Download or read book Using Remote Sensing Occupancy Estimation and Fine scale Habitat Characterization to Evaluate Fall Chum Salmon Oncorhynchus Keta Spawning Habitat Usage in Arctic Alaska written by Chelsea M. Clawson and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Groundwater upwellings provide stable temperatures for overwinter salmon embryo development and this process may be particularly important in cold, braided, gravel-bed Arctic rivers where rivers may freeze solid in the absence of upwellings. Aerial counts and remote sensing were used during 2013-2015 to estimate fall chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawner abundance states (e.g., low or high), classify river segments by geomorphic channel type (primary, flood, and spring), and map thermal variability along a 25.4 km stretch of the Chandalar River in interior Alaska. Additionally, I used on-the-ground examination of fine scale variation in physical habitat characteristics at 11 representative sites to characterize habitat variability, placed temperature loggers to assess overwinter thermal conditions in redds, and used a developmental model to predict hatching and emergence timing given known spawning dates and incubation temperatures. I delineated 330 unique river segments (mean length = 536 m) and used a multi-season multistate occupancy model to estimate detectability, occupancy, and local colonization and extinction rates. Triplicate surveys performed in 2014 allowed me to estimate detectability and the influence of observer bias. I found that detectability did not vary by observer, channel type, or segment length, but was better for high abundance (0.717 ± 0.06 SE) relative to low abundance (0.367 ± 0.07 SE) aggregations. After correcting for imperfect detection, the proportion of segments occupied by spawning fall chum salmon was highest in 2014 (0.41 ± 0.04 SE), relative to 2013 (0.23 ± 0.04) and 2015 (0.23 ± 0.04). Transition probabilities indicated unoccupied segments were likely to remain so from year to year (2013→2014 = 0.67; 2014→2015 = 0.90), but low abundance spawning segments were dynamic and rarely remained in that state. One-third of high abundance sites remained so, indicating the presence of high quality spawning habitat. Mean segment temperatures ranged from -0.5 to 4.4°C, and occupancy varied positively with temperature. I predicted a 50% probability of occupancy in segments with temperatures of 3°C. With my on-the-ground work, I found that habitat characteristics varied among the three channel types, with most significant differences between main channel and off-channel habitats. Dissolved oxygen and pH decreased with increasing temperature, and conductivity increased with temperature. Predicted hatching and emergence timing ranged from 78 and 176 days (December 11th and March 18th) to 288 and 317 days (July 8th and August 6th), respectively, post-spawning, and were highly variable within sites and among channel types owing to high habitat thermal heterogeneity. Because the Chandalar River supports 30% of the fall chum salmon run in the Yukon River Basin, information such as provided by this study will be critical to allow resource managers to better understand the effects of future climate and anthropogenic change in the region.
Download or read book River Features Associated with Chum Salmon Spawning Areas written by John Patrick O'Brien and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Diminishing returns of salmon and years of poor commercial and subsistence fishing in western Alaska are a cause for concern. Management tools which recognize the intricate life histories of salmon and incorporate environmental conditions at each particular life stage are needed. Toward that goal a study of spawning habitat for chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta was conducted from 2002 to 2005 on the Tuluksak River in western Alaska. Small-scale river features were measured during two summers of field work. Large-scale river features were identified using remote sensing. Principal components analysis (PCA) denoted an association between spawning sites and channel intersections, gravel bars, islands, and areas of accelerated channel change, forming the basis for a predictive habitat model. Two models were developed that combined them habitat assessment with chum salmon redd size and spatial requirements at three spawning densities. The first model, based on field observations in 2002 and 2003, estimated a greater spawning capacity than the second model, based on large-scale river features. Spawning capacity estimates from both models were consistent with historic escapement data and should be used as a starting point for further research. This study represents progress toward a management strategy that is sensitive to habitat-dependent production potential"--Leaf iii.
Download or read book A Remote Sensing GIS Based Approach to Identify and Model Spawning Habitat for Fall Chum Salmon in a Sub arctic Glacially fed River written by Lisa M. South and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "At northern extremes, fish habitat requirements are often linked to thermal preferences and the presence of overwintering habitat. The goal of this study was to identify spawning habitat for fall chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta and model habitat selection from spatial distributions of tagged individuals in the mainstem Tanana River, Alaska. I hypothesized that the presence of groundwater, which provides thermal refugia for overwinter incubation, would be most important for fall chum salmon. Models included braiding, sinuosity, open water surface area (indicating significant groundwater influence), and open water persistence (consistent presence of open water for a 12 year period according to satellite imagery). Candidate models containing open water persistence were selected as most likely. Persistent open water areas were further examined using forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imagery; marked differences between sites were observed in the extent of thermal influence by groundwater. Persistent open water sites with strong groundwater influence appear to serve as core areas for spawning salmon; the importance of stability through time suggests the legacy of successful reproductive effort in these areas for this homing species. This study indicates that not only the presence of groundwater is important for spawning chum, but its persistence and extent of groundwater influence"--Leaf iii.
Download or read book Modeling Spawning Habitat Potential for Chum Oncorhynchus Keta and Pink Salmon O Gorbuscha in Relation to Landscape Characteristics in Coastal Southeast Alaska written by and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 93 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In response to the increasing need for ecosystem services throughout the Southeast Alaska region, decision makers are tasked with balancing the need for natural resources with salmon conservation. However, accurate historical and current information on salmonid population abundance, freshwater distribution, and habitat quality are sparse with limited resolution for large portions of this remote and rugged landscape. Here, I created Intrinsic Potential (IP) models for chum and pink salmon to predict the potential for portions of coastal rivers to provide high-quality spawning habitat. I developed IP models for both species from field redd surveys and synthetic habitat variables derived from 1-m resolution digital elevation models. The surveys were performed at 49 study reaches in five coastal drainage basins on the north end of Chichagof Island, Southeast Alaska.
Download or read book Characteristics of Fall Chum Salmon Spawning Habitat on a Mainstem River in Interior Alaska written by Sean Eugene Burril and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Synopsis of Biological Data on the Chum Salmon Oncorhynchus Keta Walbaum 1792 written by Richard G. Bakkala and published by . This book was released on 1970 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Spawning Habitat Studies of Hanford Reach Fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha Final Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted this study for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) with funding provided through the Northwest Power and Conservation Council(a) and the BPA Fish and Wildlife Program. The study was conducted in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. The goal of study was to determine the physical habitat factors necessary to define the redd capacity of fall Chinook salmon that spawn in large mainstem rivers like the Hanford Reach and Snake River. The study was originally commissioned in FY 1994 and then recommissioned in FY 2000 through the Fish and Wildlife Program rolling review of the Columbia River Basin projects. The work described in this report covers the period from 1994 through 2004; however, the majority of the information comes from the last four years of the study (2000 through 2004). Results from the work conducted from 1994 to 2000 were covered in an earlier report. More than any other stock of Pacific salmon, fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) have suffered severe impacts from the hydroelectric development in the Columbia River Basin. Fall Chinook salmon rely heavily on mainstem habitats for all phases of their life cycle, and mainstem hydroelectric dams have inundated or blocked areas that were historically used for spawning and rearing. The natural flow pattern that existed in the historic period has been altered by the dams, which in turn have affected the physical and biological template upon which fall Chinook salmon depend upon for successful reproduction. Operation of the dams to produce power to meet short-term needs in electricity (termed power peaking) produces unnatural fluctuations in flow over a 24-hour cycle. These flow fluctuations alter the physical habitat and disrupt the cues that salmon use to select spawning sites, as well as strand fish in near-shore habitat that becomes dewatered. The quality of spawning gravels has been affected by dam construction, flood protection, and agricultural and industrial development. In some cases, the riverbed is armored such that it is more difficult for spawners to move, while in other cases the intrusion of fine sediment into spawning gravels has reduced water flow to sensitive eggs and young fry. Recovery of fall Chinook salmon populations may involve habitat restoration through such actions as dam removal and reservoir drawdown. In addition, habitat protection will be accomplished through set-asides of existing high-quality habitat. A key component to evaluating these actions is quantifying the salmon spawning habitat potential of a given river reach so that realistic recovery goals for salmon abundance can be developed. Quantifying salmon spawning habitat potential requires an understanding of the spawning behavior of Chinook salmon, as well as an understanding of the physical habitat where these fish spawn. Increasingly, fish biologists are recognizing that assessing the physical habitat of riverine systems where salmon spawn goes beyond measuring microhabitat like water depth, velocity, and substrate size. Geomorphic features of the river measured over a range of spatial scales set up the physical template upon which the microhabitat develops, and successful assessments of spawning habitat potential incorporate these geomorphic features. We had three primary objectives for this study. The first objective was to determine the relationship between physical habitats at different spatial scales and fall Chinook salmon spawning locations. The second objective was to estimate the fall Chinook salmon redd capacity for the Reach. The third objective was to suggest a protocol for determining preferable spawning reaches of fall Chinook salmon. To ensure that we collected physical data within habitat that was representative of the full range of potential spawning habitat, the study area was stratified based on geomorphic features of the river using a two-dimensional river channel index that classified the river cross section into one of four shapes based on channel symmetry, depth, and width. We found that this river channel classification system was a good predictor at the scale of a river reach ((almost equal to)1 km) of where fall Chinook salmon would spawn. Using this two-dimensional river channel index, we selected study areas that were representative of the geomorphic classes. A total of nine study sites distributed throughout the middle 27 km of the Reach (study area) were investigated. Four of the study sites were located between river kilometer 575 and 580 in a section of the river where fall Chinook salmon have not spawned since aerial surveys were initiated in the 1940s; four sites were located in the spawning reach (river kilometer [rkm] 590 to 603); and one site was located upstream of the spawning reach (rkm 605).
Download or read book Evaluation of Salmon Spawning Below Bonneville Dam 2005 2006 Annual Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since FY 2000, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have conducted research to assess the extent of spawning by chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and fall Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) in the lower mainstem Columbia River. Their work supports a larger project funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) aimed at characterizing the physical habitat used by mainstem fall Chinook and chum salmon populations. Multiple collaborators in addition to PNNL are involved in the BPA project--counterparts include the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Data resulting from the individual tasks each agency conducts are providing a sound scientific basis for developing strategies to operate the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) in ways that will effectively protect and enhance the chum and tule fall Chinook salmon populations--both listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Fall Chinook salmon, thought to originate from Bonneville Hatchery, were first noted to be spawning downstream of Bonneville Dam by WDFW biologists in 1993. Known spawning areas include gravel beds on the Washington side of the river near Hamilton Creek and near Ives Island. Limited surveys of spawning ground were conducted in the area around Ives and Pierce islands from 1994 through 1997. Based on those surveys, it is believed that fall Chinook salmon are spawning successfully in this area. The size of this population from 1994 to 1996 was estimated at 1800 to 5200 fish. Chum salmon also have been documented spawning downstream of Bonneville Dam. Chum salmon were listed as threatened under the ESA in March 1999. At present there is a need to determine the number of fall Chinook and chum salmon spawning downstream of Bonneville Dam, the characteristics of their spawning areas, and the flows necessary to ensure their long-term survival. Ongoing discussions regarding the minimum and maximum flows will result in optimal spawning habitat usage and survival of embryos of both species. Collection of additional data as part of this project will ensure that established flow guidelines are appropriate and provide adequate protection for the species of concern. This is consistent with the high priority placed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council Independent Scientific Advisory Board and the salmon managers on determining the importance of mainstem habitats to the production of salmon in the Columbia River Basin. Thus, there is a need to better understand the physical habitat variables used by mainstem fall Chinook and chum salmon populations and the effects of hydropower project operations on spawning and incubation. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was asked to participate in the cooperative study during FY 2000. Since then, we have focused on (1) investigating the interactions between groundwater and surface water near fall Chinook and chum salmon spawning areas; (2) providing in-season hyporheic temperature data and assisting state agencies with emergence timing estimates; (3) locating and mapping deep-water fall Chinook salmon spawning areas; and (4) providing support to the WDFW for analysis of stranding data. Work conducted during FY 2006 addressed these same efforts. This report documents the studies and tasks performed by PNNL during FY 2006. Chapter 1 provides a description of the searches conducted for deepwater redds--adjacent to Pierce and Ives islands for fall Chinook salmon and near the Interstate 205 bridge for chum salmon. The chapter also provides data on redd location, information about habitat associations, and estimates of total spawning populations. Chapter 2 documents the collection of data on riverbed and river temperatures and water surface elevations, from the onset of spawning to the end of emergence, and the provision of those data in-season to fisheries management agencies to assist with emergence timing estimates and evaluations of redd dewatering. Technical assistance provided to the WDFW and PSMFC in evaluation of stranding data is summarized in Chapter 3.
Download or read book Evaluation of Fall Chinook and Chum Salmon Spawning Habitat Near Ives and Pierce Islands in the Columbia River Progress Report 1999 2001 written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The area around Ives Island below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River supports spawning populations of chum and fall chinook salmon. Because this area is sensitive to water level fluctuations caused by changes in discharge from Bonneville Dam and from tidal cycles, we initiated a study to quantify flow-dependent changes in available spawning habitat for chum and fall chinook salmon. We conducted surveys to characterize the substrates available in the Ives Island study area. Detailed bathymetry was also obtained to serve as a foundation for two-dimension hydrodynamic modeling, which was used to estimate water velocities, depths, and wetted area over a range of simulated flows. Habitat surveys were conducted and logistic regression was used to identify physical habitat variables that were important in determining the presence of chum and fall chinook salmon redds. The physical habitat data were analyzed using the logistic regression models to create probability coverages for the presence of redds in a Geographic Information System. There was generally good agreement between chum and fall chinook salmon redd locations and areas where we predicted suitable spawning habitat. We found that at Columbia River discharges less than 120 kcfs, an important chum salmon spawning area below the mouth of Hamilton Creek could only be supported by discharge from Hamilton Creek. Chum salmon did not appear to spawn in proportion to habitat availability, however our predictive model did not include all variables known to be important to chum salmon redd-site selection. Fall chinook salmon spawning habitat was less sensitive to flow and the main channel of the Columbia River along Pierce Island was predicted to contain sufficient habitat at all modeled flows.
Download or read book The Length Age and Sex Ratio of Chum Salmon in the Alaska Peninsula Kodiak Island and Prince William Sound Areas of Alaska written by Fredrik V. Thorsteinson and published by . This book was released on 1963 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Evaluation of Chum and Sockeye Salmon Spawning Habitat in Sloughs and Side Channels of the Middle Susitna River written by Andrew Hoffman and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Influence of Hydrological Processes on the Spatial and Temporal Variation in Spawning Habitat Quality for Two Chum Salmon Stocks in Interior Alaska written by Scott H. Maclean and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I investigated the hydrological mechanisms that influence spatial and temporal variability in incubation habitat quality for summer- and fall-run chum salmon. The intragravel habitat was characterized by measuring water velocity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO). Habitat quality was characterized by determining the survival of eggs in gravel filled baskets. Summer-run egg survival was greatest in a zone of upwelling produced by hydraulic gradients between the main Chena River and a slough. Water took approximately one month to make this trip and microbial activity likely reduced the concentration of DO considerably. As a consequence of these processes, there was considerable spatial and temporal variability in upwelling velocity, DO, and temperature. Most variability in egg-to-fry survival was explained by DO, and, to a lesser extent, by water velocity. Fall-run fish used an area of groundwater upwelling on the south side of the Tanana River. Here physical habitat characteristics were spatially and temporally uniform compared to the summer-run site, a consequence of the larger spatial scale of processes generating the upwelling. Egg-to-fry survival was low despite high DO and favorable temperature. This was probably the consequence of glacial silt invading egg baskets and reducing intragravel flow related to falling groundwater tables"--Leaf iii.
Download or read book Physicochemical Characteristics of the Hyporheic Zone Affect Redd Site Selection of Chum and Fall Chinook Salmon Columbia River written by and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) may historically have been the most abundant species of Columbia River salmon, contributing as much as 50% of the total biomass of all salmon in the Pacific Ocean prior to the 1940's (Neave 1961). By the 1950's, however, run sizes to the Columbia River dropped dramatically and in 1999 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed Columbia River chum salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; NMFS 1999). Habitat degradation, water diversions, harvest, and artificial propagation are the major human-induced factors that have contributed to the species decline (NMFS 1998). Columbia River chum salmon spawn exclusively in the lower river below Bonneville Dam, including an area near Ives Island. The Ives Island chum salmon are part of the Columbia River evolutionary significant unit (ESU) for this species, and are included in the ESA listing. In addition to chum salmon, fall chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) also spawn at Ives Island. Spawning surveys conducted at Ives Island over the last several years show that chum and fall chinook salmon spawned in clusters in different locations (US Fish and Wildlife Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, unpublished data). The presence of redd clusters suggested that fish were selecting specific habitat features within the study area (Geist and Dauble 1998). Understanding the specific features of these spawning areas is needed to quantify the amount of habitat available to each species so that minimum flows can be set to protect fish and maintain high quality habitat.
Download or read book Redd Site Selection and Spawning Habitat Use by Fall Chinook Salmon written by David R. Geist and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The spawning habitat associated with fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) redd clusters was investigated in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. A conceptual spawning habitat model is proposed that describes how geomorphic features of river channels create hydraulic processes, including hyporheic flows, that influence where salmon spawn in unconstrained reaches of large mainstem alluvial rivers. Spatial point pattern analysis of redds showed that redd clusters averaged approximately 10 hectares in area and their locations were consistent from year to year. The tendency to spawn in clusters suggests fall chinook salmon's use of spawning habitat is highly selective. Hydraulic characteristics of the redd clusters were significantly different than the habitat surrounding them. Velocity and lateral slope of the river bottom were the most important habitat variables in predicting redd site selection. While these variables explained a large proportion of the variance in redd site selection (86 to 96%), some unmeasured factors still accounted for a small percentage of actual spawning site selection. Further investigation showed that the magnitude and chemical characteristics of hyporheic discharge were different between and within two spawning areas. Apparently, fall chinook salmon used chemical and physical cues from the discharge to locate spawning areas. Traditional spawning habitat models could be improved if they: used spawning area-specific, rather than river-specific; spawning characteristics; incorporated hyporheic discharge measurements; and gave further consideration to the geomorphic features that are present in the unconstrained segments of large alluvial rivers. Ultimately the recovery of endangered fall chinook salmon will depend on how well we are able to recreate the characteristics once common in alluvial floodplains of large rivers. The results from this research can be used to better define the relationship between these physical habitat characteristics and fall chinook salmon spawning site selection, and provide more efficient use of limited recovery resources.
Download or read book Sonar Estimation of Fall Chum Salmon Abundance in the Sheenjek River 2022 written by Jody D. Lozori and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), actively manages chum salmon fisheries in the Yukon River drainage. The purpose of the Sheenjek River sonar project is to monitor escapement of fall chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta in the Sheenjek River. This project will use imaging sonar equipment on the Sheenjek River to generate timely, inseason passage estimates of fall chum salmon bound for spawning grounds in the upper reaches of the river (Dunbar 2013). Beach seine sampling will be conducted to collect biological data used in characterizing the fall chum salmon run. The project site is located approximately 10 km upstream from the mouth of the river (Figure 1) and is scheduled to operate continuously from approximately August 8 through September 24 annually.
Download or read book Escapement Estimation Spawner recruit Analysis and Escapement Goal Recommendation for Fall Chum Salmon in the Yukon River Drainage written by Steven J. Fleischman and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Historical escapement and run size of fall chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta was reconstructed from incomplete sonar, weir, counting tower, mark-recapture, aerial survey, and foot survey data of varying precision from 1974 to 2007. The resulting estimates of drainage-wide escapement were fitted to an age-structured Ricker spawner-recruit model. Bayesian statistical methods were employed, which allowed for realistic assessment of uncertainty in the presence of measurement error, serial correlation, and missing data.
Download or read book Factors Influencing Chinook Salmon Spawning Distribution in the Togiak River Alaska written by Stephanie L. Meggers and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Salmonids are heavily dependent on specific habitat characteristics for survival, yet few studies in Alaska have examined the relationship between habitat and spawning distribution, using remote sensing approaches. To better understand the relationship between Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha spawning distribution and environmental variables like habitat type (e.g., run, riffle, pool), temperature, and proximity to channel islands, optical and thermal imagery were collected on the Togiak and Ongivinuk rivers in southwest Alaska. Object-based image analysis was used to classify and quantify habitat types, while thermal characteristics and the proximity of spawning locations to channel islands were determined in a GIS framework. Object-based image analysis was useful for classifying habitat and may provide a better alternative to pixel-based image analysis. However, rule sets were nontransferable and inconsistent among river reaches, and caution should be taken when these methods are used on large river sections. Chinook Salmon showed a preference for spawning in river runs, 80% of fish spawned in water temperatures between 8.6° and 9.4°C, and nearly 61% of Chinook Salmon spawned within 100 m of a channel island. This study provided a baseline understanding of environmental correlates of spawning for Chinook Salmon at the northern extent of their range.
