status of columbia river salmon and links to flow: what we do and do not know

Post on 01-Feb-2016

29 Views

Category:

Documents

0 Downloads

Preview:

Click to see full reader

DESCRIPTION

Status of Columbia River salmon and links to flow: What we do and do not know. Presentation to Northwest Power Planning Council December 11, 2002. John.g.williams@noaa.gov Bill.muir@noaa.gov Steven.g.smith@noaa.gov Rich.zabel@noaa.gov. Outline. Historic flow, juvenile travel time and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TRANSCRIPT

Status of Columbia Riversalmon and links to flow:What we do and do not

knowPresentation to Northwest Power Planning Council

December 11, 2002

John.g.williams@noaa.govBill.muir@noaa.govSteven.g.smith@noaa.govRich.zabel@noaa.gov

• Historic flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns

Outline

• Historic flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns• Present flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns

Outline

Outline

• Historic flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns• Present flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns• Present stock status and link to flow

Outline• Historic flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns• Present flow, juvenile travel time and survival, and adult returns• Present stock status and link to flow• Uncertainties

Historic conditions

Salmonids evolved to migrateunder flow conditions with a natural hydrograph. Due to the small size of smolts, the limited ability to store energy reserves, and the long distance they must travel, fish rely tremendously on flow (water velocity)to move them to the ocean.

The Dalles Dam

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1926-58

1959-75

1926-581959-75

May June

Ave

rag

e f

low

(kc

fs)

Historic estimated juvenile chinook traveltime from Lewiston to Bonneville Dam

(after Raymond 1979)

0

10

20

30

40 no dams

Low flow Moderate flow High FlowSnake R. (35-53 kcfs) (71-106 kcfs) (106-177 kcfs)

Columbia R. (141-177 kcfs) (212-318 kcfs) (353-494 kcfs)

Tra

vel t

ime

(d

ays

)

Historic estimated juvenile chinook traveltime from Lewiston to Bonneville Dam

(after Raymond 1979)

0

10

20

30

40 no dams4 dams

Low flow Moderate flow High FlowSnake R. (35-53 kcfs) (71-106 kcfs) (106-177 kcfs)

Columbia R. (141-177 kcfs) (212-318 kcfs) (353-494 kcfs)

Tra

vel t

ime

(d

ays

)

A strong and consistent relationship

exists between flow (water velocity) and

travel time

Travel time impacts arrival toand through the hydropowersystem and thus, timing to theestuary and ocean.

1965 1970 1975 1980

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

1995 2000

Snake River chinook salmon

Outmigration year

Est

imat

ed h

ydro

pow

ersy

stem

sur

viva

l

35 65 95 125 155 18530

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

77

7475

79

73

Flow (kcfs)

Est

imat

ed p

er-p

roje

ctsu

rviv

al (

%)

7876

Snake River chinook salmon

After Sims and Ossiander

Wild Snake River spring-summerchinook salmon

60 70 80 90 000

1

2

3

4

5

Outmigration year

Sm

olt-

to-a

du

lt re

turn

Present conditions

The Dalles Dam

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1926-58

1959-75

1926-581959-75

May June

1976-941976-94

Ave

rag

e f

low

(kc

fs)

The Dalles Dam

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1926-58

1959-75

1926-581959-75

May June

1976-941976-94

Ave

rag

e f

low

(kc

fs)

1995-021995-02

Estimated yearling chinook travel time -Lewiston to Bonneville Dam

0

10

20

30

40no dams4 dams8 dams

Low flow Moderate flow High FlowSnake R. (35-53 kcfs) (71-106 kcfs) (106-177 kcfs)

Columbia R. (141-177 kcfs) (212-318 kcfs) (353-494 kcfs)

Tra

vel t

ime

(d

ays

)

Chinook salmon

1965 1970 1975 1980

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

1995 2000

Nodata

Outmigration year

Est

imat

ed h

ydro

pow

ersy

stem

sur

viva

l

0.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

1995 1996

0.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.51997 1998

60 100 140 180 2200.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.51999

60 100 140 180 220

2000

30 45 60 75 900.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

2001

Est

imat

ed s

urvi

val p

roba

bilit

y LG

R-M

CN

Flow exposure index (kcfs)

Yearling chinook salmon 1995-2001.

0.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

1995 1996

0.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.51997 1998

60 100 140 180 2200.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

1999

60 100 140 180 2200.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

2000

30 45 60 75 900.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

2001

Flow exposure index (kcfs)

Steelhead 1995-2001.

50 100 150 2000.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

50 100 150 2000.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

Yearling chinook salmon 1995-2001.

Steelhead 1995-2001.

In 2001, little to no spill at all dams. In other years, spill to 2000 BiOp levels or to the gas cap.

50 100 150 2000.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

S = 0.790

96.4 kcfsE

stim

ated

sur

viva

l

50 100 150 2000.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

S = 0.713

101 kcfs

Est

imat

ed s

urvi

val

Yearling chinook salmon 1995-2001.

Steelhead 1995-2001.

In 2001, little to no spill at all dams. In other years, spill to 2000 BiOp levels or to the gas cap.

• Above some threshold average survival appears to vary little, is relatively high, and does not correlate with flow.

• Above some threshold average survival appears to vary little, is relatively high, and does not correlate with flow.• Below the threshold, survival is lower.

• Above some threshold average survival appears to vary little, is relatively high, and does not correlate with flow.• Below the threshold, survival is lower.• The relationship between flow and survival at the lower range is not strong.

Wild Snake River spring-summerchinook salmon

60 70 80 90 000

1

2

3

4

5

2-oceanonly

Mean

Outmigration year

Sm

olt-

to-a

du

lt re

turn

Estimated smolt-to-adult returns

60 70 80 90 000

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

2-oceanonly

Outmigration year

Sm

olt-

to-a

du

lt re

turn

Wild steelhead

Wildchinook

1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 20000.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

Jack return rate (solid line)

Hatchery SAR (dashed line)

Snake River spring-summer chinook salmon

*

*only 2-ocean returns

Year of outmigration

SA

RP

ercentage of hatchery releasereturning as jacks

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

15-A

pr

22-A

pr

29-A

pr

6-M

ay

13-M

ay

20-M

ay

27-M

ay

3-Ju

n

10-J

un

17-J

un

24-J

unDate

Ou

tflo

w a

t B

on

ne

vill

e D

am

(k

cfs

)

1996199719981999200020012002

Snake River spring-summer chinook salmonjack returns (hatchery and wild combined) to Ice

Harbor Dam through 11 August

1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 20000.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Year of outmigration

Per

cent

age

of h

atch

ery

rele

ase

retu

rnin

g as

jack

sA

verage sp

ring

(15 Ap

ril - 30 Jun

e)flo

w at B

on

neville D

am (kcfs)

Flow

Jackreturn

Outmigration years 1986-2001

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 5000.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

R2 = 0.02

Average spring (15 April - 30 June) flow atBonneville Dam (kcfs)

Per

cent

age

of h

atch

ery

rele

ase

retu

rnin

g as

jack

s

65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3Composite Snake River

estimated wild chinook salmon(escapement + catch)

(63,000)

(23,500)

(4,300)

(7,700)

(5,700)

(878)

(2,100)

(13,500)

(37,800)

BroodYear

Ln

(b

roo

d y

ea

r/b

roo

d y

ea

r)

Wild Snake River spring-summerchinook salmon

1999

31 Mar 20 Apr 10 May 30 May 0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Transported

Non-transported

Date marked at Lower Granite Dam

SA

R(5

-day

run

ning

ave

rage

)

Wild Snake River spring-summerchinook salmon

2000

31 Mar 20 Apr 10 May 30 May 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Transported

Non-transported

Date marked at Lower Granite Dam

SA

R(5

-day

run

ning

ave

rage

)

Wild Snake River steelhead1999

31 Mar 20 Apr 10 May 30 May 0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Transported

Non-transported

Date marked at Lower Granite Dam

SA

R(5

-day

run

ning

ave

rage

)

Wild Snake River steelhead2000

31 Mar 20 Apr 10 May 30 May 0

1

2

3

4

5

Transported

Non-transported

Date marked at Lower Granite Dam

SA

R(5

-day

run

ning

ave

rage

)

We presently can not predict the window of good

estuary/ocean conditions

Spring-summer chinook salmonTransported/non-transported (marked above LGR)_________________________________________

Year Hatchery Wild _________________________________________

1995 1.73 (26) 0.89 (9)1996 1.28 (6) 0.48 (2)1997 1.32 (232) 1.16 (4)1998 1.25 (896) 0.77 (17)1999 1.53 (1211) 1.10 (73)2000 1.79 (1002) 0.55 (48)Geo. Mean = 1.51 = 0.86 (Bolded data)Geo. Mean = 1.47 = 1.07 (All data)

SteelheadTransported/non-transported (marked above LGR)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Year Hatchery Wild_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1995 0.83 (22) no data1996 1.05 (7) 3.50 (2)1997 3.00 (10) 2.24 (2)1998 0.49 (8) 0.30 (2)1999 0.74 (14) 1.13 (10)2000 2.57 (17) 1.73 (18)2001 0.31 (1) 0.29 (3)Geo. Mean = 1.48 = 1.40 (Bolded data)Geo. Mean = 1.05 = 0.96 (All data)

Conclusions• Construction of dams has decreased water velocities and increased juvenile travel time.

Conclusions• Construction of dams has decreased water velocities and increased juvenile travel time.• Under low-flow conditions, juvenile survival decreases.

Conclusions• Lack of a strong flow survival relationship from LGR-MCN under generally good flow conditions is not surprising given the high estimated juvenile survival in this reach.

Conclusions• Lack of a strong flow survival relationship from LGR-MCN under generally good flow conditions is not surprising given the high estimated juvenile survival in this reach.• Most losses from LGR-MCN occur from dam passage, leaving little mortality in the reservoirs where flow would affect survival the most.

Conclusions• Lack of a strong flow survival relationship from LGR-MCN under generally good flow conditions is not surprising given the high estimated juvenile survival in this reach.• Most losses from LGR-MCN occur from dam passage, leaving little mortality in the reservoirs where flow would affect survival the most.• Lack of a strong flow/survival relationship in this short reach does not support an end to flow augmentation.

Conclusions

• Adult returns vary widely depending on timing of the juvenile migration through the estuary and into the ocean.

• We can not presently predict when favorable estuary/ocean conditions will exist.

• Adult returns vary widely depending on timing of the juvenile migration through the estuary and into the ocean.

Conclusions

Conclusions• In recent years and over a broad range of flows, SARs have increased and brood year to brood year ratios (calculated as escapement to Lower Granite Dam plus catch) are above 1; however, SARs are below levels estimated for the 1960s

• NMFS is presently conducting research to relate juvenile migration history and experience (including flow) within the hydropower system to adult returns.

Conclusions

Conclusions

• NMFS is presently conducting research to relate juvenile migration history and experience (including flow) within the hydropower system to adult returns.

• This includes research to understand the relationship among time of ocean entry, physical, and biological characteristics of the estuary and plume environment, and adult return rates.

top related