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Title: Reconnecting fragmented sturgeon populations in North American rivers

Journal Article · · Fisheries
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
  3. Univ. of Guelph, ON (Canada)
  4. United States Geological Survey (USGS), Cook, WA (United States). Columbia River Research Laboratory
  5. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, New Franken, WI (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

The majority of large North American rivers are fragmented by dams that interrupt migrations of wide-ranging fishes like sturgeons. Reconnecting habitat is viewed as an important means of protecting sturgeon species in U.S. rivers because these species have lost between 5% and 60% of their historical ranges. Unfortunately, facilities designed to pass other fishes have rarely worked well for sturgeons. The most successful passage facilities were sized appropriately for sturgeons and accommodated bottom-oriented species. For upstream passage, facilities with large entrances, full-depth guidance systems, large lifts, or wide fishways without obstructions or tight turns worked well. However, facilitating upstream migration is only half the battle. Broader recovery for linked sturgeon populations requires safe round-trip passage involving multiple dams. The most successful downstream passage facilities included nature-like fishways, large canal bypasses, and bottom-draw sluice gates. We outline an adaptive approach to implementing passage that begins with temporary programs and structures and monitors success both at the scale of individual fish at individual dams and the scale of metapopulations in a river basin. The challenge will be to learn from past efforts and reconnect North American sturgeon populations in a way that promotes range expansion and facilitates population recovery.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1240513
Journal Information:
Fisheries, Vol. 41, Issue 3; ISSN 0363-2415
Publisher:
Taylor & FrancisCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 34 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (8)

Selective fragmentation and the management of fish movement across anthropogenic barriers journal September 2018
Diversity of river fishes influenced by habitat heterogeneity across hydrogeomorphic divisions: Influence of habitat on species diversity journal July 2018
Relative Effects of Mortality versus Emigration on a Reservoir Walleye Population journal November 2018
Isolation by a hydroelectric dam induces minimal impacts on genetic diversity and population structure in six fish species journal September 2019
Spatially dynamic maternal control of migratory fish recruitment pulses triggered by shifting seasonal cues journal January 2018
Reach specific use of spawning habitat by adult green sturgeon ( Acipenser medirostris ) under different operation schedules at Red Bluff Diversion Dam journal February 2018
Critical swimming speed of sterlet ( Acipenser ruthenus ): Does intraspecific hybridization affect swimming performance? journal November 2018
Assessment of lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ) recruitment in a regulated spawning tributary of Rainy Lake, Ontario journal December 2019

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