At the Council's December 23, 2003 request, the ISRP reviewed the Proposal to Evaluate the Biological Effects of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Mainstem Amendments on the Fisheries Upstream and Downstream of Hungry Horse and Libby Dams, Montana. The proposal was submitted by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Brian Marotz, Principal Investigator.
The ISRP finds that the proposal:
- is pertinent to the current issues of balancing headwater ecological impacts with lower Columbia River benefits of flow augmentation,
- is prepared by qualified staff with appropriate and unique background by virtue of previous studies at the sites, and
- describes an overall plan that is well suited to providing pertinent information needed by policy makers.
However, key methodological details are lacking, and these are needed for adequate peer review. The proposal should better describe the several models to be developed and used. It would be helpful if they were presented as syntheses of empirical data rather than merely theoretical and conceptual.
The ISRP recommends a response to this review, similar to that used with proposals on a regular review cycle. The ISRP is fairly confident that the proponents can provide the details needed to complete the review. The ISRP also recommends that the proposal be organized according to the normal BPA proposal guidelines. This would stimulate the authors to provide the normally required information in an easily recognizable format.
Also see final review (ISRP 2004-6)
