Juvenile salmonid migratory behavior at the mouth of the Columbia River and within the plume

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Animal Biotelemetry, 1:Article No. 14

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-3385-1-14· OSTI ID:1177344

McMichael, Geoffrey A.; O'Toole, Amanda C.; Harnish, Ryan A.; Trott, Donna M.

A total of 8,159 acoustic-tagged salmonid smolts were detected at the mouth of the Columbia River. Of the fish detected at the mouth, 14% of yearling Chinook salmon, 9% of steelhead, and 22% of subyearling Chinook salmon were detected on a sparse array deployed in the Columbia River plume. Chinook salmon smolts decreased travel rate as they left the river and entered the plume, while steelhead increased travel rate. Chinook salmon also spent more time in the transitional area between the river mouth and plume as compared to steelhead. In early spring, yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead predominately migrated past the plume array towards the edge of the shelf and to the south. Later in the season, yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts tended to migrate out of the river mouth in a northerly direction. Subyearling Chinook salmon migrated predominately past the portion of the plume array to the north of the river mouth.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1177344
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-94109; 600306000
• Journal Information: Animal Biotelemetry, 1:Article No. 14, Journal Name: Animal Biotelemetry, 1:Article No. 14
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

salmon
migratory behavior
JSATS
Columbia River
Estuary
plume