In 2011, Reclamation funded an initial project with Burns Paiute Tribe (Tribe) to develop the use of environmental DNA sampling (eDNA) as a surrogate tool in comparison to more time consuming and/or invasive sampling techniques.

As a continuation of this sampling, Reclamation intends to enter

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into an agreement with the Tribe to experiment with increased replicates of field and lab samples and to measure the resulting effect on the detection sensitivity of this technique, as well as to pilot a new field DNA filtration device, which would allow more water to be sampled without packing out more water.

The new device should increase the sensitivity of this lab method by allowing field personnel to filter greater quantities of water than is possible to pack out of field sites, or is unreasonable to ship for process.