Effects of Hyporheic Exchange Flows on Egg Pocket Water Temperature in Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Areas
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
The development of the Snake River hydroelectric system has affected fall Chinook salmon smolts by shifting their migration timing to a period (mid- to late-summer) when downstream reservoir conditions are unfavorable for survival. Subsequent to the Snake River Chinook salmon fall-run Evolutionary Significant Unit being listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, recovery planning has included changes in hydrosystem operations (e.g., summer flow augmentation) to improve water temperature and flow conditions during the juvenile Chinook salmon summer migration period. In light of the limited water supplies from the Dworshak reservoir for summer flow augmentation, and the associated uncertainties regarding benefits to migrating fall Chinook salmon smolts, additional approaches for improved smolt survival need to be evaluated. This report describes research conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) that evaluated relationships among river discharge, hyporheic zone characteristics, and egg pocket water temperature in Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning areas. This was a pilot-scale study to evaluate these relationships under existing operations of Hells Canyon Dam (i.e., without any prescribed manipulations of river discharge) during the 2002–2003 water year.
- Research Organization:
- US Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Water Power Technologies Office; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Water Power Technologies Office; Bonneville Power Administration
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1218133
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL--14850; 3745
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Effects of Hyporheic Exchange Flows on Egg Pocket Water Temperature in Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Areas, 2002-2003 Final Report.
Hydraulic Characteristics of the Lower Snake River During Periods of Juvenile Fall Chinook Migration
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Chinook
Dworshak
Endanger Species Act
Evolutionary Significant Unit
Hells Canyon Dam
Snake River
augmentation
discharge
downstream
egg
egg pocket
endangered
fall
flow
hyporheic
migration
reservoir
salmon
smolts
spawn
spawning
species
summer
survival
temperature
threatened
zone