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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Achieving Productivity to Recover and Restore Columbia River Stream-Type Chinook Salmon Relies on Increasing Smolt-To-Adult Survival

Abstract We analyzed and compared productivity and survival rates of populations of stream-type Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the upper and middle ranges of their distribution in the Columbia River basin. These two groups of populations undergo vastly different exposures during migration through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). Declines of the Snake River populations, listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, have been associated with the development and operation of the FCRPS. In contrast, John Day River stream-type Chinook Salmon populations, which were less affected by the FCRPS, have declined to a lesser extent and are not listed. Smolt-to-adult survival rates (SARs) accounted for a majority of the variation in life cycle survival rates of Snake River Chinook Salmon. Productivity declined to 13% and 44% of historical productivity levels for Snake River and John Day River populations, respectively. A synthesis of previous studies contrasting anthropogenic impacts between the two regions supports the conclusion that FCRPS impacts explain the large difference in population productivity. Our results suggest that SARs of 4% would result in an expected productivity of up to 70% of historical levels (a SAR level consistent with regional restoration objectives). The SARs have been shown to be highly influenced by conditions within the FCRPS (e.g., water velocity and passage through dam powerhouses). Marine conditions also influence SARs; however, meaningful management actions are only available to affect conditions within the FCRPS. Given the importance of SARs to overall life cycle productivity, recovery and restoration strategies need to prioritize actions that have potential to substantially increase SARs by addressing the significant impacts of main-stem dams. This study highlights the importance of considering river management options in the face of increasingly variable and warming ocean conditions.

Petrosky, Charles E.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Population Dynamics and Temporal Trends of Bull Trout in the East Fork Salmon River, Idaho

Abstract Because of their long-term listing under the Endangered Species Act, much interest has been placed on estimating population vital rates for Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus, but the biotic and abiotic factors that influence the interannual variability in those vital rates have rarely been evaluated. We used mark–recapture data to estimate fish growth, survival, and trends in abundance for fluvial adult Bull Trout in the East Fork Salmon River, Idaho. Over an 8-year period, a total of 1,205 individual Bull Trout were collected at a weir on the East Fork Salmon River (29 km upstream of its confluence with the Salmon River) during June–September, of which 420 were recaptures from prior years. Bull Trout varied in length from 215 to 756 mm and achieved a slightly larger asymptotic length and a slightly lower rate of growth relative to other fluvial and adfluvial Bull Trout populations. Apparent survival averaged 0.42 across all years, which was similar to previous studies estimating apparent survival for Bull Trout. The number of emigrating anadromous salmonid smolts in the upper Salmon River basin positively influenced East Fork Salmon River Bull Trout growth and survival, and survival was higher in years with lower annual discharge. Assessment of population growth via linear regression analysis indicated that the Bull Trout population was increasing during the study period (λ = 1.08; 95% confidence interval = 1.03–1.14). Our findings highlight the ecological link between the abundance of wild and hatchery Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, Sockeye Salmon O. nerka, and steelhead O. mykiss smolts and growth and survival of adult Bull Trout in systems where these species occur in sympatry.

Roth, Curtis J.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Improving Abundance Estimates of Spring–Summer Snake River Chinook Salmon for Fisheries Management

Abstract The Columbia River basin is home to a run of spring–summer Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha that returns to the Snake River drainage of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in the Pacific Northwest. Historically, the run was one of the more productive throughout the Columbia River basin. However, Snake River spring–summer Chinook Salmon have experienced declines in abundance due to overfishing, habitat degradation, and dams. Several stocks are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and are supported by mitigation hatcheries funded by Idaho Power Company, the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan, and the Bonneville Power Administration. To maximize tribal and state harvest of returning hatchery adults, minimize impacts on wild fish, and ensure that enough hatchery fish return to meet broodstock needs, careful fisheries management is required. Since 2008, managers have used hatchery adults, PIT-tagged as juveniles and detected at Lower Granite Dam, to generate adult abundance estimates. In season, these estimates inform state and tribal harvest shares and ensure that broodstock needs are met. Postseason, they provide smolt-to-adult survival and return rates. Since 2012, parentage-based tagging (PBT) has provided an alternative method to estimate stock- and age-specific returns at Lower Granite Dam, since returning hatchery adults sampled at Lower Granite Dam can be assigned to their parents. We compared stock-specific abundance estimates between PIT- and PBT-derived methodologies for return years 2016–2019. Across all years, PIT tag estimates accounted for 65% of the PBT-based estimates at Lower Granite Dam across all age-groups and release sites combined. This underrepresentation across all groups equated to 49,833 fish that were not accounted for in PIT tag abundance estimates. It is clear that PBT-based estimates should aide in-season harvest management and postseason run reconstruction to avoid the known bias of estimates from PIT tags, especially during years of low returns when increased accuracy is critical.

Coykendall, D. Katharine (ORCID:0000000211482397)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Density Dependence in Three Snake River Sockeye Salmon Nursery Lakes in Central Idaho

Abstract Snake River Sockeye Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka, listed as an endangered species in 1991, currently inhabit three nursery lakes (Redfish, Pettit, and Alturas lakes) in the Sawtooth Valley, Idaho. Conspecific kokanee (lacustrine Sockeye Salmon) are also present in the lakes. Snake River Sockeye Salmon recovery efforts, initially focused on genetic conservation, are now attempting to rebuild naturally spawning populations using hatchery supplementation. However, in Sockeye Salmon nursery lakes, density dependence is frequently observed when elevated O. nerka abundance leads to declines in zooplankton biomass, body size, and shifts in community composition. In turn, these changes lead to reductions in juvenile O. nerka growth rates, survival, and adult returns. We examined a long-term data set of O. nerka population metrics and associated zooplankton community metrics. We found evidence of density dependence within and among nursery lakes. We detected differences in zooplankton biomass, lengths of preferred zooplankton prey (Daphnia spp. and cyclopoid copepods), parr growth rates, and age-1 smolt size among the three lakes. We found negative relationships between O. nerka density and zooplankton biomass and size. We identified positive relationships between zooplankton biomass and two response variables: smolt size at migration and growth rates of hatchery parr. The relationships were generally similar among lakes. Variable outcomes were a result of differences in O. nerka density (or zooplankton biomass), controlled primarily by the relative proportion of spawning and rearing habitat in each lake. Understanding unique lake habitats, ecological interactions, and the role of density dependence is germane to management of Snake River Sockeye Salmon populations.

Griswold, Robert G.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Genetic monitoring of steelhead in the Klickitat River to estimate productivity, straying, and migration timing

Abstract Objective Salmonids with a complex life history variation present challenges for conservation management, but genetic approaches alongside fisheries monitoring can address questions regarding the viability of the natural populations. Methods We genotyped adult (n = 3108) and juvenile (n = 2624) samples of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss that were collected in the Klickitat River, Washington, USA at traps in the lower drainage to examine tributary level productivity, straying from outside sources, and variation in adult migration timing. Result Genetic assignment of steelhead from this system indicated that the majority were produced within or near tributaries of the middle Klickitat River (juvenile mean = 72.8%; adult mean = 87.3%). Analyses with parentage-based tagging identified that most hatchery-origin adults were assigned to the Skamania Hatchery (80.8%), as expected, since this has been the release stock for decades within the Klickitat River drainage. Hatchery-origin adults were also identified from programs operating outside the Klickitat River, which were primarily strays from Snake River hatcheries. Most natural-origin steelhead were assigned to the Klickitat River, but there were also natural-origin fish identified as strays from other regions of the Columbia River (22.3% of natural returns). We also examined genes known to be associated with migration timing in adult steelhead observed at the trap and observed a strong relationship between migration date and alleles for early and late migration, but individual outliers were detected across seasons. Conclusion Our results indicate that genetic variation of steelhead in the Klickitat River has been influenced by hatchery programs as well as natural-origin straying from other subbasins, but genetic diversity remains high throughout the subbasin, and both early and late migration alleles are maintained. The genetic diversity present in Klickitat River steelhead may enable this Endangered Species Act listed (threatened) species to better adapt to stochastic environmental conditions compared to less diverse populations.

Collins, Erin E. (ORCID:0000000260978479)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Collateral benefits: River flow normalization for endangered fish enabled riparian rejuvenation

Abstract Like most rivers worldwide, the transboundary North American Kootenay/i River has experienced multiple impacts including watershed developments, river channelization, and floodplain clearing, draining, and diking. Construction of Libby Dam was authorized by the 1964 Columbia River Treaty (CRT) between the United States and Canada, and in 1975 began regulating downstream flows for flood risk management and hydropower generation. Following cumulative impacts, the endemic Kootenai River White Sturgeon population collapsed and was designated as endangered in 1994 (U.S. Endangered Species Act). Subsequent Biological Opinions from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prescribed Libby Dam operations to provide springtime flow pulses for sturgeon spawning. These provided the unanticipated benefit of substantial seedling recruitment of native and introduced riparian cottonwoods and willows. The regulated flow regime was further adaptively managed to provide a more normative (natural) regime, to balance ecological functions with flood risk management and hydropower generation. The broadened ecological considerations would be consistent with the proposed priorities for the modernization of the international CRT. The observed responses revealed that (1) diverse aquatic and riparian organisms are dependent on common river flow characteristics; (2) a normalized flow regime provided substantial ecological benefits; and (3) due to multiple influences, hybrid ecosystems develop along regulated rivers, with a blending of natural and altered processes and communities. For other regulated rivers, we recommend that (1) high springtime flows be allowed, as feasible; (2) followed by the gradual post‐peak recession; and (3) the maintenance of sufficient flows through the warm and dry interval of mid to late summer.

Rood, Stewart B.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ecological information and approaches needed for risk communication dialogs for acute or chronic environmental crises

Scientists, social scientists, risk communicators, and many others are often thrust into a crisis situation where they need to interact with a range of stakeholders, including governmental personnel (tribal, U.S. federal, state, local), local residents, and other publics, as well as other scientists and other risk communicators in situations where information is incomplete and evolving. This paper provides: (1) an overall framework for thinking about communication during crises, from acute to chronic, and local to widespread, (2) a template for the types of ecological information needed to address public and environmental concerns, and (3) examples to illustrate how this information will aid risk communicators. The main goal is providing an approach to the knowledge needed by communicators to address the challenges of protecting ecological resources during an environmental crisis, or for an on-going, chronic environmental issue. To understand the risk to these ecological resources, it is important to identify the type of event, whether it is acute or chronic (or some combination of these), what receptors are at risk, and what stressors are involved (natural, biological, chemical, radiological). For ecological resources, the key information a communicator needs for a crisis is whether any of the following are present: threatened or endangered species, species of special concern, species groups of concern (e.g., neotropical bird migrants, breeding frogs in vernal ponds, rare plant assemblages), unique or rare habitats, species of commercial and recreational interest, and species/habitats of especial interest for medicinal, cultural, or religious activities. Communication among stakeholders is complicated with respect to risk to ecological receptors because of differences in trust, credibility, empathy, perceptions, world view valuation of the resources, and in many cases, a history of misinformation, disinformation, or no information. Exposure of salmon spawning in the Columbia River to hexavalent chromium from the Hanford Site is used as an example of communication challenges with different stakeholders, including Native Americans with Tribal Treaty rights to the land.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sensitive Resources Assessment and Forest Analysis for The SSP-2A Parcel and Proposed Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC), Oak Ridge, Tennessee

This report summarizes current knowledge of natural and cultural resources associated with potential land use changes within an 81-acre (32.8-hectare) parcel, termed SSP-2A, on the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Figure 1). A primary goal for the work presented here was to evaluate potential impacts to sensitive resources within the SSP-2A parcel that might result from land disturbance and construction of the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC). In addition to on-the-ground surveys of the ORETTC footprint and SSP-2A parcel during summer 2020 (Figure 1), this report leverages historical (pre-1995) and contemporary (1995–present) data from additional sources such as the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). The individuals who obtained and compiled the data that are presented here are familiar with and routinely assess, manage, and research sensitive resources on the ORR. This report should facilitate more environmentally sound decisions during planning and development of the ORETTC, provide a foundation for further assessment of sensitive and cultural resources associated with the broader SSP-2A parcel (should additional actions take place), and help project managers address regulatory guidance and DOE policy on sustainable development. Those who reference this report must consider that the timing of surveys does not permit complete delineation of resources. Data deficiencies are indicated where possible. Additional surveys may be required to account for seasonal patterns of various threatened and endangered species (e.g., bats), and additional assessment will be required if activities extend beyond the ORETTC site (Figure 2).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Natural Resource Management Plan for Brookhaven National Laboratory

The purpose of the Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP) is to provide management guidance, promote stewardship of the natural resources found at BNL, and to sustainably integrate their protection with pursuit of the Laboratory’s mission. The philosophy or guiding principles of the NRMP include stewardship, sustainability, adaptive ecosystem management, compliance, integration with other plans and requirements, and the incorporation of community involvement, where applicable. The NRMP is reviewed and updated every five years. The body of this plan establishes the management goals and actions necessary for managing the natural resources at BNL in a sustainable manner. The appendices provide specific management requirements for threatened and endangered species documented on site (Appendices A, B and C).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Definition and Execution of Regulatory requirements for acceptance of the Whooshh Fish Transport System (Abstract)

The purpose of this project is to assist in the definition, summarization, and execution of the regulatory requirements that validate the Whooshh Fish Transport System (WFTS) as an accepted method of fish passage transport for Endangered Species Act- (ESA) listed species; moving these fish past in-stream barriers, such as hydropower facilities. Validation of this technology, through testing by PNNL, means that regulatory agencies will have documented evidence from which to support an approval decision enabling Whooshh to quickly commercialize their product for use in waterways with ESA listed species and provide the hydropower relicense/development marketplace a viable solution to the fish passage problem that threatens the hydropower industry. Given the definition of “take” in the ESA, without validation, commercialization in this space in the U.S. will not happen because the regulatory agencies will not have the determinative study results they require to authorize the use of this new technology that interact with ESA-listed species.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

PNNL Review of Federal and State Agency Regulatory Streamlining Practices

All major federal actions that have the potential to significantly affect the environment (e.g., land purchases and/or issuing grants, permits, leases, or licenses) are subject to multiple statutes including the following: • an environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) • potential consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and/or National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA) • potential consultations with State Historical Preservation Officers (SHPOs) and/or tribal nations [often Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs)] under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). Given the size of the federal government and the corresponding variability and complexity in its missions, different branches within the federal government have a fairly wide range of approaches to fulfill their NEPA and consultation requitements. Many of these approaches are founded on the desire to streamline their NEPA and consultation processes while meeting the spirit and letter of the regulations. Some federal and state environmental/engineering agencies have developed web-based dashboards that provide a single web location for permit application submittals. They also use general permits in their various permitting processes. General permits can streamline the permitting process by establishing identical requirements for all eligible applicants. This reduces the time these agencies need to spend reviewing individual permits and setting specific requirements. In addition, general permits do not require a case-specific permit application. This paper presents a sampling of effective agency examples of streamlining the NEPA process and associated agency consultations. It also includes several examples of federal and state agency web portals, online application systems, and general permits that make application processes more efficient and accessible.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Building research capacity in Southern Appalachian mountain wetlands

This project increased research capacity in Southern Appalachian wetlands by facilitating new collaborations between the PI (UNC Asheville) and DOE and academic research partners. Mountain wetlands are among the rarest natural communities in the Southern Appalachians; most of the sites contain rare or endangered species and have been incorporated into or are being considered for the new Mountain Bogs National Wildlife Refuge (established in 2015). PI Wilcox’s research since 2010 has focused on wetland hydrology at over a dozen priority field sites in western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and northern Georgia. This project provided time and funding to learn about DOE programs and resources, including meteorological data, watershed modeling programs, analytical capabilities, and computing facilities. PI Wilcox was able to meet potential research partners at professional conferences and the DOE-BER-ESS PI meeting and invite several of those potential partners to visit UNC Asheville and nearby field sites in Western North Carolina. These connections have resulted in three new collaborative research proposals, and a new cooperative agreement with the US Fish and Wildlife Service that includes two new field sites.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-Head Bypass Fish Passage Investigations: Year One (Final Report)

The goal of this first year study is to investigate the effects of downstream passage on fish health by comparing two methods: downstream fish passage at a high head dam through a bypass system, and downstream fish passage at a collection facility with vehicle conveyance to understand which method best supports achieving biological performance metrics, and what structural design or operational changes can be implemented to reduce stress and mortality in juvenile Chinook salmon. This study will occur at Green Peter Dam (or Green Peter). To achieve this goal, we will evaluate stress, injury, and mortality rates of downstream migrating juveniles after passage through a bypass system compared to holding fish in a collection facility and vehicle conveyance (trap and haul). This study will be conducted by researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in collaboration with researchers from Oregon State University (OSU). Results from this study will be used to inform the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Product Delivery Teams (PDTs) charged with designing improvements for downstream juvenile fish passage at high head dams in the Willamette River basin. The broader intent is to support management decisions on long-term measures and operations to rebuild populations of Upper Willamette River spring Chinook salmon listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

White Rock Canyon Riparian Monitoring

Lands at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are owned and managed by the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA). The Laboratory’s eastern boundary is in White Rock Canyon (WRC) along the Rio Grande within Technical Areas (TAs) 70 and 33, with approximately 4 miles of property along the river (Figure 1). Feral cattle have been documented along the Rio Grande in WRC since the 1980s. Cattle activity is known to be especially harmful to riparian ecosystems, which are hubs for biodiversity and crucial habitat used by multiple endangered species in this region, including the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and Yellow-billed Cuckoo on LANL property (Poessel 2020, Sanchez 2021). To gain a comprehensive understanding of the status of riparian ecosystems within WRC and the damage feral cattle populations are imposing, ecologists at LANL conducted a month-long vegetation monitoring project in September 2025. Riparian vegetation monitoring protocols and rapid assessments of cattle impacts were used to quantify the intensity and extent of cattle damage. The data collected will be used as a baseline for comparison following the removal of feral cattle from the canyon. Abundant cattle sign indicates current and heavy utilization of the riparian areas that were surveyed. There are multiple wallowing areas where soils are completely denuded of vegetation and highly compacted. Based on the severity and extent of impact observed in these areas, cattle use appears consistent and on-going over an extended period of years, supporting the need for removal and restoration management.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Making an s1G Self-Preserving Environmental DNA (eDNA) Filter from Sustainable Materials

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling of aquatic environments is a powerful new tool for resource managers to use in detecting the presence of rare and endangered species. The use of eDNA for species detection is quickly becoming an industry-standard methodology in environmental science, and the technology sector is moving quickly to create purpose-built tools for eDNA sampling. Smith-Root, Inc. pioneered the new technology of self-preserving eDNA filters that automatically preserve the DNA captured on filters by desiccating the internal filter membrane. This capability saves the sampling technician significant time in the field and drastically reduces the potential for sample contamination. One main constraint of this new technology, however, is the necessity of single-use plastics for eDNA sampling. Single-use designs are employed because sampling equipment must be devoid of potential contaminating DNA, and the time required to sterilize equipment is often not cost-effective for practitioners. Thus, this technology is creating a significant new source of plastic waste—something that eDNA practitioners, and society, would like to avoid. This project explores the use of alternative bio based polymers and composites as replacements for incumbent industrial standards for eDNA filtration systems, with an emphasis on ease of processing and biodegradable options. 8 candidate materials, 3 for the top filter housing and 5 for the bottom filter housing, were investigated to replace incumbent housing materials. Of the 8 candidates, 2 materials were identified for future investigation which met performance requirements, were bio-based and could potentially offer better disposal options like soil degradation or composting, features sought by the customers of these products. The top housing candidate, material 1, has comparable performance to the incumbent material and equally manufacturable. The bottom housing candidate, material 6, improved desiccation performance by 81% after 1 hour in comparison to the incumbent material, is 100% bio-based, compostable and can be sourced domestically throughout the U.S.A.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Guideline for Characterizing and Evaluating a Candidate Project Site for Solar Thermal Applications

This document presents a structured procedure for characterizing and evaluating candidate project sites for concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar heat for industrial processes (SHIP) applications. The objective is to provide project developers, researchers, and other stakeholders with a consistent, technology-agnostic framework for early-stage site assessment, enabling informed decision-making prior to significant investment in project development. Site selection is a critical factor in project success or failure for both CSP and SHIP projects. Key factors such as solar resource availability, land characteristics, environmental and regulatory constraints, infrastructure availability, and community context are determined by the choice of project site and can materially impact project performance, cost, schedule, and overall viability. This procedure is designed to systematically evaluate these factors, identify potential fatal flaws, and prioritize the most favorable candidate sites for further development. The process begins with rapid screening-level evaluation, using publicly available data to assess solar resource, land availability and suitability, zoning and land-use compatibility, and exclusion zones such as protected lands or sensitive habitats. Sites that meet the minimum screening criteria advance to a more detailed characterization. Subsequent sections of this report provide guidance for a next-level assessment of the most important technical and environmental parameters, including: 1) Solar resource quality, variability, and uncertainty using multiyear datasets and, where appropriate, on-site measurement campaigns; 2) Meteorological conditions such as wind, temperature, extreme weather events, and soiling impacts; 3) Land characteristics including slope, shading, and geotechnical conditions; and 4) Environmental and regulatory considerations, including permitting processes, endangered species, cultural resources, and visual impacts. The procedure also addresses infrastructure and integration considerations, including: 1) Grid interconnection requirements for CSP power generation projects; 2) Electrical and operational integration for SHIP facilities; 3) Water availability, quality, and permitting constraints, which are particularly critical for CSP in arid regions; and 4) Site access, construction logistics, and availability of workforce and supporting services. Recognizing the importance of social and economic context, the procedure includes evaluation of community engagement factors, such as stakeholder sentiment, proximity to sensitive visual receptors, workforce development opportunities, and local economic incentives. The outputs of these assessments are synthesized in a cost and risk evaluation, translating site characteristics into expected impacts on capital cost, operating cost, schedule, and technical risk. This is complemented by screening-level performance modeling, including 8760 simulations and long-term projections, to quantify expected energy or thermal output, assess variability thereof, and support comparison between candidate sites. Finally, the procedure provides high-level guidance on a structured go/no-go decision framework, categorizing sites based on identified risks and constraints, and outlining a clear path forward to feasibility studies and front-end engineering design for viable projects. By standardizing the site characterization process across both CSP and SHIP applications, this guideline aims to: 1) Improve consistency and transparency in early-stage project evaluation; 2) Reduce development risk and avoid investment in nonviable project sites; 3) Support collaboration between developers, researchers, and public agencies; and 4) Accelerate successful deployment of concentrating solar technologies for both power generation and industrial process heat.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hydrologic Evaluation of Smallmouth Bass Spawning Sites in the Upper Green River Using LiDAR

The smallmouth bass has been considered one of the most problematic invasive species in the upper Colorado River basin. As a predator of larval fish and juveniles, this nonnative species is an impediment to conservation efforts for endangered fish species of the Colorado River basin including Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), humpback chub (Gila cypha), and bonytail chub (Gila elegans). Several measures have been recommended to control smallmouth bass populations to conserve the endangered fish species. Among these measures are efforts to control flows during the spawning season to disrupt smallmouth bass reproduction. Previous work has suggested that smallmouth bass spawning in areas of the Green River could be inhibited during higher flows from the Flaming Gorge Dam due to lack of suitable habitat. Little research has been conducted to evaluate an optimal range of flow increases (“flow spikes”) needed to disrupt smallmouth bass reproduction in the Green River. Current research proposals to evaluate the effectiveness of flow spikes on controlling smallmouth bass reproduction target post-spawning flows of 4,500 cfs, maintained for three days, to inundate side-channel spawning habitats. In this report, we present results of a topographic study of smallmouth bass spawning sites in the upper Green River to characterize flow levels needed to inundate spawning habitats. This study used remotely sensed Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data collected along the entire Green River, including channel margins and floodplain areas, to model water surface elevations and flow spikes needed to connect and inundate smallmouth bass spawning sites.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Relationship of Hydrology in the Green River to Colorado Pikeminnow Populations

The Federally listed Colorado Pikeminnow (CP) (Ptychocheilus Lucius) has been declining in the Green River Basin over the last 20 years. Muth et al. (2000) recommended flows and temperatures to benefit endangered fish species downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River. The recommendations identified a range of flows during the base flow period (flows that occur after the annual snowmelt runoff period, usually from early summer to the following spring) that were intended to benefit CP. The recommendations indicated that the mean flow for the summer–winter period should be established each year on the basis of anticipated hydrologic conditions, but adjustments could be made if hydrologic conditions change. Flow should gradually decline from peak flow to base flow, with the base flow reached by early to middle summer (depending on hydrologic conditions) and maintained through February. The rate of decline should depend on rates of decline in Yampa River flows and the recommended rates of decline for dam releases. No specific recommendations were made for base flow variation in Reach 1, but variation around the annual mean base flow should be restricted to achieve recommended levels of variation in Reach 2 (middle Green River) (Table 5.5 in Muth et al. 2000). Implementation of the flow and temperature recommendations served as the proposed action for an EIS on Flaming Gorge Dam operations. A Biological Assessment of the impacts on endangered species of implementing the recommendations was prepared and a Biological Opinion that called for development of a study plan to examine the effects of implementation. Projects to address this evaluation were identified in the Green River Study Plan and have been conducted since then. The purpose of the Study Plan was to identify and recommend to the Recovery Program those monitoring or research projects necessary for implementation and evaluation of the flow and temperature recommendations. Those projects included studies to evaluate the anticipated effects of implementing the recommendations (including potential adverse effects identified in the 2006 Biological Opinion) and studies to examine recognized uncertainties of the recommendations. A new recovery program summer base flow study plan was approved in September of 2020 to evaluate stable and elevated summer base flows below Flaming Gorge Dam intended to benefit CP spawning and rearing success. Anecdotal observations suggest CP production may have been higher in years prior to flow restrictions for endangered fish. Based on long-term CP monitoring data in the Green River, Bestgen and Hill (2016) concluded that CP would benefit from higher summer baseflows (1,700-3,000 ft 3 /sec) with flows above or below associated with lower abundance of age-0 CP. Therefore, flexibility in the ROD is currently being utilized to establish higher stable summer base flows in an attempt create more advantageous conditions for spawning and rearing CP. These fish recovery flows are restrictive to WAPA in the summer months, therefore it is necessary to conduct an analysis of historic river data relationships to CP abundance to better understand if the recommended fish flows (elevated and stable base flows) are necessary for fish recovery.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗