRFB to fund a POC.)
PRISM: RCO’s online database for grant management. Pronounced like the word, “prism.” (It stands for “Performance and Registration Information Systems Management”, but nobody refers to it that way.)
RFP: Request for Proposal (to solicit grant applications)
RP: SRFB State Review Panel
SARM: Salmon Recovery Model (a project scoring matrix developed by the TAG)
Sponsor: Shorthand used to refer to SRFB grant applicants/project sponsors.
TAG: Technical Advisory Group
TI: Targeted Investments. A grant program for large projects (over $1M) that takes place in even numbered years.
Geography
Gap-to-Gap: The 10-mile stretch between Selah Gap and Union Gap
Naches River: A tributary of the Yakima River; a major population group of steelhead and bull trout. ??? Just for purposes of YSRP and BTAP?
Prosser Dam: a dam on the Yakima River mainstem in Prosser, WA. Commonly called just "Prosser".
Roza Dam: a dam on the Yakima River mainstem in the Yakima River Canyon. Commonly called just "Roza."
Satus Creek: A tributary of the Yakima River on the Yakama Reservation; a major population group of steelhead.
Toppenish Creek: A tributary of the Yakima River on the Yakama Reservation; a major population group of steelhead.
Upper Yakima: Refers to the entire watershed that is upstream of Roza; a major population group of steelhead and bull trout.