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Title: Reconnecting fragmented sturgeon populations in North American rivers

Abstract

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.

Authors:
 [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)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1240513
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Fisheries
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 41; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0363-2415
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES

Citation Formats

Jager, Yetta, Forsythe, Patrick S., McLaughlin, Robert L., Joseph J. Cech, Jr., Parsley, Michael, Elliott, Robert F., and Pracheil, Brenda M. Reconnecting fragmented sturgeon populations in North American rivers. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1080/03632415.2015.1132705.
Jager, Yetta, Forsythe, Patrick S., McLaughlin, Robert L., Joseph J. Cech, Jr., Parsley, Michael, Elliott, Robert F., & Pracheil, Brenda M. Reconnecting fragmented sturgeon populations in North American rivers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/03632415.2015.1132705
Jager, Yetta, Forsythe, Patrick S., McLaughlin, Robert L., Joseph J. Cech, Jr., Parsley, Michael, Elliott, Robert F., and Pracheil, Brenda M. 2016. "Reconnecting fragmented sturgeon populations in North American rivers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/03632415.2015.1132705. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1240513.
@article{osti_1240513,
title = {Reconnecting fragmented sturgeon populations in North American rivers},
author = {Jager, Yetta and Forsythe, Patrick S. and McLaughlin, Robert L. and Joseph J. Cech, Jr. and Parsley, Michael and Elliott, Robert F. and Pracheil, Brenda M.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1080/03632415.2015.1132705},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1240513}, journal = {Fisheries},
issn = {0363-2415},
number = 3,
volume = 41,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Feb 24 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Wed Feb 24 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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Cited by: 34 works
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Works referenced in this record:

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  • McLaughlin, Robert L.; Porto, Louise; Noakes, David LG
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  • https://doi.org/10.1139/f05-256

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Works referencing / citing this record:

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


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