The effects of environmental factors on the migratory movement patterns of Sacramento River yearling late-fall run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

AbstractAllocating reservoir flows to meet societal and ecosystem needs under increasing demands for water and increasing climatic variability presents challenges to resource managers. Often, regulated rivers have been operated to meet flow and temperature compliance points that mimic historical patterns. Because it is difficult to assess if this approach is efficient or equitable, new more process-based approaches to regulation are being advanced. This paper describes such an approach with a model of egg incubation survival of Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon (SRWRC, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Thermal mortality only occurs in a critical window around egg hatching when the embryo is most sensitive to temperature stress. The duration of the critical window has significant implications for Shasta Reservoir operations that are designed to control temperature during SRWRC incubation. Previous operations sought to maintain a low temperature over the entire incubation period. However, model analysis suggests that targeting cold water directly to the critical egg hatching stage provides higher survival while requiring less cold water resources. The calibrated model is publicly accessible through a web interface connected to real-time river and fish databases and a river temperature forecast model. The system is an example of the next step of river management that integrates databases with hydrological and process-based biological models for real-time analysis and for forecasting effects of river operations on the environment.

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Post-release behavior and movement patterns of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) after capture using alternative commercial fish gear, lower Columbia River, Washington and Oregon, 2013

Open-File Report ◽

10.3133/ofr20141069 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Theresa L. Liedtke ◽

Tobias J. Kock ◽

Scott D. Evans ◽

Gabriel S. Hansen ◽

Dennis W. Rondorf

Keyword(s):

Chinook Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽

Coho Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Kisutch ◽

Movement Patterns ◽

Columbia River ◽

Release Behavior ◽

Commercial Fish

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Holding behavior of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) smolts, as influenced by habitat features of levee banks, in the highly modified lower Sacramento River, California

Environmental Biology of Fishes ◽

10.1007/s10641-012-0060-z ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 96 (2-3) ◽

pp. 245-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

David Zajanc ◽

Sharon H. Kramer ◽

Nadav Nur ◽

Peter A. Nelson

Keyword(s):

Chinook Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽

Sacramento River ◽

Habitat Features

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Protecting a displaced species in an altered river: a case study of the endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook Salmon

California Fish and Wildlife Journal ◽

10.51492/cfwj.cesasi.8 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 172-188

Author(s):

Erica M. Meyers

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Chinook Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽

Cold Water ◽

Sacramento River ◽

Single Population ◽

California Department ◽

Salmon Recovery ◽

Water Supply Management

Endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) exist as a single population that spawns in the Sacramento River downstream of Shasta Dam near Redding, CA. Displaced from their historical habitat after dam construction circa 1940, their survival depends on cold water released from Shasta Reservoir. Managing and recovering the species is further complicated by their anadromous life history, habitat loss and degradation, largescale water supply management, and climate change. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other resource agencies coordinate closely to protect the species from extinction, confronting challenges with collaborative restoration and science-driven management. As climate change brings more frequent droughts, warmer weather, and increased variability in precipitation, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook Salmon recovery will require greater collaboration and a shift to more holistic restoration actions that promote and maintain the diversity and resilience of the species and its habitats.

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Chinook salmon outmigration survival in wet and dry years in California’s Sacramento River

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2014-0528 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 72 (11) ◽

pp. 1749-1759 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Cyril J. Michel ◽

Arnold J. Ammann ◽

Steven T. Lindley ◽

Philip T. Sandstrom ◽

Eric D. Chapman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Survival Rate ◽

Chinook Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Coastal Ocean ◽

High Flow ◽

Sacramento River ◽

The Other ◽

Low Flow ◽

Receiver Array

Outmigration survival of acoustic-tagged, hatchery-origin, late-fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) smolts from the Sacramento River was estimated for 5 years (2007–2011) using a receiver array spanning the entire outmigration corridor, from the upper river, through the estuary, and into the coastal ocean. The first 4 years of releases occurred during below-average river flows, while the fifth year (2011) occurred during above-average flows. In 2011, overall outmigration survival was two to five times higher than survival in the other 4 years. Regional survival estimates indicate that most of the improved survival seen in 2011 occurred in the riverine reaches of the outmigration corridor, while survival in the brackish portions of the estuary did not significantly differ among the 5 years. For the 4 low-flow years combined, survival rate in the river was lower in the less anthropogenically modified upper reaches; however, across all regions, survival rate was lowest in the brackish portion of the estuary. Even in the high-flow year, outmigration survival was substantially lower than yearling Chinook salmon populations in other large rivers. Potential drivers of these patterns are discussed, including channelization, water flow, and predation. Finally, management strategies are suggested to best exploit survival advantages described in this study.

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