The Evolving Landscape of the Columbia River Gorge: Lewis and Clark and Cataclysms on the Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, James E.

2004-01-01

TAVELERS RETRACING LEWIS AND CLARKE JOURNEY to the Pacific over the past two hundred years have witnessed tre mendous change to the Columbia River Gorge and its pri mary feature, the Columbia River. Dams, reservoirs, timber harvest, altered fisheries, transportation infrastructure, and growth and shrinkage of communities have transformed the river and valley.1 This radically different geography of human use and habitation is commonly contrasted with the sometimes romantic view of a prior time provided both by early nineteenth-century chroniclers and present-day critics of the modern condition ? an ecotopia of plentiful and perpetual resources sustaining a stable culture from time immemorial. Reality is more com plicated. Certainly the human-caused changes to the Columbia River and the gorge since Lewis and Clark have been profound; but the geologic his tory of immense floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions that occurred before their journey had equally, if not more, acute effects on landscapes and societies of the gorge. In many ways, the Lewis and Clark Expedi tion can be viewed as a hinge point for the Columbia River, the changes engineered to the river and its valley in the two hundred years since their visit mirrored by tremendous changes geologically engendered in the thousands of years before. 

The Evolving Landscape of the Columbia River Gorge: Lewis and Clark and Cataclysms on the Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, James E.

2004-01-01

Travelers reacting Lewis and Clark's journey to the Pacific over the past two hundred years have witnessed tremendous change to the Columbia River Gorge and its primary feature, the Columbia River. Dams, reservoirs, timer harvest, altered fisheries, transportation infrastructure, and growth and shrinkage of communities have transformed the river and valley. This radically different geography of human use and habitation is  commonly contrasted with the sometimes romantic view of a prior time provided both by early nineteenth-century chronicle and present day critics of the modern condition - an ectopia of plentiful and perpetual resources sustaining a stable culture from time immemorial. Reality is more complicated. Certainly the human-caused changes to the Columbia River and the gorge since Lewis and Clark have been profound; by the geologic history of immense floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions that occurred before the journey had equally, if not more, acute effects on landscapes and societies of the gorge. In many ways, the Lewis and Clark Expidition can be viewed as a hinge point for the Columbia River, the changes engineered to the river and its valley in the two hundred years since their visit mirrored by tremendous cchanges geologically engendered in the thousands of years before. 

33 CFR 110.228 - Columbia River, Oregon and Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Columbia River, Oregon and... SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Anchorage Grounds § 110.228 Columbia River, Oregon and Washington... Astoria, Oregon, at latitude 46°12′00.79″ N, longitude 123°49′55.40″ W; thence continuing easterly to...

33 CFR 110.228 - Columbia River, Oregon and Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Columbia River, Oregon and... SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Anchorage Grounds § 110.228 Columbia River, Oregon and Washington... Astoria, Oregon, at latitude 46°12′00.79″ N, longitude 123°49′55.40″ W; thence continuing easterly to...

33 CFR 110.228 - Columbia River, Oregon and Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Columbia River, Oregon and... SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Anchorage Grounds § 110.228 Columbia River, Oregon and Washington... Astoria, Oregon, at latitude 46°12′00.79″ N, longitude 123°49′55.40″ W; thence continuing easterly to...

33 CFR 110.228 - Columbia River, Oregon and Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Columbia River, Oregon and... SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Anchorage Grounds § 110.228 Columbia River, Oregon and Washington... Astoria, Oregon, at latitude 46°12′00.79″ N, longitude 123°49′55.40″ W; thence continuing easterly to...

33 CFR 110.228 - Columbia River, Oregon and Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Columbia River, Oregon and... SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Anchorage Grounds § 110.228 Columbia River, Oregon and Washington... Astoria, Oregon, at latitude 46°12′00.79″ N, longitude 123°49′55.40″ W; thence continuing easterly to...

Mercury concentrations in Pacific lamprey ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) and sediments in the Columbia River basin: Mercury in Columbia River Pacific lamprey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linley, Timothy; Krogstad, Eirik; Mueller, Robert

2016-06-21

We investigated mercury accumulation in Pacific lamprey and sediments in the Columbia River basin. Mercury concentrations in larval lamprey differed significantly among sample locations (P < 0.001) and were correlated with concentrations in sediments (r 2 = 0.83), whereas adult concentrations were highly variable (range 0.1–9.5 µg/g) and unrelated to holding time after collection. The results suggest that Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River basin may be exposed to mercury levels that have adverse ecological effects.

Climate Change Impacts on Stream Temperatures in the Columbia River System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yearsley, J. R.; Crozier, L.

2014-12-01

The Columbia River system, a drainage basin of 668,000 sq. km that includes the Columbia and Snake River rivers, supports a large population of anadromous, cold-water fishes. 13 species of these fishes are listed under the Endangered Species Act and are vulnerable to impacts of climate change. Bioenergetics models for these species have been developed by the federal agencies that operate the Federal Columbia River Power System. These models simulate the impacts on anadromous fishes as they move through the power system both upstream as adults and downstream as juveniles. Water temperature simulations required for input to the bioenergetics models were made for two different segments of the Columbia River system; one being the portions from the Canadian border to Bonneville Dam and the Snake River from Brownlee Dam in Idaho to its confluence and the other, the Salmon River basin in Idaho. Simulations were performed for the period 1928-1998 with the semi-Lagrangian stream temperature model, RBM, for existing conditions and for a two 2040 climate scenarios, a cool, dry condition (ECHO_g model) and a warm, wet condition (MIROC_3.2 model). Natural flows were simulated with the variable infiltration capacity model, VIC, and modified for Columbia River project operations using HYDSIM, a hydro system regulation model that simulates month-to-month operation of the Pacific Northwest hydropower system.

76 FR 49664 - Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-11

...-AA00 Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final... waters of the Columbia River surrounding the M/ V DAVY CROCKETT at approximate river mile 117. The... operations involving the M/ V DAVY CROCKETT. All persons and vessels are prohibited from entering or...

33 CFR 117.869 - Columbia River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.869 Columbia River. (a) The draws of the... the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge, mile 201.2, between Celilo, Oregon, and Wishram...

33 CFR 117.869 - Columbia River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.869 Columbia River. (a) The draws of the... the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge, mile 201.2, between Celilo, Oregon, and Wishram...

33 CFR 117.869 - Columbia River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.869 Columbia River. (a) The draws of the... the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge, mile 201.2, between Celilo, Oregon, and Wishram...

33 CFR 117.869 - Columbia River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.869 Columbia River. (a) The draws of the... the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge, mile 201.2, between Celilo, Oregon, and Wishram...

33 CFR 117.869 - Columbia River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.869 Columbia River. (a) The draws of the... the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge, mile 201.2, between Celilo, Oregon, and Wishram...

1992 Columbia River Salmon Flow Measures Options Analysis/EIS.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-01-01

This Options Analysis/Environmental Impact Statement (OA/EIS) identifies, presents effects of, and evaluates the potential options for changing instream flow levels in efforts to increase salmon populations in the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. The potential actions would be implemented during 1992 to benefit juvenile and adult salmon during migration through eight run-of-river reservoirs. The Corps of Engineers (Corps) prepared this document in cooperation with the Bonneville Power Administration and the Bureau of Reclamation. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FSWS) is a participating agency. The text and appendices of the document describe the characteristics of 10 Federal projects and onemore » private water development project in the Columbia River drainage basin. Present and potential operation of these projects and their effects on the salmon that spawn and rear in the Columbia and Snake River System are presented. The life history, status, and response of Pacific salmon to current environmental conditions are described.« less

77 FR 53141 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Columbia River, Vancouver, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-31

... lift-spans. This deviation allows height-restricted lifts which will reduce the vertical clearance... which cross the Columbia River at mile 106.5 only be required to lift to a reduced height of 130 feet above Columbia River Datum for a 30 day period. The height restricted lifts are necessary to facilitate...

Remedial Investigation of Hanford Site Releases to the Columbia River - 13603

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lerch, J.A.; Hulstrom, L.C.; Sands, J.P.

2013-07-01

In south-central Washington State, the Columbia River flows through the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site. A primary objective of the Hanford Site cleanup mission is protection of the Columbia River, through remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater that resulted from its weapons production mission. Within the Columbia River system, surface water, sediment, and biota samples related to potential Hanford Site hazardous substance releases have been collected since the start of Hanford operations. The impacts from release of Hanford Site radioactive substances to the Columbia River in areas upstream, within, and downstream of the Hanford Site boundary have been previouslymore » investigated as mandated by the U.S. Department of Energy requirements under the Atomic Energy Act. The Remedial Investigation Work Plan for Hanford Site Releases to the Columbia River [1] was issued in 2008 to initiate assessment of the impacts under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 [2]. The work plan established a phased approach to characterize contaminants, assess current risks, and determine whether or not there is a need for any cleanup actions. Field investigation activities over a 120-mile stretch of the Columbia River began in October 2008 and were completed in 2010. Sampled media included surface water, pore water, surface and core sediment, island soil, and fish (carp, walleye, whitefish, sucker, small-mouth bass, and sturgeon). Information and sample results from the field investigation were used to characterize current conditions within the Columbia River and assess whether current conditions posed a risk to ecological or human receptors that would merit additional study or response actions under CERCLA. The human health and ecological risk assessments are documented in reports that were published in 2012 [3, 4]. Conclusions from the risk assessment reports are being summarized and integrated with remedial investigation

Two distinct phylogenetic clades of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus overlap within the Columbia River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garver, K.A.; Troyer, R.M.; Kurath, G.

2003-01-01

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), an aquatic rhabdovirus, causes a highly lethal disease of salmonid fish in North America. To evaluate the genetic diversity of IHNV from throughout the Columbia River basin, excluding the Hagerman Valley, Idaho, the sequences of a 303 nt region of the glycoprotein gene (mid-G) of 120 virus isolates were determined. Sequence comparisons revealed 30 different sequence types, with a maximum nucleotide diversity of 7.3% (22 mismatches) and an intrapopulational nucleotide diversity of 0.018. This indicates that the genetic diversity of IHNV within the Columbia River basin is 3-fold higher than in Alaska, but 2-fold lower than in the Hagerman Valley, Idaho. Phylogenetic analyses separated the Columbia River basin IHNV isolates into 2 major clades, designated U and M. The 2 clades geographically overlapped within the lower Columbia River basin and in the lower Snake River and tributaries, while the upper Columbia River basin had only U clade and the upper Snake River basin had only M clade virus types. These results suggest that there are co-circulating lineages of IHNV present within specific areas of the Columbia River basin. The epidemiological significance of these findings provided insight into viral traffic patterns exhibited by IHNV in the Columbia River basin, with specific relevance to how the Columbia River basin IHNV types were related to those in the Hagerman Valley. These analyses indicate that there have likely been 2 historical events in which Hagerman Valley IHNV types were introduced and became established in the lower Columbia River basin. However, the data also clearly indicates that the Hagerman Valley is not a continuous source of waterborne virus infecting salmonid stocks downstream.

Isotopic tracking of Hanford 300 area derived uranium in the Columbia River.

PubMed

Christensen, John N; Dresel, P Evan; Conrad, Mark E; Patton, Gregory W; DePaolo, Donald J

2010-12-01

Our objectives in this study are to quantify the discharge rate of uranium (U) to the Columbia River from the Hanford Site's 300 Area and to follow that U downriver to constrain its fate. Uranium from the Hanford Site has variable isotopic composition due to nuclear industrial processes carried out at the site. This characteristic makes it possible to use high-precision isotopic measurements of U in environmental samples to identify even trace levels of contaminant U, determine its sources, and estimate discharge rates. Our data on river water samples indicate that as much as 3.2 kg/day can enter the Columbia River from the 300 Area, which is only a small fraction of the total load of dissolved natural background U carried by the Columbia River. This very low level of Hanford-derived U can be discerned, despite dilution to <1% of natural background U, 400 km downstream from the Hanford Site. These results indicate that isotopic methods can allow the amounts of U from the 300 Area of the Hanford Site entering the Columbia River to be measured accurately to ascertain whether they are an environmental concern or insignificant relative to natural uranium background in the Columbia River.

Columbia River System Operation Review : Final Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix N: Wildlife.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Columbia River System Operation Review

1995-11-01

The Columbia River System is a vast and complex combination of Federal and non-Federal facilities used for many purposes including power production, irrigation, navigation, flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat and municipal and industrial water supply. Each river use competes for the limited water resources in the Columbia River Basin. This technical appendix addresses only the effects of alternative system operating strategies for managing the Columbia River system. The environmental impact statement (EIS) itself and some of the other appendices present analyses of the alternative approaches to the other three decisions considered as part of the SOR. This documentmore » is the product of the Wildlife Work Group, focusing on wildlife impacts but not including fishes. Topics covered include the following: scope and process; existing and affected environment, including specific discussion of 18 projects in the Columbia river basin. Analysis, evaluation, and alternatives are presented for all projects. System wide impacts to wildlife are also included.« less

40 CFR 81.108 - Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Quality Control Regions § 81.108 Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (South Carolina) consists of the territorial area encompassed by the... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Columbia Intrastate Air Quality...

40 CFR 81.108 - Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Quality Control Regions § 81.108 Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (South Carolina) consists of the territorial area encompassed by the... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Columbia Intrastate Air Quality...

33 CFR 165.1316 - Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Safety Zone; Columbia River....1316 Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone... Oregon shoreline at 123°49′36″ West to 46°11′51″ North thence east to 123°48′53″ West thence south to the...

33 CFR 165.1316 - Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safety Zone; Columbia River....1316 Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone... Oregon shoreline at 123°49′36″ West to 46°11′51″ North thence east to 123°48′53″ West thence south to the...

33 CFR 165.1316 - Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Safety Zone; Columbia River....1316 Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone... Oregon shoreline at 123°49′36″ West to 46°11′51″ North thence east to 123°48′53″ West thence south to the...

33 CFR 165.1316 - Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Safety Zone; Columbia River....1316 Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone... Oregon shoreline at 123°49′36″ West to 46°11′51″ North thence east to 123°48′53″ West thence south to the...

33 CFR 165.1316 - Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety Zone; Columbia River....1316 Safety Zone; Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone... Oregon shoreline at 123°49′36″ West to 46°11′51″ North thence east to 123°48′53″ West thence south to the...

The return on the blueback salmon to the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Frederick S.

1948-01-01

THE year 1941 was a crucial one for the blueback salmon of the Columbia River. During that year, one brood came closer to extinction than was realized by more than a few individuals. The immediate causes were not overfishing, hydroelectric power development, or irrigation—although these factors continued to exert their long-standing effects. The direct causes can be attributed to an “act of God” plus—in large measure--lack of knowledge concerning the basic principles of effective artificial propagation. With the security and assurance provided by subsequent developments, those concerned with the Columbia River blueback salmon may be interested in a brief recapitulation of events that transpired during the early 1940s. This particular piece of fishery history bears upon the problems of the immediate future on the Columbia River.

COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN SALMON AND STEELHEAD: Federal Agencies’ Recovery Responsibilities, Expenditures and Actions

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-07-01

Monthly. Caspian Tern Working Group Developing a plan to reduce smolt predation by Caspian terns nesting in the Columbia River estuary. As needed...Environment and Public Works, U.S. SenateJuly 2002 COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN SALMON AND STEELHEAD Federal Agencies’ Recovery Responsibilities... COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN SALMON AND STEELHEAD: Federal Agencies Recovery Responsibilities, Expenditures and Actions Contract Number Grant Number Program

The Columbia River Basalt Group: from the gorge to the sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wells, Ray E.; Niem, Alan R.; Evarts, Russell C.; Hagstrum, Jonathan T.

2009-01-01

Miocene flood basalts of the Columbia River Basalt Group inundated eastern Washington, Oregon, and adjacent Idaho between 17 and 6 Ma. Some of the more voluminous flows followed the ancestral Columbia River across the Cascade arc, Puget-Willamette trough, and the Coast Range to the Pacific Ocean. We have used field mapping, chemistry, and paleomagnetic directions to trace individual flows and flow packages from the Columbia River Gorge westward into the Astoria Basin, where they form pillow palagonite complexes and mega-invasive bodies into older marine sedimentary rocks. Flows of the Grande Ronde, Wanapum, and Saddle Mountains Basalts all made it to the ocean; at least 33 flows are recognized in the western Columbia River Gorge, 50 in the Willamette Valley, 16 in the lower Columbia River Valley, and at least 12 on the Oregon side of the Astoria Basin. In the Astoria Basin, the basalt flows loaded and invaded the wet marine sediments, producing peperite breccias, soft sediment deformation, and complex invasive relations. Mega-invasive sills up to 500 m thick were emplaced into strata as old as Eocene, and invasive dikes up to 90 m thick can be traced continuously for 25 km near the basin margin. Mega-pillow complexes up to a kilometer thick are interpreted as the remains of lava deltas that prograded onto the shelf and a filled submarine canyon southeast of Astoria, possibly providing the hydraulic head for injection of invasive sills and dikes at depth.

Regional Sediment Budget of the Columbia River Littoral Cell, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buijsman, Maarten C.; Sherwood, C.R.; Gibbs, A.E.; Gelfenbaum, G.; Kaminsky, G.M.; Ruggiero, P.; Franklin, J.

2002-01-01

Summary -- In this Open-File Report we present calculations of changes in bathymetric and topographic volumes for the Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and Columbia River entrances and the adjacent coasts of North Beach, Grayland Plains, Long Beach, and Clatsop Plains for four intervals: pre-jetty - 1920s (Interval 1), 1920s - 1950s (Interval 2), 1950s - 1990s (Interval 3), and 1920s 1990s (Interval 4). This analysis is part of the Southwest Washington Coastal Erosion Study (SWCES), the goals of which are to understand and predict the morphologic behavior of the Columbia River littoral cell on a management scale of tens of kilometers and decades. We obtain topographic Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data from a joint project by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), and the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) and bathymetric data from the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), USGS, and the DOE. Shoreline data are digitized from T-Sheets and aerial photographs from the USC&GS and National Ocean Service (NOS). Instead of uncritically adjusting each survey to NAVD88, a common vertical land-based datum, we adjust some surveys to produce optimal results according to the following criteria. First, we minimize offsets in overlapping surveys within the same era, and second, we minimize bathymetric changes (relative to the 1990s) in deep water, where we assume minimal change has taken place. We grid bathymetric and topographic datasets using kriging and triangulation algorithms, calculate bathymetric-change surfaces for each interval, and calculate volume changes within polygons that are overlaid on the bathymetric-change surfaces. We find similar morphologic changes near the entrances to Grays Harbor and the Columbia River following jetty construction between 1898 and 1916 at the Grays Harbor entrance and between 1885 and

78 FR 6209 - Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-30

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... temporary safety zone around all inbound and outbound grain-shipment vessels involved in commerce with the Columbia Grain facility on the Willamette River in Portland, OR, the United Grain Corporation facility on...

75 FR 24799 - Safety Zone; Tri-City Water Follies Hydroplane Races Practice Sessions, Columbia River, Kennewick...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-06

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Tri-City Water Follies Hydroplane Races Practice Sessions, Columbia River, Kennewick...-City Water Follies Association hosts annual hydroplane races on the Columbia River in Kennewick... Safety Zone; Tri-City Water Follies Hydroplane Races Practice Sessions, Columbia River, Kennewick, WA (a...

Impacts of the Columbia River hydroelectric system on main-stem habitats of fall chinook salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dauble, D.D.; Hanrahan, T.P.; Geist, D.R.; Parsley, M.J.

2003-01-01

Salmonid habitats in main-stem reaches of the Columbia and Snake rivers have changed dramatically during the past 60 years because of hydroelectric development and operation. Only about 13% and 58% of riverine habitats in the Columbia and Snake rivers, respectively, remain. Most riverine habitat is found in the upper Snake River; however, it is upstream of Hells Canyon Dam and not accessible to anadromous salmonids. We determined that approximately 661 and 805 km of the Columbia and Snake rivers, respectively, were once used by fall chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha for spawning. Fall chinook salmon currently use only about 85 km of the main-stem Columbia River and 163 km of the main-stem Snake River for spawning. We used a geomorphic model to identify three river reaches downstream of present migration barriers with high potential for restoration of riverine processes: the Columbia River upstream of John Day Dam, the Columbia-Snake-Yakima River confluence, and the lower Snake River upstream of Little Goose Dam. Our analysis substantiated the assertion that historic spawning areas for fall chinook salmon occurred primarily within wide alluvial floodplains, which were once common in the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers. These areas possessed more unconsolidated sediment and more bars and islands and had lower water surface slopes than did less extensively used areas. Because flows in the main stem are now highly regulated, the predevelopment alluvial river ecosystem is not expected to be restored simply by operational modification of one or more dams. Establishing more normative flow regimes - specifically, sustained peak flows for scouring - is essential to restoring the functional characteristics of existing, altered habitats. Restoring production of fall chinook salmon to any of these reaches also requires that population genetics and viability of potential seed populations (i.e., from tributaries, tailrace spawning areas, and hatcheries) be considered.

Summer habitat use by Columbia River redband trout in the Kootenai River drainage, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Bennett, David H.

2001-01-01

The reported decline in the abundance, distribution, and genetic diversity of Columbia River redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri (a rainbow trout subspecies) has prompted fisheries managers to investigate their habitat requirements, identify critical habitat, and develop effective conservation and recovery programs. We analyzed the microhabitat, mesohabitat, and macrohabitat use and distribution of Columbia River redband trout by means of snorkel surveys in two watersheds in the Kootenai River drainage, Montana and Idaho, during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Juvenile (36–125 mm total length, TL) and adult (>=126 mm TL) fish preferred deep microhabitats (>=0.4 m) with low to moderate velocities (<=0.5 m/s) adjacent to the thalweg. Conversely, age-0 (<=35 mm) fish selected slow water (<=0.1 m/s) and shallow depths (<=0.2 m) located in lateral areas of the channel. Age-0, juvenile, and adult fish strongly selected pool mesohabitats and avoided riffles; juveniles and adults generally used runs in proportion to their availability. At the macrohabitat scale, density of Columbia River redband trout (35 mm) was positively related to the abundance of pools and negatively related to stream gradient. The pool: riffle ratio, gradient, and stream size combined accounted for 80% of the variation in density among 23 stream reaches in five streams. Our results demonstrate that low-gradient, medium-elevation reaches with an abundance of complex pools are critical areas for the production of Columbia River redband trout. These data will be useful in assessing the impacts of land-use practices on the remaining populations and may assist with habitat restoration or enhancement efforts.

Cataclysms and controversy -- aspects of the geomorphology of the Columbia River Gorge

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, Jim; Burns, Scott; Madin, Ian; Dorsey, Rebecca

2009-01-01

Landslides and floods of lava and water tremendously affected the Columbia River during its long history of transecting the Cascade Volcanic Arc. This field trip touches on aspects of the resulting geology of the scenic Columbia River Gorge, including the river-blocking Bonneville landslide of ~550 years ago and the great late- Pleistocene Missoula floods. Not only did these events create great landscapes, but they inspired great geologists. Mid-nineteenth century observations of the Columbia River and Pacific Northwest by James Dwight Dana and John Strong Newberry helped germinate the “school of fluvial” erosion later expanded upon by the southwestern United States topographic and geologic surveys. Later work on features related to the Missoula floods framed the career of J Harlen Bretz in one of the great geologic controversies of the twentieth century.

White sturgeon spawning and rearing habitat in the lower Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.; Beckman, Lance G.

1994-01-01

Estimates of spawning habitat for white sturgeons Acipenser transmontanus in the tailraces of the four dams on the lower 470 km of the Columbia River were obtained by using the Physical Habitat Simulation System of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Instream Flow Incremental Methodology to identify areas with suitable water depths, water velocities, and substrates. Rearing habitat throughout the lower Columbia River was assessed by using a geographic information system to identify areas with suitable water depths and substrates. The lowering of spring and summer river discharges from hydropower system operation reduces the availability of spawning habitat for white sturgeons. The four dam tailraces in the study area differ in the amount and quality of spawning habitat available at various discharges; the differences are due to channel morphology. The three impoundments and the free-flowing Columbia River downstream from Bonneville Dam provide extensive areas that are physically suitable for rearing young-of-the-year and juvenile white sturgeons.

The Columbia River: Its Future and You. Teacher's Manual for Grades 5-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frost, Marcia

Designed as a part of a multidisciplinary set of curricula and educational materials on the Columbia River, this teacher's guide focuses on the many uses of the river and the conflicts arising from those uses. This unit's major purpose is to help students in grades 5-8 to start thinking about how the resources of the Columbia River should be…

Quality of surface waters in the lower Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Santos, John F.

1965-01-01

This report, made during 1959-60, provides reconnaissance data on the quality of waters in the lower Columbia River basin ; information on present and future water problems in the basin; and data that can be employed both in water-use studies and in planning future industrial, municipal, and agricultural expansion within this area. The lower Columbia River basin consists of approximately 46,000 square miles downstream from the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers The region can be divided into three geographic areas. The first is the heavily forested, sparsely populated mountain regions in which quality of water in general is related to geologic and climatological factors. The second is a semiarid plateau east of the Cascade Mountains; there differences in geology and precipitation, together with more intensive use of available water for irrigation, bring about marked differences in water quality. The third is the Willamette-Puget trough area in which are concentrated most of the industry and population and in which water quality is influenced by sewage and industrial waste disposal. The majority of the streams in the lower Columbia River basin are calcium magnesium bicarbonate waters. In general, the rivers rising in the. Coast Range and on the west slope of the Cascade Range contain less than 100 parts per million of dissolved solids, and hardness of the water is less than 50 parts per million. Headwater reaches of the streams on the east slope of the Cascade Range are similar to those on the west slope; but, downstream, irrigation return flows cause the dissolved-solids content and hardness to increase. Most of the waters, however, remain calcium magnesium bicarbonate in type. The highest observed dissolved-solids concentrations and also some changes in chemical composition occur in the streams draining the more arid parts of the area. In these parts, irrigation is chiefly responsible for increasing the dissolved-solids concentration and altering the

Columbia River Estuary ecosystem classification—Concept and application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simenstad, Charles A.; Burke, Jennifer L.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Cannon, Charles; Heatwole, Danelle W.; Ramirez, Mary F.; Waite, Ian R.; Counihan, Timothy D.; Jones, Krista L.

2011-01-01

This document describes the concept, organization, and application of a hierarchical ecosystem classification that integrates saline and tidal freshwater reaches of estuaries in order to characterize the ecosystems of large flood plain rivers that are strongly influenced by riverine and estuarine hydrology. We illustrate the classification by applying it to the Columbia River estuary (Oregon-Washington, USA), a system that extends about 233 river kilometers (rkm) inland from the Pacific Ocean. More than three-quarters of this length is tidal freshwater. The Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification ("Classification") is based on six hierarchical levels, progressing from the coarsest, regional scale to the finest, localized scale: (1) Ecosystem Province; (2) Ecoregion; (3) Hydrogeomorphic Reach; (4) Ecosystem Complex; (5) Geomorphic Catena; and (6) Primary Cover Class. We define and map Levels 1-3 for the entire Columbia River estuary with existing geospatial datasets, and provide examples of Levels 4-6 for one hydrogeomorphic reach. In particular, three levels of the Classification capture the scales and categories of ecosystem structure and processes that are most tractable to estuarine research, monitoring, and management. These three levels are the (1) eight hydrogeomorphic reaches that embody the formative geologic and tectonic processes that created the existing estuarine landscape and encompass the influence of the resulting physiography on interactions between fluvial and tidal hydrology and geomorphology across 230 kilometers (km) of estuary, (2) more than 15 ecosystem complexes composed of broad landforms created predominantly by geologic processes during the Holocene, and (3) more than 25 geomorphic catenae embedded within ecosystem complexes that represent distinct geomorphic landforms, structures, ecosystems, and habitats, and components of the estuarine landscape most likely to change over short time periods.

LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER ESTUARY PROGRAM COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

EPA Science Inventory

An estuary is the area where the fresh water of a river meets the salt water of an ocean. In the Columbia River system, this occurs in the lower 46 river miles. In an estuary, the river has a direct, natural connection with the open sea. This transition from fresh to salt water c...

RadNet Air Data From Columbia, SC

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page presents radiation air monitoring and air filter analysis data for Columbia, SC from EPA's RadNet system. RadNet is a nationwide network of monitoring stations that measure radiation in air, drinking water and precipitation.

Columbia River System Operation Review : Final Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix J: Recreation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Columbia River System Operation Review

1995-11-01

This Appendix J of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Columbia River System discusses impacts on the recreational activities in the region. Major sections include the following: scope and processes; recreation in the Columbia River Basin today - by type, location, participation, user characteristics, factors which affect usage, and managing agencies; recreation analysis procedures and methodology; and alternatives and their impacts.

Laboratory Assessment of Potential Impacts to Dungeness Crabs from Disposal of Dredged Material from the Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vavrinec, John; Pearson, Walter H.; Kohn, Nancy P.

2007-05-07

Dredging of the Columbia River navigation channel has raised concerns about dredging-related impacts on Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister) in the estuary, mouth of the estuary, and nearshore ocean areas adjacent to the Columbia River. The Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers engaged the Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to review the state of knowledge and conduct studies concerning impacts on Dungeness crabs resulting from disposal during the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project and annual maintenance dredging in the mouth of the Columbia River. The present study concerns potential effects onmore » Dungeness crabs from dredged material disposal specific to the mouth of the Columbia River.« less

Rivers Run Through It: Discovering the Interior Columbia River Basin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Shelley; Wojtanik, Brenda Lincoln; Rieben, Elizabeth

1998-01-01

Explores the Columbia River Basin, its ecosystems, and challenges faced by natural resource managers. By studying the basin's complexity, students can learn about common scientific concepts such as the power of water and effects of rain shadows. Students can also explore social-scientific issues such as conflicts between protecting salmon runs and…

75 FR 61354 - Safety Zone; Interstate 5 Bridge Repairs, Columbia River, Portland, OR

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-05

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Interstate 5 Bridge Repairs, Columbia River, Portland, OR AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... waters of the Columbia River due to repairs being made to the Interstate 5 Bridge. The safety zone is... would be contrary to public interest since the repairs to the Interstate 5 Bridge would be completed by...

Leachable particulate iron in the Columbia River, estuary, and near-field plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lippiatt, Sherry M.; Brown, Matthew T.; Lohan, Maeve C.; Berger, Carolyn J. M.; Bruland, Kenneth W.

2010-03-01

This study examines the distribution of leachable particulate iron (Fe) in the Columbia River, estuary, and near-field plume. Surface samples were collected during late spring and summer of 2004-2006 as part of four River Influence on Shelf Ecosystems (RISE) cruises. Tidal amplitude and river flow are the primary factors influencing the estuary leachable particulate Fe concentrations, with greater values during high flow and/or spring tides. Near the mouth of the estuary, leachable particulate Fe [defined as the particulate Fe solubilized with a 25% acetic acid (pH 2) leach containing a weak reducing agent to reduce Fe oxyhydroxides and a short heating step to access intracellular Fe] averaged 770 nM during either spring tide or high flow, compared to 320 nM during neap tide, low flow conditions. In the near-field Columbia River plume, elevated leachable particulate Fe concentrations occur during spring tides and/or higher river flow, with resuspended shelf sediment as an additional source to the plume during periods of coastal upwelling and spring tides. Near-field plume concentrations of leachable particulate Fe (at a salinity of 20) averaged 660 nM during either spring tide or high flow, compared to 300 nM during neap tide, low flow conditions. Regardless of tidal amplitude and river flow, leachable particulate Fe concentrations in both the river/estuary and near-field plume are consistently one to two orders of magnitude greater than dissolved Fe concentrations. The Columbia River is an important source of reactive Fe to the productive coastal waters off Oregon and Washington, and leachable particulate Fe is available for solubilization following biological drawdown of the dissolved phase. Elevated leachable Fe concentrations allow coastal waters influenced by the Columbia River plume to remain Fe-replete and support phytoplankton production during the spring and summer seasons.

Developing a broader scientific foundation for river restoration: Columbia River food webs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naiman, Robert J.; Alldredge, Richard; Beauchamp, David A.; Bisson, Peter A.; Congleton, James; Henny, Charles J.; Huntly, Nancy; Lamberson, Roland; Levings, Colin; Merrill, Erik N.; Pearcy, William G.; Rieman, Bruce E.; Ruggerone, Gregory T.; Scarnecchia, Dennis; Smouse, Peter E.; Wood, Chris C.

2012-01-01

Well-functioning food webs are fundamental for sustaining rivers as ecosystems and maintaining associated aquatic and terrestrial communities. The current emphasis on restoring habitat structure—without explicitly considering food webs—has been less successful than hoped in terms of enhancing the status of targeted species and often overlooks important constraints on ecologically effective restoration. We identify three priority food web-related issues that potentially impede successful river restoration: uncertainty about habitat carrying capacity, proliferation of chemicals and contaminants, and emergence of hybrid food webs containing a mixture of native and invasive species. Additionally, there is the need to place these food web considerations in a broad temporal and spatial framework by understanding the consequences of altered nutrient, organic matter (energy), water, and thermal sources and flows, reconnecting critical habitats and their food webs, and restoring for changing environments. As an illustration, we discuss how the Columbia River Basin, site of one of the largest aquatic/riparian restoration programs in the United States, would benefit from implementing a food web perspective. A food web perspective for the Columbia River would complement ongoing approaches and enhance the ability to meet the vision and legal obligations of the US Endangered Species Act, the Northwest Power Act (Fish and Wildlife Program), and federal treaties with Northwest Indian Tribes while meeting fundamental needs for improved river management.

Developing a broader scientific foundation for river restoration: Columbia River food webs

PubMed Central

Naiman, Robert J.; Alldredge, J. Richard; Beauchamp, David A.; Bisson, Peter A.; Congleton, James; Henny, Charles J.; Huntly, Nancy; Lamberson, Roland; Levings, Colin; Merrill, Erik N.; Pearcy, William G.; Rieman, Bruce E.; Ruggerone, Gregory T.; Scarnecchia, Dennis; Smouse, Peter E.; Wood, Chris C.

2012-01-01

Well-functioning food webs are fundamental for sustaining rivers as ecosystems and maintaining associated aquatic and terrestrial communities. The current emphasis on restoring habitat structure—without explicitly considering food webs—has been less successful than hoped in terms of enhancing the status of targeted species and often overlooks important constraints on ecologically effective restoration. We identify three priority food web-related issues that potentially impede successful river restoration: uncertainty about habitat carrying capacity, proliferation of chemicals and contaminants, and emergence of hybrid food webs containing a mixture of native and invasive species. Additionally, there is the need to place these food web considerations in a broad temporal and spatial framework by understanding the consequences of altered nutrient, organic matter (energy), water, and thermal sources and flows, reconnecting critical habitats and their food webs, and restoring for changing environments. As an illustration, we discuss how the Columbia River Basin, site of one of the largest aquatic/riparian restoration programs in the United States, would benefit from implementing a food web perspective. A food web perspective for the Columbia River would complement ongoing approaches and enhance the ability to meet the vision and legal obligations of the US Endangered Species Act, the Northwest Power Act (Fish and Wildlife Program), and federal treaties with Northwest Indian Tribes while meeting fundamental needs for improved river management. PMID:23197837

Irrigation and streamflow depletion in Columbia River basin above The Dalles, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simons, Wilbur Douglas

1953-01-01

The Columbia River is the largest stream in western United States. Above The Dalles, Oregon, it drains an area of 237,000 square miles, of which 39,000 square miles is in Canada. This area is largely mountainous and lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade Range. The Kootenai, Pend Oreille, and Snake Rivers are the principal tributaries. Precipitation varies from 7 inches near Kennewick, Wash. to over 100 inches in some of the mountainous regions. Most of the runoff occurs in the spring and summer months as a result of melting snow. Precipitation is generally light during the summer months, and irrigation is necessary for sustained crop production. Historical data indicate that irrigation in the Columbia River basin began prior to 1840 at the site of missions established near Walla Walla, Wash. and Lewiston, Idaho. During the next half century the increase in irrigated area was slow and by 1890 included only 506,000 acres. The period 1890 to 1910 was marked by phenomenal increase to a total of 2,276,000 acres in 1910. Since that time there has been more gradual addition to a total of 4,004,S00 acres of irrigated land in 1946 in the Columbia River basin above The Dalles, Oreg. Of this total 918,000 acres were located in the Columbia Basin above the mouth of the Snake River; 2,830,000 acres in the Snake River basin, and the balance, 256,000 acres below the mouth of the Snake River. Values of net consumptive use were determined or estimated for various tributary basins of the Columbia River basin and compared to available experimental data. These values were then used to compute the average depletion which could be directly attributed to irrigation. The yield of a drainage basin was considered to be the rum of the ob- served runoff and the estimated depletion. For purposes of comparison, the depletion was expressed both in terms of acre-feet and as a percentage of the yield of the basin. This percentage depletion varied from less than 1 percent for many

33 CFR 162.225 - Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation. 162.225 Section 162.225 Navigation and Navigable Waters... NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.225 Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and...

33 CFR 162.225 - Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation. 162.225 Section 162.225 Navigation and Navigable Waters... NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.225 Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and...

33 CFR 162.225 - Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation. 162.225 Section 162.225 Navigation and Navigable Waters... NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.225 Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and...

33 CFR 162.225 - Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and navigation. 162.225 Section 162.225 Navigation and Navigable Waters... NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.225 Columbia and Willamette Rivers, Washington and Oregon; administration and...

Columbia River Fishes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dauble, Dennis D.

2007-06-21

The Lewis and Clark expedition crossed the Continental Divide in 1805 on the way west to the Pacific Ocean. Based on journal entries, members of the expedition probably encountered two species of resident salmonids and four of the six species of anadromous salmonids and steelhead (Family Salmonidae, genus Oncorhynchus). The salmonid species were called common salmon (now known as Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha), red char (sockeye salmon O.nerka) white salmon trout (coho salmon [also known as silver salmon] O. kisutch), salmon trout (steelhead O. mykiss), and spotted trout (cutthroat trout O. clarkii). There was no evidence of the expedition encounteringmore » pink salmon O. gorbuscha, chum salmon O. keta, or species of true char Salvelinus spp. Common fishes procured from Indian tribes living along the lower Columbia River included eulachon Thaleichthys pacificus and white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus. The identity of three additional resident freshwater species is questionable. Available descriptions suggest that what they called mullet were largescale sucker Catastomus macrocheilus, and that chubb were peamouth Mylocheilus caurinus. The third questionable fish, which they called bottlenose, was probably mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni, although there is no evidence that the species was observed in the Columbia River drainage. Missing from the species list were more than 20 other fishes known to Sahaptin-speaking people from the mid-Columbia region. More complete documentation of the icthyofauna of the Pacific Northwest region did not occur until the latter half of the 19th century. However, journals from the Lewis and Clark expedition provide the first documentation of Columbia River fishes.« less

Red tree voles in the Columbia River Gorge and Hood River basin, Oregon

Treesearch

Eric D. Forsman; James K. Swingle; Michael A. McDonald; Scott A. Graham; Nicholas R. Hatch

2009-01-01

In 2003 to 2008, we conducted surveys to document the eastern and northern range limits of red tree voles (Arborimus longicaudus) in the Columbia River Gorge and Hood River basin, Oregon. Our survey indicated the current range of the vole includes the area from Wahkeena Creek, 20 km east of Troutdale to Seneca Fouts State Park, 6 km west of Hood...

33 CFR 165.1314 - Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver... Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 165.1314 Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Columbia River...

33 CFR 165.1314 - Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver... Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 165.1314 Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Columbia River...

33 CFR 165.1314 - Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver... Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 165.1314 Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Columbia River...

33 CFR 165.1314 - Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver... Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 165.1314 Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Columbia River...

33 CFR 165.1314 - Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver... Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 165.1314 Safety Zone; Fort Vancouver Fireworks Display, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington. (a) Location. The following area is a safety zone: All waters of the Columbia River...

The Volcanic Story of the Columbia River Gorge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, John Eliot

1982-01-01

Uses maps, diagrams, and geological accounts to describe the Columbia River Gorge which separates Oregon from Washington and exposes an unexcelled record of Cenozoic volcanic stratigraphy, sedimentation, flooding, and landsliding for the visiting tourists, geologists, or students. (Author/DC)

Reintroduction of Lower Columbia River Chum Salmon into Duncan Creek, 2007 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hillson, Todd D.

2009-06-12

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed Lower Columbia River (LCR) chum salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in March, 1999 (64 FR 14508, March 25, 1999). The listing was in response to the reduction in abundance from historical levels of more than one-half million returning adults to fewer than 10,000 present-day spawners. Harvest, habitat degradation, changes in flow regimes, riverbed movement and heavy siltation have been largely responsible for this decline. The timing of seasonal changes in river flow and water temperatures is perhaps the most critical factor in structuring the freshwater life history of thismore » species. This is especially true of the population located directly below Bonneville Dam, where hydropower operations can block access to spawning sites, dewater redds, strand fry, cause scour or fill of redds and increase sedimentation of spawning gravels. Prior to 1997, only two chum salmon populations were recognized as genetically distinct in the Columbia River, although spawning had been documented in many Lower Columbia River tributaries. The first population was in the Grays River (RKm 34), a tributary of the Columbia River, and the second was a group of spawners utilizing the mainstem Columbia River just below Bonneville Dam (RKm 235) adjacent to Ives Island and in Hardy and Hamilton creeks. Using additional DNA samples, Small et al. (2006) grouped chum salmon spawning in the mainstem Columbia River and the Washington State tributaries into three groups: the Coastal, the Cascade and the Gorge. The Coastal group comprises those spawning in the Grays River, Skamokawa Creek and the broodstock used at the Sea Resources facility on the Chinook River. The Cascade group comprises those spawning in the Cowlitz (both summer and fall stocks), Kalama, Lewis, and East Fork Lewis rivers, with most supporting unique populations. The Gorge group comprises those spawning in the mainstem Columbia River from the I-205

Gonad organochlorine concentrations and plasma steroid levels in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) from the Columbia River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, E.P.; Fitzpatrick, M.S.; Feist, G.W.; Schreck, C.B.; Yates, J.

2001-01-01

Sturgeon are an important fishery resource world-wide, providing food and income through commercial, sport, and tribal fisheries. However, sturgeon populations are imperiled in many areas due to overharvest, habitat loss, and pollution. White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are found along the west coast of North America from San Francisco Bay, USA to British Columbia, Canada. The Columbia River, located in the Pacific Northwest USA, supports active commercial, sport, and tribal white sturgeon fisheries. The white sturgeon fishery in the Columbia River estuary is one of the most productive sturgeon fisheries in the World. Despite the success of the Columbia River estuary white sturgeon fishery, the populations within the impounded sections (i.e. behind the hydroelectric dams) of the Columbia River experience poor reproductive success (Beamesderfer et al. 1995). This poor reproductive success has been attributed to hydroelectric development, but water pollution could also be a significant factor. The bottom dwelling life history and late maturing reproductive strategy for this species may make it particularly sensitive to the adverse effects of bioaccumulative pollutants.The Columbia River receives effluent from bleached-kraft pulp mills, aluminum smelters, municipal sewage treatment plants and runoff from agricultural. industrial, and urban areas. Bioaccumulative contaminants that have the potential for endocrine disruption have been detected in fish and sediments from the Columbia River (Foster et al. 1999). An integrated system of hormones control reproduction in vertebrates. Plasma steroids direct developmental events essential for reproduction. Disruption of endocrine control by contaminants has been linked to reproductive anomalies and failure in a number of vertebrate species (Guillette et al. 1996; Jobling et al. 1996). Because of this, it is important to understand if organochlorine compounds are accumulating in Columbia River white sturgeon and having

33 CFR 165.T13-175 - Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT....T13-175 Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River. (a) Location: The following area is a safety zone: (1) All waters of the Columbia River encompassed within the following four points: point one at...

Invertebrates of the Columbia River basin assessment area.

Treesearch

Christine G. Niwa; Roger E. Sandquist; Rod Crawford; et al.

2001-01-01

A general background on functional groups of invertebrates in the Columbia River basin and how they affect sustainability and productivity of their ecological communities is presented. The functional groups include detritivores, predators, pollinators, and grassland and forest herbivores. Invertebrate biodiversity and species of conservation interest are discussed....

Prey of nesting ospreys on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, Oregon and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, B.L.; Kaiser, J.L.; Henny, C.J.; Grove, R.A.

2008-01-01

To more effectively use ospreys as a biomonitoring tool and to better assess contaminant pathways, the diet of nesting ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) was studied along the lower Columbia and upper mainstem Willamette rivers by evaluating prey remains collected from wire baskets constructed under artificial feeding perches installed near nest sites and from the ground beneath natural feeding perches and nests. Prey remains from 1997-2004 on the Columbia River and 1993 (previously published) and 2001 on the Willamette River were evaluated and compared. Largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) were the predominate fish species identified in collections from the Columbia River (61.5% [84.3% biomass]) and Willamette River (76.0% [92.7% biomass]). Prey fish diversity, when based only on ground collections, was higher in the Columbia (2.45) than the Willamette river (1.92) (P = 0.038). Prey fish diversity in collections from the Willamette River did not differ between this study (2001) and previous study (1993) (P = 0.62). Fishbones recovered in wire baskets are likely more representative of osprey diet compared to bones recovered from the ground, because prey diversity was higher among basket samples compared to ground collections (wire basket diversity = 5.25 vs. ground collection diversity = 2.45, P = 0.011). Soft-boned salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.), American shad (Alosa sapidissima), and mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) were probably underrepresented in collections obtained from the ground. Study results suggest that baskets provide a better method for assessing osprey diet than other indirect methods. These findings augment available osprey food-habits information and provide additional biological and ecological information to better assess potential impacts of various environmental contaminants on nesting ospreys.

Columbia River flow and drought since 1750.

Treesearch

Ze' ev Gedalof; David L. Peterson; Nathan J. Mantua

2004-01-01

A network of 32 drought sensitive tree-ring chronologies is used to reconstruct mean water year flow on the Columbia River at The Dalles, Oregon, since 1750. The reconstruction explains 30 percent of the variability in mean water year (October to September) flow, with a large portion of unexplained variance caused by underestimates of the most severe low flow events....

77 FR 24146 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Columbia River, Vancouver, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-23

... schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Bridge across the Columbia River... viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826...

33 CFR 165.T13-149 - Safety Zone; McNary-John Day Transmission Line Project, Columbia River, Hermiston, OR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Transmission Line Project, Columbia River, Hermiston, OR. 165.T13-149 Section 165.T13-149 Navigation and... Project, Columbia River, Hermiston, OR. (a) Location: The following is a safety zone: All waters of the Columbia River between two lines with the first line starting at the north bank at 45° 56′ 16.5″ N/119° 19...

Patterns of genomic variation in Coho salmon following reintroduction to the interior Columbia River.

PubMed

Campbell, Nathan R; Kamphaus, Cory; Murdoch, Keely; Narum, Shawn R

2017-12-01

Coho salmon were extirpated in the mid-20th century from the interior reaches of the Columbia River but were reintroduced with relatively abundant source stocks from the lower Columbia River near the Pacific coast. Reintroduction of Coho salmon to the interior Columbia River (Wenatchee River) using lower river stocks placed selective pressures on the new colonizers due to substantial differences with their original habitat such as migration distance and navigation of six additional hydropower dams. We used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to genotype 5,392 SNPs in reintroduced Coho salmon in the Wenatchee River over four generations to test for signals of temporal structure and adaptive variation. Temporal genetic structure among the three broodlines of reintroduced fish was evident among the initial return years (2000, 2001, and 2002) and their descendants, which indicated levels of reproductive isolation among broodlines. Signals of adaptive variation were detected from multiple outlier tests and identified candidate genes for further study. This study illustrated that genetic variation and structure of reintroduced populations are likely to reflect source stocks for multiple generations but may shift over time once established in nature.

78 FR 57261 - Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-18

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers... temporary safety zone around all inbound and outbound grain-shipment and grain-shipment assist vessels... Columbia and Willamette Rivers and their tributaries. For grain- shipment vessels, this safety zone extends...

Trends in selected water-quality characteristics, Flathead River at Flathead, British Columbia, and at Columbia Falls, Montana, water years, 1975-86

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cary, L.E.

1989-01-01

Data for selected water quality variables were evaluated for trends at two sampling stations--Flathead River at Flathead, British Columbia (Flathead station) and Flathead River at Columbia Falls, Montana (Columbia Falls station). The results were compared between stations. The analyses included data from water years 1975-86 at the Flathead station and water years 1979-86 at the Columbia Falls station. The seasonal Kendall test was applied to adjusted concentrations for variables related to discharge and to unadjusted concentrations for the remaining variables. Slope estimates were made for variables with significant trends unless data were reported as less than the detection limit. At the Flathead station, concentrations of dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, sodium, dissolved nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen (total and dissolved), total organic nitrogen, and total phosphorus increased during the study period. Concentrations of total nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen and dissolved iron decreased during the same period. At the Columbia Falls station, concentrations increased for calcium and magnesium and decreased for sulfate and dissolved phosphorus. No trends were detected for 10 other variables tested at each station. Data for the Flathead station were reanalyzed for water years 1979-86. Trends in the data increased for magnesium and dissolved nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen and decreased for dissolved iron. Magnesium was the only variable that displayed a trend (increasing) at both stations. The increasing trends that were detected probably will not adversely affect the water quality of the Flathead River in the near future. (USGS)

Assessing survival of Mid-Columbia River released juvenile salmonids at McNary Dam, Washington, 2008-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, Scott D.; Walker, Christopher E.; Brewer, Scott J.; Adams, Noah S.

2010-01-01

Few studies have evaluated survival of juvenile salmon over long river reaches in the Columbia River and information regarding the survival of sockeye salmon at lower Columbia River dams is lacking. To address these information gaps, the U.S. Geological Survey was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate the possibility of using tagged fish released in the Mid-Columbia River to assess passage and survival at and downstream of McNary Dam. Using the acoustic telemetry systems already in place for a passage and survival study at McNary Dam, fish released from the tailraces of Wells, Rocky Reach, Rock Island, Wanapum, and Priest Rapids Dams were detected at McNary Dam and at the subsequent downstream arrays. These data were used to generate route-specific survival probabilities using single-release models from fish released in the Mid-Columbia River. We document trends in passage and survival probabilities at McNary Dam for yearling Chinook and sockeye salmon and juvenile steelhead released during studies in the Mid-Columbia River. Trends in the survival and passage of these juvenile salmonid species are presented and discussed. However, comparisons made across years and between study groups are not possible because of differences in the source of the test fish, the type of acoustic tags used, the absence of the use of passive integrated transponder tags in some of the release groups, differences in tagging and release protocols, annual differences in dam operations and configurations, differences in how the survival models were constructed (that is, number of routes that could be estimated given the number of fish detected), and the number and length of reaches included in the analysis (downstream reach length and arrays). Despite these differences, the data we present offer a unique opportunity to examine the migration behavior and survival of a group of fish that otherwise would not be studied. This is particularly true for sockeye salmon because

Geographical and Geomorphological Effects on Air Temperatures in the Columbia Basin's Signature Vineyards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, L.; Pogue, K. R.; Bader, N.

2012-12-01

controlled by elevation. In some AVAs, such as Walla Walla Valley and Red Mountain, average air temperatures increased with elevation because of the effect of cold air pooling on valley floors. In other AVAs, such as Horse Heaven Hills, Lake Chelan and Columbia Gorge, average temperatures decreased with elevation due to the moderating influences of the Columbia River and Lake Chelan. Other temperature statistics, including average diurnal range and maximum and minimum temperature, were influenced by relative topography, including local topography and slope. Vineyards with flat slopes that had low elevations relative to their surroundings had larger diurnal variations and lower maximum and minimum temperatures than vineyards with steeper slopes that were high relative to their surroundings.

78 FR 33224 - Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers... Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around all inbound and outbound grain-shipment and grain-shipment assist vessels involved in commerce with the Columbia Grain facility on the Willamette River in...

76 FR 73511 - Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-29

...-AA00 Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard is extending the enforcement period of a safety zone established on... sight at approximate river mile 117. The original safety zone was established on January 28, 2011. The...

Parvicapsula minibicornis in anadromous sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) salmon from tributaries of the Columbia River.

PubMed

Jones, Simon; Prosperi-Porta, Gina; Dawe, Sheila; Taylor, Kimberley; Goh, Benjamin

2004-08-01

The myxosporean parasite Parvicapsula minibicornis is described from adult sockeye and coho salmon during spawning migrations in tributaries of the Columbia River in Canada and the United States. These observations extend the known distribution of this parasite from the Fraser River drainage basin. The parasite was identified in Columbia River salmonids using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by in situ hybridization, but unlike in Fraser River salmon, it was not observed in conventional histological preparations of the kidney. Prevalence of the parasite determined by PCR was higher in spawning sockeye from the Fraser River than in those from the Okanagan River. Our ability to explain the relatively low prevalence and absence of clinical P. minibicornis infections in Columbia River salmon is hampered by our poor understanding of the life cycle of this parasite.

Coast and river mouths, Columbia, South America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Numerous rivers in Ecuador and Columbia stand out in this South American Pacific coastal scene (1.5N, 79.0W). This region has one of the highest rainfalls in the world with the consequent heavy cloud cover and it is rare to be able to photograph the surface. The Pacific mountain drainage area is small but produces a large volume of runoff and sediment flow into the ocean.

Columbia River Channel Improvement Project: Final Supplemental Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

Sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) Snake River Endangered Stream Yearling + 11/2/91 Steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) Snake River... Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Snake River spring/summer Threatened Stream Yearling + 4/22/92 Snake River fall Threatened Ocean Subyearling 4...Willamette River Threatened Ocean Subyearling + 3/24/99 Chum salmon ( Oncorhynchus keta) Columbia River Threatened Ocean Subyearling 3/25/99

A Spatial Correlation Model of Permeability on the Columbia River Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayne, R., Jr.; Pollyea, R. M.

2017-12-01

This study presents a spatial correlation model of regional scale permeability variability within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). The data were compiled from the literature, and include 893 aquifer test results from 598 individual wells. In order to quantify the spatial variation of permeability within the CRBG, three experimental variograms (two horizontal and one vertical) are calculated and then fit with a linear combination of mathematical models. The horizontal variograms show there is a 4.5:1 anisotropy ratio for the permeability correlation structure with a long-range correlation of 35 km at N40°E. The km-scale range of these variograms suggests that there is regional control on permeability within the CRBG. One plausible control on the permeability distribution is that rapid crustal loading during CRBG emplacement ( 80% over 1M years) resulted in an isostatic response where the Columbia Plateau had previously undergone subsidence. To support this hypothesis, we calculate a 200 m moving average of all permeability values with depth. This calculation shows that permeability generally follows a systematic decay until 1,100 m depth, beyond which the 200 m moving average permeability increases 3 orders of magnitude. Since basalt fracture networks govern permeability on Columbia River Plateau, this observation is consistent with basal flexure causing tensile stress that counteract lithostatic loading, thus maintaining higher than expected permeability at depth within the Columbia River Basalt Group. These results may have important implications for regional CRBG groundwater management, as well as engineered reservoirs for carbon capture and sequestration and nuclear waste storage.

Total Dissolved Gas Effects on Fishes of the Lower Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGrath, Kathy E.; Dawley, Earl; Geist, David R.

2006-03-31

Gas supersaturation problems generated by spill from dams on the Columbia River were first identified in the 1960s. Since that time, considerable research has been conducted on effects of gas supersaturation on aquatic life, primarily juvenile salmonids. Also since that time, modifications to dam structures and operations have reduced supersaturated gas levels produced by the dams. The limit for total dissolved gas saturation (TDGS) as mandated by current Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards is 110%. State management agencies issue limited waivers to water quality, allowing production of levels of up to 120% TDGS to facilitate the downstream migration ofmore » juvenile salmonids. Recently, gas supersaturation as a water quality issue has resurfaced as concerns have grown regarding chronic effects of spill-related total dissolved gas on salmonids, including incubating embryos and larvae, resident fish species, and other aquatic organisms. Because of current concerns, and because the last comprehensive review of research on supersaturation effects on fishes was conducted in 1997, we reviewed recent supersaturation literature to identify new or ongoing issues that may not be adequately addressed by the current 110% TDGS limit and the 120% TDGS water quality waiver. We found that recent work supports older research indicating that short-term exposure to levels up to 120% TDGS does not produce acute effects on migratory juvenile or adult salmonids when compensating depths are available. Monitoring programs at Snake and Columbia river dams from 1995 to the early 2000s documented a low incidence of significant gas bubble disease or mortality in Columbia River salmonids, resident fishes, or other taxa. We did, however, identify five areas of concern in which total dissolved gas levels lower than water quality limits may produce sublethal effects on fishes of the Columbia River. These areas of concern are 1) sensitive and vulnerable species or life

Reconnaissance of contaminants in selected wastewater-treatment-plant effluent and stormwater runoff entering the Columbia River, Columbia River Basin, Washington and Oregon, 2008-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morace, Jennifer L.

2012-01-01

With a better understanding of the presence of these contaminants in the environment, future work can focus on developing research to characterize the effects of these contaminants on aquatic life and prioritize toxic-reduction efforts for the Columbia River Basin.

Immobilization of U(VI) from Oxic Groundwater by Hanford 300 Area Sediments and Effects of Columbia River Water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmed, B.; Cao, Bin; Mishra, Bhoopesh

2012-09-23

Regions within the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford 300 Area (300 A) site experience periodic hydrologic influences from the nearby Columbia River as a result of changing river stage, which causes changes in groundwater elevation, flow direction and water chemistry. An important question is the extent to which the mixing of Columbia River water and groundwater impacts the speciation and mobility of uranium (U). In this study, we designed experiments to mimic interactions among U, oxic groundwater or Columbia River water, and 300 A sediments in the subsurface environment of Hanford 300 A. The goals were to investigate mechanisms of:more » 1) U immobilization in 300 A sediments under bulk oxic conditions and 2) U remobilization from U-immobilized 300 A sediments exposed to oxic Columbia River water. Initially, 300 A sediments in column reactors were fed with U(VI)-containing oxic 1) synthetic groundwater (SGW), 2) organic-amended SGW (OA-SGW), and 3) de-ionized (DI) water to investigate U immobilization processes. After that, the sediments were exposed to oxic Columbia River water for U remobilization studies. The results reveal that U was immobilized by 300 A sediments predominantly through reduction (80-85%) when the column reactor was fed with oxic OA-SGW. However, U was immobilized by 300 A sediments through adsorption (100%) when the column reactors were fed with oxic SGW or DI water. The reduced U in the 300 A sediments fed with OA-SGW was relatively resistant to remobilization by oxic Columbia River water. Oxic Columbia River water resulted in U remobilization (~7%) through desorption, and most of the U that remained in the 300 A sediments fed with OA-SGW (~93%) was in the form of uraninite nanoparticles. These results reveal that: 1) the reductive immobilization of U through OA-SGW stimulation of indigenous 300 A sediment microorganisms may be viable in the relatively oxic Hanford 300 A subsurface environments and 2) with the intrusion of Columbia River

Immobilization of U(VI) from oxic groundwater by Hanford 300 Area sediments and effects of Columbia River water.

PubMed

Ahmed, Bulbul; Cao, Bin; Mishra, Bhoopesh; Boyanov, Maxim I; Kemner, Kenneth M; Fredrickson, Jim K; Beyenal, Haluk

2012-09-01

Regions within the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford 300 Area (300 A) site experience periodic hydrologic influences from the nearby Columbia River as a result of changing river stage, which causes changes in groundwater elevation, flow direction and water chemistry. An important question is the extent to which the mixing of Columbia River water and groundwater impacts the speciation and mobility of uranium (U). In this study, we designed experiments to mimic interactions among U, oxic groundwater or Columbia River water, and 300 A sediments in the subsurface environment of Hanford 300 A. The goals were to investigate mechanisms of: 1) U immobilization in 300 A sediments under bulk oxic conditions and 2) U remobilization from U-immobilized 300 A sediments exposed to oxic Columbia River water. Initially, 300 A sediments in column reactors were fed with U(VI)-containing oxic 1) synthetic groundwater (SGW), 2) organic-amended SGW (OA-SGW), and 3) de-ionized (DI) water to investigate U immobilization processes. After that, the sediments were exposed to oxic Columbia River water for U remobilization studies. The results reveal that U was immobilized by 300 A sediments predominantly through reduction (80-85%) when the column reactor was fed with oxic OA-SGW. However, U was immobilized by 300 A sediments through adsorption (100%) when the column reactors were fed with oxic SGW or DI water. The reduced U in the 300 A sediments fed with OA-SGW was relatively resistant to remobilization by oxic Columbia River water. Oxic Columbia River water resulted in U remobilization (∼7%) through desorption, and most of the U that remained in the 300 A sediments fed with OA-SGW (∼93%) was in the form of uraninite nanoparticles. These results reveal that: 1) the reductive immobilization of U through OA-SGW stimulation of indigenous 300 A sediment microorganisms may be viable in the relatively oxic Hanford 300 A subsurface environments and 2) with the intrusion of Columbia River water

A Noninvasive Tool to Assess the Distribution of Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Columbia River Basin

PubMed Central

Young, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Schwartz, Michael K.

2017-01-01

The Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is an anadromous fish once abundant throughout coastal basins of western North America that has suffered dramatic declines in the last century due primarily to human activities. Here, we describe the development of an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay to detect Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River basin. The eDNA assay successfully amplified tissue derived DNA of Pacific lamprey collected from 12 locations throughout the Columbia River basin. The assay amplifies DNA from other Entosphenus species found outside of the Columbia River basin, but is species-specific within this basin. As a result, the assay presented here may be useful for detecting Entosphenus spp. in geographic range beyond the Columbia River Basin. The assay did not amplify tissue or synthetically derived DNA of 14 commonly sympatric non-target species, including lampreys of the genus Lampetra, which are morphologically similar to Pacific lamprey in the freshwater larval stage. PMID:28068358

Re-Introduction of Lower Columbia River Chum Salmon into Duncan Creek, 2001-2002 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hillson, Todd D.

2002-10-01

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed Lower Columbia River chum as threatened under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in March of 1999 (64 FR 14508, March 25, 1999). The listing was in response to reduction in abundance from historical levels of more than half a million returning adults to fewer than 10,000 spawners present day (Johnson et al. 1997). Harvest, loss of habitat, changes in flow regimes, riverbed movement and heavy siltation have been largely responsible for the decline in this species in the Columbia River. The timing of seasonal changes in river flow and watermore » temperatures is perhaps the most critical factor in structuring the freshwater life history of chum salmon (Johnson et al. 1997). This is especially true of the population located directly below Bonneville Dam where hydropower operations can block access to spawning sites, dewater redds, strand fry, cause scour or fill of redds and increase sedimentation of spawning gravels. The recovery strategy for Lower Columbia River chum as outlined in the Hatchery Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) for the Grays River project has four main tasks. First, determine if remnant populations of Lower Columbia River chum salmon exist in Lower Columbia River tributaries. Second, if such populations exist, develop stock-specific recovery plans that would involve habitat restoration including the creation of spawning refugias, supplementation if necessary and a habitat and fish monitoring and evaluation plan. If chum have been extirpated from previously utilized streams, develop re-introduction plans that utilize appropriate genetic donor stock(s) of Lower Columbia River chum salmon and integrate habitat improvement and fry-to-adult survival evaluations. Third, reduce the extinction risk to Grays River chum salmon population by randomly capturing adults in the basin for use in a supplementation program and reintroduction of Lower Columbia River chum salmon into the Chinook River

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1994.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Power Planning Council; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

1994-02-01

This document is part of Bonneville Power Administration`s program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia River and its tributaries. The Fiscal Year 1994 (FY 1994) Annual Implementation Work Plan (AIWP) presents Bonneville Power Administration`s (BPA`s) plan for implementation of the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program). The purpose of the Program is to guide BPA and other federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. Phase I began the work of salmonmore » recovery with certain fast-track measures completed in August 1991. Phase II dealt with Snake and Columbia river flow and salmon harvest and was completed in December 1991. Phase III dealt with system-wide habitat and salmon production issues and was completed in September 1992. Phase IV planning, focusing on resident fish and wildlife, began in August 1993, and was finished and adopted in November 1993. This report provides summaries of the ongoing and new projects for FY 1994 within the areas of juvenile migration, adult migration, salmon harvest, production and habitat, coordinated implementation, monitoring and evaluation, resident fish, and wildlife.« less

Preliminary estimate of possible flood elevations in the Columbia River at Trojan Nuclear Power Plant due to failure of debris dam blocking Spirit Lake, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kresch, D.L.; Laenen, Antonius

1984-01-01

Failure of the debris dam, blocking the outflow of Spirit Lake near Mount St. Helens, could result in a mudflow down the Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers into the Columbia River. Flood elevations at the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant on the Columbia River, 5 mi upstream from the Cowlitz River, were simulated with a hydraulic routing model. The simulations are made for four Columbia River discharges in each of two scenarios, one in which Columbia River floods coincide with a mudflow and the other in which Columbia River floods follow a mudflow sediment deposit upstream from the Cowlitz River. In the first scenario, Manning 's roughness coefficients for clear water and for mudflow in the Columbia River are used; in the second scenario only clear water coefficients are used. The grade elevation at the power plant is 45 ft above sea level. The simulated elevations exceed 44 ft if the mudflow coincides with a Columbia River discharge that has a recurrence interval greater than 10 years (610,000 cu ft/sec); the mudflow is assumed to extend downstream from the Cowlitz River to the mouth of the Columbia River, and Manning 's roughness coefficients for a mudflow are used. The simulated elevation is 32 ft if the mudflow coincides with a 100-yr flood (820,000 cu ft/sec) and clear-water Manning 's coefficients are used throughout the entire reach of the Columbia River. The elevations exceed 45 ft if a flow exceeding the 2-yr peak discharge in the Columbia River (410,000 cu ft/sec) follows the deposit of 0.5 billion cu yd of mudflow sediment upstream of the Cowlitz River before there has been any appreciable scour or dredging of the deposit. In this simulation it is assumed that: (1) the top of the sediment deposited in the Columbia River is at an elevation of 30 ft at the mouth of the Cowlitz River, (2) the surface elevation of the sediment deposit decreases in an upstream direction at a rate of 2.5 ft/mi, and (3) clear water Manning 's coefficients apply to the entire modeled reach of

Diet of juvenile and adult American Shad in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauter, Sally T.; Blubaugh, J; Parsley, Michael J.

2011-01-01

The diet of juvenile and adult American shad Alosa sapidissima captured from various locations in the Columbia River was investigated during 2007 and 2008. Collection efforts in 2007 were restricted to fish collected from existing adult and juvenile fish collection facilities located at Bonneville Dam and to adult shad captured by angling downstream from Bonneville Dam. In 2008, we used gillnets, electrofishing, beach seining, or cast nets to collect juvenile and adult shad from the saline estuary near Astoria (approximately river km 24) to just upstream from McNary Dam (approximately river km 472). We examined the stomach contents of 436 American shad captured in 2007 and 1,272 captured in 2008. Fish caught within the river were much more likely to contain food items than fish removed from fish collection facilities.

The diet of age-0 American shad varied spatially and temporally, but was comprised primarily of crustaceans and insects. Prey diversity of age-0 American shad, as assessed by the Shannon Diversity Index, increased with decreasing distance to the estuary. Pre- and partial-spawn American shad primarily consumed Corophium spp. throughout the Columbia River; however, post-spawn adults primarily consumed gastropods upstream of McNary Dam

Environmental contaminants and biomarker responses in fish from the Columbia River and its tributaries: spatial and temporal trends

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, J.E.; Schmitt, C.J.; Blazer, V.S.; Denslow, N.D.; Bartish, T.M.; Anderson, P.J.; Coyle, J.J.; Dethloff, G.M.; Tillitt, D.E.

2006-01-01

Fish were collected from 16 sites on rivers in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) from September 1997 to April 1998 to document temporal and spatial trends in the concentrations of accumulative contaminants and to assess contaminant effects on the fish. Sites were located on the mainstem of the Columbia River and on the Snake, Willamette, Yakima, Salmon, and Flathead Rivers. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), black bass (Micropterus sp.), and largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) were the targeted species. Fish were field-examined for external and internal lesions, selected organs were weighed to compute somatic indices, and tissue and fluid samples were preserved for fish health and reproductive biomarker analyses. Composite samples of whole fish, grouped by species and gender, from each site were analyzed for organochlorine and elemental contaminants using instrumental methods and for 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin-like activity (TCDD-EQ) using the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay. Overall, pesticide concentrations were greatest in fish from lower CRB sites and elemental concentrations were greatest in fish from upper CRB sites. These patterns reflected land uses. Lead (Pb) concentrations in fish from the Columbia River at Northport and Grand Coulee, Washington (WA) exceeded fish and wildlife toxicity thresholds (> 0.4 ??g/g). Selenium (Se) concentrations in fish from the Salmon River at Riggins, Idaho (ID), the Columbia River at Vernita Bridge, WA, and the Yakima River at Granger, WA exceeded toxicity thresholds for piscivorous wildlife (> 0.6 ??g/g). Mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish were elevated throughout the basin but were greatest (> 0.4 ??g/g) in predatory fish from the Salmon River at Riggins, ID, the Yakima River at Granger, WA, and the Columbia River at Warrendale, Oregon (OR). Residues of p,p???-DDE were greatest (> 0.8 ??g/g) in fish from agricultural areas of the Snake, Yakima, and Columbia River basins but were not detected in upper CRB fish

Environmental contaminants and biomarker responses in fish from the Columbia River and its tributaries: spatial and temporal trends.

PubMed

Hinck, Jo Ellen; Schmitt, Christopher J; Blazer, Vicki S; Denslow, Nancy D; Bartish, Timothy M; Anderson, Patrick J; Coyle, James J; Dethloff, Gail M; Tillitt, Donald E

2006-08-01

Fish were collected from 16 sites on rivers in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) from September 1997 to April 1998 to document temporal and spatial trends in the concentrations of accumulative contaminants and to assess contaminant effects on the fish. Sites were located on the mainstem of the Columbia River and on the Snake, Willamette, Yakima, Salmon, and Flathead Rivers. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), black bass (Micropterus sp.), and largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) were the targeted species. Fish were field-examined for external and internal lesions, selected organs were weighed to compute somatic indices, and tissue and fluid samples were preserved for fish health and reproductive biomarker analyses. Composite samples of whole fish, grouped by species and gender, from each site were analyzed for organochlorine and elemental contaminants using instrumental methods and for 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin-like activity (TCDD-EQ) using the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay. Overall, pesticide concentrations were greatest in fish from lower CRB sites and elemental concentrations were greatest in fish from upper CRB sites. These patterns reflected land uses. Lead (Pb) concentrations in fish from the Columbia River at Northport and Grand Coulee, Washington (WA) exceeded fish and wildlife toxicity thresholds (>0.4 microg/g). Selenium (Se) concentrations in fish from the Salmon River at Riggins, Idaho (ID), the Columbia River at Vernita Bridge, WA, and the Yakima River at Granger, WA exceeded toxicity thresholds for piscivorous wildlife (>0.6 microg/g). Mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish were elevated throughout the basin but were greatest (>0.4 microg/g) in predatory fish from the Salmon River at Riggins, ID, the Yakima River at Granger, WA, and the Columbia River at Warrendale, Oregon (OR). Residues of p,p'-DDE were greatest (>0.8 microg/g) in fish from agricultural areas of the Snake, Yakima, and Columbia River basins but were not detected in upper CRB

Field-trip guide to the vents, dikes, stratigraphy, and structure of the Columbia River Basalt Group, eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Camp, Victor E; Reidel, Stephen P.; Ross, Martin E.; Brown, Richard J.; Self, Stephen

2017-06-22

The Columbia River Basalt Group covers an area of more than 210,000 km2 with an estimated volume of 210,000 km3. As the youngest continental flood-basalt province on Earth (16.7–5.5 Ma), it is well preserved, with a coherent and detailed stratigraphy exposed in the deep canyonlands of eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. The Columbia River flood-basalt province is often cited as a model for the study of similar provinces worldwide.This field-trip guide explores the main source region of the Columbia River Basalt Group and is written for trip participants attending the 2017 International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) Scientific Assembly in Portland, Oregon, USA. The first part of the guide provides an overview of the geologic features common in the Columbia River flood-basalt province and the stratigraphic terminology used in the Columbia River Basalt Group. The accompanying road log examines the stratigraphic evolution, eruption history, and structure of the province through a field examination of the lavas, dikes, and pyroclastic rocks of the Columbia River Basalt Group.

Diel and distributional abundance patterns of fish embryos and larvae in the lower Columbia and Deschutes rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gadomski, D.M.; Barfoot, C.A.

1998-01-01

Diel and distributional abundance patterns of free embryos and larvae of fishes in the lower Columbia River Basin were investigated. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected in 1993 during day and night in the main-channel and a backwater of the lower Columbia River, and in a tributary, the Deschutes River. Fish embryos and larvae collected in the main-channel Columbia River were primarily (85.6%) of native taxa (peamouth Mylocheilus caurinus, northern squawfish Ptychocheilus oregonensis, suckers Catostomus spp., and sculpins Cottus spp.), with two introduced species (American shad Alosa sapidissima and common carp Cyprinus carpio) comprising a smaller percentage of the catch (13.3%). Similarly, in the Deschutes River native taxa [lampreys (Petromyzontidae), minnows (Cyprinidae), and suckers Catostomus spp.] dominated collections (99.5% of the catch). In contrast, 83.5% of embryos and larvae in the Columbia River backwater were of introduced taxa [American shad, common carp, and sunfishes (Centrarchidae)]. In all locations, all dominant taxa except sculpins were collected in significantly greater proportions at night. Taxon-specific differences in proportions of embryos and larvae collected at night can in some instances be related to life history styles. In the main-channel Columbia River, northern squawfish and peamouth were strongly nocturnal and high proportions still had yolksacs, suggesting that they had recently hatched and were drifting downriver to rearing areas. In contrast, sculpin abundances were similar during day and night, and sculpins mostly had depleted yolksacs, indicating sculpins were feeding and rearing in offshore limnetic habitats. Taxon-specific diel abundance patterns and their causes must be considered when designing effective sampling programs for fish embryos and larvae.

33 CFR 3.65-15 - Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. 3.65-15 Section 3.65-15 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... ZONES, AND CAPTAIN OF THE PORT ZONES Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 3.65-15 Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. Sector Columbia River's office is located in Astoria...

33 CFR 3.65-15 - Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. 3.65-15 Section 3.65-15 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... ZONES, AND CAPTAIN OF THE PORT ZONES Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 3.65-15 Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. Sector Columbia River's office is located in Astoria...

33 CFR 3.65-15 - Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. 3.65-15 Section 3.65-15 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... ZONES, AND CAPTAIN OF THE PORT ZONES Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 3.65-15 Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. Sector Columbia River's office is located in Astoria...

33 CFR 3.65-15 - Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. 3.65-15 Section 3.65-15 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... ZONES, AND CAPTAIN OF THE PORT ZONES Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 3.65-15 Sector Columbia River Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. Sector Columbia River's office is located in Astoria...

A climate-change scenario for the Columbia River Basin.

Treesearch

Sue A. Ferguson

1997-01-01

This work describes the method used to generate a climate-change scenario for the Columbia River basin. The scenario considers climate patterns that may change if the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (C02), or its greenhouse gas equivalent, were to double over pre-Industrial Revolution values. Given the current rate of increase in...

Monitoring groundwater and river interaction along the Hanford reach of the Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, M.D.

1994-04-01

As an adjunct to efficient Hanford Site characterization and remediation of groundwater contamination, an automatic monitor network has been used to measure Columbia River and adjacent groundwater levels in several areas of the Hanford Site since 1991. Water levels, temperatures, and electrical conductivity measured by the automatic monitor network provided an initial database with which to calibrate models and from which to infer ground and river water interactions for site characterization and remediation activities. Measurements of the dynamic river/aquifer system have been simultaneous at 1-hr intervals, with a quality suitable for hydrologic modeling and for computer model calibration and testing.more » This report describes the equipment, procedures, and results from measurements done in 1993.« less

Genetic structure of Columbia River redband trout populations in the Kootenai River drainage, Montana, revealed by microsatellite and allozyme loci

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knudsen, K.-L.; Muhlfeld, C.C.; Sage, G.K.; Leary, R.F.

2002-01-01

We describe the genetic divergence among 10 populations of redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri from the upper Columbia River drainage. Resident redband trout from two watersheds in the Kootenai River drainage and hatchery stocks of migratory Kamloops redband trout from Kootenay Lake, British Columbia, were analyzed using allele frequency data from microsatellite and allozyme loci. The Kamloops populations have significantly different allele frequencies from those of the Kootenai River drainage. Of the total genetic variation detected in the resident redband trout, 40.7% (microsatellites) and 15.5% (allozymes) were due to differences between populations from the two Kootenai River watersheds. The divergence among populations within each watershed, however, was less than 3.5% with both techniques. Our data indicate that watershed-specific broodstocks of redband trout are needed by fisheries managers for reintroduction or the supplementation of populations at risk of extinction.

The Contribution of Tidal Fluvial Habitats in the Columbia River Estuary to the Recovery of Diverse Salmon ESUs

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

Chinook salmon (presumably subyearling) was the most prevalent life-history type detected at the Russian Island and Woody Island sites. The number of...Extend and refine the computational grid We extended the Virtual Columbia River to include regions upstream of Beaver Army, which previously served as...the Columbia River above Beaver Army and particularly above the confluence of the Willamette River. That process of calibration is highly iterative

Are the Columbia River Basalts, Columbia Plateau, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, USA, a viable geothermal target? A preliminary analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Erick R.; Williams, Colin F.; Tolan, Terry; Kaven, Joern Ole

2016-01-01

The successful development of a geothermal electric power generation facility relies on (1) the identification of sufficiently high temperatures at an economically viable depth and (2) the existence of or potential to create and maintain a permeable zone (permeability >10-14 m2) of sufficient size to allow efficient long-term extraction of heat from the reservoir host rock. If both occur at depth under the Columbia Plateau, development of geothermal resources there has the potential to expand both the magnitude and spatial extent of geothermal energy production. However, a number of scientific and technical issues must be resolved in order to evaluate the likelihood that the Columbia River Basalts, or deeper geologic units under the Columbia Plateau, are viable geothermal targets.Recent research has demonstrated that heat flow beneath the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System may be higher than previously measured in relatively shallow (<600 m depth) wells, indicating that sufficient temperatures for electricity generation occur at depths 5 km. The remaining consideration is evaluating the likelihood that naturally high permeability exists, or that it is possible to replicate the high average permeability (approximately 10-14 to 10-12 m2) characteristic of natural hydrothermal reservoirs. From a hydraulic perspective, Columbia River Basalts are typically divided into dense, impermeable flow interiors and interflow zones comprising the top of one flow, the bottom of the overlying flow, and any sedimentary interbed. Interflow zones are highly variable in texture but, at depths <600 m, some of them form highly permeable regional aquifers with connectivity over many tens of kilometers. Below depths of ~600 m, permeability reduction occurs in many interflow zones, caused by the formation of low-temperature hydrothermal alteration minerals (corresponding to temperatures above ~35 °C). However, some high permeability (>10-14 m2) interflows are documented at depths up

Portland, Mount Hood, & Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, Perspective View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Portland, the largest city in Oregon, is located on the Columbia River at the northern end of the Willamette Valley. On clear days, Mount Hood highlights the Cascade Mountains backdrop to the east. The Columbia is the largest river in the American Northwest and is navigable up to and well beyond Portland. It is also the only river to fully cross the Cascade Range, and has carved the Columbia River Gorge, which is seen in the left-central part of this view. A series of dams along the river, at topographically favorable sites, provide substantial hydroelectric power to the region.

This perspective view was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), a Landsat satellite image, and a false sky. Topographic expression is vertically exaggerated two times.

Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data substantially help in analyzing Landsat images by revealing the third dimension of Earth's surface, topographic height. The Landsat archive is managed by the U.S. Geological Survey's Eros Data Center (USGS EDC).

Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet

Distribution, status, and likely future trends of bull trout within the interior Columbia River and Klamath River basins

Treesearch

Bruce E. Rieman; Danny C. Lee; Russell F. Thurow

1997-01-01

We summarized existing knowledge regarding the distribution and status of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus across 4,462 subwatersheds of the interior Columbia River basin in Oregon, Washington. Idaho, Montana, and Nevada and of the Klamath River basin in Oregon, a region that represents about 20% of the species' global range. We used classification trees and the...

33 CFR 110.128 - Columbia River at Portland, Oreg.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... waters of the Columbia River between Sand Island and Government Island, bounded on the west by pile dike U.S. 5.75 and a line extending true north from the northerly end of the dike to the south shore of Sand Island and bounded on the east by a line bearing 339°15′ true, from a point on Government Island...

33 CFR 110.128 - Columbia River at Portland, Oreg.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... waters of the Columbia River between Sand Island and Government Island, bounded on the west by pile dike U.S. 5.75 and a line extending true north from the northerly end of the dike to the south shore of Sand Island and bounded on the east by a line bearing 339°15′ true, from a point on Government Island...

33 CFR 110.128 - Columbia River at Portland, Oreg.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... waters of the Columbia River between Sand Island and Government Island, bounded on the west by pile dike U.S. 5.75 and a line extending true north from the northerly end of the dike to the south shore of Sand Island and bounded on the east by a line bearing 339°15′ true, from a point on Government Island...

33 CFR 110.128 - Columbia River at Portland, Oreg.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... waters of the Columbia River between Sand Island and Government Island, bounded on the west by pile dike U.S. 5.75 and a line extending true north from the northerly end of the dike to the south shore of Sand Island and bounded on the east by a line bearing 339°15′ true, from a point on Government Island...

33 CFR 110.128 - Columbia River at Portland, Oreg.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... waters of the Columbia River between Sand Island and Government Island, bounded on the west by pile dike U.S. 5.75 and a line extending true north from the northerly end of the dike to the south shore of Sand Island and bounded on the east by a line bearing 339°15′ true, from a point on Government Island...

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

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 pastmore » 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.« less

Mercury concentrations in Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) and sediments in the Columbia River basin.

PubMed

Linley, Timothy; Krogstad, Eirik; Mueller, Robert; Gill, Gary; Lasorsa, Brenda

2016-10-01

The accumulation of mercury was investigated in Pacific lamprey and stream sediments in the Columbia River basin. Mercury concentrations in larval lamprey differed significantly among sample locations (p < 0.001) and were correlated with concentrations in sediments (r 2  = 0.83). Adult concentrations were highly variable (range, 0.1-9.5 μg/g) and unrelated to holding time after collection. The results suggest that Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River basin may be exposed to mercury levels that have adverse ecological effects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2571-2576. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Early life history of the northern pikeminnow in the lower Columbia River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gadomski, D.M.; Barfoot, C.A.; Bayer, J.M.; Poe, T.P.

2001-01-01

The northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis is a large, native cyprinid in the Columbia River basin that has persisted in spite of substantial habitat alterations. During the months of June to September 1993-1996, we investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of northern pikeminnow spawning, along with describing larval drift and characterizing larval and early juvenile rearing habitats in the lower Columbia River (the John Day and Dalles reservoirs and the free-flowing section downstream of Bonneville Dam) as well as in the lower sections of two major tributaries (the John Day and Deschutes rivers). The density of newly emerged drifting larvae was higher in dam tailraces (a mean of 7.7 larvae/100 m3 in surface tows) than in the lower reservoirs (0.3 larvae/100 m3), indicating that tailraces were areas of more intense spawning. Density was particularly high in the Bonneville Dam tailrace (15.1 larvae/100 m3), perhaps because adult northern pikeminnow are abundant below Bonneville Dam and this is the first tailrace and suitable main-stem spawning habitat encountered during upriver spawning migrations. Spawning also occurred in both of the tributaries sampled but not in a backwater. Spawning in the Columbia River primarily took place during the month of June in 1993 and 1994, when the water temperature rose from 14??C to 18??C, but occurred about 2 weeks later in 1995 and 1996, possibly because of cooler June water temperature (14-15??C) in these years. The period of drift was brief (about 1-3 d), with larvae recruiting to shallow, low-velocity shorelines of main-channel and backwater areas to rear. Larvae reared in greatest densities at sites with fine sediment or sand substrates and moderate- to high-density vegetation (a mean density of 92.1 larvae/10 m3). The success of northern pikeminnow in the Columbia River basin may be partly attributable to their ability to locate adequate spawning and rearing conditions in a variety of main-stem and tributary

Chlorinated hydrocarbons in livers of American mink (Mustela vison) and river otter (Lutra canadensis) from the Columbia and Fraser River Basins, 1990-1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, J.E.; Henny, Charles J.; Harris, M.L.; Wilson, L.K.; Norstrom, R.J.

1999-01-01

We investigated chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in aquatic mustelid species on the Fraser and Columbia Rivers of northwestern North America. Carcasses of river otter (Lutra canadensis) (N=24) and mink (Mustela vison) (N=34) were obtained from commercial trappers during the winters of 1990-91 and 1991a??92. Pooled liver samples were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including non-ortho congeners, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Most samples contained detectable concentrations of DDE, PCBs, although there was substantial variability in patterns and trends among neighboring samples. Concentrations of DDE were in some mink and several otter samples from the lower Columbia River elevated (to 4700 g/kg wet weight); excluding one mink sample from the Wenatchee area, mean DDE levels generally decreased between 1978a??79 and 1990a??92. PCBs were present in all samples. PCB concentrations in otter livers collected from the lower Columbia were ten-fold lower than measured a decade previously; nevertheless, a sample taken near Portland had a mean concentration of 1500 g/kg, within a range of concentrations associated with reproductive effects in captive mink. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and TCDF were generally below detection limits, except for one otter collected near a pulp mill at Castlegar, on the upper Columbia, with 11 ng TCDD/kg in liver. Elevated concentrations of higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs, probably resulting from use of chlorophenolic wood preservatives, were found in both species; one otter sample from the lower Columbia had 2200 ng OCDD/kg. International TCDD toxic equivalent levels in mink (31 ng/kg) and otter (93 ng/kg) from the lower Columbia River approached toxicity thresholds for effects on reproduction in ranch mink.

Large-scale coastal change in the Columbia River littoral cell: an overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gelfenbaum, Guy; Kaminsky, George M.

2010-01-01

This overview introduces large-scale coastal change in the Columbia River littoral cell (CRLC). Covering 165 km of the southwest Washington and northwest Oregon coasts, the littoral cell is made up of wide low-sloping dissipative beaches, broad coastal dunes and barrier plains, three large estuaries, and is bounded by rocky headlands. The beaches and inner shelf are composed of fine-grained sand from the Columbia River and are exposed to a high-energy winter wave climate. Throughout the Holocene, the CRLC has undergone large fluctuations in shoreline change trends, responding to a variety of coastal change drivers, including changing rates of sea-level rise, infrequent, yet catastrophic, co-seismic subsidence events, a large regional sediment supply, inter-annual climatic fluctuations (El Niño cycles), seasonally varying wave climate, and numerous anthropogenic influences. Human influences on the CRLC include construction of over 200 dams in the Columbia River drainage basin, dredging of navigation channels removing sand to upland sites and offshore deep-water sites, and construction of large inlet jetties at the entrances to the Columbia River and Grays Harbor. The construction of these massive entrance jetties at the end of the 19th century has been the dominant driver of coastal change through most of the littoral cell over the last hundred years. Presently, some beaches in the littoral cell are eroding in response to nearshore sediment deficits resulting from a) ebb-jets of the confined entrances pushing the previously large, shallow ebb-tidal deltas offshore into deeper water, and b) waves dispersing the nearshore delta flanks initially onshore and then alongshore away from the jetties. This overview describes 1) the motivation for developing a system-wide understanding of sediment dynamics in the littoral cell at multiple time and space scales, 2) the formation and approach of the Southwest Washington Coastal Erosion Study, and 3) an introduction to the

Reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals and wastewater indicators in streambed sediments of the lower Columbia River basin, Oregon and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nilsen, Elena; Furlong, Edward T.; Rosenbauer, Robert

2014-01-01

One by-product of advances in modern chemistry is the accumulation of synthetic chemicals in the natural environment. These compounds include contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), some of which are endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) that can have detrimental reproductive effects. The role of sediments in accumulating these types of chemicals and acting as a source of exposure for aquatic organisms is not well understood. Here we present a small-scale reconnaissance of CECs in bed sediments of the lower Columbia River and several tributaries and urban streams. Surficial bed sediment samples were collected from the Columbia River, the Willamette River, the Tualatin River, and several small urban creeks in Oregon. Thirty-nine compounds were detected at concentrations ranging from 1,000 ng [g sediment]-1 dry weight basis. Columbia River mainstem, suggesting a higher risk of exposure to aquatic life in lower order streams. Ten known or suspected EDCs were detected during the study. At least one EDC was detected at 21 of 23 sites sampled; several EDCs were detected in sediment from most sites. This study is the first to document the occurrence of a large suite of CECs in the sediments of the Columbia River basin. A better understanding of the role of sediment in the fate and effects of emerging contaminants is needed.

Earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of the Columbia River basin assessment area.

Treesearch

Sam James

2000-01-01

Earthworms are key components of many terrestrial ecosystems; however, little is known of their ecology, distribution, and taxonomy in the eastern interior Columbia River basin assessment area (hereafter referred to as the basin assessment area). This report summarizes the main issues about the ecology of earthworms and their impact on the physical and chemical status...

Historical changes in pool habitats in the Columbia River basin

Treesearch

Bruce A. McIntosh; James R. Sedell; Russell F. Thurow; Sharon E. Clarke; Gwynn L. Chandler

2000-01-01

An historical stream survey (1934-1945) was compared with current surveys (1987-1997) to assess changes in pool frequencies in the Columbia River Basin. We surveyed 2267 km of 122 streams across the basin, representing a wide range of lithologies, stream sizes, land use histories, ownerships, and ecoregions. Based on pool classes inherited from the historical surveys,...

Historical changes in pool habitats in the Columbia River basin

Treesearch

Bruce A. McIntosh; James R. Sedell; Russell F. Thurow; Sharon E. Clarke; Gwynn L. Chandler

1995-01-01

Knowledge of how stream habitats change over time in natural and human-influenced ecosystems at large, regional scales is currently limited. A historical stream survey (1934-1945) was compared to current surveys to assess changes in pool habitats in the Columbia River basin. Streams from across the basin, representing a wide range of geologies, stream sizes and land-...

Distribution and relative abundance of fishes in littoral areas of Chief Joseph Reservoir, Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gadomski, Dena M.; Venditti, David A.; Robinson, T. Craig; Beeman, John W.; Maule, Alec G.

2004-01-01

We surveyed fish assemblages in littoral areas of Chief Joseph Reservoir of the upper Columbia River to aid in understanding this ecosystem. Fish distributions and abundances were examined during April-July 1999 in relation to environmental conditions in the reservoir. We also compared the fish assemblages in Chief Joseph reservoir in 1999 to a past study conducted during 1974-1975, and to assemblages in other areas of the Columbia River. During 67 hr of electrofishing and 78 beach seine hauls in Chief Joseph Reservoir, 7460 fishes representing 8 families were collected. The majority of the catch was native – northern pikeminnow; redside shiners; longnose, bridgelip, and largescale suckers; and sculpins. The most abundant introduced species was walleye, and one species, rainbow trout, was mostly of net-pen origin. Larger sizes of suckers and northern pikeminnow were most abundant in the upper reservoir, likely due to upstream spawning migrations. The lower reservoir contained greater abundances of smaller fishes, and this area had lower flows, smaller substrates, and more complex shorelines that offered these fishes refugia. Only adult suckers displayed significant differences in abundances related to substrate. The relative abundances of species appeared to have changed since the 1970s, when the dominant fishes were northern pikeminnow, peamouth, largescale suckers, and walleye. Fish assemblage differences between Chief Joseph Reservoir and lower Columbia River reservoirs were also evident due to the morphology of the reservoir, its more northerly location, and the lack of fish passage facilities at Chief Joseph Dam. Our study is one of the few descriptions of fishes in the upper Columbia Rivers.

Data Summary Report for teh Remedial Investigation of Hanford Site Releases to the Columbia River, Hanford Site, Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hulstrom, L.

2011-02-07

This data summary report summarizes the investigation results to evaluate the nature and distribution of Hanford Site-related contaminants present in the Columbia River. As detailed in DOE/RL-2008-11, more than 2,000 environmental samples were collected from the Columbia River between 2008 and 2010. These samples consisted of island soil, sediment, surface water, groundwater upwelling (pore water, surface water, and sediment), and fish tissue.

White Sturgeon Mitigation and Restoration in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from Bonneville Dam; 2002-2003 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, David L.; Kern, J. Chris; Hughes, Michele L.

2004-02-01

We report on our progress from April 2002 through March 2003 on determining the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam, and on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from McNary Dam.

Coastal Upwelling Supplies Oxygen-Depleted Water to the Columbia River Estuary

PubMed Central

Roegner, G. Curtis; Needoba, Joseph A.; Baptista, António M.

2011-01-01

Low dissolved oxygen (DO) is a common feature of many estuarine and shallow-water environments, and is often attributed to anthropogenic nutrient enrichment from terrestrial-fluvial pathways. However, recent events in the U.S. Pacific Northwest have highlighted that wind-forced upwelling can cause naturally occurring low DO water to move onto the continental shelf, leading to mortalities of benthic fish and invertebrates. Coastal estuaries in the Pacific Northwest are strongly linked to ocean forcings, and here we report observations on the spatial and temporal patterns of oxygen concentration in the Columbia River estuary. Hydrographic measurements were made from transect (spatial survey) or anchor station (temporal survey) deployments over a variety of wind stresses and tidal states during the upwelling seasons of 2006 through 2008. During this period, biologically stressful levels of dissolved oxygen were observed to enter the Columbia River estuary from oceanic sources, with minimum values close to the hypoxic threshold of 2.0 mg L−1. Riverine water was consistently normoxic. Upwelling wind stress controlled the timing and magnitude of low DO events, while tidal-modulated estuarine circulation patterns influenced the spatial extent and duration of exposure to low DO water. Strong upwelling during neap tides produced the largest impact on the estuary. The observed oxygen concentrations likely had deleterious behavioral and physiological consequences for migrating juvenile salmon and benthic crabs. Based on a wind-forced supply mechanism, low DO events are probably common to the Columbia River and other regional estuaries and if conditions on the shelf deteriorate further, as observations and models predict, Pacific Northwest estuarine habitats could experience a decrease in environmental quality. PMID:21533083

Simulation of Columbia River Floods in the Hanford Reach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waichler, Scott R.; Serkowski, John A.; Perkins, William A.

Columbia River water elevations and flows in the Hanford Reach affect the environment and facilities along the shoreline, including movement of contaminants in groundwater, fish habitat, and infrastructure subject to flooding. This report describes the hydraulic simulation of hypothetical flood flows using the best available topographic and bathymetric data for the Hanford Reach and the Modular Aquatic Simulation System in 1 Dimension (MASS1) hydrodynamic model. The MASS1 model of the Hanford Reach was previously calibrated to field measurements of water surface elevations. The current model setup can be used for other studies of flow, water levels, and temperature in themore » Reach. The existing MASS1 channel geometry and roughness and other model configuration inputs for the Hanford Reach were used for this study, and previous calibration and validation results for the model are reprinted here for reference. The flood flows for this study were simulated by setting constant flow rates obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima Rivers, and a constant water level at McNary Dam, and then running the model to steady state. The discharge levels simulated were all low-probability events; for example, a 100-year flood is one that would occur on average every 100 years, or put another way, in any given year there is a 1% chance that a discharge of that level or higher will occur. The simulated floods and their corresponding Columbia River discharges were 100-year (445,000 cfs), 500-year (520,000 cfs), and the USACE-defined Standard Project Flood (960,000 cfs). The resulting water levels from the steady-state floods can be viewed as “worst case” outcomes for the respective discharge levels. The MASS1 output for water surface elevations was converted to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 and projected across the channel and land surface to enable mapping of the floodplain for each scenario. Floodplain maps show

The economic impact on the forest sector of critical habitat delineation for salmon in the Columbia and Snake River basins.

Treesearch

R.W. Haynes; N.A. Bolon; D.T. Hormaechea

1992-01-01

Economic implications of critical habitat designation (CHD) for salmon in the Columbia River basin were estimated in advance of actual designation and recovery plan development. Economic impacts on Pacific, Northwest, Intermountain, and Northern Region National Forests' range, recreation, timber, and mineral programs in the Columbia and Snake River basins were...

Atmospheric deposition inputs and effects on lichen chemistry and indicator species in the Columbia River Gorge, USA.

PubMed

Fenn, M E; Geiser, L; Bachman, R; Blubaugh, T J; Bytnerowicz, A

2007-03-01

Topographic and meteorological conditions make the Columbia River Gorge (CRG) an 'exhaust pipe' for air pollutants generated by the Portland-Vancouver metropolis and Columbia Basin. We sampled fog, bulk precipitation, throughfall, airborne particulates, lichen thalli, and nitrophytic lichen distribution. Throughfall N and S deposition were high, 11.5-25.4 and 3.4-6.7 kg ha(-1) over 4.5 months at all 9 and 4/9 sites, respectively. Deposition and lichen thallus N were highest at eastern- and western-most sites, implicating both agricultural and urban sources. Fog and precipitation pH were frequently as low as 3.7-5.0. Peak NO(x), NH(3), and SO(2) concentrations in the eastern CRG were low, suggesting enhanced N and S inputs were largely from particulate deposition. Lichens indicating nitrogen-enriched environments were abundant and lichen N and S concentrations were 2x higher in the CRG than surrounding national forests. The atmospheric deposition levels detected likely threaten Gorge ecosystems and cultural resources.

Status and trends monitoring of the mainstem Columbia River: sample frame development and review of programs relevant to the development of an integrated approach to monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Counihan, Timothy D.; Hardiman, Jill M.; Waste, Stephen

2013-01-01

Implementing an Integrated Status and Trends Monitoring program (ISTM) for the mainstem Columbia River will help identify trends in important natural resources and help us understand the long-term collective effects of management actions. In this report, we present progress towards the completion of a stepwise process that will facilitate the development of an ISTM for the mainstem Columbia River. We discuss planning and regulatory documents that can be used to identify monitoring goals and objectives and present existing monitoring and research activities that should be considered as the development of a Columbia River ISTM proceeds. We also report progress towards the development of sample frames for the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their floodplains. The sample frames were formulated using Digital Elevation Models (DEM’s) of the river channel and upland areas and a Generalized Random-Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) algorithm for an area based resource to generate “master sample(s).” Working with the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) we facilitated the transfer of the sample frames to the PNAMP “Monitoring Sample Designer” tool. We then discuss aspects of response and survey designs as they pertain to the formulation of a mainstem Columbia River ISTM. As efforts to formulate an ISTM for the mainstem Columbia River proceed, practitioners should utilize the extensive literature describing the planning and implementation of fish and wildlife mitigation and recovery efforts in the Columbia River Basin. While we make progress towards establishing an ISTM framework, considerable work needs to be done to formulate an ISTM program for the mainstem Columbia River. Long-term monitoring programs have been established for other large rivers systems; scientists that have experience planning, implementing, and maintaining large river monitoring efforts such as those in the Colorado, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers should be consulted and

Lower Columbia River and Estuary Habitat Monitoring Study, 2011 - Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borde, Amy B.; Kaufmann, Ronald M.; Cullinan, Valerie I.

The Ecosystem Monitoring Program is a collaborative effort between the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (LCREP), University of Washington, Wetland Ecosystem Team (UW), US Geological Survey, Water Science Center (USGS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA-Fisheries, hereafter NOAA), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Marine Sciences Laboratory (PNNL). The goal of the program is to conduct emergent wetland monitoring aimed at characterizing salmonid habitats in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) from the mouth of the estuary to Bonneville Dam (Figure 1). This is an ecosystem based monitoring program focused on evaluating status and trends inmore » habitat and reducing uncertainties regarding these ecosystems to ultimately improve the survival of juvenile salmonids through the LCRE. This project comprehensively assesses habitat, fish, food web, and abiotic conditions in the lower river, focusing on shallow water and vegetated habitats used by juvenile salmonids for feeding, rearing and refugia. The information is intended to be used to guide management actions associated with species recovery, particularly that of threatened and endangered salmonids. PNNL’s role in this multi-year study is to monitor the habitat structure (e.g., vegetation, topography, channel morphology, and sediment type) as well as hydrologic patterns.« less

Ecology of an estuarine mysid shrimp in the Columbia River (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haskell, C.A.; Stanford, J.A.

2006-01-01

The estuarine mysid, Neomysis mercedis, has colonized John Day and other run-of-the-river Reservoirs of the Columbia River, over 400 km from the estuary. In John Day Reservoir N. mercedis numbers peaked (2 m-3) in August in areas near the dam in association with lower water velocity and softer bottom than at the upstream sampling sites. Neomysis broods were primarily released in late spring and early fall. Gut content analysis showed that Neomysis feeds mostly on cladoceran zooplankton and rotifers in John Day Reservoir. Diel vertical migration was documented, with daytime distribution restricted to the bottom and preferentially to the soft-textured sediments in the deepest areas. Common pelagic fishes in the reservoir, especially juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), are daytime zooplankton feeders that cannot prey on Neomysis owing to mysid diel vertical migration. Thus, Neomysis has become an important food web component in John Day Reservoir. We also collected N. mercedis further upstream in Lower Granite Reservoir, where another estuarine crustacean, Corophium salmonis, also is reported, underscoring the need to better understand the role of these estuarine invertebrates in the trophic ecology of the Columbia River. Copyright ?? 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Thiaminase activity and life history investigations in American Shad in the Columbia river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetzel, Lisa A.; Parsley, Michael J; van der Leeuw, Bjorn K.; Larsen, Kimberly A.

2011-01-01

American shad Alosa sapidissima fry were successfully transplanted from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast in 1871 and have subsequently proliferated. The Columbia River population is in the millions, yet few investigations have been conducted to better understand their life history, population dynamics, or potential impacts on other species. In 2007 and 2008 we captured American shad from the Columbia River to assess levels of thiaminase activity and to characterize some aspects of American shad life history. Thiaminase levels in age-0 and adult fish were high and ranged from 4,113-20,874 pmol/g/min. Ages of spawning American shad ranged from 3-7 years and iteroparity was approximately 33-36% in the spawning population. Males were typically younger and smaller and had a higher degree of iteroparity than females

Columbia River White Sturgeon Genetics and Early Life History: Population Segregation and Juvenile Feeding Behavior, 1987 Final Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brannon, Ernest L.

1988-06-01

The geographic area of the genetics study broadly covered the distribution range of sturgeon in the Columbia from below Bonneville Dam at Ilwaco at Lake Roosevelt, the Upper Snake River, and the Kootenai River. The two remote river sections provided data important for enhancement considerations. There was little electrophoretic variation seen among individuals from the Kootenai River. Upper Snake river sturgeon showed a higher percentage of polymorphic loci than the Kootenai fish, but lower than the other areas in the Columbia River we sampled. Sample size was increased in both Lake Roosevelt and at Electrophoretic variation was specific to anmore » individual sampling area in several cases and this shaped our conclusions. The 1987 early life history studies concentrated on the feeding behavior of juvenile sturgeon. The chemostimulant components in prey attractive to sturgeon were examined, and the sensory systems utilized by foraging sturgeon were determined under different environmental conditions. These results were discussed with regard to the environmental changes that have occurred in the Columbia River. Under present river conditions, the feeding mechanism of sturgeon is more restricted to certain prey types, and their feeding range may be limited. In these situations, enhancement measures cannot be undertaken without consideration given to the introduction of food resources that will be readily available under present conditions. 89 refs., 7 figs., 11 tabs.« less

Residence Times of Juvenile Salmon and Steelhead in Off-Channel Tidal Freshwater Habitats, Columbia River, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Ploskey, Gene R.; Sather, Nichole K.

We estimated seasonal residence times of acoustic-tagged juvenile salmonids in off-channel, tidal freshwater habitats of the Columbia River near the Sandy River delta (rkm 198; 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011) and Cottonwood Island (rkm 112; 2012).

76 FR 21253 - Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-15

...-AA00 Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard is extending and expanding the emergency safety zone established on... January 28, 2011. The safety zone is necessary to help ensure the safety of the response workers and...

76 FR 34862 - Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-15

...-AA00 Safety Zone; M/V DAVY CROCKETT, Columbia River AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard is extending the enforcement of a safety zone established on the... original safety zone was established on January 28, 2011. The safety zone is necessary to help ensure the...

Sediment-quality assessment of Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upstream reach of the Columbia River, Washington, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bortleson, Gilbert Carl; Cox, S.E.; Munn, M.D.; Schumaker, R.J.; Block, E.K.

2001-01-01

Elevated concentrations of trace elements were found in bed sediment of Lake Roosevelt and the Columbia River, its principal source of inflow. Trace-element concentrations in whole water samples did not exceed criteria for freshwater organisms. Bed sediments of Lake Roosevelt were analyzed for organic compounds associated with wood-pulp waste. Dioxins and furans were found in suspended sediment and water of the Columbia River. Abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrate communities were analyzed.

Toxicity of copper to early-life stage Kootenai River white sturgeon, Columbia River white sturgeon, and rainbow trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Little, E.E.; Calfee, R.D.; Linder, G.

2012-01-01

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) populations throughout western North America are in decline, likely as a result of overharvest, operation of dams, and agricultural and mineral extraction activities in their watersheds. Recruitment failure may reflect the loss of early-life stage fish in spawning areas of the upper Columbia River, which are contaminated with metals from effluents associated with mineral-extraction activities. Early-life stage white sturgeon (A. transmontanus) from the Columbia River and Kootenai River populations were exposed to copper during 96-h flow-through toxicity tests to determine their sensitivity to the metal. Similar tests were conducted with rainbow trout (RBT [Oncorhynchus mykiss]) to assess the comparative sensitivity of this species as a surrogate for white sturgeon. Exposures were conducted with a water quality pH 8.1-8.3, hardness 81-119 mg/L as CaCO2, and dissolved organic carbon 0.2-0.4 mg/L. At approximately 30 days posthatch (dph), sturgeon were highly sensitive to copper with median lethal concentration (LC50) values ranging from 4.1 to 6.8 μg/L compared with 36.5 μg/L for 30 dph RBT. White sturgeon at 123-167 dph were less sensitive to copper with LC50 values ranging from 103.7 to 268.9 μg/L. RBT trout, however, remained more sensitive to copper at 160 dph with an LC50 value of 30.9 μg/L. The results indicate that high sensitivity to copper in early-life stage white sturgeon may be a factor in recruitment failure occurring in the upper Columbia and Kootenai rivers. When site-specific water-quality criteria were estimated using the biotic ligand model (BLM), derived values were not protective of early-life stage fish, nor were estimates derived by water-hardness adjustment.

Columbia River Strategy for Measuring, Documenting and Reducing Chemicals of Emerging Concern - July 2014

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Outline for a research and monitoring strategy for chemicals of emerging concern in the Columbia River Basin, and a characterization of the biological impacts of CECs on aquatic and terrestrial wildlife.

77 FR 5191 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; District of Columbia; Regional...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-02

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; District of Columbia; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan... of Columbia Regional Haze Plan, a revision to the District of Columbia State Implementation Plan (SIP... existing anthropogenic impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I areas through a regional haze program...

Distribution and status of redband trout in the interior Columbia river basin and portions of the Klamath river and great basins

Treesearch

Russell F. Thurow; Bruce E. Rieman; Danny C. Lee; Philip J. Howell; Raymon D. Perkinson

2007-01-01

We summarized existing knowledge (circa 1996) of the potential historical range and the current distribution and status of non-anadromous interior redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp. in the U.S. portion of the interior Columbia River Basin and portions of the Klamath River and Great Basins (ICRB). We estimated that the potential historical range included 5,458...

System-Wide Significance of Predation on Juvenile Salmonids in Columbia and Snake River Reservoirs : Annual Report 1992.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, James H.; Poe, Thomas P.

1993-12-01

Northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) predation on juvenile salmonids was characterized during 1992 at ten locations in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam and at three locations in John Day Reservoir. During the spring and summer, 1,487 northern squawfish were collected in the lower Columbia River and 202 squawfish were sampled in John Day Reservoir. Gut content data, predator weight, and water temperature were used to compute a consumption index (CI) for northern squawfish, and overall diet was also described. In the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, northern squawfish diet was primarily fish (spring 69%; summer 53%), most of which weremore » salmonids. Salmonids were also the primary diet component in the Bonneville Dam tailrace, John Day Dam forebay, and the McNary Dam tailrace. Crustaceans were the dominant diet item at the John Day mid-reservoir location, although sample sizes were small. About half of the non-salmonid preyfish were sculpins. The consumption index (CI) of northern squawfish was generally higher during summer than during spring. The highest CI`s were observed during summer in the tailrace boat restricted zones of Bonneville Dam (CI = 7.8) and McNary Dam (CI = 4.6). At locations below Bonneville Dam, CI`s were relatively low near Covert`s Landing and Rooster Rock, higher at four locations between Blue Lake and St. Helens, and low again at three downriver sites (Kalama, Ranier, and Jones Beach). Northern squawfish catches and CI`s were noticeably higher throughout the lower Columbia compared to mid-reservoir sites further upriver sampled during 1990--92. Predation may be especially intense in the free-flowing section of the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam. Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui; N = 198) ate mostly fish -- 25% salmonids, 29% sculpins, and 46% other fish. Highest catches of smallmouth bass were in the John Day Dam forebay.« less

Re-Introduction of Lower Columbia River Chum Salmon into Duncan Creek, 2002-2003 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hillson, Todd D.

2003-10-15

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed Lower Columbia River chum as threatened under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in March of 1999 (64 FR 14508, March 25, 1999). The listing was in response to reduction in abundance from historical levels of more than half a million returning adults to fewer than 10,000 present day spawners. Harvest, loss of habitat, changes in flow regimes, riverbed movement and heavy siltation have been largely responsible for the decline of Columbia River chum salmon. The timing of seasonal changes in river flow and water temperatures is perhaps the most criticalmore » factor in structuring the freshwater life history of this species. This is especially true of the population located directly below Bonneville Dam where hydropower operations can block access to spawning sites, dewater redds, strand fry, cause scour or fill of redds and increase sedimentation of spawning gravels. Currently, only two main populations are recognized as genetically distinct in the Columbia River, although spawning has been documented in most lower Columbia River tributaries. The first is located in the Grays River (RKm 34) (Grays population), a tributary of the Columbia, and the second is a group of spawners that utilize the Columbia River just below Bonneville Dam (RKm 235) adjacent to Ives Island and in Hardy and Hamilton creeks (Lower Gorge population). A possible third population of mainstem spawners, found in the fall of 1999, were located spawning above the I-205 bridge (approximately RKm 182), this aggregation is referred to as the Woods Landing/Rivershore population or the I-205 group. The recovery strategy for Lower Columbia River (LCR) chum as outlined in Hatchery Genetic Management Plans (HGMP) has three main tasks. First, determine if remnant populations of LCR chum salmon exist in LCR tributaries. Second, if such populations exist, develop stock-specific recovery plans involving habitat restoration including the

Criteria for reducing predation by northern squawfish near juvenile salmonid bypass outfalls at Columbia River dams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shively, Rip S.; Poe, Thomas P.; Sheer, Mindi B.; Peters, Rock

1996-01-01

Predation by northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) has been documented to be significant on emigrating juvenile salmonids near juvenile bypass outfalls at hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River. Criteria for siting juvenile fish bypass outfalls to reduce predation were developed using locational data from radio-tagged northern squawfish in The Dalles Dam trailrace, Columbia River. Radio transmitters were surgically implanted in 164 northern squawfish in 1993 and 1994, and their movements and distribution were monitored. Position estimates of northern squawfish were compared with data from a physical hydraulic model of the dam to estimate water velocities where northern squawfish were located. Eighty-two percent of northern squawfish position estimates were in water velocities ≤110 cm/s in 1993 and ≤90 cm/s in 1994. Fish locations were usually associated with water depths ≤10 m (84% in 1993 and 82% in 1994); 90% were within 110 m of the shore or dam structure in 1993, and 86% were within 80 m in 1994. In a related study at John Day Dam, Columbia River, where the juvenile bypass outfall is located 40 m from shore, water depth is 10 m and water velocities typically exceed 75 cm/s, only 13 of 1443 (0.9%) contacts on radio-tagged northern squawfish were located within 200 m of the bypass outfall. We recommend that new or modified juvenile bypass outfalls on the Columbia River be located in water velocities of ≥100 cm/s, ≥75 m from the shore or dam structure, and in water ≥10 m deep.

The Interior Columbia River Basin: patterns of population, employment, and income change.

Treesearch

Wendy J. McGinnis; Harriet H. Christensen

1996-01-01

Public expectations for management of public resources are changing, and public agencies are moving toward sustainable ecosystem management that incorporates information on ecological, economic, and social systems. A broad assessment of these systems is being undertaken for the interior Columbia River basin. This paper describes some basic population characteristics of...

Correlation of Miocene flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group from the central Columbia River Plateau to the coast of Oregon and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wells, Ray E.; Simpson, R.W.; Bentley, R.D.; Beeson, Melvin H.; Mangan, Margaret T.; Wright, Thomas L.

1989-01-01

Nearly twenty flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) can be paleomagnetically and chemically correlated westward as far as 500 km from the Columbia Plateau in Washington, through the Columbia Gorge, to the Coast Range of Oregon and Washington. In the Coast Range near Cathlamet, Washington, the CRBG flow stratigraphy includes 10 flows of Grande Ronde Basalt (1 low-MgO R2 flow, 6 low-MgO N2 flows, 3 high-MgO N2 flows), 2 flows of Wanapum Basalt (both flows of Sand Hollow from the Frenchman Springs Member), and the Pomona Member of the Saddle Mountains Basalt. Elsewhere in the Coast Range, additional Grande Ronde Basalt flows, including flows of Winterwater or Umtanum, and additional Wanapum flows, including the flows of Ginkgo, have been reported. Thus at least 18 to 20 CRBG flows reached the coast region. Several of these distal flows have distinctive chemical and magnetic characteristics that are shared by nearby isolated intrusions in Coast Range sedimentary rocks, thus strongly supporting recent suggestions that these intrusions are invasive bodies fed by CRBG flows. Magnetization directions from several flows indicate 16 to 30° of clockwise rotation of the coast with respect to the plateau since middle Miocene time.

Parameter Space of the Columbia River Estuarine Turbidity Maxima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeil, C. L.; Shcherbina, A.; Lopez, J.; Karna, T.; Baptista, A. M.; Crump, B. C.; Sanford, T. B.

2016-12-01

We present observations of estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) in the North Channel of the Columbia River estuary (OR and WA, USA) covering different river discharge and flood tide conditions. Measurements were made using optical backscattering sensors on two REMUS-100 autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) during spring 2012, summer 2013, and fall 2012. Although significant short term variability in AUV measured optical backscatter was observed, some clustering of the data occurs around the estuarine regimes defined by a mixing parameter and a freshwater Froude number (Geyer & MacCready [2014]). Similar clustering is observed in long term time series of turbidity from the SATURN observatory. We will use available measurements and numerical model simulations of suspended sediment to further explore the variability of suspended sediment dynamics within a frame work of estuarine parameter space.

76 FR 8345 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan Module for Columbia River Estuary Salmon and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-14

..., 6:30-8:30 p.m. Vancouver, WA, January 31, 2008, at the Water Resources Education Center, 6:30-8:30 p... influenced by Columbia River tributary/ mainstem water withdrawals and other water management actions in... River tributary/ mainstem water withdrawals and other water management actions in tributaries. Flow...

The Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Quality Assurance Project Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers are working on the Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Project. This project is a U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management-funded initiative designed to develop new methods, strategies, and technologies for characterizing, modeling, remediating, and monitoring soils and groundwater contaminated with metals, radionuclides, and chlorinated organics. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Technologies Project staff.

Population structure of sea-type and lake-type sockeye salmon and kokanee in the Fraser River and Columbia River drainages

PubMed Central

Withler, Ruth E.

2017-01-01

Population structure of three ecotypes of Oncorhynchus nerka (sea-type Sockeye Salmon, lake-type Sockeye Salmon, and Kokanee) in the Fraser River and Columbia River drainages was examined with microsatellite variation, with the main focus as to whether Kokanee population structure within the Fraser River drainage suggested either a monophyletic or polyphyletic origin of the ecotype within the drainage. Variation at 14 microsatellite loci was surveyed for sea-type and lake-type Sockeye Salmon and Kokanee sampled from 121 populations in the two river drainages. An index of genetic differentiation, FST, over all populations and loci was 0.087, with individual locus values ranging from 0.031 to 0.172. Standardized to an ecotype sample size of 275 individuals, the least genetically diverse ecotype was sea-type Sockeye Salmon with 203 alleles, whereas Kokanee displayed the greatest number of alleles (260 alleles), with lake-type Sockeye Salmon intermediate (241 alleles). Kokanee populations from the Columbia River drainage (Okanagan Lake, Kootenay Lake), the South Thompson River (a major Fraser River tributary) drainage populations, and the mid-Fraser River populations all clustered together in a neighbor-joining analysis, indicative of a monophyletic origin of the Kokanee ecotype in these regions, likely reflecting the origin of salmon radiating from a refuge after the last glaciation period. However, upstream of the mid-Fraser River populations, there were closer relationships between the lake-type Sockeye Salmon ecotype and the Kokanee ecotype, indicative of the Kokanee ecotype evolving independently from the lake-type Sockeye Salmon ecotype in parallel radiation. Kokanee population structure within the entire Fraser River drainage suggested a polyphyletic origin of the ecotype within the drainage. Studies employing geographically restricted population sampling may not outline accurately the phylogenetic history of salmonid ecotypes. PMID:28886033

Verification of a ‘freshwater-type’ life history variant of juvenile American shad in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetzel, Lisa A.; Larsen, Kimberly A.; Parsley, Michael J.; Zimmerman, Christian E.

2011-01-01

American shad are native to the Atlantic coast of North America and were successfully introduced to the Pacific coast in the 1870s. They are now more abundant in the Columbia River than are its native salmon. As in their native range, Columbia River American shad are anadromous and have been assumed to solely exhibit an ‘ocean-type’ life history, characterized by a short period of juvenile rearing in freshwater, followed by seaward migration and saltwater entry before age-1, with sexually mature individuals returning to freshwater to spawn beginning at age-3. During October 2007, emigrating juvenile American shad were captured in the juvenile fish monitoring facility at Bonneville Dam (river kilometer 235) on the Columbia River. Their length frequencies revealed the presence of two modes; the lower mode averaged 77 mm fork length (FL) and the upper mode averaged 184 mm FL. A subsample of fish from each mode was aged using otoliths. Otoliths from the lower mode (n=10) had no annuli, indicating that they were all age-0, while otoliths from the upper mode (n=25) had one or two annuli, indicating that they were either age-1 or age-2, respectively. Spawning adults collected in June 2007 averaged 393 mm FL (range 305-460 mm; n=21) and were estimated to range in age from 3-6. Elemental analyses of juvenile and adult otoliths provide evidence for deviations from the typical migration pattern expected for this species, including extensive freshwater rearing of up to two years. This evidence shows that a ‘freshwater-type’ of juvenile American shad exists as year-round or transient residents in the Columbia River basin. The ecological role of this life history variant within the fish community is unknown.

Evaluation of Cumulative Ecosystem Response to Restoration Projects in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Thom, Ronald M.

This is the seventh and final annual report of a project (2004–2010) addressing evaluation of the cumulative effects of habitat restoration actions in the 235-km-long lower Columbia River and estuary. The project, called the Cumulative Effects (CE) study, was conducted for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District by a collaboration of research agencies led by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. We achieved the primary goal of the CE study to develop a methodology to evaluate the cumulative effects of habitat actions in the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program. We delivered 1) standard monitoring protocols and methods to prioritizemore » monitoring activities; 2) the theoretical and empirical basis for a CE methodology using levels-of-evidence; 3) evaluations of cumulative effects using ecological relationships, geo-referenced data, hydrodynamic modeling, and meta-analyses; and 4) an adaptive management process to coordinate and coalesce restoration efforts in the LCRE. A solid foundation has been laid for future comprehensive evaluations of progress made by the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program to understand, conserve, and restore ecosystems in the lower Columbia River and estuary.« less

Selected economic and demographic data for counties of the interior Columbia River Basin.

Treesearch

Wendy J. McGinnis

1996-01-01

A variety of county data have been assembled in support of the Interior Columbia River Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This research note is an effort to make some of the basic demographic and economic data available to the public for the counties involved in the assessment.

Salinity adaptation of the invasive New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in the Columbia River estuary (Pacific Northwest, USA): Physiological and molecular studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoy, Marshal; Boese, Bruce L.; Taylor, Louise; Reusser, Deborah; Rodriguez, Rusty

2012-01-01

In this study, we examine salinity stress tolerances of two populations of the invasive species New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum, one population from a high salinity environment in the Columbia River estuary and the other from a fresh water lake. In 1996, New Zealand mud snails were discovered in the tidal reaches of the Columbia River estuary that is routinely exposed to salinity at near full seawater concentrations. In contrast, in their native habitat and throughout its spread in the western US, New Zealand mud snails are found only in fresh water ecosystems. Our aim was to determine whether the Columbia River snails have become salt water adapted. Using a modification of the standard amphipod sediment toxicity test, salinity tolerance was tested using a range of concentrations up to undiluted seawater, and the snails were sampled for mortality at daily time points. Our results show that the Columbia River snails were more tolerant of acute salinity stress with the LC50 values averaging 38 and 22 Practical Salinity Units for the Columbia River and freshwater snails, respectively. DNA sequence analysis and morphological comparisons of individuals representing each population indicate that they were all P. antipodarum. These results suggest that this species is salt water adaptable and in addition, this investigation helps elucidate the potential of this aquatic invasive organism to adapt to adverse environmental conditions.

Status and distribution of chinook salmon and steelhead in the interior Columbia River basin and portions of the Klamath River basin [Chapter 12

Treesearch

Russell F. Thurow; Danny C. Lee; Bruce E. Rieman

2000-01-01

This chapter summarizes information on presence, absence, current status, and probable historical distribution of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and stream-type (age-1 migrant) and ocean type (age-0 migrant) chinook salmon O. tshawytscha in the interior Columbia River basin and portions of the Klamath River basin. Data were compiled from existing sources and via surveys...

77 FR 74777 - Safety Zones; Grain-Shipment Assistance Vessels; Columbia and Willamette Rivers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-18

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zones; Grain-Shipment Assistance Vessels; Columbia and Willamette Rivers AGENCY: Coast... temporary safety zones around the following four vessels: the motor vessel Daniel Foss, IMO 7638454, the... Connor Foss, Official 1238813. These safety zones apply while these vessels are located on the waters of...

A lithospheric instability origin for Columbia River flood basalts and Wallowa Mountains uplift in northeast Oregon.

PubMed

Hales, T C; Abt, D L; Humphreys, E D; Roering, J J

2005-12-08

Flood basalts appear to form during the initiation of hotspot magmatism. The Columbia River basalts (CRB) represent the largest volume of flood basalts associated with the Yellowstone hotspot, yet their source appears to be in the vicinity of the Wallowa Mountains, about 500 km north of the projected hotspot track. These mountains are composed of a large granitic pluton intruded into a region of oceanic lithosphere affinity. The elevation of the interface between Columbia River basalts and other geological formations indicates that mild pre-eruptive subsidence took place in the Wallowa Mountains, followed by syn-eruptive uplift of several hundred metres and a long-term uplift of about 2 km. The mapped surface uplift mimics regional topography, with the Wallowa Mountains in the centre of a 'bull's eye' pattern of valleys and low-elevation mountains. Here we present the seismic velocity structure of the mantle underlying this region and erosion-corrected elevation maps of lava flows, and show that an area of reduced mantle melt content coincides with the 200-km-wide topographic uplift. We conclude that convective downwelling and detachment of a compositionally dense plutonic root can explain the timing and magnitude of Columbia River basalt magmatism, as well as the surface uplift and existence of the observed melt-depleted mantle.

Migratory Behavior and Survival of Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia River, Estuary, and Plume in 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMichael, Geoffrey A.; Harnish, Ryan A.; Skalski, John R.

Uncertainty regarding the migratory behavior and survival of juvenile salmonids passing through the lower Columbia River and estuary after negotiating dams on the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) prompted the development and application of the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS). The JSATS has been used to investigate the survival of juvenile salmonid smolts between Bonneville Dam (river kilometer (rkm) 236) and the mouth of the Columbia River annually since 2004. In 2010, a total of 12,214 juvenile salmonids were implanted with both a passive integrated transponder (PIT) and a JSATS acoustic transmitter. Using detection information from JSATS receivermore » arrays deployed on dams and in the river, estuary, and plume, the survival probability of yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts tagged at John Day Dam was estimated form multiple reaches between rkm 153 and 8.3 during the spring. During summer, the survival probability of subyearling Chinook salmon was estimated for the same reaches. In addition, the influence of routes of passage (e.g., surface spill, deep spill, turbine, juvenile bypass system) through the lower three dams on the Columbia River (John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville) on juvenile salmonid smolt survival probability from the dams to rkm 153 and then between rkm 153 and 8.3 was examined to increase understanding of the immediate and latent effects of dam passage on juvenile salmon survival. Similar to previous findings, survival probability was relatively high (>0.95) for most groups of juvenile salmonids from the Bonneville Dam tailrace to about rkm 50. Downstream of rkm 50 the survival probability of all species and run types we examined decreased markedly. Steelhead smolts suffered the highest mortality in this lower portion of the Columbia River estuary, with only an estimated 60% of the tagged fish surviving to the mouth of the river. In contrast, yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon smolts survived to

Potential Effects of Dams on Migratory Fish in the Mekong River: Lessons from Salmon in the Fraser and Columbia Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, John W.; Healey, Michael; Dugan, Patrick; Barlow, Chris

2011-01-01

We compared the effects of water resource development on migratory fish in two North American rivers using a descriptive approach based on four high-level indicators: (1) trends in abundance of Pacific salmon, (2) reliance on artificial production to maintain fisheries, (3) proportion of adult salmon that are wild- versus hatchery-origin, and (4) number of salmon populations needing federal protection to avoid extinction. The two rivers had similar biological and physical features but radically different levels of water resource development: the Fraser River has few dams and all are located in tributaries, whereas the Columbia River has more than 130 large mainstem and tributary dams. Not surprisingly, we found substantial effects of development on salmon in the Columbia River. We related the results to potential effects on migratory fish in the Mekong River where nearly 200 mainstem and tributary dams are installed, under construction, or planned and could have profound effects on its 135 migratory fish species. Impacts will vary with dam location due to differential fish production within the basin, with overall effects likely being greatest from 11 proposed mainstem dams. Minimizing impacts will require decades to design specialized fish passage facilities, dam operations, and artificial production, and is complicated by the Mekong's high diversity and productivity. Prompt action is needed by governments and fisheries managers to plan Mekong water resource development wisely to prevent impacts to the world's most productive inland fisheries, and food security and employment opportunities for millions of people in the region.

Influence of multiple dam passage on survival of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Columbia River estuary and coastal ocean

PubMed Central

Rechisky, Erin L.; Welch, David W.; Porter, Aswea D.; Jacobs-Scott, Melinda C.; Winchell, Paul M.

2013-01-01

Multiple dam passage during seaward migration is thought to reduce the subsequent survival of Snake River Chinook salmon. This hypothesis developed because juvenile Chinook salmon from the Snake River, the Columbia River’s largest tributary, migrate >700 km through eight hydropower dams and have lower adult return rates than downstream populations that migrate through only 3 or 4 dams. Using a large-scale telemetry array, we tested whether survival of hatchery-reared juvenile Snake River spring Chinook salmon is reduced in the estuary and coastal ocean relative to a downstream, hatchery-reared population from the Yakima River. During the initial 750-km, 1-mo-long migration through the estuary and coastal ocean, we found no evidence of differential survival; therefore, poorer adult returns of Snake River Chinook may develop far from the Columbia River. Thus, hydrosystem mitigation efforts may be ineffective if differential mortality rates develop in the North Pacific Ocean for reasons unrelated to dam passage. PMID:23576733

100 Area Columbia River sediment sampling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiss, S.G.

1993-09-08

Forty-four sediment samples were collected from 28 locations in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River to assess the presence of metals and man-made radionuclides in the near shore and shoreline settings of the Hanford Site. Three locations were sampled upriver of the Hanford Site plutonium production reactors. Twenty-two locations were sampled near the reactors. Three locations were sampled downstream of the reactors near the Hanford Townsite. Sediment was collected from depths of 0 to 6 in. and between 12 to 24 in. below the surface. Samples containing concentrations of metals exceeding the 95 % upper threshold limit values (DOE-RLmore » 1993b) are considered contaminated. Contamination by arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc was found. Man-made radionuclides occur in all samples except four collected opposite the Hanford Townsite. Man-made radionuclide concentrations were generally less than 1 pCi/g.« less

Columbia River : Select Area Fishery Evaluation project : 1995-96 Annual Reports.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hirose, Paul; Miller, Marc; Hill, Jim

1998-06-01

Water quality monitoring was conducted from November 1994 through October 1996 at five Oregon and three Washington select area study sites in the lower Columbia River. Physicochemical monitoring and aquatic biomonitoring programs were established to profile baseline parameters at each study site and document differences between study sites. Data collected at study sites where fish rearing operations were initiated indicate a potential negative impact on the surrounding benthic invertebrate communities.

Survival Estimates for the Passage of Spring-Migrating Juvenile Salmonids through Snake and Columbia River Dams and Reservoirs, 2008.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faulkner, James R.; Smith, Steven G.; Muir, William D.

2009-06-23

In 2008, the National Marine Fisheries Service completed the sixteenth year of a study to estimate survival and travel time of juvenile salmonids Oncorhynchus spp. passing through dams and reservoirs on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. All estimates were derived from detections of fish tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. We PIT tagged and released a total of 18,565 hatchery steelhead O. mykiss, 15,991 wild steelhead, and 9,714 wild yearling Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha at Lower Granite Dam in the Snake River. In addition, we utilized fish PIT tagged by other agencies at traps and hatcheries upstream from themore » hydropower system and at sites within the hydropower system in both the Snake and Columbia Rivers. These included 122,061 yearling Chinook salmon tagged at Lower Granite Dam for evaluation of latent mortality related to passage through Snake River dams. PIT-tagged smolts were detected at interrogation facilities at Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, Ice Harbor, McNary, John Day, and Bonneville Dams and in the PIT-tag detector trawl operated in the Columbia River estuary. Survival estimates were calculated using a statistical model for tag-recapture data from single release groups (the single-release model). Primary research objectives in 2008 were to: (1) estimate reach survival and travel time in the Snake and Columbia Rivers throughout the migration period of yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead, (2) evaluate relationships between survival estimates and migration conditions, and (3) evaluate the survival estimation models under prevailing conditions. This report provides reach survival and travel time estimates for 2008 for PIT-tagged yearling Chinook salmon (hatchery and wild), hatchery sockeye salmon O. nerka, hatchery coho salmon O. kisutch, and steelhead (hatchery and wild) in the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Additional details on the methodology and statistical models used are provided in previous reports cited here

A spatial model of white sturgeon rearing habitat in the lower Columbia River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatten, J.R.; Parsley, M.J.

2009-01-01

Concerns over the potential effects of in-water placement of dredged materials prompted us to develop a GIS-based model that characterizes in a spatially explicit manner white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus rearing habitat in the lower Columbia River, USA. The spatial model was developed using water depth, riverbed slope and roughness, fish positions collected in 2002, and Mahalanobis distance (D2). We created a habitat suitability map by identifying a Mahalanobis distance under which >50% of white sturgeon locations occurred in 2002 (i.e., high-probability habitat). White sturgeon preferred relatively moderate to high water depths, and low to moderate riverbed slope and roughness values. The eigenvectors indicated that riverbed slope and roughness were slightly more important than water depth, but all three variables were important. We estimated the impacts that fill might have on sturgeon habitat by simulating the addition of fill to the thalweg, in 3-m increments, and recomputing Mahalanobis distances. Channel filling simulations revealed that up to 9 m of fill would have little impact on high-probability habitat, but 12 and 15 m of fill resulted in habitat declines of ???12% and ???45%, respectively. This is the first spatially explicit predictive model of white sturgeon rearing habitat in the lower Columbia River, and the first to quantitatively predict the impacts of dredging operations on sturgeon habitat. Future research should consider whether water velocity improves the accuracy and specificity of the model, and to assess its applicability to other areas in the Columbia River.

Water Quality Projects Summary for the Mid-Columbia and Cumberland River Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, Kevin M.; Witt, Adam M.; Hadjerioua, Boualem

Scheduling and operational control of hydropower systems is accompanied with a keen awareness of the management of water use, environmental effects, and policy, especially within the context of strict water rights policy and generation maximization. This is a multi-objective problem for many hydropower systems, including the Cumberland and Mid-Columbia river systems. Though each of these two systems have distinct operational philosophies, hydrologic characteristics, and system dynamics, they both share a responsibility to effectively manage hydropower and the environment, which requires state-of-the art improvements in the approaches and applications for water quality modeling. The Department of Energy and Oak Ridge Nationalmore » Laboratory have developed tools for total dissolved gas (TDG) prediction on the Mid-Columbia River and a decision-support system used for hydropower generation and environmental optimization on the Cumberland River. In conjunction with IIHR - Hydroscience & Engineering, The University of Iowa and University of Colorado s Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES), ORNL has managed the development of a TDG predictive methodology at seven dams along the Mid-Columbia River and has enabled the ability to utilize this methodology for optimization of operations at these projects with the commercially available software package Riverware. ORNL has also managed the collaboration with Vanderbilt University and Lipscomb University to develop a state-of-the art method for reducing high-fidelity water quality modeling results into surrogate models which can be used effectively within the context of optimization efforts to maximize generation for a reservoir system based on environmental and policy constraints. The novel contribution of these efforts is the ability to predict water quality conditions with simplified methodologies at the same level of accuracy as more complex and resource intensive computing

White Sturgeon Mitgation and Restoration in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from Bonneville Dam; 2003-2004 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rein, Thomas A.; Hughes, Michele L.; Kern, J. Chris

2005-08-01

We report on our progress from April 2003 through March 2004 on determining the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam, and on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from McNary Dam. This is a multi-year study with many objectives requiring more than one year to complete; therefore, findings from a given year may be part of more significant findings yet to be reported.

Effects of Mitigative Measures on Productivity of White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia River Downstream from McNary Dam: Determine Status and Habitat Requirements of White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from McNary Dam, 1997-1998 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, David L.

The authors report on their progress from April 1997 through March 1998 on determining the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam, and on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from McNary Dam. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW; Report A), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW; Report B), U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS; Report C), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS; Report D), U.S. Fish andmore » Wildlife Service (USFWS; Report E), and Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC; Report F). This is a multi-year study with many objectives requiring more than one year to complete. Therefore, findings from a given year may be part of more significant findings yet to be reported. Highlights of results of the work from April 1997 through March 1998 listed.« less

Diet of first-feeding larval and young-of-the-year white sturgeon in the lower Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muir, W.D.; McCabe, G.T.; Parsley, M.J.; Hinton, S.A.

2000-01-01

In some Snake and Columbia River reservoirs, adult white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are common but few juvenile fish are found, indicating a lack of spawning success or poor survival of larvae. In contrast, recruitment of young-of-the-year white sturgeon to juvenile and adult stages is successful in the unimpounded Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam. The availability and size of preferred prey during the period when white sturgeon larvae begin exogenous feeding could be an important determinant of year-class strength. To explore this issue, we examined the diet composition of 352 larval and young-of-the year white sturgeon collected from 1989 through 1991 in the lower Columbia River. Samples were collected downstream from Bonneville Dam and upstream from the dam in Bonneville and The Dalles Reservoirs. Fish that ranged in size from 15 to 290 mm in total length fed primarily on gammarid amphipods (Corophium spp.) during all months. This diet item became increasingly important to all sizes of white sturgeon examined as they grew. The length of Corophium spp. eaten by larval and young-of-the-year white sturgeon increased with increasing fish length (r2 = 45.6%, P < 0.0001). Copepods (Cyclopoida), Ceratopogonidae larvae, and Diptera pupae and larvae (primarily chironomids) were also consumed, especially at the onset of exogenous feeding. A small percentage of white sturgeon were found with empty stomachs during June (1.6% downstream from Bonneville Dam) and July (4.5% downstream and 2.6% in the reservoirs). Diets of larval and young-of-the year white sturgeon from both impounded and free-flowing sections of the Columbia River were similar and we found no evidence of larval starvation in the areas investigated, areas currently supporting healthy white sturgeon populations.

Development of a Systemwide Program: Stepwise Implementation of a Predation Index, Predator Control Fisheries and Evaluation Plan in the Columbia River Basin, Volume 1, 1992 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, David L.

1994-06-01

Results of the second year are reported of a basinwide program to harvest northern squawfish in an effort to reduce mortality due to squawfish predation on juvenile salmonids during their migration from natal streams to the ocean. Six papers are included in this report. They are entitled: feasibility investigation of a commercial longline fishery for northern squawfish in the Columbia River downstream from Bonneville dam; evaluation of the northern squawfish sport-reward fishery in the Columbia and Snake Rivers; controlled angling for northern squawfish at selected dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in 1992; evaluation of harvest technology for squawfishmore » control in Columbia River reservoirs; effectiveness of predator-removal for protecting juvenile fall chinook salmon released from Bonneville Hatchery; and Northern squawfish sport-reward payments.« less

9000 years of salmon fishing on the Columbia River, North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butler, V.L.; O'Connor, J. E.

2004-01-01

A large assemblage of salmon bones excavated 50 yr ago from an ???10,000-yr-old archaeological site near The Dalles, Oregon, USA, has been the primary evidence that early native people along the Columbia River subsisted on salmon. Recent debate about the human role in creating the deposit prompted excavation of additional deposits and analysis of archaeologic, geologic, and hydrologic conditions at the site. Results indicate an anthropogenic source for most of the salmonid remains, which have associated radiocarbon dates indicating that the site was occupied as long ago as 9300 cal yr B.P. The abundance of salmon bone indicates that salmon was a major food item and suggests that migratory salmonids had well-established spawning populations in some parts of the Columbia Basin by 9300-8200 yr ago. ?? 2004 University of Washington. All rights reserved.

Gateway to the Pacific: The Columbia River. Teacher's Resource Book, Grades 5-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osis, Vicki; And Others

Developed as part of an international curriculum effort, this unit aims to provide information to students about the interdependence of Pacific nations and the importance of the Columbia River and its ports in international trade. Geared for grades 5-7, the materials focus on harbors both as natural ecosystems and as locations of international…

Field-trip guide to Columbia River flood basalts, associated rhyolites, and diverse post-plume volcanism in eastern Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferns, Mark L.; Streck, Martin J.; McClaughry, Jason D.

2017-08-09

The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) is the youngest and best preserved continental flood basalt province on Earth, linked in space and time with a compositionally diverse succession of volcanic rocks that partially record the apparent emergence and passage of the Yellowstone plume head through eastern Oregon during the late Cenozoic. This compositionally diverse suite of volcanic rocks are considered part of the La Grande-Owyhee eruptive axis (LOEA), an approximately 300-kilometer-long (185 mile), north-northwest-trending, middle Miocene to Pliocene volcanic belt located along the eastern margin of the Columbia River flood basalt province. Volcanic rocks erupted from and preserved within the LOEA form an important regional stratigraphic link between the (1) flood basalt-dominated Columbia Plateau on the north, (2) bimodal basalt-rhyolite vent complexes of the Owyhee Plateau on the south, (3) bimodal basalt-rhyolite and time-transgressive rhyolitic volcanic fields of the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone Plateau, and (4) the High Lava Plains of central Oregon.This field-trip guide describes a 4-day geologic excursion that will explore the stratigraphic and geochemical relationships among mafic rocks of the Columbia River Basalt Group and coeval and compositionally diverse volcanic rocks associated with the early “Yellowstone track” and High Lava Plains in eastern Oregon. Beginning in Portland, the Day 1 log traverses the Columbia River gorge eastward to Baker City, focusing on prominent outcrops that reveal a distal succession of laterally extensive, large-volume tholeiitic flood lavas of the Grande Ronde, Wanapum, and Saddle Mountains Basalt formations of the CRBG. These “great flows” are typical of the well-studied flood basalt-dominated Columbia Plateau, where interbedded silicic and calc-alkaline lavas are conspicuously absent. The latter part of Day 1 will highlight exposures of middle to late Miocene silicic ash-flow tuffs, rhyolite domes, and

Total dissolved gas, barometric pressure, and water temperature data, lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.; Harrison, Howard E.; McKenzie, Stuart W.

1996-01-01

Increased levels of total dissolved gas pressure can cause gas-bubble trauma in fish downstream from dams on the Columbia River. In cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey collected data on total dissolved gas pressure, barometric pressure, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen pressure at 11 stations on the lower Columbia River from the John Day forebay (river mile 215.6) to Wauna Mill (river mile 41.9) from March to September 1996. Methods of data collection, review, and processing are described in this report. Summaries of daily minimum, maximum, and mean hourly values are presented for total dissolved gas pressure, barometric pressure, and water temperature. Hourly values for these parameters are presented graphically. Dissolved oxygen data are not presented in this report because the quality-control data show that the data have poor precision and high bias. Suggested changes to monitoring procedures for future studies include (1) improved calibration procedures for total dissolved gas and dissolved oxygen to better define accuracy at elevated levels of supersaturation and (2) equipping dissolved oxygen sensors with stirrers because river velocities at the shoreline monitoring stations probably cannot maintain an adequate flow of water across the membrane surface of the dissolved oxygen sensor.

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2002: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.; Johnston, Matthew W.; Bragg, Heather M.

2002-12-10

From mid-July to mid-September, water temperatures were usually above 20 degrees Celsius at each of the seven lower Columbia River sites in operation. According to the Oregon water-quality standard, when the temperature of the lower Columbia River exceeds 20 degrees Celsius, no measurable temperature increase resulting from anthropogenic activities is allowed.

Multi-scale analysis of the fluxes between terrestrial water storage, groundwater, and stream discharge in the Columbia River Basin

EPA Science Inventory

The temporal relationships between the measurements of terrestrial water storage (TWS), groundwater, and stream discharge were analyzed at three different scales in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) for water years 2004 - 2012. Our nested watershed approach examined the Snake River ...

Revised estimates for direct-effect recreational jobs in the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Lisa K. Crone; Richard W. Haynes

1999-01-01

This paper reviews the methodology used to derive the original estimates for direct employment associated with recreation on Federal lands in the interior Columbia River basin (the basin), and details the changes in methodology and data used to derive new estimates. The new analysis resulted in an estimate of 77,655 direct-effect jobs associated with recreational...

Capture of white sturgeon larvae downstream of The Dalles Dam, Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.; Kofoot, Eric

2013-01-01

Wild-spawned white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) larvae captured and reared in aquaculture facilities and subsequently released, are increasingly being used in sturgeon restoration programs in the Columbia River Basin. A reconnaissance study was conducted to determine where to deploy nets to capture white sturgeon larvae downstream of a known white sturgeon spawning area. As a result of the study, 103 white sturgeon larvae and 5 newly hatched free-swimming embryos were captured at 3 of 5 reconnaissance netting sites. The netting, conducted downstream of The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River during June 25–29, 2012, provided information for potentially implementing full-scale collection efforts of large numbers of larvae for rearing in aquaculture facilities and for subsequent release at a larger size in white sturgeon restoration programs.

Interim Columbia and Snake rivers flow improvement measures for salmon: Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-03-01

Public comments are sought on this final SEIS, which supplements the 1992 Columbia River Salmon Flow Measures Options Analysis (OA)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the Bonneville Power Administration and the Bureau of Reclamation proposes five alternatives to improve flows of water in the lower Columbia-Snake rivers in 1993 and future years to assist the migration of juvenile and adult anadromous fish past eight hydropower dams. These are: (1) Without Project (no action) Alternative, (2) the 1992 Operation, (3) the 1992 Operation with Libby/Hungry Horse Sensitivity, (4) a Modified 1992 Operation with Improvements to Salmonmore » Flows from Dworshak, and (5) a Modified 1992 Operation with Upper Snake Sensitivity. Alternative 4, Modified 1992 Operations, has been identified as the preferred alternative.« less

Evaluation of the Contribution of Fall Chinook Salmon Reared at Columbia River Hatcheries to the Pacific Salmon Fisheries, 1989 Final Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vreeland, Robert R.

1989-10-01

In 1979 this study was initiated to determine the distribution, contribution, and value of artificially propagated fall chinook salmon from the Columbia River. Coded wire tagging (CWT) of hatchery fall chinook salmon began in 1979 with the 1978 brood and was completed in 1982 with the 1981 brood of fish at rearing facilities on the Columbia River system. From 18 to 20 rearing facilities were involved in the study each brood year. Nearly 14 million tagged fish, about 4% of the production, were released as part of this study over the four years, 1979 through 1982. Sampling for recoveries ofmore » these tagged fish occurred from 1980 through 1986 in the sport and commercial marine fisheries from Alaska through California, Columbia River fisheries, and returns to hatcheries and adjacent streams. The National Marine Fisheries Service coordinated this study among three fishery agencies: US Fish and Wildfire Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Fisheries. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution, fishery contribution, survival, and value of the production of fall chinook salmon from each rearing facility on the Columbia River system to Pacific coast salmon fisheries. To achieve these objectives fish from each hatchery were given a distinctive CWT. 81 refs., 20 figs., 68 tabs.« less

Guidelines for conducting Smolt survival studies in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giorgi,; Skalski,; Pevin,; Smith,; Langeslay,; Counihan, Timothy D.; Perry, Russell W.; Bickford, Shane

2010-01-01

For more than a decade, investigators from different research groups in the Pacific Northwest have been using electronic tags to estimate survival of salmonid smolts as they migrate seaward past hydroelectric dams and through impoundments on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Over the years, they have refined both analytical and field methods associated with such studies. In this collaborative paper, they synthesize years of experience to formulate a set of guidelines that may assist others with the design and execution of survival studies involving smolts during their migratory phase.

White Sturgeon Mitigation and Restoration in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from Bonneville Dam; Annual Progress Report, April 2007 - March 2008.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mallette, Christine

2009-07-28

We report on our progress from April 2007 through March 2008 on determining the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam, and on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from McNary Dam. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW; Report A), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW; Report B), Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC; Report C), and Montana State University (MSU; Report D). This is a multi-year studymore » with many objectives requiring more than one year to complete; therefore, findings from a given year may be part of more significant findings yet to be reported.« less

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1993.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Power Planning Council; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

1992-09-01

The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) was developed by the Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) in accordance with Public Law 96-501, the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Act). The purpose of the Program is to guide the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other Federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife of the Columbia River Basin. The Annual Implementation World Plan (AIWP) presents BPA`s plans for implementing the Program during fiscal year (FY) 1993. The FY 1993 AIWP emphasizes continuation of 143 ongoing or projecting ongoing Programmore » projects, tasks, or task orders, most of which involve protection, mitigation, or enhancement of anadromous fishery resources. The FY 1993 AIWP also contains three new Program projects or tasks that are planned to start in FY 1993.« less

Reconstructions of Columbia River streamflow from tree-ring chronologies in the Pacific Northwest, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Littell, Jeremy; Pederson, Gregory T.; Gray, Stephen T.; Tjoelker, Michael; Hamlet, Alan F.; Woodhouse, Connie A.

2016-01-01

We developed Columbia River streamflow reconstructions using a network of existing, new, and updated tree-ring records sensitive to the main climatic factors governing discharge. Reconstruction quality is enhanced by incorporating tree-ring chronologies where high snowpack limits growth, which better represent the contribution of cool-season precipitation to flow than chronologies from trees positively sensitive to hydroclimate alone. The best performing reconstruction (back to 1609 CE) explains 59% of the historical variability and the longest reconstruction (back to 1502 CE) explains 52% of the variability. Droughts similar to the high-intensity, long-duration low flows observed during the 1920s and 1940s are rare, but occurred in the early 1500s and 1630s-1640s. The lowest Columbia flow events appear to be reflected in chronologies both positively and negatively related to streamflow, implying low snowpack and possibly low warm-season precipitation. High flows of magnitudes observed in the instrumental record appear to have been relatively common, and high flows from the 1680s to 1740s exceeded the magnitude and duration of observed wet periods in the late-19th and 20th Century. Comparisons between the Columbia River reconstructions and future projections of streamflow derived from global climate and hydrologic models show the potential for increased hydrologic variability, which could present challenges for managing water in the face of competing demands

From salmon to shad: Shifting sources of marine-derived nutrients in the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haskell, Craig A.

2018-01-01

Like Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), nonnative American shad (Alosa sapidissima) have the potential to convey large quantities of nutrients between the Pacific Ocean and freshwater spawning areas in the Columbia River Basin (CRB). American shad are now the most numerous anadromous fish in the CRB, yet the magnitude of the resulting nutrient flux owing to the shift from salmon to shad is unknown. Nutrient flux models revealed that American shad conveyed over 15,000 kg of nitrogen (N) and 3,000 kg of phosphorus (P) annually to John Day Reservoir, the largest mainstem reservoir in the lower Columbia River. Shad were net importers of N, with juveniles and postspawners exporting just 31% of the N imported by adults. Shad were usually net importers of P, with juveniles and postspawners exporting 46% of the P imported by adults on average. American shad contributed <0.2% of the total annual P load into John Day Reservoir, but during June when most adult shad are migrating into John Day Reservoir, they contributed as much as 2.0% of the P load. Nutrient inputs by American shad were similar to current but far less than historical inputs of Pacific salmon owing to their smaller size. Given the relatively high background P levels and low retention times in lower Columbia River reservoirs, it is unlikely that shad marine-derived nutrients affect nutrient balances or food web productivity through autotrophic pathways. However, a better understanding of shad spawning aggregations in the CRB is needed.

Relationship of the Ben Franklin Dam Alternative to Water and Land Uses, Plans, Policies, and Controls for the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-07-01

Identify by block number) A HANFORD REACH LAND USE COLUNBIA RIVER ENVIRONNENTAL IMPACT WASHINGTON (STATE) BEN FRANKLIN DAM SIL AWTNAnW (Oinemu iM Mem...he N ndmde IIev e W lj by bcmbm ) IThe construction of Ben Franklin Dam at RN 348 would flood lands along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River to...400 feet mean sea level an upriver to about the Vernita Bridge. The Hanford Reach, the last free-floving stretch iof the Columbia River , would be

Genetic and Phenotypic Catalog of Native Resident Trout of the interior Columbia River Basin : FY-2001 Report : Populations in the Wenatchee, Entiat, Lake Chelan and Methow River Drainages.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trotter, Patrick C.

2001-10-01

The 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program of the Northwest Power Planning Council specifies the recovery and preservation of population health of native resident fishes of the Columbia River Basin. Among the native resident species of concern are interior rainbow trout of the Columbia River redband subspecies Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri 1 and westslope cutthroat trout O. clarki lewisi. The westslope cutthroat trout has been petitioned for listing under the U. S. Endangered Species Act (American Wildlands et al. 1997). Before at-risk populations can be protected, their presence and status must be established. Where introgression from introduced species is a concern, asmore » in the case of both westslope cutthroat trout and redband rainbow trout, genetic issues must be addressed as well. As is true with native trout elsewhere in the western United States (Behnke 1992), most of the remaining pure populations of these species in the Columbia River Basin are in relatively remote headwater reaches. The objective of this project was to photo-document upper Columbia Basin native resident trout populations in Washington, and to ascertain their species or subspecies identity and relative genetic purity using a nonlethal DNA technique. FY-2001 was year three (and final year) of a project in which we conducted field visits to remote locations to seek out and catalog these populations. In FY-2001 we worked in collaboration with the Wenatchee National Forest to catalog populations in the Wenatchee, Entiat, Lake Chelan, and Methow River drainages of Washington State.« less

75 FR 78228 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Columbia River Crossing Project...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-15

... (Zalophus californianus), and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Specified Activities CRC is proposing a...-water bents, consisting of one to three drilled shafts. The permanent in-water piers of both the Columbia River and North Portland Harbor crossings will be constructed using drilled shafts, rather than...

Air-to-air view of STS-32 Columbia, OV-102, launch

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-01-09

STS-32 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, pierces a layer of low lying clouds as it makes its ascent to Earth orbit for a 10-day mission. In this air-to-air view, OV-102 rides atop the external tank (ET) with flames created by solid rocket boosters (SRBs) appearing directly underneath it and a long plume of exhaust smoke trailing behind it and extending to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A below. OV-102 left KSC LC Pad 39A at 7:34:59:98 am Eastern Standard Time (EST) some 24 hours after dubious weather at the return-to-landing site (RTLS) had cancelled a scheduled launch. The photo was taken by astronaut Michael L. Coats, acting chief of the Astronaut Office, from the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA).

Identification of the Spawning, Rearing, and Migratory Requirements of Fall Chinook Salmon in the Columbia River Basin, Annual Report 1993.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rondorf, Dennis W.; Tiffan, Kenneth F.

1994-12-01

Recovery efforts for the endangered fall chinook salmon necessitates knowledge of the factors limiting the various life history stages. This study attempts to identify those physical and biological factors which affect spawning of the fish in the free-flowing Snake River and their rearing seward migration through Columbia River basin reservoirs. The spawning was generally a November event in 1993, with some activity in late Oct. and early Dec. Spawning habitat availability was assessed by applying hydraulic and habitat models to known fall chinook salmon spawning sites. Juveniles were seined and PIT tagged in the free-flowing Snake River, and in themore » Columbia River in he Hanford Reach and in McNary Reservoir. Subyearling fish were marked at McNary Dam to relate river flow and migration patterns of juveniles to adult returns. Hydroacoustic surveys were conducted on McNary and John Day reservoirs and in net pens.« less

Veligers of the invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea in the Columbia River Basin: Broadscale distribution, abundance, and ecological associations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hassett, Whitney; Bollens, Stephen M.; Counihan, Timothy D.; Rollwagen-Bollens, Gretchen; Zimmerman, Julie; Emerson, Joshua E.

2017-01-01

The invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea was introduced to North America in the 1930s and now inhabits most regions of the conterminous United States; however, the distribution and ecology of C. fluminea in the Columbia River Basin is poorly understood. During 2013 and 2014, 5 Columbia-Snake River reservoirs were sampled monthly from May through September, along with 23 additional lakes and reservoirs sampled once each summer. Associations among C. fluminea veligers, other components of the plankton, and environmental variables were analyzed using non-metric multidimensional scaling and canonical correspondence analysis. Corbicula fluminea veligers were found in high abundances in all mainstem Columbia-Snake River reservoirs, with an annual mean abundance of 71.2 individuals per cubic meter (inds./m3). Only 3 of 23 lakes and (non-mainstem) reservoirs contained C. fluminea, with abundances considerably lower (maximum = 21.2 inds./m3) than in the mainstem reservoirs. A diatom-dominated community preceded the spawning of C. fluminea in early summer at all sites. Corbicula fluminea veligers characterized the plankton community in late summer and were associated with cyanobacteria and high water temperatures. A third community, characterized by cyanobacteria, was apparent in non-mainstem sites in July and August. Our analyses describe the relationship of C. fluminea to the plankton community and environment, which contributes to our understanding of the possible effects of C. fluminea infestations and which waterbodies in the Columbia River Basin are at risk for infestation. Understanding the effects and environmental determinants of invasive mollusks will be increasingly important in the future with the possible arrival of zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) or quagga (D. bugensis) mussels to the region.

Factors affecting stranding of juvenile salmonids by wakes from ship passage in the Lower Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pearson, Walter H.; Skalski, John R.

2011-09-01

The effects of deep-draft vessel traffic in confined riverine channels on shorelines and fish are of widespread concern. In the Pacific Northwest of the United States, wakes and subsequent beach run-up from ships transiting the Lower Columbia River have been observed to strand juvenile salmon and other fish. As part of a before-and-after study to assess stranding effects that may be associated with channel deepening, we measured 19 co-variables from observations of 126 vessel passages at three low-slope beaches and used multiple logistic regression to discern the significant factors influencing the frequency of stranding. Subyearling Chinook salmon were 82% ofmore » the fish stranded over all sites and seasons. Given a low-slope beach, stranding frequencies for juvenile salmon were significantly related to river location, salmon density in the shallows, a proxy for ship kinetic energy, tidal height, and two interactions. The beach types selected for our study do not include all the beach types along the Lower Columbia River so that the stranding probabilities described here cannot be extrapolated river-wide. A more sophisticated modeling effort, informed by additional field data, is needed to assess salmon losses by stranding for the entire lower river. Such modeling needs to include river-scale factors such as beach type, berms, proximity to navigation channel, and perhaps, proximity to tributaries that act as sources of out-migrating juvenile salmon. At both river and beach scales, no one factor produces stranding; rather interactions among several conditions produce a stranding event and give stranding its episodic nature.« less

Managing the Columbia Basin for Sustainable Economy, Society, Environment

EPA Science Inventory

The Columbia River Basin (CRB) is a vast region of the Pacific Northwest covering parts of the United States, Canada and Tribal lands. As the Columbia River winds its way from Canada into the US, the river passes through numerous multi-purpose reservoirs and hydroelectric genera...

Columbia River System Operation Review : Final Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix C: Anadromous Fish and Juvenile Fish Transportation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Columbia River System Operation Review

1995-11-01

This Appendix C of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Columbia River System discusses impacts on andromous fish and juvenile fish transportation. The principal andromous fish in the Columbia basin include salmonid species (Chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon, and steelhead) and nonsalmoinid andromous species (sturgeon, lamprey, and shad). Major sections in this document include the following: background, scope and process; affected environment for salmon and steelhead, shaded, lamprey, sturgeon; study methods; description of alternatives: qualitative and quantitative findings.

Gas Supersaturation May Reduce the Survival of Yearling Chinook Salmon in the Lower Columbia River and Ocean Plume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brosnan, Ian; Welch, David; Scott, Melinda Jacobs

2015-01-01

Unusually high flows in the Columbia River in 2011 raised total dissolved gas (TDG) levels in the river above the 120 percent legal limit imposed to prevent harmful impacts to aquatic organisms. This provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the effect on smolt survival. In-river (IR) migrating juvenile yearling Chinook released at Bonneville Dam with acoustic tags during periods when TDG exceeded 120 percent received estimated maximum exposures of 134 TDG. Subsequent daily survival rates in the lower river and plume were reduced by 0.06 per day (SE equals 0.01) and 0.15 per day (SE equals 0.05) relative to IR migrant fish released when TDG was less than 120 percent. Transported smolts (T) released 10-13 kilometers below Bonneville Dam had lower maximum exposure levels (126 percent) and experienced no difference in daily survival rates relative to unexposed smolts. River temperature levels and trends in turbidity and disease prevalence between releases of high and low exposure smolts were not consistent with the observed effects on survival rates. We conclude that smolts may suffer from chronic effects of elevated TDG exposure while migrating through the Columbia River and plume. Consideration should be given to measuring these survival losses in an explicit experimental framework that isolates possible confounding factors.

Restoration of degraded lands in the interior Columbia River basin: passive vs. active approaches.

Treesearch

James McIver; Lynn Starr

2001-01-01

Evidence for success of passive and active restoration is presented for interior conifer forest, sagebrush steppe, and riparian ecosystems, with a focus on the Columbia River basin. Passive restoration, defined as removal of the stresses that cause degradation, may be most appropriate for higher elevation forests, low-order riparian ecosystems, and for sagebrush steppe...

Factors affecting chick provisioning by Caspian Terns nesting in the Columbia River estuary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Scott K.; Roby, D.D.; Lyons, Donald E.; Collis, K.

2005-01-01

We investigated factors affecting chick provisioning by radio-tagged Caspian Terns (Sterna caspia) nesting in a large colony on East Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary during 2001. Caspian Tern predation on juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the estuary prompted resource managers to relocate ca. 9,000 pairs of terns nesting on Rice Island (river km 34) to East Sand Island (river km 8), where terns were expected to consume fewer salmonids in favor of marine forage fishes. This study investigated factors influencing foraging success, diet composition, and overall reproductive success at the managed Caspian Tern colony. Our results indicated that daytime colony attendance by nesting terns averaged 64% and decreased throughout the chick-rearing period, while duration of foraging trips averaged 47 min and increased during the same period; these seasonal changes were more strongly related to date than chick age. Average meal delivery rates to 2-chick broods (0.88 meals h-1) were 2.6 times greater than to 1-chick broods (0.33 meals h-1). Parents delivered more juvenile salmonids to chicks during ebb tides than flood tides, but meal delivery rates to the nest remained constant, suggesting diet composition tracks relative availability of prey species. Foraging trips resulting in delivery of juvenile salmonids averaged 68% longer than foraging trips for schooling marine forage fishes, indicating higher availability of marine prey near the colony. High availability of marine forage fish in the Columbia River estuary during 2001 was apparently responsible for high colony attendance, short foraging trips, high chick meal delivery rates, and high nesting success of Caspian Terns on East Sand Island.

Columbia basin project, Washington: Adams, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln, and Walla Walla Counties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-01-01

The Columbia Basin Project is a multipurpose development utilizing a portion of the resources of the Columbia River in the central part of the State of Washington. The key structure, Grand Coulee Dam, is on the main stem of the Columbia River about 90 miles west of Spokane, Wash. The extensive irrigation works extend southward on the Columbia Plateau 125 miles to the vicinity of Pasco, Wash., where the Snake and Columbia Rivers join.

76 FR 70929 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; District of Columbia; Regional...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

...EPA is proposing to approve a revision to the District of Columbia State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the District of Columbia through the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) on October 27, 2011 that addresses regional haze for the first implementation period. This revision addresses the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's rules that require states to prevent any future, and remedy any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I areas caused by emissions of air pollutants from numerous sources located over a wide geographic area (also referred to as the ``regional haze program''). States are required to assure reasonable progress toward the national goal of achieving natural visibility conditions in Class I areas. EPA is proposing to determine that the Regional Haze plan submitted by the District of Columbia satisfies these requirements of the CAA. EPA is also proposing to approve this revision as meeting the infrastructure requirements relating to visibility protection for the 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and the 1997 and 2006 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS.

Small rural communities in the inland Northwest: an assessment of small communities in the interior and upper Columbia River basins.

Treesearch

Charles C. Harris; William McLaughlin; Greg Brown; Dennis R. Becker

2000-01-01

An assessment of small rural communities in the interior and upper Columbia River basin was conducted for the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP). The characteristics and conditions of the rural communities in this region, which are complex and constantly changing, were examined. The research also assessed the resilience of the region’s...

The acoustic streamflow-measuring system on the Columbia River at The Dalles, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Winchell; Hubbard, Larry L.; Laenen, Antonius

1971-01-01

Installation of this sytem, which is the first application of an AVM (acoustic velocity meter) in a large natural channel, was completed in April 1969. It has been in continuous operation since that date. Performance has been satisfactory, and similar installations at other key points in the Columbia River basin are now under consideration. This paper covers the general theory behind acoustic velocity meters, tracing development from earlier concepts to the present commercially available system. Conclusions are that the AVM can now be considered as an operational instrument which permits accurate gaging of river discharge at many sites where conventional stream-gaging procedures have proved to be unreliable.

78 FR 2725 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for Lower Columbia River Coho...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-14

... for Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon and Puget Sound Steelhead; Proposed Rule #0;#0;Federal Register... Salmon and Puget Sound Steelhead AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and... coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and Puget Sound steelhead (O. mykiss), currently listed as...

Lateral line pore diameters correlate with the development of gas bubble trauma signs in several Columbia River fishes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morris, R.G.; Beeman, J.W.; VanderKooi, S.P.; Maule, A.G.

2003-01-01

Gas bubble trauma (GBT) caused by gas supersaturation of river water continues to be a problem in the Columbia River Basin. A common indicator of GBT is the percent of the lateral line occluded with gas bubbles; however, this effect has never been examined in relation to lateral line morphology. The effects of 115, 125 and 130% total dissolved gas levels were evaluated on five fish species common to the upper Columbia River. Trunk lateral line pore diameters differed significantly (P<0.0001) among species (longnose sucker>largescale sucker>northern pikeminnow≥chinook salmon≥redside shiner). At all supersaturation levels evaluated, percent of lateral line occlusion exhibited an inverse correlation to pore size but was not generally related to total dissolved gas level or time of exposure. This study suggests that the differences in lateral line pore diameters between species should be considered when using lateral line occlusion as an indicator of gas bubble trauma.

Presence of Microplastics in the Fraser River, British Columbia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourdages, M.; Ehrenbrink, B. P. E.; Marsh, S. J.; Gillies, S. L.; Paine, J. K.; Bogaerts, P.; Strangway, A.; Robertson, K.; Groeneweg, A.

2017-12-01

Microplastics are a source of anthropogenic contamination in watercourses and water bodies around the world. The extent of the implications associated with microplastics, however, is not fully known. These plastic particles, less than 5mm in diameter by definition, threaten a wide range of aquatic and land-based organisms, as the ingestion of microplastics by aquatic organisms can form blockages in digestive tracts, and can provide pathways for other contaminants to enter their bodies (Ziajahromi et al. 2017). Land-based organisms can then ingest the contaminated organisms, potentially impacting their health. Microplastics can be introduced into the aquatic environment through aquatic or land-based sources (Ziajahromi et al. 2017). A river system that is at a particular threat from microplastic contamination is the Fraser River. The Fraser River is a major salmon bearing river system in British Columbia and drains an area of over 220,000 km2. Potential sources of microplastic contamination include pulp and lumber mills near Prince George and Quesnel, the agriculturally dominated Fraser Valley, and the highly urbanized and industrialized stretch of the Lower Mainland east of Vancouver. Preliminary tests in the summer of 2016 on 200 liters of Fraser River water, processed through a 45 µm sieve, revealed the presence of microplastics, including the detection of blue dye polyethylene by Raman spectroscopy. Since then additional water samples were taken monthly at the Fraser River Observatory in Fort Langley from October 2016 to March 2017, and then bi-weekly commencing in April 2017. These samples are to be analysed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in the Fall of 2017. This ongoing project aims at identifying the presence, amount, and type of microplastics being transported by the Fraser River to the coastal ocean. Ziajahromi, S.,et al., 2017. Wastewater treatment plants as a pathway for microplastics: Development of a new approach to sample wastewater

77 FR 50964 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; District of Columbia; the 2002...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-23

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; District of Columbia; the 2002 Base Year Inventory AGENCY... particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) 2002 base year emissions inventory portion of the District of Columbia State... 2002 base year PM 2.5 emissions inventory submitted by DDOE in accordance with the requirements of the...

77 FR 46770 - Notice of Availability of the Injury Assessment Plan for the Upper Columbia River Site, Washington

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-06

..., Upper Columbia River/Lake Roosevelt, c/o Bureau of Land Management, 1103 N. Fancher Road, Spokane Valley... the following locations: Bureau of Land Management, 1103 N. Fancher Road, Spokane Valley, WA 99212...

Water supply, demand, and quality indicators for assessing the spatial distribution of water resource vulnerability in the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chang, Heejun; Jung, Il-Won; Strecker, Angela L.; Wise, Daniel; Lafrenz, Martin; Shandas, Vivek; ,; Yeakley, Alan; Pan, Yangdong; Johnson, Gunnar; Psaris, Mike

2013-01-01

We investigated water resource vulnerability in the US portion of the Columbia River basin (CRB) using multiple indicators representing water supply, water demand, and water quality. Based on the US county scale, spatial analysis was conducted using various biophysical and socio-economic indicators that control water vulnerability. Water supply vulnerability and water demand vulnerability exhibited a similar spatial clustering of hotspots in areas where agricultural lands and variability of precipitation were high but dam storage capacity was low. The hotspots of water quality vulnerability were clustered around the main stem of the Columbia River where major population and agricultural centres are located. This multiple equal weight indicator approach confirmed that different drivers were associated with different vulnerability maps in the sub-basins of the CRB. Water quality variables are more important than water supply and water demand variables in the Willamette River basin, whereas water supply and demand variables are more important than water quality variables in the Upper Snake and Upper Columbia River basins. This result suggests that current water resources management and practices drive much of the vulnerability within the study area. The analysis suggests the need for increased coordination of water management across multiple levels of water governance to reduce water resource vulnerability in the CRB and a potentially different weighting scheme that explicitly takes into account the input of various water stakeholders.

Large-scale conservation assessment for Neotropical migratory land birds in the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Victoria A. Saab; Terrell D. Rich

1997-01-01

The status and habitats of Neotropical migratory land birds (NTMB) are evaluated within the interior Columbia River basin (interior basin). Objectives are to examine population trends, estimate NTMB responses to alternative management activities, and provide recommendations by habitat and species for the long-term persistence of NTMB populations. Among 132 NTMBs that...

Modelling the Impacts of Changing Land Cover/Land Use and Climate on Flooding in the Elk River Watershed, British Columbia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, C. C.; Byrne, J. M.; Hopkinson, C.; MacDonald, R. J.; Johnson, D. L.

2015-12-01

The Elk River is a mountain watershed located along the eastern border of British Columbia, Canada. The Elk River is confined by railway bridges, roads, and urban areas. Flooding has been a concern in the valley for more than a century. The most recent major flood event occurred in 2013 affecting several communities. River modifications such as riprapped dykes, channelization, and dredging have occurred in an attempt to reduce inundation, with limited success. Significant changes in land cover/land use (LCLU) such as natural state to urban, forestry practices, and mining from underground to mountaintop/valley fill have changed terrain and ground surfaces thereby altering water infiltration and runoff processes in the watershed. Future climate change in this region is expected to alter air temperature and precipitation as well as produce an earlier seasonal spring freshet potentially impacting future flood events. The objective of this research is to model historical and future hydrological conditions to identify flood frequency and risk under a range of climate and LCLU change scenarios in the Elk River watershed. Historic remote sensing data, forest management plans, and mining industry production/post-mining reclamation plans will be used to create a predictive past and future LCLU time series. A range of future air temperature and precipitation scenarios will be developed based on accepted Global Climate Modelling (GCM) research to examine how the hydrometeorological conditions may be altered under a range of future climate scenarios. The GENESYS (GENerate Earth SYstems Science input) hydrometeorological model will be used to simulate climate and LCLU to assess historic and potential future flood frequency and magnitude. Results will be used to create innovative flood mitigation, adaptation, and management strategies for the Elk River with the intent of being wildlife friendly and non-destructive to ecosystems and habitats for native species.

Assessment of soil disturbance in forests of the interior Columbia River basin: a critique

Treesearch

Richard E. Miller; James D. McIver; Steven W. Howes; William B. Gaeuman

2010-01-01

We present results and inferences from 15 soil-monitoring projects by the USDA Forest Service (USFS) after logging in the interior Columbia River basin. Details and comments about each project are provided in separate appendixes. In general, application of past protocols overestimated the percentage of “detrimentally” disturbed soil in harvested units. Based on this...

Emerging and Legacy Contaminants in The Foodweb in The Lower Columbia River: USGS ConHab Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsen, E. B.; Alvarez, D.; Counihan, T.; Elias, E.; Gelfenbaum, G. R.; Hardiman, J.; Jenkins, J.; Mesa, M.; Morace, J.; Patino, R.; Torres, L.; Waite, I.; Zaugg, S.

2012-12-01

An interdisciplinary study, USGS Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization (ConHab) project, investigates transport pathways, chemical fate, and effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in aquatic media and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington. Polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were co-deployed at each of 10 sites in 2008 to provide a measure of the dissolved concentrations of select PBDEs, chlorinated pesticides, and other EDCs. PBDE-47 was the most prevalent of the PBDEs detected. Numerous organochlorine pesticides, both banned and current-use, including hexachlorobenzene, pentachloroanisole, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its degradates, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and the endosulfan degradation products, were measured at each site. EDCs commonly detected included a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fragrances (galaxolide), pesticides (chlorpyrifos and atrazine), plasticizers (phthalates), and flame retardants (phosphates). The downstream sites tended to have the highest concentrations of contaminants in the lower Columbia River. In 2009 and 2010 passive samplers were deployed and resident largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and surface bed sediments were collected at three of the original sites representing a gradient of exposure based on 2008 results. Brain, fillet, liver, stomach, and gonad tissues were analyzed. Chemical concentrations were highest in livers, followed by brain, stomach, gonad, and, lastly, fillet. Concentrations of halogenated compounds in tissue samples ranged from <1 to 400 ng g-1 wet tissue. PBDEs, organochlorine pesticides, DDT and its degradates, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were detected at all sites in nearly all organs tested. PBDE congeners most frequently detected and at the highest concentrations were PBDE-47 > PBDE-100 > PBDE-154

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Considering an Active Leech River Fault

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukovica, J.; Molnar, S.; Ghofrani, H.

2017-12-01

The Leech River fault is situated on Vancouver Island near the city of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The 60km transpressional reverse fault zone runs east to west along the southern tip of Vancouver Island, dividing the lithologic units of Jurassic-Cretaceous Leech River Complex schists to the north and Eocene Metchosin Formation basalts to the south. This fault system poses a considerable hazard due to its proximity to Victoria and 3 major hydroelectric dams. The Canadian seismic hazard model for the 2015 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) considered the fault system to be inactive. However, recent paleoseismic evidence suggests there to be at least 2 surface-rupturing events to have exceeded a moment magnitude (M) of 6.5 within the last 15,000 years (Morell et al. 2017). We perform a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) for the city of Victoria with consideration of the Leech River fault as an active source. A PSHA for Victoria which replicates the 2015 NBCC estimates is accomplished to calibrate our PSHA procedure. The same seismic source zones, magnitude recurrence parameters, and Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) are used. We replicate the uniform hazard spectrum for a probability of exceedance of 2% in 50 years for a 500 km radial area around Victoria. An active Leech River fault zone is then added; known length and dip. We are determining magnitude recurrence parameters based on a Gutenberg-Richter relationship for the Leech River fault from various catalogues of the recorded seismicity (M 2-3) within the fault's vicinity and the proposed paleoseismic events. We seek to understand whether inclusion of an active Leech River fault source will significantly increase the probabilistic seismic hazard for Victoria. Morell et al. 2017. Quaternary rupture of a crustal fault beneath Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. GSA Today, 27, doi: 10.1130/GSATG291A.1

Screening assessment and requirements for a comprehensive assessment: Volume 1, Draft. Columbia River comprehensive impact assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-04-01

To evaluate the impact to the Columbia River from the Hanford Site-derived contaminants, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology initiated a study referred to as the Columbia River Comprehensive Impact Assessment (CRCIA). To address concerns about the scope and direction of CRCIA as well as enhance regulator, tribal, stockholder, and public involvement, the CRCIA Management Team was formed in August 1995. The Team agreed to conduct CRCIA using a phased approach. The initial phase, includes two components: 1) a screening assessment to evaluate the potential impact to the river, resulting frommore » current levels of Hanford-derived contaminants in order to support decisions on Interim Remedial Measures, and 2) a definition of the essential work remaining to provide an acceptable comprehensive river impact assessment. The screening assessment is described in Part I of this report. The essential work remaining is Part II of this report. The objective of the screening assessment is to identify areas where the greatest potential exists for adverse effects on humans or the environment. Part I of this report discusses the scope, technical approach, and results of the screening assessment. Part II defines a new paradigm for predecisional participation by those affected by Hanford cleanup decisions.« less

Estuarine Landcover Along the Lower Columbia River Estuary Determined from Compact Ariborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) Imagery, Technical Report 2003.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garono, Ralph; Robinson, Rob

2003-10-01

Developing an understanding of the distribution and changes in estuarine and riparian habitats is critical to the management of biological resources in the lower Columbia River. In a recently completed comprehensive ecosystem protection and enhancement plan for the lower Columbia River Estuary (CRE), Jerrick (1999) identified habitat loss and modification as one of the key threats to the integrity of the CRE ecosystem. This management plan called for an inventory of habitats as key first step in the CRE long-term restoration effort. While previous studies have produced useful data sets depicting habitat cover types along portions of the lower CREmore » (Thomas, 1980; Thomas, 1983; Graves et al., 1995; NOAA, 1997; Allen, 1999), no single study has produced a description of the habitats for the entire CRE. Moreover, the previous studies differed in data sources and methodologies making it difficult to merge data or to make temporal comparisons. Therefore, the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (Estuary Partnership) initiated a habitat cover mapping project in 2000. The goal of this project was to produce a data set depicting the current habitat cover types along the lower Columbia River, from its mouth to the Bonneville Dam, a distance of {approx}230-km (Fig. 1) using both established and emerging remote sensing techniques. For this project, we acquired two types of imagery, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI). Landsat and CASI imagery differ in spatial and spectral resolution: the Landsat 7 ETM+ sensor collects reflectance data in seven spectral bands with a spatial resolution of 30-m and the CASI sensor collects reflectance data in 19 bands (in our study) with a spatial resolution of 1.5-m. We classified both sets of imagery and produced a spatially linked, hierarchical habitat data set for the entire CRE and its floodplain. Landsat 7 ETM+ classification results are presented in a separate report (Garono et al., 2003). This

Evaluation of persistent hydrophobic organic compounds in the Columbia River Basin using semipermeable-membrane devices

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, K.A.; Gale, R.W.

2001-01-01

Persistent hydrophobic organic compounds are of concern in the Columbia River because they have been correlated with adverse effects on wildlife. We analysed samples from nine main-stem and six tributary sites throughout the Columbia River Basin (Washington and Oregon) for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and priority-pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Because these compounds may have important biological consequences at aqueous concentrations well below the detection limits associated with conventional sampling methods, we used semipermeable-membrane devices to sample water and achieved parts-per-quintillion detection limits. All of these compound classes were prevalent within the basin, but concentrations of many analytes were highest in the vicinity of Portland-Vancouver, indicating that the Willamette subbasin-and perhaps the urban area in particular-is an important source of these compounds. Data collected during basin low-flow conditions in 1997 and again during basin high-flow conditions in 1998 indicate that in-stream processes such as dilution by relatively clean inflow, and flow through island hyporheic zones may be important mechanisms for attenuating dissolved concentrations of hydrophobic compounds.

Landscape-level model to predict spawning habitat for Lower Columbia River fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Treesearch

D. Shallin Busch; Mindi Sheer; Kelly Burnett; Paul McElhany; Tom Cooney

2013-01-01

We developed an intrinsic potential (IP) model to estimate the potential of streams to provide habitat for spawning fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Lower Columbia River evolutionarily significant unit. This evolutionarily significant unit is a threatened species, and both fish abundance and distribution are reduced from...

Effects of Mitigative Measures on Productivity of White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia River Downstream from McNary Dam; Determine Status and Habitat Requirements of White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from the McNary Dam, 1994-1995 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beiningen, Kirk T.

The author reports on progress from April 1994 through March 1995 of research on white sturgeon in the lower Columbia River. The study began in July 1986 and is a cooperative effort of federal, state and tribal fisheries entities to determine the (1) the status and habitat requirements, and (2) the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the lower Columbia River. This report describes activities conducted during the third year of this contract's second phase. Information was collected, analyzed, and evaluated on sub-adult and adult life histories, population dynamics, quantity and quality of habitat, andmore » production enhancement strategies. The report is divided into sections that evaluate success of developing and implementing a management plan for white sturgeon; evaluate growth, mortality, and contributions to fisheries of juvenile white sturgeon transplanted from areas downstream; describe the life history and population dynamics of sub-adult a nd adult white sturgeon; define habitat requirements for spawning and rearing of white sturgeon and quantify the extent of habitat available; describe reproductive and early life history characteristics of white sturgeon; and quantify physical habitat used by spawning and rearing white sturgeon in the free-flowing portion of the Columbia River.« less

Field guide for the identification of snags and logs in the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Catherine G. Parks; Evelyn L. Bull; Torolf R. Torgersen

1997-01-01

This field guide contains descriptions and color photographs of snags and logs of 10 coniferous and 3 deciduous tree species found in the interior Columbia River basin. Methods arc described to distinguish among the different species when various amounts of branches, cones, and bark arc missing. Wildlife use of the different species of snags and logs are listed. Snags...

White Sturgeon Mitigation and Restoration in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from Bonneville Dam; 1998-1999 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, David L.

The authors report on their progress from April 1998 through March 1999 on determining the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam, and on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from McNary Dam. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW; Report A), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW; Report B), U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS; Report C), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS; Report D), Columbia Rivermore » Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC; Report E), and the University of Idaho (UI; Report F). This is a multi-year study with many objectives requiring more than one year to complete. Therefore, findings from a given year may be part of more significant findings yet to be reported. Highlights of results of our work from April 1998 through March 1999 are given.« less

Wigwam River Juvenile Bull Trout and Fish Habitat Monitoring Program : 2002 Data Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cope, R.S.

2003-03-01

The Wigwam River bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and fish habitat monitoring program is a trans-boundary initiative implemented by the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection (MWLAP), in cooperation with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The Wigwam River is an important fisheries stream located in southeastern British Columbia that supports healthy populations of both bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout (Figure 1). This river has been characterized as the single most important bull trout spawning stream in the Kootenay Region (Baxter and Westover 2000, Cope 1998). In addition, the Wigwam River supports some of the largest Westslope cutthroat troutmore » (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) in the Kootenay Region. These fish are highly sought after by anglers (Westover 1999a, 1999b). Bull trout populations have declined in many areas of their range within Montana and throughout the northwest including British Columbia. Bull trout were blue listed as vulnerable in British Columbia by the B.C. Conservation Data Center (Cannings 1993) and although there are many healthy populations of bull trout in the East Kootenay they remain a species of special concern. Bull trout in the United States portion of the Columbia River were listed as threatened in 1998 under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The upper Kootenay River is within the Kootenai sub-basin of the Mountain Columbia Province, one of the eleven Eco-provinces that make up the Columbia River Basin. MWLAP applied for and received funding from BPA to assess and monitor the status of wild, native stocks of bull trout in tributaries to Lake Koocanusa (Libby Reservoir) and the upper Kootenay River. This task is one of many that were undertaken to ''Monitor and Protect Bull Trout for Koocanusa Reservoir'' (BPA Project Number 2000-04-00).« less

White sturgeon mitigation and restoration in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from Bonneville Dam, Annual Progress Report April 2006 - March 2007. Report C

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, M.J.; Kofoot, P.

2008-01-01

Describe reproduction and early life history characteristics of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River between Bonneville and Priest Rapids dams. Define habitat requirements for spawning and rearing white sturgeon and quantify the extent of habitat available in the Columbia River between Bonneville and Priest Rapids dams. Progress updates on young-of-the-year recruitment in Bonneville Reservoir and indices of white sturgeon spawning habitat for 2006 for McNary, John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville dam tailrace spawning areas.

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1992.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Power Planning Council; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

1991-09-01

The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) was developed by the Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) in accordance with Public Law 96-501, the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Act). The purpose of the Program is to guide the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other Federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife of the Columbia River Basin. The Act explicitly gives BPA the authority and responsibility to use the BPA fund for these ends, to the extent that fish and wildlife are affected by the development and operationmore » of hydroelectric generation in the Columbia River Basin. The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan (AIWP) presents BPA's plans for implementing the Program during Fiscal Year (FY) 1992. The AIWP reflects the primary goals of the Council's Action Plan (Section 1400 of the Program): to provide a solid, timely, and focused basis for budgeting and planning. In addition, the AIWP provides a means to judge the progress and the success of Program implementation. The AIWP is based on the outline developed by the Policy Review Group (PRG) during Step 1 of the annual cycle of the Implementation Planning Process (IPP), which is described in Section III. This AIWP has been organized and written to meet the specific needs of Program Action Items 10.1-10.3. The AIWP includes schedules with key milestones for FY 1992 and beyond, and addresses the Action Items assigned to BPA in Section 1400 of the 1987 Program and in subsequent amendments. All Program projects discussed in the AIWP are listed in Tables 1 and 2 according to their status as of May 21, 1991. Table 1 (pp. 3-14) lists completed, ongoing, and deferred projects. Table 2 (pp. 15-16) lists FY 1992 new-start projects. ''Ongoing'' status indicates that the project started in FY 1991 or before and that it is expected to continue through part

Determining Columbia and Snake River Project Tailrace and Forebay Zones of Hydraulic Influence using MASS2 Modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rakowski, Cynthia L.; Serkowski, John A.; Richmond, Marshall C.

2010-12-01

Although fisheries biology studies are frequently performed at US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects along the Columbia and Snake Rivers, there is currently no consistent definition of the ``forebay'' and ``tailrace'' regions for these studies. At this time, each study may use somewhat arbitrary lines (e.g., the Boat Restriction Zone) to define the upstream and downstream limits of the study, which may be significantly different at each project. Fisheries researchers are interested in establishing a consistent definition of project forebay and tailrace regions for the hydroelectric projects on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. The Hydraulic Extent of amore » project was defined by USACE (Brad Eppard, USACE-CENWP) as follows: The river reach directly upstream (forebay) and downstream (tailrace) of a project that is influenced by the normal range of dam operations. Outside this reach, for a particular river discharge, changes in dam operations cannot be detected by hydraulic measurement. The purpose of this study was to, in consultation with USACE and regional representatives, develop and apply a consistent set of criteria for determining the hydraulic extent of each of the projects in the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. A 2D depth-averaged river model, MASS2, was applied to the Snake and Columbia Rivers. New computational meshes were developed most reaches and the underlying bathymetric data updated to the most current survey data. The computational meshes resolved each spillway bay and turbine unit at each project and extended from project to project. MASS2 was run for a range of total river flows and each flow for a range of project operations at each project. The modeled flow was analyzed to determine the range of velocity magnitude differences and the range of flow direction differences at each location in the computational mesh for each total river flow. Maps of the differences in flow direction and velocity magnitude were created. USACE fishery

Increased mitochondrial DNA diversity in ancient Columbia River basin Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

PubMed Central

Kemp, Brian M.; Thorgaard, Gary H.

2018-01-01

The Columbia River and its tributaries provide essential spawning and rearing habitat for many salmonid species, including Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Chinook salmon were historically abundant throughout the basin and Native Americans in the region relied heavily on these fish for thousands of years. Following the arrival of Europeans in the 1800s, salmon in the basin experienced broad declines linked to overfishing, water diversion projects, habitat destruction, connectivity reduction, introgression with hatchery-origin fish, and hydropower development. Despite historical abundance, many native salmonids are now at risk of extinction. Research and management related to Chinook salmon is usually explored under what are termed “the four H’s”: habitat, harvest, hatcheries, and hydropower; here we explore a fifth H, history. Patterns of prehistoric and contemporary mitochondrial DNA variation from Chinook salmon were analyzed to characterize and compare population genetic diversity prior to recent alterations and, thus, elucidate a deeper history for this species. A total of 346 ancient and 366 contemporary samples were processed during this study. Species was determined for 130 of the ancient samples and control region haplotypes of 84 of these were sequenced. Diversity estimates from these 84 ancient Chinook salmon were compared to 379 contemporary samples. Our analysis provides the first direct measure of reduced genetic diversity for Chinook salmon from the ancient to the contemporary period, as measured both in direct loss of mitochondrial haplotypes and reductions in haplotype and nucleotide diversity. However, these losses do not appear equal across the basin, with higher losses of diversity in the mid-Columbia than in the Snake subbasin. The results are unexpected, as the two groups were predicted to share a common history as parts of the larger Columbia River Basin, and instead indicate that Chinook salmon in these subbasins may have

Determination of Columbia River flow times from Pasco, Washington using radioactive tracers introduced by the Hanford reactors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, Jack L.; Perkins, R.W.; Haushild, W.L.

1966-01-01

Radioactive tracers introduced into the Columbia River in cooling water from the Hanford reactors were used to measure flow times downstream from Pasco, Washington, as far as Astoria, Oregon. The use of two tracer methods was investigated. One method used the decay of a steady release of Na24 (15-hour half-life) to determine flow times to various downstream locations, and flow times were also determined from the time required for peak concentration of instantaneous releases of I131 (8-day half-life) to reach these locations. Flow times determined from the simultaneous use of the two methods agreed closely. The measured flow times for the 224 miles from Pasco to Vancouver, Washington, ranged from 14.6 to 3.6 days, respectively, for discharges of 108,000 and 630,000 ft3/sec at Vancouver, Washington. A graphic relation for estimating flow times at discharges other than those measured and for several locations between Pasco and Vancouver was prepared from the data of tests made at four river discharges. Some limited data are also presented on the characteristics of dispersion of I131 in the Columbia River.

STS-28 Columbia, OV-102, landing at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) California

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-08-13

STS-28 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, approaches Runway 17 dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) California and is photographed just moments before main landing gear (MLG) touchdown. In the distance, are peaks of Southern California mountain range.

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2003: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.; Bragg, Heather M.; Johnston, Matthew W.

2003-01-01

The variances to the States of Oregon and Washington water-quality standards for total dissolved gas were exceeded at six of the seven monitoring sites. The sites at Camas and Bonneville forebay had the most days exceeding the variance of 115% saturation. The forebay exceedances may have been the result of the cumulative effects of supersaturated water moving downstream through the lower Columbia River. Apparently, the levels of total dissolved gas did not decrease rapidly enough downstream from the dams before reaching the next site. From mid-July to mid-September, water temperatures were usually above 20 degrees Celsius at each of the seven lower Columbia River sites. According to the Oregon water-quality standard, when the temperature of the lower Columbia River exceeds 20 degrees Celsius, no measurable temperature increase resulting from anthropogenic activities is allowed. Transient increases of about 1 degree Celsius were noted at the John Day forebay site, due to localized solar heating.

Temperature constraints on the Ginkgo flow of the Columbia River Basalt Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Anita M.; Cashman, Katharine V.

1997-05-01

This study provides the first quantitative estimate of heat loss for a Columbia River Basalt Group flow. A glass composition-based geothermometer was experimentally calibrated for a composition representative of the 500-km-long Ginkgo flow of the Columbia River Basalt Group to measure temperature change during transport. Melting experiments were conducted on a bulk sample at 1 atm between 1200 and 1050 °C. Natural glass was sampled from the margin of a feeder dike near Kahlotus, Washington, and from pillow basalt at distances of 120 km (Vantage, Washington), 350 km (Molalla, Oregon), and 370 km (Portland, Oregon). Ginkgo basalt was also sampled at its distal end at Yaquina Head, Oregon (500 km). Comparison of the glass MgO content, K2O in plagioclase, and measured crystallinities in the experimental charges and natural samples tightly constrains the minimum flow temperature to 1085 ± 5 °C. Glass and plagioclase compositions indicate an upper temperature of 1095 ± 5 °C; thus the maximum temperature decrease along the flow axis of the Ginkgo is 20 °C, suggesting cooling rates of 0.02 0.04 °C/km. These cooling rates, substantially lower than rates observed in active and historic flows, are inconsistent with turbulent flow models. Calculated melt temperatures and viscosities of 240 750 Pa · s allow emplacement either as a fast laminar flow under an insulating crust or as a slower, inflated flow.

A River Runs through It: A School on the Edge of the Columbia River Estuary Combines Science and Stewardship Right in Its Own Backyard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Lee

2002-01-01

The estuary at the mouth of the Columbia River in Wahkiakum County Washington) provides a natural laboratory for experiential learning. Wahkiakum High School students participate in interdisciplinary projects that have included habitat restoration, a salmon hatchery, stream restoration, tree planting, and recreating the final leg of the Lewis and…

Surveying Cross Sections of the Kootenai River Between Libby Dam, Montana, and Kootenay Lake, British Columbia, Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, Gary J.; Moran, Edward H.; Berenbrock, Charles

2004-01-01

The declining population of Kootenai River white sturgeon, which was listed as an Endangered Species in 1994, has prompted a recovery team to assess the feasibility of various habitat enhancement scenarios to reestablish white sturgeon populations. As the first phase in this assessment, the U.S. Geological Survey collected stream channel cross-section and longitudinal data during 2002—03 at about 400 locations along the Kootenai River from Libby Dam near Libby, Montana, to where the river empties into Kootenay Lake near Creston, British Columbia, Canada. Survey control stations with a horizontal and vertical accuracy of less than 0.1 foot were established using a global positioning system (GPS) prior to collection of stream channel cross-section data along the Kootenai River. A total of 245 cross sections were surveyed. Six cross sections upstream from Kootenai Falls were surveyed using a total station where the river was too shallow or dangerous to navigate by vessel. The remaining 239 cross sections were surveyed by interfacing real-time GPS equipment with an echo sounder to obtain bathymetric data and with a laser range- finder to obtain streambank data. These data were merged, straightened, ordered, and reduced in size to be useful. Spacing between these cross sections ranged from about 600 feet in the valley flat near Deep Creek and Shorty Island and near bridges to as much as several miles in other areas. These stream channel cross sections will provide information that can be used to develop hydraulic flow models of the Kootenai River from Libby Dam, Montana, to Queens Bay on Kootenay Lake in British Columbia, Canada.

IMPACT OF AIR POLLUTION ON VEGETATION NEAR THE COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - WISCONSIN POWER PLANT IMPACT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The impact of air pollution from the coal-fired Columbia Generating Station upon vegetation was investigated. Air monitoring of 03 and 02 documented levels that occurred before and with operation of the generating station. Field sampling of alfalfa, lichens, and white pines was u...

Foraging patterns of Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants in the Columbia River estuary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyons, Donald E.; Roby, D.D.; Collis, K.

2007-01-01

We examined spatial and temporal foraging patterns of Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants nesting in the Columbia River estuary, to potentially identify circumstances where juvenile salmonids listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act might be more vulnerable to predation by these avian piscivores. Data were collected during the 1998 and 1999 breeding seasons, using point count surveys of foraging birds at 40 sites along the river's banks, and using aerial strip transect counts throughout the estuary for terns. In 1998, terns selected tidal flats and sites with roosting beaches nearby for foraging, making greater use of the marine/mixing zone of the estuary later in the season, particularly areas near the ocean jetties. In 1999, cormorants selected foraging sites in freshwater along the main channel with pile dikes present, particularly early in the season. Foraging trends in the other year for each species were generally similar to the above but usually not significant. During aerial surveys we observed 50% of foraging and commuting terns within 8 km of the Rice Island colony, and ??? 5% of activity occurred ??? 27 km from this colony in both years. Disproportionately greater cormorant foraging activity at pile dikes may indicate greater vulnerability of salmonids to predation at those features. Colony relocations to sites at sufficient distance from areas of relatively high salmonid abundance may be a straightforward means of reducing impacts of avian predation on salmonids than habitat alterations within the Columbia River estuary, at least for terns. ?? 2007 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.

Lower Columbia River Salmon Business Plan for Terminal Fisheries : Final Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salmon For All

1996-07-01

Salmon fishing in the Northwest requires a public-private partnership. The public through its decision-makers, agencies, and laws states it will do all that is necessary to protect and preserve the valuable salmon resource. Yet, the public side of the partnership is broken. The Columbia River salmon fishing industry, with over 140 years of documented history, is at a crossroads. This report explores a variety of issues, concerns, and ideas related to terminal fishery development. In some cases recommendations are made. In addition, options are explored with an understanding that those designated as decision-makers must make decisions following considerable discussion andmore » reflection.« less

Discontinuous Galerkin modeling of the Columbia River's coupled estuary-plume dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallaeys, Valentin; Kärnä, Tuomas; Delandmeter, Philippe; Lambrechts, Jonathan; Baptista, António M.; Deleersnijder, Eric; Hanert, Emmanuel

2018-04-01

The Columbia River (CR) estuary is characterized by high river discharge and strong tides that generate high velocity flows and sharp density gradients. Its dynamics strongly affects the coastal ocean circulation. Tidal straining in turn modulates the stratification in the estuary. Simulating the hydrodynamics of the CR estuary and plume therefore requires a multi-scale model as both shelf and estuarine circulations are coupled. Such a model has to keep numerical dissipation as low as possible in order to correctly represent the plume propagation and the salinity intrusion in the estuary. Here, we show that the 3D baroclinic discontinuous Galerkin finite element model SLIM 3D is able to reproduce the main features of the CR estuary-to-ocean continuum. We introduce new vertical discretization and mode splitting that allow us to model a region characterized by complex bathymetry and sharp density and velocity gradients. Our model takes into account the major forcings, i.e. tides, surface wind stress and river discharge, on a single multi-scale grid. The simulation period covers the end of spring-early summer of 2006, a period of high river flow and strong changes in the wind regime. SLIM 3D is validated with in-situ data on the shelf and at multiple locations in the estuary and compared with an operational implementation of SELFE. The model skill in the estuary and on the shelf indicate that SLIM 3D is able to reproduce the key processes driving the river plume dynamics, such as the occurrence of bidirectional plumes or reversals of the inner shelf coastal currents.

Operations Plans for Anadromous Fish Production Facilities in the Columbia River Basin, Volume II of V; 1992 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hutchison, Bill

1993-05-01

Clearwater Hatchery is located on the north bank of the North Fork of the Clearwater River, downstream from Dworshak Dam. It is approximately 72 miles from Lower Granite Dam, and 504 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River. Site elevation is approximately 994 feet above sea level. The hatchery is staffed with 7 FTE's. Clearwater Hatchery has two pipelines from Dworshak Reservoir. One is attached to a floating platform and is capable of providing various temperatures at varying depths. The other is a stationary intake about 245 feet below the top of the dam. All water is gravity fedmore » to the hatchery. An l8 inch intake pipe provides an estimated 10 cfs with temperature remaining constant at approximately 40 F. The primary 42-inch intake pipe can draw water from 5 to 45 feet in depth with temperatures ranging from 55 to 60 F and 70 cfs of flow. The hatchery facility consists of 11 chinook raceways, 24 steelhead raceways, 2 adult holding ponds, a covered spawning area with 2 live wells and 60 concrete rearing vats. There are 40 double stacks of Heath-type incubators and each vat also has an incubation jar. All facility units are in excellent condition. Clearwater Hatchery also supports satellite facilities at Red River, Crooked River and Powell. The Red River satellite facility is located approximately 15 miles east of Elk City, Idaho. It is approximately 186 miles upstream from Lower Granite Dam and 618 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River. It was first built in 1974 by the Columbia River Project and then remodeled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1986. Red River is supplied by gravity flow from an intake located at the bottom of the South Fork of Red River, 225 yards upstream from the facility. Water rights allow for 10 cfs and during low flows in the summer about 5 cfs is available. Temperatures range from 40 F in the spring to 71 F in early August. The facility consists of two adult holding ponds, a removable tripod and panel weir, and a

Population Estimates for Chum Salmon Spawning in the Mainstem Columbia River, 2002 Technical Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rawding, Dan; Hillson, Todd D.

2003-11-15

Accurate and precise population estimates of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawning in the mainstem Columbia River are needed to provide a basis for informed water allocation decisions, to determine the status of chum salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act, and to evaluate the contribution of the Duncan Creek re-introduction program to mainstem spawners. Currently, mark-recapture experiments using the Jolly-Seber model provide the only framework for this type of estimation. In 2002, a study was initiated to estimate mainstem Columbia River chum salmon populations using seining data collected while capturing broodstock as part of the Duncan Creek re-introduction. The fivemore » assumptions of the Jolly-Seber model were examined using hypothesis testing within a statistical framework, including goodness of fit tests and secondary experiments. We used POPAN 6, an integrated computer system for the analysis of capture-recapture data, to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of standard model parameters, derived estimates, and their precision. A more parsimonious final model was selected using Akaike Information Criteria. Final chum salmon escapement estimates and (standard error) from seining data for the Ives Island, Multnomah, and I-205 sites are 3,179 (150), 1,269 (216), and 3,468 (180), respectively. The Ives Island estimate is likely lower than the total escapement because only the largest two of four spawning sites were sampled. The accuracy and precision of these estimates would improve if seining was conducted twice per week instead of weekly, and by incorporating carcass recoveries into the analysis. Population estimates derived from seining mark-recapture data were compared to those obtained using the current mainstem Columbia River salmon escapement methodologies. The Jolly-Seber population estimate from carcass tagging in the Ives Island area was 4,232 adults with a standard error of 79. This population estimate appears reasonable and precise but

Evolutionary responses by native species to major anthropogenic changes to their ecosystems: Pacific salmon in the Columbia River hydropower system.

PubMed

Waples, Robin S; Zabel, Richard W; Scheuerell, Mark D; Sanderson, Beth L

2008-01-01

The human footprint is now large in all the Earth's ecosystems, and construction of large dams in major river basins is among the anthropogenic changes that have had the most profound ecological consequences, particularly for migratory fishes. In the Columbia River basin of the western USA, considerable effort has been directed toward evaluating demographic effects of dams, yet little attention has been paid to evolutionary responses of migratory salmon to altered selective regimes. Here we make a first attempt to address this information gap. Transformation of the free-flowing Columbia River into a series of slack-water reservoirs has relaxed selection for adults capable of migrating long distances upstream against strong flows; conditions now favour fish capable of migrating through lakes and finding and navigating fish ladders. Juveniles must now be capable of surviving passage through multiple dams or collection and transportation around the dams. River flow patterns deliver some groups of juvenile salmon to the estuary later than is optimal for ocean survival, but countervailing selective pressures might constrain an evolutionary response toward earlier migration timing. Dams have increased the cost of migration, which reduces energy available for sexual selection and favours a nonmigratory life history. Reservoirs are a benign environment for many non-native species that are competitors with or predators on salmon, and evolutionary responses are likely (but undocumented). More research is needed to tease apart the relative importance of evolutionary vs. plastic responses of salmon to these environmental changes; this research is logistically challenging for species with life histories like Pacific salmon, but results should substantially improve our understanding of key processes. If the Columbia River is ever returned to a quasinatural, free-flowing state, remaining populations might face a Darwinian debt (and temporarily reduced fitness) as they struggle to

Assessment of Subyearling Chinook Salmon Survival through the Federal Hydropower Projects in the Main-Stem Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skalski, J. R.; Eppard, M. B.; Ploskey, Gene R.

2014-07-11

High survival through hydropower projects is an essential element in the recovery of salmonid populations in the Columbia River. It is also a regulatory requirement under the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) established under the Endangered Species Act. It requires dam passage survival to be ≥0.96 and ≥0.93 for spring and summer outmigrating juvenile salmonids, respectively, and estimated with a standard error ≤ 0.015. An innovative virtual/paired-release design was used to estimate dam passage survival, defined as survival from the face of a dam to the tailrace mixing zone. A coordinated four-dam study was conductedmore » during the 2012 summer outmigration using 14,026 run-of-river subyearling Chinook salmon surgically implanted with acoustic micro-transmitter (AMT) tags released at 9 different locations, and monitored on 14 different detection arrays. Each of the four estimates of dam passage survival exceeded BiOp requirements with values ranging from 0.9414 to 0.9747 and standard errors, 0.0031 to 0.0114. Two consecutive years of survival estimates must meet BiOp standards in order for a hydropower project to be in compliance with recovery requirements for a fish stock.« less

Detections of Acoustic-Tagged Green Sturgeon in Baker Bay on the Lower Columbia River during September - November 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Acoustic transmitters implanted in green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) captured in rivers in California were detected by acoustic receivers deployed within and around Baker Bay. The receivers were deployed at eight locations in the Bay and adjacent navigation channels of the Lower Columbia River during a period of anticipated channel dredging. Three of the transmitters detected were confirmed to have been implanted into green sturgeon in previous years; two were from the Sacramento River and one was from the Klamath River. The transmitters (fish) were within detection range of the receivers for only a short period, which is consistent with findings of earlier studies that green sturgeon make rapid and extensive intra-estuary movements.

Genetic and Phenotype [Phenotypic] Catalog of Native Resident Trout of the interior Columbia River Basin : FY-99 Report : Populations of the Pend Oreille, Kettle, and Sanpoil River Basins of Colville National Forest.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trotter, Patrick C.

2001-05-01

The 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program of the Northwest Power Planning Council specifies the recovery and preservation of population health of native resident fishes of the Columbia River Basin. Among the native resident species of concern are interior rainbow trout of the Columbia River redband subspecies Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri 1 and westslope cutthroat trout O. clarki lewisi. The westslope cutthroat trout has been petitioned for listing under the U. S. Endangered Species Act (American Wildlands et al. 1997). Before at-risk populations can be protected, their presence and status must be established. Where introgression from introduced species is a concern, asmore » in the case of both westslope cutthroat trout and redband rainbow trout, genetic issues must be addressed as well. As is true with native trout elsewhere in the western United States (Behnke 1992), most of the remaining pure populations of these species in the Columbia River Basin are in relatively remote headwater reaches. The objective of this project is to photo-document upper Columbia Basin native resident trout populations in Washington, and to ascertain their species or subspecies identity and relative genetic purity using a nonlethal DNA technique. FY-99 was year two of a five-year project in which we conducted field visits to remote locations to seek out and catalog these populations. In FY-99 we worked in collaboration with the Colville National Forest and Kalispel Indian Tribe to catalog populations in the northeastern corner of Washington State.« less

A Synthesis of Environmental and Plant Community Data for Tidal Wetland Restoration Planning in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Borde, Amy B.; Cullinan, Valerie I.

This report reanalyzes and synthesizes previously existing environmental and plant community data collected by PNNL at 55 tidal wetlands and 3 newly restored sites in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) between 2005 and 2011. Whereas data were originally collected for various research or monitoring objectives of five studies, the intent of this report is to provide only information that will have direct utility in planning tidal wetland restoration projects. Therefore, for this report, all tidal wetland data on plants and the physical environment, which were originally developed and reported by separate studies, were tabulated and reanalyzed as amore » whole. The geographic scope of the data collected in this report is from Bonneville Lock and Dam to the mouth of the Columbia River« less

Operational Hydrologic Forecasts in the Columbia River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, K. Y.; Curry, J. A.; Webster, P. J.; Toma, V. E.; Jelinek, M.

2013-12-01

The Columbia River Basin (CRB) covers an area of ~670,000 km2 and stretches across parts of seven U.S. states and one Canadian province. The basin is subject to a variable climate, and moisture stored in snowpack during the winter is typically released in spring and early summer. These releases contribute to rapid increases in flow. A number of impoundments have been constructed on the Columbia River main stem and its tributaries for the purposes of flood control, navigation, irrigation, recreation, and hydropower. Storage reservoirs allow water managers to adjust natural flow patterns to benefit water and energy demands. In the past decade, the complexity of water resource management issues in the basin has amplified the importance of streamflow forecasting. Medium-range (1-10 day) numerical weather forecasts of precipitation and temperature can be used to drive hydrological models. In this work, probabilistic meteorological variables from the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) are used to force the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. Soil textures were obtained from FAO data; vegetation types / land cover information from UMD land cover data; stream networks from USGS HYDRO1k; and elevations from CGIAR version 4 SRTM data. The surface energy balance in 0.25° (~25 km) cells is closed through an iterative process operating at a 6 hour timestep. Output fluxes from a number of cells in the basin are combined through one-dimensional flow routing predicated on assumptions of linearity and time invariance. These combinations lead to daily mean streamflow estimates at key locations throughout the basin. This framework is suitable for ingesting daily numerical weather prediction data, and was calibrated using USGS mean daily streamflow data at the Dalles Dam (TDA). Operational streamflow forecasts in the CRB have been active since October 2012. These are 'naturalized' or unregulated forecasts. In 2013, increases of ~2600 m3/s (~48% of

Carbon storage potential of Columbia River flood basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wells, R. K.; Xiong, W.; Giammar, D.; Skemer, P. A.

2017-12-01

Basalt reservoirs are an important option for sequestering carbon through dissolution of host rock and precipitation of stable carbonate minerals. This study seeks to understand the nature of dissolution and surface roughening processes and their influence on the timing and spatial distribution of carbonation, in static experiments at 150 °C and 100 bar CO2. Intact samples and cores with milled pathways from Ca-rich and Fe-rich Columbia River flood basalt formations were reacted for up to 40 weeks. Experimental specimens were analyzed using SEM-EDS, microprobe, and μCT scanning, Raman spectroscopy, and 2D profilometer to characterize changes in composition and surface roughness. ICP-MS was used to examine bulk fluid chemistry. Initial dissolution of olivine grains results in higher Mg2+ and Fe2+ concentrations within the bulk solution in the first week of reaction. However, once available olivine grains are gone, Ca-rich pyroxene becomes the primary contributor of Ca2+, Mg2+, and Fe2+ within the bulk solution. The complete dissolution of olivine grains resulted in pits up to 200 μm deep. Dissolution of other minerals resulted in the formation of microscale textures, primarily along grain boundaries and fractures. The surface roughness increased by factors of up to 42, while surface area increased 20%. Based on these results, pyroxene is the sustaining contributor of divalent metal cations during dissolution of basalt, and the limited connectivity of olivine and pyroxene grains limits the exposure of new reactive surface areas. Within 6 weeks, aragonite precipitated in Ca-rich basalt samples, while Fe-rich samples precipitated of siderite. The highest concentration of carbonates occurs 1/3 into milled pathways, which simulate dead-end fractures, in low porosity basalts, and near the fracture tip in high porosity basalts. Even at elevated temperatures, the fractures are not blocked nor filled within 40 weeks of reaction. When vesicles are present, carbonates can

Columbia River White Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus) Early Life History and Genertics Study, August 1, 1984 to December 31, 1985 Final Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brannon, Ernest L.

1985-12-01

Research on Columbia River white sturgeon has been directed at their early life history as it may apply to production and enhancement strategies for management of the species. The river environment in which sturgeon historically migrated, spawned, and reared has changed through development. Habitat changes are expected to precipitate genetic changes in the fish, as well as reduce the fitness in populations. Genetic analysis of samples taken from various locations over the length of the Columbia River have indicated that observed gene frequencies in all areas sampled were not in Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium, which could suggest that the general population ismore » experiencing perturbation in the system. Analysis thus far has exposed few differences between samples from the lower, middle, and upper portions of the system. Allelic differences were identified in fish from the Roosevelt Lake, which may be evidence of unique characteristics among fish from that general area.« less

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-14

In the RLV Hangar, a Columbia Reconstruction Project Team member examines pieces of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia. The debris has begun arriving at KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team members move debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia into a designated sector of the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Role of climate and invasive species in structuring trout distributions in the interior Columbia River Basin, USA

Treesearch

Seth J. Wenger; Daniel J. Isaak; Jason B. Dunham; Kurt D. Fausch; Charlie Luce; Helen M. Neville; Bruce E. Rieman; Michael K. Young; David E. Nagel; Dona L. Horan; Gwynne L. Chandler

2011-01-01

Recent and projected climate warming trends have prompted interest in impacts on coldwater fishes. We examined the role of climate (temperature and flow regime) relative to geomorphology and land use in determining the observed distributions of three trout species in the interior Columbia River Basin, USA. We considered two native species, cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus...

Water quality of the lower Columbia River basin; analysis of current and historical water-quality data through 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Tanner, Dwight Q.; Morace, Jennifer L.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Skach, Kenneth A.

1996-01-01

Trend tests showed significant (r < 0.05) downward trends from 1973 to 1994 for three constituents at the Columbia River at Warrendale: phosphorus in unfiltered water, total dissolved solids, and specific conductance. These trends may be a consequence of more conservative agricultural practices in the area upstream from Warrendale.

Substrate and flow characteristics associated with White Sturgeon recruitment in the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatten, James R.; Parsley, Michael; Barton, Gary; Batt, Thomas; Fosness, Ryan L.

2018-01-01

A study was conducted to identify habitat characteristics associated with age 0+ White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1863) recruitment in three reaches of the Columbia River Basin: Skamania reach (consistent recruitment), John Day reach (intermittent/inconsistent recruitment), and Kootenai reach (no recruitment). Our modeling approach involved numerous steps. First, we collected information about substrate, embeddedness, and hydrodynamics in each reach. Second, we developed a set of spatially explicit predictor variables. Third, we built two habitat (probability) models with Skamania reach training data where White Sturgeon recruitment was consistent. Fourth, we created spawning maps of each reach by populating the habitat models with in-reach physical metrics (substrate, embeddedness, and hydrodynamics). Fifth, we examined model accuracy by overlaying spawning locations in Skamania and Kootenai reaches with habitat predictions obtained from probability models. Sixth, we simulated how predicted habitat changed in each reach after manipulating physical conditions to more closely match Skamania reach. Model verification confirmed White Sturgeon generally spawned in locations with higher model probabilities in Skamania and Kootenai reaches, indicating the utility of extrapolating the models. Model simulations revealed significant gains in White Sturgeon habitat in all reaches when spring flow increased, gravel/cobble composition increased, or embeddedness decreased. The habitat models appear well suited to assist managers when identifying reach-specific factors limiting White Sturgeon recruitment in the Columbia River Basin or throughout its range.

A social–ecological perspective for riverscape management in the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hand, Brian K.; Flint, Courtney G.; Frissell, Chris A.; Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Devlin, Shawn P.; Kennedy, Brian P.; Crabtree, Robert L.; McKee, W. Arthur; Luikart, Gordon; Stanford, Jack A.

2018-01-01

Riverscapes are complex, landscape-scale mosaics of connected river and stream habitats embedded in diverse ecological and socioeconomic settings. Social–ecological interactions among stakeholders often complicate natural-resource conservation and management of riverscapes. The management challenges posed by the conservation and restoration of wild salmonid populations in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) of western North America are one such example. Because of their ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic importance, salmonids present a complex management landscape due to interacting environmental factors (eg climate change, invasive species) as well as socioeconomic and political factors (eg dams, hatcheries, land-use change, transboundary agreements). Many of the problems in the CRB can be linked to social–ecological interactions occurring within integrated ecological, human–social, and regional–climatic spheres. Future management and conservation of salmonid populations therefore depends on how well the issues are understood and whether they can be resolved through effective communication and collaboration among ecologists, social scientists, stakeholders, and policy makers.

Food and growth parameters of juvenile chinook in the central Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Becker, C.D.

1994-10-01

Juvenile chinook, salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Hanford area of the free-flowing central Columbia River, Washington consume almost entirely adult and larval stages of aquatic insects. The diet is dominated by midges (Diptera: Chironomidae). By numbers, adult midges provided 64 and 58% of the diet and larval midges 17 and 18% of the diet, in 1968 and 1969, respectively. The families Hydropsychidae (Trichoptera), Notonectidae (Hemiptera) and Hypogastruridae (Collembola) are of minor numerical importance with a combined utilization of 7% in 1968 and 15% in 1969. Distinctive features of food and feeding activity of juvenile chinook at Hanford are fourfold: (1)more » the fish utilize relatively few insect groups, predominantly Chironomidae; (2) they depend largely upon autochthonous river organisms; (3) they visually select living prey drifting, floating or swimming in the water; and (4) they are apparently habitat opportunists to a large extent. Analyses were made of variations in diet and numbers of insects consumed between six sampling stations distributed along a 38 km section of the river. Data are provided on feeding intensity, fish lengths, length-weight relationships, and coefficients of condition. Seasonal changes in river temperature and discharge, as well as variations in regulated flow levels are environmental features influencing feeding, growth, and emigration of fish in the Hanford environs.« less

4. South Elevation Columbia Island Abutment Four; South Elevation ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. South Elevation - Columbia Island Abutment Four; South Elevation - Washington Abutment One - Arlington Memorial Bridge, Spanning Potomac River between Lincoln Memorial & Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

A noninvasive tool to assess the distribution of Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Columbia River basin

Treesearch

Kellie J. Carim; J. Caleb Dysthe; Michael K. Young; Kevin S. McKelvey; Michael K. Schwartz

2017-01-01

The Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is an anadromous fish once abundant throughout coastal basins of western North America that has suffered dramatic declines in the last century due primarily to human activities. Here, we describe the development of an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay to detect Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River basin. The eDNA assay...

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team members study diagrams to aid in the placement of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia in the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team members move a piece of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia into a specified sector of the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

A Columbia Reconstruction Project Team member uses a laptop computer to catalog debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia in the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia on the ground at Edwards Air Force Base

NASA Image and Video Library

1981-04-14

S81-30749 (14 April 1981) --- This high angle view shows the scene at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California soon after the successful landing of the space shuttle orbiter Columbia to end STS-1. Service vehicles approach the spacecraft to perform evaluations for safety, egress preparedness, etc. Astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Robert L. Crippen, pilot, are still inside the spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1990.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Power Planning Council; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

1990-01-01

The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) was developed by the Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) in accordance with Public Law 96-501, the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Act). The purpose of the Program is to guide the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other Federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife of the Columbia River Basin. The Act explicitly gives BPA the authority and responsibility to use the BPA fund for these ends, to the extent that fish and wildlife are affected by the development and operationmore » of hydroelectric generation in the Columbia River Basin. This document presents BPA's plans for implementing the Program during Fiscal Year (FY) 1990. The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan (AIWP) reflects the primary goals of the Council's Action Plan (Section 1400 of the Program): to provide a solid, timely, and focused basis for budgeting and planning. In addition, the AIWP provides a means to judge progress and the success of Program implementation. The FY 1990 AIWP also follows the outline developed by the Policy Review Group (PRG) during Step 1 of initial cycle of the Implementation Planning Process (IPP), which is described in Section III. A number of new FY 1990 projects were still under review by the PRG as the AIWP went to press. These projects have been noted in Table 2, New FY 1990 Program Projects, and in the text of the AIWP. This AIWP has been organized and written to meet the specific needs of Program Action Items 10.1-10.3. The AIWP includes schedules with key milestones for FY 1990 and beyond, and addresses the Action Items assigned to BPA in Section 1400 of the 1987 Program. All BPA-funded Program projects discussed in the FY 1990 AIWP are listed in Tables 1 and 2 according to their status as of September 30, 1989. Table 1 (pp. 3-14) lists completed, ongoing

40 CFR 81.309 - District of Columbia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Capitol Street S.E., District Line (Southern Avenue S.E.), Eastern Shore of Potomac River and Eastern..., Potomac River X 3. Remainder of the District of Columbia portion of the National Capital Interstate AQCR X...

40 CFR 81.309 - District of Columbia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Capitol Street S.E., District Line (Southern Avenue S.E.), Eastern Shore of Potomac River and Eastern..., Potomac River X 3. Remainder of the District of Columbia portion of the National Capital Interstate AQCR X...

40 CFR 81.309 - District of Columbia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Capitol Street S.E., District Line (Southern Avenue S.E.), Eastern Shore of Potomac River and Eastern..., Potomac River X 3. Remainder of the District of Columbia portion of the National Capital Interstate AQCR X...

40 CFR 81.309 - District of Columbia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Capitol Street S.E., District Line (Southern Avenue S.E.), Eastern Shore of Potomac River and Eastern..., Potomac River X 3. Remainder of the District of Columbia portion of the National Capital Interstate AQCR X...

40 CFR 81.309 - District of Columbia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Capitol Street S.E., District Line (Southern Avenue S.E.), Eastern Shore of Potomac River and Eastern..., Potomac River X 3. Remainder of the District of Columbia portion of the National Capital Interstate AQCR X...

Alteration of Rock Fragments from Columbia River Basalt Microcosms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wentworth, Susan J.; Thomas-Keprta, Kathie L.; Velbel, Michael A.; McKay, David S.; Stevens, Todd O.

1999-01-01

During an earlier study, microorganisms were grown microcosms consisting of sterilized chips of Columbia River Basalt (CRB) and natural CRB ground water with its natural microflora; environmental conditions simulated a deep subsurface, anaerobic, dark environment. Subsequent scanning and transmission electron microscope (SEM and TEM) studies revealed the presence of several types of bacteria and biofilm, some of which were mineralized. Some of these biological features are very similar to possible biogenic features found in two meteorites from Mars, ALH84001 (found in Antarctica) and Nakhla (observed to fall in Egypt). Both ALH84001 and Nakhla contain traces of low-temperature aqueous alteration of silicates, oxides, and sulfides. The goals of this study are to use high-resolution field-emission SEM (FE-SEM) to examine the CRB samples for evidence of alteration features similar to those in the martian meteorites, to determine the extent of alteration during the CRB microcosm experiments, and to determine whether effects of biological activity can be distinguished from inorganic effects.

Entrainment of Dungeness Crab in the Desdemona Shoals Reach of the Lower Columbia River Navigation Channel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pearson, Walter H.; Kohn, Nancy P.; Skalski, J. R.

2006-09-30

Proposed dredging of the Columbia River has raised concerns about related impacts on Dungeness crab in the Columbia River Estuary (CRE). This study follows two major efforts, sponsored by the Portland District of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to quantify the number of crabs entrained by a hopper dredge working in the CRE. From June 2002 through September 2002, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) conducted direct measurements of crab entrainment in the CRE from the mouth of the Columbia River (MCR, river mile -3 to +3) upriver as far as Miller Sands (river mile 21 to 24).more » These studies constituted a major step in quantifying crab entrainment in the CRE, and allowed statistically bounded projections of adult equivalent loss (AEL) for Dungeness crab populations under a range of future construction dredging and maintenance dredging scenarios (Pearson et al. 2002, 2003). In 2004, PNNL performed additional measurements to improve estimates of crab entrainment at Desdemona Shoals and at Flavel Bar, a reach near Astoria that had not been adequately sampled in 2002 (Figure 1). The 2004 data were used to update the crab loss projections for channel construction to 43 ft MLLW. In addition, a correlation between bottom salinity and adult (age 2+ and 3+, >100 mm carapace width) crab entrainment was developed using 2002 data, and elaborated upon with the 2004 data. This crab salinity model was applied to forecasting seasonal (monthly) entrainment rates and AEL using seasonal variations in salinity (Pearson et al. 2005). In the previous studies, entrainment rates in Desdemona Shoals were more variable than in any of the other reaches. Pearson et al. (2005) concluded that ?the dynamics behind the variable entrainment rates at Desdemona Shoals are not fully understood,? as well as finding that juvenile crab entrainment was not significantly correlated with salinity as it was for older crab. The present study was undertaken to address the question of

Bedrock geology of the northern Columbia Plateau and adjacent areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, D. A.; Wright, T. L.

1978-01-01

The Columbia Plateau is surrounded by a complex assemblage of highly deformed Precambrian to lower Tertiary continental and oceanic rocks that reflects numerous episodes of continental accretion. The plateau itself is comprised of the Columbia River basalt group formed between about 16.5 x 1 million years B.P. and 6 x 1 million years B.P. Eruptions were infrequent between about 14 and 6 x 1 million years B.P., allowing time for erosion and deformation between successive outpourings. The present-day courses of much of the Snake River, and parts of the Columbia River, across the plateau date from this time. Basalt produced during this waning activity is more heterogeneous chemically and isotopically than older flows, reflecting its prolonged period of volcanism.

Evidence for liquefaction identified in peeled slices of Holocene deposits along the Lower Columbia River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Takada, K.; Atwater, B.F.

2004-01-01

Peels made from 10 geoslices beneath a riverbank at Washington's Hunting Island, 45 km inland from the Pacific coast, aid in identifying sand that liquefied during prehistoric earthquakes of estimated magnitude 8-9 at the Cascadia subduction zone. Each slice was obtained by driving sheetpile and a shutter plate to depths of 6-8 m. The resulting sample, as long as 8 m, had a trapezoidal cross section 42-55 cm by 8 cm. The slicing created few artifacts other than bending and smearing at slice edges. Each slice is dominated by well-stratified sand and mud deposited by the tidal Columbia River. Nearly 90% of the sand is distinctly laminated. The sand contains mud beds as thick as 0.5 m and at least 20 m long, and it is capped by a mud bed that contains a buried soil that marks the 1700 Cascadia earthquake of estimated magnitude 9. Every slice intersected sills and dikes of fluidized sand, and many slices show folds and faults as well. Sills, which outnumber dikes, mostly follow and locally invade the undersides of mud beds. The mud beds probably impeded diffuse upward flow of water expelled from liquefied sand. Trapped beneath mud beds, this water flowed laterally, destroyed bedding by entraining (fluidizing) sand, and locally scoured the overlying mud. Horizontal zones of folded sand extend at least 10 or 20 m, and some contain low-angle faults. Many of the folds probably formed while sand was weakened by liquefaction. The low-angle faults may mark the soles of river-bottom slumps or lateral spreads. As many as four great Cascadia earthquakes in the past 2000 yr contributed to the intrusions, folds, and faults. This subsurface evidence for fluid escape and deformation casts doubt on maximum accelerations that were previously inferred from local absence of liquefaction features at the ground surface along the Columbia River. The geosliced evidence for liquefaction abounds not only beneath banks riddled with dikes but also beneath banks in which dikes are absent. Such

Genetic interpretation of lead-isotopic data from the Columbia River basalt group, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Church, S.E.

1985-01-01

Lead-isotopic data for the high-alumina olivine plateau basalts and most of the Colombia River basalt group plot within the Cascade Range mixing array. The data for several of the formations form small, tight clusters and the Nd and Sr isotopic data show discrete variation between these basalt groups. The observed isotopic and trace-element data from most of the Columbia River basalt group can be accounted for by a model which calls for partial melting of the convecting oceanic-type mantle and contamination by fluids derived from continental sediments which were subducted along the trench. These sediments were transported in the low-velocity zone at least 400 km behind the active arc into a back-arc environment represented by the Columbia Plateau province. With time, the zone of melting moved up, resulting in the formation of the Saddle Mt basalt by partial melting of a 2600 m.y.-old sub-continental lithosphere characterized by high Th/U, Th/Pb, Rb/Sr and Nd/Sm ratios and LREE enrichment. Partial melting of old sub-continental lithosphere beneath the continental crust may be an important process in the formation of continental tholeiite flood basalt sequences world-wide. -L.di H.

Status after 5 Years of Survival Compliance Testing in the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skalski, John R.; Weiland, Mark A.; Ham, Kenneth D.

Survival studies of juvenile salmonids implanted with acoustic tags have been conducted at hydroelectric dams within the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) in the Columbia and Snake rivers between 2010 and 2014 to assess compliance with dam passage survival standards stipulated in the 2008 Biological Opinion (BiOp). For juvenile salmonids migrating downstream in the spring, dam passage survival defined as survival from the upstream dam face to the tailrace mixing zone must be ≥96% and for summer migrants, ≥93%, and estimated with a standard error ≤1.5% (i.e., 95% confidence interval of ±3%). A total of 29 compliance tests havemore » been conducted at 6 of 8 FCRPS main-stem dams, using over 109,000 acoustic-tagged salmonid smolts. Of these 29 compliance studies, 23 met the survival standards and 26 met the precision requirements. Of the 6 dams evaluated to date, individual survival estimates range from 0.9597 to 0.9868 for yearling Chinook Salmon, 0.9534 to 0.9952 for steelhead, and 0.9076 to 0.9789 for subyearling Chinook Salmon. These investigations suggest the large capital investment over the last 20 years to improve juvenile salmon passage through the FCRPS dams has been beneficial.« less

Acoustic tag detections of green sturgeon in the Columbia River and Coos Bay estuaries, Washington and Oregon, 2010–11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansel, Hal C.; Romine, Jason G.; Perry, Russell W.

2017-11-08

The Columbia River, in Washington and Oregon, and Coos Bay, in Oregon, are economically important shipping channels that are inhabited by several fishes protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Maintenance of shipping channels involves dredge operations to maintain sufficient in-channel depths to allow large ships to navigate the waterways safely. Fishes entrained by dredge equipment often die or experience delayed mortality. Other potential negative effects of dredging include increased turbidity, reductions in prey resources, and the release of harmful contaminants from the dredged sediments. One species of concern is the ESA-listed green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris; Southern Distinct Population Segment). In this study, we used acoustic telemetry to identify habitat use, arrival and departure timing, and the extent of upstream migration of green sturgeon in the Columbia River and Coos Bay to help inform dredge operations to minimize potential take of green sturgeon. Autonomous acoustic receivers were deployed in Coos Bay from the mouth to river kilometer (rkm) 21.6 from October 2009 through October 2010. In the Columbia River Estuary, receivers were deployed between the mouth and rkm 37.8 from April to November in 2010 and 2011. A total of 29 subadult and adult green sturgeon were tagged with temperature and pressure sensor tags and released during the study, primarily in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, Washington, and the Klamath River, Oregon. Green sturgeon detected during the study but released by other researchers also were included in the study.The number of tagged green sturgeon detected in the two estuaries differed markedly. In Coos Bay, only one green sturgeon was detected for about 2 hours near the estuary mouth. In the Columbia River Estuary, 9 green sturgeon were detected in 2010 and 10 fish were detected in 2011. Green sturgeon entered the Columbia River from May through October during both years, with the greatest numbers of fish being

Operation Plans for Anadromous Fish Production Facilities in the Columbia River Basin : Annual Report 1995 : Volume III - Washington.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colville Confederated Tribes; US Fish and Wildlife Service; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

1996-06-01

Beaver Creek Hatchery is located on the Elochoman River about 10 miles upstream from the river mouth. The Elochoman River is a north bank tributary of the lower Columbia River, just downstream of Cathlamet, Washington. The facility consists of 10 intermediate raceways, 20 raceways, (1) earthen rearing pond, (2) adult holding ponds, and a hatchery building with 60 troughs. It is staffed with 4 FTE`s. Water rights total 16,013 gpm from three sources: Elochoman River, Beaver Creek and a well. Beaver Creek water is gravity flow while the other two sources are pumped. The Elochoman River is used in summermore » and fall while Beaver Creek water is used from mid-November through mid-May. Filtered well water (1 cfs) is used to incubate eggs and for early rearing of fry. Water use in summer is about 5,800 gpm. Gobar Pond, a 0.93-acre earthen rearing pond located on Gobar Creek (Kalama River tributary), is operated as a satellite facility.« less

Seasonal and diel movements of white sturgeon in the lower columbia river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, M.J.; Popoff, N.D.; Van Der Leeuw, B. K.; Wright, C.D.

2008-01-01

Continuous monitoring of the movements and depths used by white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus with acoustic telemetry technologies in the lower Columbia River provided information on diel and seasonal migrations, local movements, and site fidelity. White sturgeon moved to shallower water at night and showed greater activity, inferred from rates of movement, than during daytime. The extent of local movement within a season was variable among fish; some fish readily moved among habitats while the movements of others were more constrained. White sturgeon were absent from the study area (river kilometers 45-52) during winter and returned from upstream during the spring, confirming an upstream seasonal migration in the fall and downstream migration in spring. The return of individual fish and reoccupation of areas previously inhabited showed that some white sturgeon exhibit site fidelity. This work shows that studies seeking to characterize habitat for white sturgeon need to be cognizant of diel migrations and site fidelity. We urge caution in the use of limited fish location data to describe habitats if diel activities and fine-scale movements are not known.

Consumption processes and food web structure in the Columbia River Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simenstad, Charles A.; Small, Lawrence F.; David McIntire, C.

Consumption processes at several trophic levels tend to coverage in the central (estuarine-mixing) region of the Columbia River estuary, where living and dentrital food resources are entrained within the energy null of the turbidity maximum zone. Primary consumers in this region are generalist and omnivorous feeders, capable of exploiting both autotrophic and heterotrophic food web pathways. In the presence of higher standing stocks of their prey resources, feeding by secondary and tertiary consumers is also concentrated, or more effective, in the estuarine mixing region of the estuary. During the 1980-1981 studies of the estuary, total consumer (metazoan) production averaged 5.5g C m -2 within the estuary. Of the estimated 15 x 10 3mt Cyy -1 attributed to primary consumption in the water column, 83% was the result of suspension-feeding pelagic zooplankton. In comparison to grazing on phytoplankton, it was estimated that approximately 84% of primary consumption in the water column was based on suspended detritus and, presumably, associated microbiota. Endemic primary,consumers, principally epibenthic crustaceans such as the calanoid copepod Eurytemora affinis, the harpacticoid copepod Scottolana canadensis, and the crangonid shrimp Crangon franciscorum, accounted for a high proportion of the consumption of suspended particles. Wertland herbivores inhabiting the estuary's extensive marshes, on the other hand, were estimated to account for only 2 to 17% of total estuarine primary consumption. Trophic linkages to secondary and tertiary consumers were more evenly apportioned among pelagic fishes, motile macroinvertebrates, and benthic infauna. High, comparatively unknown fluxes of migratory or wide-ranging tertiary consumers, such as piscivorous birds, seals and sea lions, made estimation of their annual consumption rates in the estuary highly tenuous. The physical processes of mixing and stratification, sediments accretion and erosion, and salinity intrusion appear to

Passage Distribution and Federal Columbia River Power System Survival for Steelhead Kelts Tagged Above and at Lower Granite Dam, Year 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colotelo, Alison HA; Harnish, Ryan A.; Jones, Bryan W.

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations have declined throughout their range in the last century and many populations, including those of the Snake River Basin are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The reasons for their decline are many and complex, but include habitat loss and degradation, overharvesting, and dam construction. The 2008 Biological Opinion calls for an increase in the abundance of female steelhead through an increase in iteroparity (i.e., repeat spawning) and this can be realized through a combination of reconditioning and in-river survival of migrating kelts. The goal of this study is to provide the data necessarymore » to inform fisheries managers and dam operators of Snake River kelt migration patterns, survival, and routes of dam passage. Steelhead kelts (n = 487) were captured and implanted with acoustic transmitters and passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tags at the Lower Granite Dam (LGR) Juvenile Fish Facility and at weirs located in tributaries of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream of LGR. Kelts were monitored as they moved downstream through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) by 15 autonomous and 3 cabled acoustic receiver arrays. Cabled receiver arrays deployed on the dam faces allowed for three-dimensional tracking of fish as they approached the dam face and were used to determine the route of dam passage. Overall, 27.3% of the kelts tagged in this study successfully migrated to Martin Bluff (rkm 126, as measured from the mouth of the Columbia River), which is located downstream of all FCRPS dams. Within individual river reaches, survival per kilometer estimates ranged from 0.958 to 0.999; the lowest estimates were observed in the immediate forebay of FCRPS dams. Steelhead kelts tagged in this study passed over the spillway routes (spillway weirs, traditional spill bays) in greater proportions and survived at higher rates compared to the few fish passed through powerhouse routes (turbines and

Passage Distribution and Federal Columbia River Power System Survival for Steelhead Kelts Tagged Above and at Lower Granite Dam, Year 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colotelo, Alison H.A.; Harnish, Ryan A.; Jones, Bryan W.

2014-12-15

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations have declined throughout their range in the last century and many populations, including those of the Snake River Basin are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The reasons for their decline are many and complex, but include habitat loss and degradation, overharvesting, and dam construction. The 2008 Biological Opinion calls for an increase in the abundance of female steelhead through an increase in iteroparity (i.e., repeat spawning) and this can be realized through a combination of reconditioning and in-river survival of migrating kelts. The goal of this study is to provide the data necessarymore » to inform fisheries managers and dam operators of Snake River kelt migration patterns, survival, and routes of dam passage. Steelhead kelts (n = 487) were captured and implanted with acoustic transmitters and passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tags at the Lower Granite Dam (LGR) Juvenile Fish Facility and at weirs located in tributaries of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream of LGR. Kelts were monitored as they moved downstream through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) by 15 autonomous and 3 cabled acoustic receiver arrays. Cabled receiver arrays deployed on the dam faces allowed for three-dimensional tracking of fish as they approached the dam face and were used to determine the route of dam passage. Overall, 27.3% of the kelts tagged in this study successfully migrated to Martin Bluff (rkm 126, as measured from the mouth of the Columbia River), which is located downstream of all FCRPS dams. Within individual river reaches, survival per kilometer estimates ranged from 0.958 to 0.999; the lowest estimates were observed in the immediate forebay of FCRPS dams. Steelhead kelts tagged in this study passed over the spillway routes (spillway weirs, traditional spill bays) in greater proportions and survived at higher rates compared to the few fish passed through powerhouse routes (turbines and

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1991.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Power Planning Council; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

1990-09-01

The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) was developed by the Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) in accordance with Public Law 96-501, the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Act). The purpose of the Program is to guide the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other Federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife of the Columbia River Basin. The Act explicitly gives BPA the authority and responsibility to use the BPA fund for these ends, to the extent that fish and wildlife are affected by the development and operationmore » of hydroelectric generation in the Columbia River Basin. The Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan (AIWP) presents BPA's draft plans for implementing the Program during Fiscal Year (FY) 1991. The AIWP reflects the primary goals of the Council's Action Plan (Section 1400 of the Program): to provide a solid, timely, and focused basis for budgeting and planning. In addition, the AIWP provides a means to judge the progress and the success of Program implementation. The AIWP is based on the outline developed by the Policy Review Group (PRG) during Step 1 of the annual cycle of the Implementation Planning Process (IPP), which is described in Section III. This AIWP has been organized and written to meet the specific needs of Program Items 10.1-10.3. The AIWP includes schedules with key milestones for 1 and beyond, and addresses the Action Items assigned to BPA in Section 1400 of the 1987 Program and in subsequent amendments. All Program projects discussed in the AIWP are listed in Tables 1 and 2 according to their status as of September 1, 1990. Table 1 (pp. 3-14) lists completed, ongoing, and deferred projects. Table 2 (pp. 15-17) lists FY 1991 new-start projects. ''Ongoing'' status indicates that the project started in FY 1990 or before and that it is expected to continue through part or

City of Columbia, Columbia, SC

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Located in the heart of South Carolina, Columbia (population 124,818) first experienced industrial growth along the Congaree, Saluda, and Broad Rivers. Plantations, cotton mills, trains, and other industries lined the riverbanks. The City claimed numerous vacant, dilapidated structures in the neighborhoods of the Congaree region. They included industrial, railroad, and petroleum properties. Uncertainties related to contamination inhibited redevelopment efforts in the region. Brownfield assessments helped the city to resolve some of the uncertainties, and increased the marketability of the sites to prospective purchasers and developers.

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1989.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration. Division of Fish and Wildlife.

1988-11-01

The FY 1989 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Work Plan (Work Plan) presents Bonneville Power Administration's plans for implementing the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) in FY 1989. The Work Plan focuses on individual Action Items found in the 1987 Program for which Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has determined that it has authority and responsibility to implement. Each of the entries in the Work Plan includes objectives, background, and progress to date in achieving those objectives, and a summary of plans for implementation in FY 1989. Most Action Items are implemented through one or moremore » BPA-funded projects. Each Action Item entry is followed by a list of completed, ongoing, and planned projects, along with objectives, results, schedules, and milestones for each project. The FY 1989 Work Plan emphasizes continuation of 113 projects, most of which involve protection, mitigation, or enhancement of anadromous fishery resources. BPA also plans to start 20 new projects in FY 1989. The number of ongoing FY 1988 projects to be continued in FY 1989 and the number of new projects planned to start in FY 1989 are based on current (September 7, 1988) procurement expectations. Several projects presently in BPA's procurement process are expected to be contracted by September 30, 1988, the last day of FY 1988. Although these projects have not yet started, they have been listed in the Work Plan as ongoing FY 1988 projects, based on projected start dates in late September 1988. Throughout the Work Plan, those projects with projected start dates in September 1988 have been noted.« less

Site Management and Monitoring Plan (SMMP) for the Mouth of Columbia River- Deep and Shallow Water Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites, OR/WA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This SMMP is intended to provide management and monitoring strategies for disposal in the Mouth of Columbia River- Deep and Shallow Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites on the border of Oregon and Washington.

STS-28 Columbia, OV-102, landing at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) California

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-08-13

STS028-S-018 (13 Aug 1989) --- The Space shuttle Columbia is captured on film just prior to main gear touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. The landing marked a successful end to a five-day Department of Defense (DOD)-devoted mission. Onboard the spacecraft were astronauts Brewster H. Shaw Jr., Richard N. Richards, David C. Leestma, James C. Adamson and Mark N. Brown.

STS-28 Columbia, OV-102, landing at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) California

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-08-13

STS028-S-013 (13 Aug 1989) --- The Space Shuttle Columbia is captured on film just prior to main gear touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. The landing marked a successful end to a five-day DOD-devoted mission. Onboard the spacecraft were Astronauts Brewster H. Shaw Jr., Richard N. Richards, David C. Leestma, James C. Adamson and Mark N. Brown.

Surface distribution of brachyuran megalopae and ichthyoplankton in the Columbia River plume during transition from downwelling to upwelling conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roegner, G. Curtis; Daly, Elizabeth A.; Brodeur, Richard D.

2013-06-01

In the California Current coastal boundary zone, the spring transition between downwelling and upwelling conditions, along with the fluctuating structure of the Columbia River plume, creates highly dynamic interactions. In this study, we investigated whether the surface distribution of brachyuran larvae and ichthyoplankton would track the dynamics of the Columbia River plume. By happenstance, the cruise period coincided with the spring transition from downwelling to sustained upwelling conditions in 2010, a year when the transition was delayed and Columbia River flow was substantially higher than average. We used time series of wind and freshwater input to evaluate the influence of physical forcing on oceanographic patterns, and sampled hydrography and surface plankton concentrations within a 182 km2 grid off Willapa Bay, WA. Additionally, two longer transects, one cross-shelf and the other along-shore, were made to discern the extent of plume influence on larval crab and fish abundance. We found that plume waters that were trapped in a northward-flowing coastal-boundary current during downwelling conditions were advected offshore after several days of upwelling-favorable winds. Neustonic collections of brachyuran larvae and ichthyoplankton varied in response to this large seaward advective event. Megalopae of cancrid crabs exhibited patterns of both offshore transport (Cancer oregonensis/productus) and nearshore retention (C. magister). Additionally, abundant numbers of large juvenile widow (Sebastes entomelas) and yellowtail (S. flavidus) rockfish of a size appropriate for settlement were sampled during a period when ocean conditions favored high recruitment success. These results demonstrated that the response of planktonic crab larvae and ichthyoplankton to large-scale advection varied by species, with larger and more vagile fish exhibiting less evidence of passive transport than smaller crab larvae. Importantly, portions of the planktonic fish and crab

Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia touches down at Edwards Air Force Base

NASA Image and Video Library

1981-04-14

S81-30744 (14 April 1981) --- The rear wheels of the space shuttle orbiter Columbia are about to touch down on Rogers Lake (a dry bed) at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California to successfully complete a stay in space of more than two days. Astronauts John W. Young, STS-1 commander, and Robert L. Crippen, pilot, are aboard the vehicle. The mission marked the first NASA flight to end with a wheeled landing and represents the beginning of a new age of spaceflight that will employ the same hardware repeatedly. Photo credit: NASA

Groundwater quality in the Columbia Plateau, Snake River Plain, and Oahu basaltic-rock and basin-fill aquifers in the Northwestern United States and Hawaii, 1992-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frans, Lonna M.; Rupert, Michael G.; Hunt, Charles D.; Skinner, Kenneth D.

2012-01-01

Oahu and the Columbia Plateau had some of the highest percentages of soil fumigant detections in groundwater in the United States. Soil fumigants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used as pesticides, which are applied to soils to reduce populations of plant parasitic nematodes (harmful rootworms), weeds, fungal pathogens, and other soil-borne microorganisms. They are used in Oahu and the Columbia Plateau on crops such as pineapple and potatoes. All three areas (Columbia Plateau, Snake River Plain, and Oahu) had fumigant concentrations exceeding human-health benchmarks for drinking water.

33 CFR 334.180 - Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... Naval Mine Warfare Test Station, or of U.S. Naval Air Station property. A person in the water or a... areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. 334.180 Section 334.180 Navigation and Navigable... REGULATIONS § 334.180 Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md...

33 CFR 334.180 - Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... Naval Mine Warfare Test Station, or of U.S. Naval Air Station property. A person in the water or a... areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. 334.180 Section 334.180 Navigation and Navigable... REGULATIONS § 334.180 Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md...

33 CFR 334.180 - Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... Naval Mine Warfare Test Station, or of U.S. Naval Air Station property. A person in the water or a... areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. 334.180 Section 334.180 Navigation and Navigable... REGULATIONS § 334.180 Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md...

33 CFR 334.180 - Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... Naval Mine Warfare Test Station, or of U.S. Naval Air Station property. A person in the water or a... areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. 334.180 Section 334.180 Navigation and Navigable... REGULATIONS § 334.180 Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md...

33 CFR 334.180 - Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... Naval Mine Warfare Test Station, or of U.S. Naval Air Station property. A person in the water or a... areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. 334.180 Section 334.180 Navigation and Navigable... REGULATIONS § 334.180 Patuxent River, Md.; restricted areas, U.S. Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md...

An epidemiological model of virus transmission in salmonid fishes of the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferguson, Paige F. B.; Breyta, Rachel; Brito, Ilana L.; Kurath, Gael; LaDeau, Shannon L.

2018-01-01

We have developed a dynamic epidemiological model informed by records of viral presence and genotypes to evaluate potential transmission routes maintaining a viral pathogen in economically and culturally important anadromous fish populations. In the Columbia River Basin, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) causes severe disease, predominantly in juvenile steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and less frequently in Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha). Mortality events following IHNV infection can be devastating for individual hatchery programs. Despite reports of high local mortality and extensive surveillance efforts, there are questions about how viral transmission is maintained. Modeling this system offers important insights into disease transmission in natural aquatic systems, as well as about the data requirements for generating accurate estimates about transmission routes and infection probabilities. We simulated six scenarios in which testing rates and the relative importance of different transmission routes varied. The simulations demonstrated that the model accurately identified routes of transmission and inferred infection probabilities accurately when there was testing of all cohort-sites. When testing records were incomplete, the model accurately inferred which transmission routes exposed particular cohort-sites but generated biased infection probabilities given exposure. After validating the model and generating guidelines for result interpretation, we applied the model to data from 14 annual cohorts (2000–2013) at 24 focal sites in a sub-region of the Columbia River Basin, the lower Columbia River (LCR), to quantify the relative importance of potential transmission routes in this focal sub-region. We demonstrate that exposure to IHNV via the return migration of adult fish is an important route for maintaining IHNV in the LCR sub-region, and the probability of infection following this exposure was relatively high at 0.16. Although only 1% of

Hydraulic Geometry and Microtopography of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands and Implications for Restoration, Columbia River, U.S.A.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Coleman, Andre M.; Borde, Amy B.

2008-01-01

The hydrologic reconnection of tidal channels, riverine floodplains, and main stem channels are among responses by ecological restoration practitioners to the increasing fragmentation and land conversion occurring in coastal and riparian zones. Design standards and monitoring of such ecological restoration depend upon the characterization of reference sites that vary within and among regions. Few locales, such as the 235 km tidal portion of the Columbia River on the West Coast U.S.A., remain in which the reference conditions and restoration responses of tidal freshwater forested wetlands on temperate zone large river floodplains can be compared. This study developed hydraulic geometry relationshipsmore » for Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) dominated tidal forests (swamps) in the vicinity of Grays Bay on the Columbia River some 37 km from the Pacific Coast using field surveys and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. Scaling relationships between catchment area and the parameters of channel cross-sectional area at outlet and total channel length were comparable to tidally influenced systems of San Francisco Bay and the United Kingdom. Dike breaching, culvert replacement, and tide gate replacement all affected channel cross-sectional geometry through changes in the frequency of over-marsh flows. Radiocarbon dating of buried wood provided evidence of changes in sedimentation rates associated with diking, and restoration trajectories may be confounded by historical subsidence behind dikes rendering topographical relationships with water level incomparable to reference conditions. At the same time, buried wood is influencing the development of channel morphology toward characteristics resembling reference conditions. Ecological restoration goals and practices in tidal forested wetland regions of large river floodplains should reflect the interactions of these controlling factors.« less

Mid Columbia sturgeon incubation and rearing study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.; Kofoot, Eric; Blubaugh, J

2011-01-01

This report describes the results from the second year of a three-year investigation on the effects of different thermal regimes on incubation and rearing early life stages of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus. The Columbia River has been significantly altered by the construction of dams resulting in annual flows and water temperatures that differ from historical levels. White sturgeon have been demonstrated to spawn in two very distinct sections of the Columbia River in British Columbia, Canada, which are both located immediately downstream of hydropower facilities. The thermal regimes differ substantially between these two areas. The general approach of this study was to incubate and rear white sturgeon early life stages under two thermal regimes; one mimicking the current, cool water regime of the Columbia River downstream from Revelstoke Dam, and one mimicking a warmer regime similar to conditions found on the Columbia River at the international border. Second-year results suggest that thermal regimes during incubation influence rate of egg development and size at hatch. Eggs incubated under the warm thermal regime hatched sooner than those incubated under the cool thermal regime. Mean length of free embryos at hatch was significantly different between thermal regimes with free embryos from the warm thermal regime being longer at hatch. However, free embryos from the cool thermal regime had a significantly higher mean weight at hatch. This is in contrast with results obtained during 2009. The rearing trials revealed that growth of fish reared in the cool thermal regime was substantially less than growth of fish reared in the warm thermal regime. The magnitude of mortality was greatest in the warm thermal regime prior to initiation of exogenous feeding, but chronic low levels of mortality in the cool thermal regime were higher throughout the period. The starvation trials showed that the fish in the warm thermal regime exhausted their yolk reserves faster

Development and Implementation of an Optimization Model for Hydropower and Total Dissolved Gas in the Mid-Columbia River System

DOE PAGES

Witt, Adam; Magee, Timothy; Stewart, Kevin; ...

2017-08-10

Managing energy, water, and environmental priorities and constraints within a cascade hydropower system is a challenging multiobjective optimization effort that requires advanced modeling and forecasting tools. Within the mid-Columbia River system, there is currently a lack of specific solutions for predicting how coordinated operational decisions can mitigate the impacts of total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation while satisfying multiple additional policy and hydropower generation objectives. In this study, a reduced-order TDG uptake equation is developed that predicts tailrace TDG at seven hydropower facilities on the mid-Columbia River. The equation is incorporated into a general multiobjective river, reservoir, and hydropower optimization toolmore » as a prioritized operating goal within a broader set of system-level objectives and constraints. A test case is presented to assess the response of TDG and hydropower generation when TDG supersaturation is optimized to remain under state water-quality standards. Satisfaction of TDG as an operating goal is highly dependent on whether constraints that limit TDG uptake are implemented at a higher priority than generation requests. According to the model, an opportunity exists to reduce TDG supersaturation and meet hydropower generation requirements by shifting spillway flows to different time periods. In conclusion, a coordinated effort between all project owners is required to implement systemwide optimized solutions that satisfy the operating policies of all stakeholders.« less

Development and Implementation of an Optimization Model for Hydropower and Total Dissolved Gas in the Mid-Columbia River System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witt, Adam; Magee, Timothy; Stewart, Kevin

Managing energy, water, and environmental priorities and constraints within a cascade hydropower system is a challenging multiobjective optimization effort that requires advanced modeling and forecasting tools. Within the mid-Columbia River system, there is currently a lack of specific solutions for predicting how coordinated operational decisions can mitigate the impacts of total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation while satisfying multiple additional policy and hydropower generation objectives. In this study, a reduced-order TDG uptake equation is developed that predicts tailrace TDG at seven hydropower facilities on the mid-Columbia River. The equation is incorporated into a general multiobjective river, reservoir, and hydropower optimization toolmore » as a prioritized operating goal within a broader set of system-level objectives and constraints. A test case is presented to assess the response of TDG and hydropower generation when TDG supersaturation is optimized to remain under state water-quality standards. Satisfaction of TDG as an operating goal is highly dependent on whether constraints that limit TDG uptake are implemented at a higher priority than generation requests. According to the model, an opportunity exists to reduce TDG supersaturation and meet hydropower generation requirements by shifting spillway flows to different time periods. In conclusion, a coordinated effort between all project owners is required to implement systemwide optimized solutions that satisfy the operating policies of all stakeholders.« less

Foraging ecology of Caspian Terns in the Columbia River Estuary, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyons, Donald E.; Roby, D.D.; Collis, K.

2005-01-01

Comparisons were made of the foraging ecology of Caspian Terns (Sterna caspia) nesting on two islands in the Columbia River estuary using radio telemetry and observations of prey fed to chicks and mates at each colony. Early in the chick-rearing period, radio-tagged terns nesting at Rice Island (river km 34) foraged mostly in the freshwater zone of the estuary close to the colony, while terns nesting on East Sand Island (river km 8) foraged in the marine or estuarine mixing zones close to that colony. Late in the chick-rearing period, Rice Island terns moved more of their foraging to the two zones lower in the estuary, while East Sand Island terns continued to forage in these areas. Tern diets at each colony corresponded to the primary foraging zone (freshwater vs. marine/ mixing) of radio-tagged individuals: Early in chick-rearing, Rice Island terns relied heavily on juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp., 71% of identified prey), but this declined late in chick-rearing (46%). East Sand Island terns relied less on salmonids (42% and 16%, early and late in chick-rearing), and instead utilized marine fishes such as Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) and Herring (Clupea pallasi). Throughout chick-rearing, Rice Island terns foraged farther from their colony (median distance: 12.3 km during early chick-rearing and 16.9 km during late chick-rearing) than did East Sand Island terns (9.6 and 7.7 km, respectively). The study leads to the conclusion that Caspian Terns are generalist foragers and make use of the most proximate available forage fish resources when raising young.

Paleomagnetism of the Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group in Oregon and Washington from the Pacific Coast to the Columbia Plateau: Magnetostratigraphy, Vertical-Axis Rotations, Paleosecular Variation, and Remagnetization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagstrum, J. T.; Wells, R. E.; Evarts, R. C.; Niem, A. R.; Sawlan, M. G.; Blakely, R. J.

2008-12-01

Identification of individual flows within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) has mostly relied on minor differences in geochemistry, but magnetic polarity has also proved useful in differentiating flows and establishing a temporal framework. Within the thick, rapidly erupted Grande Ronde Basalt four major polarity chrons (R1 to N2) have been identified. Because cooling times of CRBG flows are brief compared to rates of paleosecular variation (PSV), within-flow paleomagnetic directions are expected to be constant across the extensive east-west reaches of these flows. Vertical-axis rotations in OR and WA, driven by northward-oblique subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate, thus can be measured by comparing directions for western sampling localities to directions for the same flow units on the relatively stable Columbia Plateau. Clockwise rotations calculated for outcrop locations within the Coast Range (CR) block are uniformly about 30° (N=102 sites). East of the northwest-trending en échelon Mt. Angel-Gales Creek, Portland Hills, and northern unnamed fault zones, as well as north of the CR block's northern boundary (~Columbia River), clockwise rotations abruptly drop to about 15° (N=39 sites), with offsets in these bounding fault zones corresponding to the Portland and Willamette pull-apart basins. The general agreement of vertical- axis rotation rates estimated from CRBG magnetizations with those determined from modern GPS velocities indicates a relatively steady rate over the last 10 to 15 Myr. Unusual directions due to PSV, field excursions, or polarity transitions could provide useful stratigraphic markers. Individual flow directions, however, have not been routinely used to identify flows. One reason this has been difficult is that remagnetization is prevalent, particularly in the Coast Ranges, coupled with earlier demagnetization techniques that did not completely remove overprint components. Except for the Ginkgo and Pomona flows of the Wanapum and Saddle

Flow Restoration in the Columbia River Basin: An Evaluation of a Flow Restoration Accounting Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCoy, Amy L.; Holmes, S. Rankin; Boisjolie, Brett A.

2018-03-01

Securing environmental flows in support of freshwater biodiversity is an evolving field of practice. An example of a large-scale program dedicated to restoring environmental flows is the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, which has been restoring flows in dewatered tributary habitats for imperiled salmon species over the past decade. This paper discusses a four-tiered flow restoration accounting framework for tracking the implementation and impacts of water transactions as an effective tool for adaptive management. The flow restoration accounting framework provides compliance and flow accounting information to monitor transaction efficacy. We review the implementation of the flow restoration accounting framework monitoring framework to demonstrate (a) the extent of water transactions that have been implemented over the past decade, (b) the volumes of restored flow in meeting flow targets for restoring habitat for anadromous fish species, and (c) an example of aquatic habitat enhancement that resulted from Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program investments. Project results show that from 2002 to 2015, the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program has completed more than 450 water rights transactions, restoring approximately 1.59 million megaliters to date, with an additional 10.98 million megaliters of flow protected for use over the next 100 years. This has resulted in the watering of over 2414 stream kilometers within the Columbia Basin. We conclude with a discussion of the insights gained through the implementation of the flow restoration accounting framework. Understanding the approach and efficacy of a monitoring framework applied across a large river basin can be informative to emerging flow-restoration and adaptive management efforts in areas of conservation concern.

Flow Restoration in the Columbia River Basin: An Evaluation of a Flow Restoration Accounting Framework.

PubMed

McCoy, Amy L; Holmes, S Rankin; Boisjolie, Brett A

2018-03-01

Securing environmental flows in support of freshwater biodiversity is an evolving field of practice. An example of a large-scale program dedicated to restoring environmental flows is the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, which has been restoring flows in dewatered tributary habitats for imperiled salmon species over the past decade. This paper discusses a four-tiered flow restoration accounting framework for tracking the implementation and impacts of water transactions as an effective tool for adaptive management. The flow restoration accounting framework provides compliance and flow accounting information to monitor transaction efficacy. We review the implementation of the flow restoration accounting framework monitoring framework to demonstrate (a) the extent of water transactions that have been implemented over the past decade, (b) the volumes of restored flow in meeting flow targets for restoring habitat for anadromous fish species, and (c) an example of aquatic habitat enhancement that resulted from Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program investments. Project results show that from 2002 to 2015, the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program has completed more than 450 water rights transactions, restoring approximately 1.59 million megaliters to date, with an additional 10.98 million megaliters of flow protected for use over the next 100 years. This has resulted in the watering of over 2414 stream kilometers within the Columbia Basin. We conclude with a discussion of the insights gained through the implementation of the flow restoration accounting framework. Understanding the approach and efficacy of a monitoring framework applied across a large river basin can be informative to emerging flow-restoration and adaptive management efforts in areas of conservation concern.

Identification of the Spawning, Rearing and Migratory Requirements of Fall Chinook Salmon in the Columbia River Basin, Annual Report 1992.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rondorf, Dennis W.; Miller, William H.

1994-03-01

This document is the 1992 annual progress report for selected studies of fall chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha conducted by the National Biological Survey (NBS) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The decline in abundance of fall chinook salmon in the Snake River basin has become a growing concern. Effective recovery efforts for fall chinook salmon cannot be developed until we increase our knowledge of the factors that are limiting the various life history stages. This study attempts to identify those physical and biological factors which influence spawning of fall chinook salmon in the free-flowing Snake River and their rearingmore » and seaward migration through Columbia River basin reservoirs.« less

Frontal dynamics at the edge of the Columbia River plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akan, Çiğdem; McWilliams, James C.; Moghimi, Saeed; Özkan-Haller, H. Tuba

2018-02-01

In the tidal ebb-cycle at the Mouth of the Columbia River, strong density and velocity fronts sometimes form perpendicular to the coast at the edges of the freshwater plume. They are distinct from previously analyzed fronts at the offshore western edge of the plume that evolve as a gravity-wave bore. We present simulation results to demonstrate their occurrence and investigate the mechanisms behind their frontogenesis and evolution. Tidal velocities on average ranged between 1.5 m s-1 in flood and 2.5 m s-1 in ebb during the brief hindcast period. The tidal fronts exhibit strong horizontal velocity and buoyancy gradients on a scale ∼ 100 m in width with normalized relative vorticity (ζz/f) values reaching up to 50. We specifically focus on the front on the northern edge of the plume and examine the evolution in plume characteristics such as its water mass gradients, horizontal and vertical velocity structure, vertical velocity, turbulent vertical mixing, horizontal propagation, cross-front momentum balance, and Lagrangian frontogenetic tendencies in both buoyancy and velocity gradients. Advective frontogenesis leads to a very sharp front where lateral mixing near the grid-resolution limit arrests its further contraction. The negative vorticity within the front is initiated by the positive bottom drag curl on the north side of the Columbia estuary and against the north jetty. Because of the large negative vorticity and horizontal vorticity gradient, centrifugal and lateral shear instability begins to develop along the front, but frontal fragmentation and decay set in only after the turn of the tide because of the briefness of the ebb interval.

Status Report of the Pacific Lamprey (Lampetra Trzdentata) in the Columbia River Basin.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Close, David A.; Parker, Blaine; James, gary

1995-07-01

The widespread decline of Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) in the Pacific Northwest, especially in the Columbia River system has led to concerns and questions from a number of regional agencies, Native American tribes, and the public. To address these concerns, new research efforts must focus on specific problems associated with this understudied species. The preservation and restoration of this species is critical for a number of reasons, including its importance to the tribes and its importance as an indicator of ecosystem health. Historically lamprey have been labeled a pest species due to the problems associated with the exotic sea lamprey,more » (Petromyzon marinus), invading the Great Lakes.« less

Identification of the Spawning, Rearing, and Migratory Requirements of Fall Chinook Salmon in the Columbia River Basin, 1991 Annual Progress Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rondorf, Dennis W.; Miller, William H.

1993-07-01

This document is the 1991 annual progress report for selected studies of fall chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha conducted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The decline in abundance of fall chinook salmon in the Snake River basin has become a growing concern. In April 1992, Snake River fall chinook salmon were listed as ``threatened`` under the Endangered Species Act. Effective recovery efforts for fall chinook salmon can not be developed until we increase our knowledge of the factors that are limiting the various life history stages. This study attempts to identify those physical and biological factors which influence spawningmore » of fall chinook salmon in the free-flowing Snake River and their rearing and seaward migration through Columbia River basin reservoirs.« less

Lower Columbia River and Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program Reference Site Study: 2011 Restoration Analysis - FINAL REPORT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borde, Amy B.; Cullinan, Valerie I.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.

The Reference Site (RS) study is part of the research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME) effort developed by the Action Agencies (Bonneville Power Administration [BPA], U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District [USACE], and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) in response to Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinions (BiOp). While the RS study was initiated in 2007, data have been collected at relatively undisturbed reference wetland sites in the LCRE by PNNL and collaborators since 2005. These data on habitat structural metrics were previously summarized to provide baseline characterization of 51 wetlands throughout the estuarine and tidal freshwater portions ofmore » the 235-km LCRE; however, further analysis of these data has been limited. Therefore, in 2011, we conducted additional analyses of existing field data previously collected for the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP) - including data collected by PNNL and others - to help inform the multi-agency restoration planning and ecosystem management work underway in the LCRE.« less

27 CFR 9.178 - Columbia Gorge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Columbia River. From this point, the boundary line— (1) Goes 1.5 miles straight north along the R9E-R10E line to the northwest corner of section 19, T3N, R10E (Hood River Quadrangle); (2) Continues 2 miles... Quadrangle); (3) Goes 4.1 miles straight north along the section line, crossing onto the Northwestern Lake...

27 CFR 9.178 - Columbia Gorge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Columbia River. From this point, the boundary line— (1) Goes 1.5 miles straight north along the R9E-R10E line to the northwest corner of section 19, T3N, R10E (Hood River Quadrangle); (2) Continues 2 miles... Quadrangle); (3) Goes 4.1 miles straight north along the section line, crossing onto the Northwestern Lake...

27 CFR 9.178 - Columbia Gorge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Columbia River. From this point, the boundary line— (1) Goes 1.5 miles straight north along the R9E-R10E line to the northwest corner of section 19, T3N, R10E (Hood River Quadrangle); (2) Continues 2 miles... Quadrangle); (3) Goes 4.1 miles straight north along the section line, crossing onto the Northwestern Lake...

27 CFR 9.178 - Columbia Gorge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Columbia River. From this point, the boundary line— (1) Goes 1.5 miles straight north along the R9E-R10E line to the northwest corner of section 19, T3N, R10E (Hood River Quadrangle); (2) Continues 2 miles... Quadrangle); (3) Goes 4.1 miles straight north along the section line, crossing onto the Northwestern Lake...

Cost benefit analysis of remediation alternatives for controlling the flux of strontium-90 into the Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gustafson, F.W.; Todd, M.E.

1993-09-01

The release of large volumes of water to waste disposal cribs at the Hanford Site`s 100-N Area caused contaminants, principally strontium-90, to be carried toward the Columbia River through the groundwater. Since shutdown of the N Reactor, these releases have been discontinued, although small water flows continue to be discharged to the 1325-N crib. Most of the contamination which is now transported to the river is occurring as a result of the natural groundwater movement. The contaminated groundwater at N Springs flows into the river through seeps and springs along the river`s edge. An expedited response action (ERA) has beenmore » proposed to eliminate or restrict the flux of strontium-90 into the river. A cost benefit analysis of potential remedial alternatives was completed that recommends the alternative which best meets given selection criteria prescribed by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The methodology used for evaluation, cost analysis, and alternative recommendation is the engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA). Complete remediation of the contaminated groundwater beneath 100-N Area was not a principal objective of the analysis. The objective of the cost benefit analysis was to identify a remedial alternative that optimizes the degree of benefit produced for the costs incurred.« less

Estimation of River Towboat Air Pollution in Saint Louis, Missouri

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-02-01

The study gives an estimate of river towboat air pollution emissions for the St. Louis Air Pollution Study area. No emissions from secondary sources or from recreational boating on the river of other areas are considered. The emission estimate is bas...

Development of a System-Wide Predator Control Program: Stepwise Implementation of a Predation Index, Predator Control Fisheries, and Evaluation Plan in the Columbia River Basin; Northern Pikeminnow Management Program, 2001 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porter, Russell G.; Winther, Eric C.; Fox, Lyle G.

2003-03-01

This report presents results for year eleven in a basin-wide program to harvest northern pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis). This program was started in an effort to reduce predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids during their emigration from natal streams to the ocean. Earlier work in the Columbia River Basin suggested predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids might account for most of the 10-20% mortality juvenile salmonids experience in each of eight Columbia River and Snake River reservoirs. Modeling simulations based on work in John Day Reservoir from 1982 through 1988 indicated that, if predator-size northern pikeminnow were exploited atmore » a 10-20% rate, the resulting restructuring of their population could reduce their predation on juvenile salmonids by 50%. To test this hypothesis, we implemented a sport-reward angling fishery and a commercial longline fishery in the John Day Pool in 1990. We also conducted an angling fishery in areas inaccessible to the public at four dams on the mainstem Columbia River and at Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River. Based on the success of these limited efforts, we implemented three test fisheries on a system-wide scale in 1991--a tribal longline fishery above Bonneville Dam, a sport-reward fishery, and a dam-angling fishery. Low catch of target fish and high cost of implementation resulted in discontinuation of the tribal longline fishery. However, the sport-reward and dam-angling fisheries were continued in 1992 and 1993. In 1992, we investigated the feasibility of implementing a commercial longline fishery in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam and found that implementation of this fishery was also infeasible.« less

Coarse-scale restoration planning and design in Interior Columbia River Basin ecosystems: An example for restoring declining whitebark pine forests

Treesearch

Robert E. Keane; James P. Menakis; Wendel J. Hann

1996-01-01

During the last 2 years, many people from numerous government agencies and private institutions compiled a scientific assessment of the natural and human resources of the Interior Columbia River Basin (Jensen and Bourgeron 1993). This assessment is meant to guide the development of a coarse-scale Environmental Impact Statement for all 82 million hectares comprising the...

Biological and chemical characterization of metal bioavailability in sediments from Lake Roosevelt, Columbia River, Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besser, J.M.; Brumbaugh, W.G.; Ivey, C.D.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Moran, P.W.

2008-01-01

We studied the bioavailability and toxicity of copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, and lead in sediments from Lake Roosevelt (LR), a reservoir on the Columbia River in Washington, USA that receives inputs of metals from an upstream smelter facility. We characterized chronic sediment toxicity, metal bioaccumulation, and metal concentrations in sediment and pore water from eight study sites: one site upstream in the Columbia River, six sites in the reservoir, and a reference site in an uncontaminated tributary. Total recoverable metal concentrations in LR sediments generally decreased from upstream to downstream in the study area, but sediments from two sites in the reservoir had metal concentrations much lower than adjacent reservoir sites and similar to the reference site, apparently due to erosion of uncontaminated bank soils. Concentrations of acid-volatile sulfide in LR sediments were too low to provide strong controls on metal bioavailability, and selective sediment extractions indicated that metals in most LR sediments were primarily associated with iron and manganese oxides. Oligochaetes (Lumbriculus variegatus) accumulated greatest concentrations of copper from the river sediment, and greatest concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, and lead from reservoir sediments. Chronic toxic effects on amphipods (Hyalella azteca; reduced survival) and midge larvae (Chironomus dilutus; reduced growth) in whole-sediment exposures were generally consistent with predictions of metal toxicity based on empirical and equilibrium partitioning-based sediment quality guidelines. Elevated metal concentrations in pore waters of some LR sediments suggested that metals released from iron and manganese oxides under anoxic conditions contributed to metal bioaccumulation and toxicity. Results of both chemical and biological assays indicate that metals in sediments from both riverine and reservoir habitats of Lake Roosevelt are available to benthic invertebrates. These findings will be used as

Seasonal Changes in Bacterial and Archaeal Gene Expression Patterns across Salinity Gradients in the Columbia River Coastal Margin

PubMed Central

Smith, Maria W.; Herfort, Lydie; Tyrol, Kaitlin; Suciu, Dominic; Campbell, Victoria; Crump, Byron C.; Peterson, Tawnya D.; Zuber, Peter; Baptista, Antonio M.; Simon, Holly M.

2010-01-01

Through their metabolic activities, microbial populations mediate the impact of high gradient regions on ecological function and productivity of the highly dynamic Columbia River coastal margin (CRCM). A 2226-probe oligonucleotide DNA microarray was developed to investigate expression patterns for microbial genes involved in nitrogen and carbon metabolism in the CRCM. Initial experiments with the environmental microarrays were directed toward validation of the platform and yielded high reproducibility in multiple tests. Bioinformatic and experimental validation also indicated that >85% of the microarray probes were specific for their corresponding target genes and for a few homologs within the same microbial family. The validated probe set was used to query gene expression responses by microbial assemblages to environmental variability. Sixty-four samples from the river, estuary, plume, and adjacent ocean were collected in different seasons and analyzed to correlate the measured variability in chemical, physical and biological water parameters to differences in global gene expression profiles. The method produced robust seasonal profiles corresponding to pre-freshet spring (April) and late summer (August). Overall relative gene expression was high in both seasons and was consistent with high microbial abundance measured by total RNA, heterotrophic bacterial production, and chlorophyll a. Both seasonal patterns involved large numbers of genes that were highly expressed relative to background, yet each produced very different gene expression profiles. April patterns revealed high differential gene expression in the coastal margin samples (estuary, plume and adjacent ocean) relative to freshwater, while little differential gene expression was observed along the river-to-ocean transition in August. Microbial gene expression profiles appeared to relate, in part, to seasonal differences in nutrient availability and potential resource competition. Furthermore, our results

Vertical-Axis Rotations Within Columbia River Basalt Flows Define a Sharp Eastern Boundary of the Coast Range Block with Potentially Increased Seismic Risk for Portland, Oregon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagstrum, J. T.; Wells, R. E.; Evarts, R. C.; Blakely, R. J.; Beeson, M. H.

2006-12-01

Paleomagnetic analysis of the Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) in the northern Willamette Valley of Oregon was undertaken as part of a larger mapping and hydrogeologic investigation of the CRBG's internal stratigraphy and structure. Differences in paleomagnetic directions between flows due to geomagnetic reversals and paleosecular variation, in combination with geochemical data, provide the most reliable means of flow identification. In addition, vertical-axis rotations between CRBG sites in the Portland area and sampling localities within the same flow units on the relatively stable Columbia Plateau were calculated. Clockwise rotations for sites within the northern Willamette Valley are remarkably consistent and have a weighted mean of 29°±3° (N=94). Available paleomagnetic data from CRBG sites along the Oregon coast at Cape Lookout (19°±22°, N=4) and Cape Foulweather (29°±18°, N=4) show similar results. East of the Portland Hills fault zone along the Columbia River Gorge, however, clockwise rotations are much less averaging 12°±3° (N=15). North of Portland, the CRBG rotational values drop abruptly from ~29° to 6°±17° (N=3) across an unnamed fault near Woodland, WA, identified using aeromagnetic data; to the south, the values drop from ~29° to 18°±3° (N=6) across the Mt. Angel-Gales Creek fault zone east of Salem, OR. The eastern boundary of the Oregon Coast Range block is thus defined by three offset NW-trending fault segments, with the offsets corresponding to the Portland and Willamette pull-apart basins. North of the Coast Range block's northern boundary, which is roughly coincident with the Columbia River, CRBG rotations also are about half that (15°±3°, N=15) found within the block. Northward movement and clockwise rotation of the Oregon Coast Range block have previously been modeled as decreasing continuously eastward to the Columbia Plateau. Our new paleomagnetic data indicate an abrupt step down of rotational values by

Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Avian Predation on Salmonid Smolts in the Lower and Mid-Columbia River, 2008 Draft Season Summary.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roby, Daniel D.; Collis, Ken; Lyons, Donald E.

2009-07-08

This report describes investigations into predation by piscivorous colonial waterbirds on juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) from throughout the Columbia River basin during 2008. East Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary again supported the largest known breeding colony of Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia) in the world (approximately 10,700 breeding pairs) and the largest breeding colony of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in western North America (approximately 10,950 breeding pairs). The Caspian tern colony increased from 2007, but not significantly so, while the double-crested cormorant colony experienced a significant decline (20%) from 2007. Average cormorant nesting success in 2008, however, was downmore » only slightly from 2007, suggesting that food supply during the 2008 nesting season was not the principal cause of the decline in cormorant colony size. Total consumption of juvenile salmonids by East Sand Island Caspian terns in 2008 was approximately 6.7 million smolts (95% c.i. = 5.8-7.5 million). Caspian terns nesting on East Sand Island continued to rely primarily on marine forage fishes as a food supply. Based on smolt PIT tag recoveries on the East Sand Island Caspian tern colony, predation rates were highest on steelhead in 2008; minimum predation rates on steelhead smolts detected passing Bonneville Dam averaged 8.3% for wild smolts and 10.7% for hatchery-raised smolts. In 2007, total smolt consumption by East Sand Island double-crested cormorants was about 9.2 million juvenile salmonids (95% c.i. = 4.4-14.0 million), similar to or greater than that of East Sand Island Caspian terns during that year (5.5 million juvenile salmonids; 95% c.i. = 4.8-6.2 million). The numbers of smolt PIT tags recovered on the cormorant colony in 2008 were roughly proportional to the relative availability of PIT-tagged salmonids released in the Basin, suggesting that cormorant predation on salmonid smolts in the estuary was less selective

Analysis of in situ manganese(II) oxidation in the Columbia River and offshore plume: Linking microbial community structure to active biogeochemical cycles

PubMed Central

Anderson, C. R.; Davis, R. E.; Bandolin, N. S.; Baptista, A. M.; Tebo, B. M.

2017-01-01

The Columbia River is a major source of dissolved nutrients and trace metals for the west coast of North America. A large proportion of these nutrients are sourced from the Columbia River Estuary where coastal and terrestrial waters mix and resuspend particulate matter within the water column. As estuarine water is discharged off the coast it transports the particulate matter, dissolved nutrients and microorganisms forming nutrient rich and metabolically dynamic plumes. In this study, bacterial manganese oxidation within the plume and estuary was investigated during spring and neap tides. The microbial community proteome was fractionated and assayed for Mn oxidation activity. Proteins from the outer membrane and the loosely bound outer membrane fractions were separated using size exclusion chromatography and Mn(II)-oxidizing eluates were analyzed with tandem mass spectrometry to identify potential Mn oxidase protein targets. Multi-copper oxidase (MCO) and heme-peroxidase enzymes were identified in active fractions. T-RFLP cluster analysis indicates that the organisms oxidizing the most Mn(II) were sourced from the Columbia River estuary and nearshore coastal ocean. These organisms are producing up to 10 fM MnO2 cell−1 day−1. Evidence for the presence of Mn(II)-oxidizing bacterial isolates from the genera Aurantimonas, Rhodobacter, Bacillus, and Shewanella was found in T-RFLP profiles. Q-PCR was used to quantify the gene copies of the heme-peroxidase, Aurantimonas SSU rRNA and total bacterial SSU rRNA gene copies. The probes used suggested that Aurantimonas could only account for 1.7% of heme-peroxidase genes quantified suggesting that peroxidase driven manganese oxidation capabilities are widespread throughout other organisms in this environment. PMID:21418498

Earth observations taken from Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-78 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-06-26

STS078-726-014 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Washington D.C., located in the center of the photo, was photographed in both regular color (here) and infrared (STS078-760-010) by the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) crew members. The city of Washington is coextensive with the District of Columbia, whose site was agreed upon by Congress in 1790 as the permanent seat of government for the new nation. It is located at the head of the navigable portion of the Potomac River, which separates it from Virginia to the southwest. It covers an area of 68-square-mile (177-square-kilometers). Andrews Air Force Base is seen east southeast of Washington D.C. Baltimore, Maryland, surrounding the Patapsco River mouth into Chesapeake Bay is located northeast of Washington D. C. or in upper right.

Range maps of terrestrial species in the interior Columbia River basin and northern portions of the Klamath and Great Basins.

Treesearch

Bruce G. Marcot; Barbara C. Wales; Rick Demmer

2003-01-01

Current range distribution maps are presented for 14 invertebrate, 26 amphibian, 26 reptile, 339 bird, and 125 mammal species and selected subspecies (530 total taxa) of the interior Columbia River basin and northern portions of the Klamath and Great Basins in the United States. Also presented are maps of historical ranges of 3 bird and 10 mammal species, and 6 maps of...

Methow and Columbia Rivers studies: summary of data collection, comparison of database structure and habitat protocols, and impact of additional PIT tag interrogation systems to survival estimates, 2008-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martens, Kyle D.; Tibbits, Wesley T.; Watson, Grace A.; Newsom, Michael A.; Connolly, Patrick J.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) received funding from the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to provide monitoring and evaluation on the effectiveness of stream restoration efforts by Reclamation in the Methow River watershed. This monitoring and evaluation program is designed to partially fulfill Reclamation’s part of the 2008 Biological Opinion for the Federal Columbia River Power System that includes a Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) to protect listed salmon and steelhead across their life cycle. The target species in the Methow River for the restoration effort include Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), UCR steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), which are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Since 2004, the USGS has completed two projects of monitoring and evaluation in the Methow River watershed. The first project focused on the evaluation of barrier removal and steelhead recolonization in Beaver Creek with Libby and Gold Creeks acting as controls. The majority of this work was completed by 2008, although some monitoring continued through 2012. The second project (2008–2012) evaluated the use and productivity of the middle Methow River reach (rkm 65–80) before the onset of multiple off-channel restoration projects planned by the Reclamation and Yakama Nation. The upper Methow River (upstream of rkm 80) and Chewuch River serve as reference reaches and the Methow River downstream of the Twisp River (downstream of rkm 65) serves as a control reach. Restoration of the M2 reach was initiated in 2012 and will be followed by a multi-year, intensive post-evaluation period. This report is comprised of three chapters covering different aspects of the work completed by the USGS. The first chapter is a review of data collection that documents the methods used and summarizes the work done by the USGS from 2008 through 2012. This data summary was

Physiological development and migratory behavior of subyearling fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tiffan, K.F.; Rondorf, D.W.; Wagner, P.G.

2000-01-01

We describe the migratory behavior and physiological development of subyearling fall chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha migrating through John Day Reservoir on the Columbia River, Washington and Oregon. Fish were freeze-branded and coded-wire-tagged at McNary Dam, Oregon, from 1991 to 1994, to determine travel time to John Day Dam and subsequent adult contribution. Stepwise multiple regression showed that 47% of the variation in subyearling fall chinook salmon travel time was explained by the reciprocal of minimum flow and fish size. Smoltification, as measured by gill Na+-K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, was not important in explaining variability in travel time of subyearling chinook salmon. Fish marked early in the out-migration generally traveled faster than middle and late migrants. Seawater challenges were used to describe physiological development and showed that osmoregulatory competence of premigrants in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River increased with fish size and gill ATPase activity. Once active migrants began passing McNary Dam, fish generally had survival exceeding 90% and were able to regulate their blood plasma Na+ in seawater. Gill ATPase activity increased as premigrants, reared in nearshore areas of the Hanford Reach, reached a peak among active migrants in late June and early July then decreased through the remainder of the out-migration. Salinity preference also peaked in subyearling fall chinook salmon during late June to mid July in 1995. Return of adults from marked groups showed no consistent patterns that would suggest a survival advantage for any portion of the juvenile out-migration. Presumed wild migrants from the middle and late portions of the out-migration were primary contributors to all fisheries, except the Priest Rapids Hatchery. As such, fishery managers should take action to ensure the survival of these fish, especially because they migrate under more unfavorable environmental conditions than early

Changes in productivity and contaminants in bald eagles nesting along the lower Columbia River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buck, J.A.; Anthony, R.G.; Schuler, C.A.; Isaacs, F.B.; Tillitt, D.E.

2005-01-01

Previous studies documented poor productivity of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the lower Columbia River (LCR), USA, and elevated p,p???-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans in eagle eggs. From 1994 to 1995, we collected partially incubated eggs at 19 of 43 occupied territories along the LCR and compared productivity and egg contaminants to values obtained in the mid-1980s. We found higher productivity at new nesting sites along the river, yet productivity at 23 older breeding territories remained low and was not different (p = 0.713) between studies. Eggshell thickness at older territories had not improved (p = 0.404), and eggshells averaged 11% thinner than shells measured before dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane use. Decreases in DDE (p = 0.022) and total PCBs (p = 0.0004) in eggs from older breeding areas occurred between study periods. Productivity was not correlated to contaminants, but DDE, PCBs, and dioxin-like chemicals exceeded estimated no-effect values. Some dioxin-like contaminants in eggs were correlated to nest location, with highest concentrations occurring toward the river's mouth where productivity was lowest. Although total productivity increased due to the success of new nesting pairs in the region, egg contaminants remain high enough to impair reproduction at older territories and, over time, may alter productivity of new pairs nesting near the river's mouth. ?? 2005 SETAC.

75 FR 41762 - Safety Zone; Annual Kennewick, WA, Columbia Unlimited Hydroplane Races, Kennewick, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Annual Kennewick, WA, Columbia Unlimited Hydroplane Races, Kennewick, WA AGENCY..., Columbia Unlimited Hydroplane Races'' also known as the Tri-City Water Follies Hydroplane Races. The safety... Association hosts annual hydroplane races on the Columbia River in Kennewick, Washington. The Association is...

Marine bird aggregations associated with the tidally-driven plume and plume fronts of the Columbia River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamon, Jeannette E.; Phillips, Elizabeth M.; Guy, Troy J.

2014-09-01

Freshwater discharge from large rivers into the coastal ocean creates tidally-driven frontal systems known to enhance mixing, primary production, and secondary production. Many authors suggest that tidal plume fronts increase energy flow to fish-eating predators by attracting planktivorous fishes to feed on plankton aggregated by the fronts. However, few studies of plume fronts directly examine piscivorous predator response to plume fronts. Our work examined densities of piscivorous seabirds relative to the plume region and plume fronts of the Columbia River, USA. Common murres (Uria aalge) and sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) composed 83% of all birds detected on mesoscale surveys of the Washington and Oregon coasts (June 2003-2006), and 91.3% of all birds detected on fine scale surveys of the plume region less than 40 km from the river mouth (May 2003 and 2006). Mesoscale comparisons showed consistently more predators in the central plume area compared to the surrounding marine area (murres: 10.1-21.5 vs. 3.4-8.2 birds km-2; shearwaters: 24.2-75.1 vs. 11.8-25.9 birds km-2). Fine scale comparisons showed that murre density in 2003 and shearwater density in both 2003 and 2006 were significantly elevated in the tidal plume region composed of the most recently discharged river water. Murres tended to be more abundant on the north face of the plume. In May 2003, more murres and shearwaters were found within 3 km of the front on any given transect, although maximum bird density was not necessarily found in the same location as the front itself. Predator density on a given transect was not correlated with frontal strength in either year. The high bird densities we observed associated with the tidal plume demonstrate that the turbid Columbia River plume does not necessarily provide fish with refuge from visual predators. Bird predation in the plume region may therefore impact early marine survival of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), which must migrate through the

Food habits of Juvenile American Shad and dynamics of zooplankton in the lower Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haskell, C.A.; Tiffan, K.F.; Rondorf, D.W.

2006-01-01

As many as 2.4 million adult American shad annually pass John Day Dam, Columbia River to spawn upriver, yet food web interactions of juvenile shad rearing in John Day Reservoir are unexplored. We collected zooplankton and conducted mid-water trawls in McNary (June-July) and John Day reservoirs (August-November) from 1994 through 1996 during the outmigration of subyearling American shad and Chinook salmon. Juvenile American shad were abundant and represented over 98% of the trawl catch in late summer. The five major taxa collected in zooplankton tows were Bosmina longirostris, Daphnia, cyclopoid cope-pods, rotifers, and calanoid copepods. We evaluated total crustacean zooplankton abundance and Daphnia biomass in relation to water temperature, flow, depth, diel period, and cross-sectional location using multiple regression. Differences in zooplankton abundance were largely due to differences in water temperature and flow. Spatial variation in total zooplankton abundance was observed in McNary Reservoir, but not in John Day Reservoir. Juvenile American shad generally fed on numerically abundant prey, despite being less preferred than larger bodied zooplankton. A decrease in cladoceran abundance and size in August coupled with large percentages of Daphnia in juvenile American shad stomachs indicated heavy planktivory. Smaller juvenile American shad primarily fed on Daphnia in August, but switched to more evasive copepods as the mean size of fish increased and Daphnia abundance declined. Because Daphnia are particularly important prey items for subyearling Chinook salmon in mainstem reservoirs in mid to late summer, alterations in the cladoceran food base is of concern for the management of outmigrating salmonids and other Columbia River fishes. ?? 2006 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.

Modeling magma flow and cooling in dikes: Implications for emplacement of Columbia River flood basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petcovic, Heather L.; Dufek, Josef D.

2005-10-01

The Columbia River flood basalts include some of the world's largest individual lava flows, most of which were fed by the Chief Joseph dike swarm. The majority of dikes are chilled against their wall rock; however, rare dikes caused their wall rock to undergo partial melting. These partial melt zones record the thermal history of magma flow and cooling in the dike and, consequently, the emplacement history of the flow it fed. Here, we examine two-dimensional thermal models of basalt injection, flow, and cooling in a 10-m-thick dike constrained by the field example of the Maxwell Lake dike, a likely feeder to the large-volume Wapshilla Ridge unit of the Grande Ronde Basalt. Two types of models were developed: static conduction simulations and advective transport simulations. Static conduction simulation results confirm that instantaneous injection and stagnation of a single dike did not produce wall rock melt. Repeated injection generated wall rock melt zones comparable to those observed, yet the regular texture across the dike and its wall rock is inconsistent with repeated brittle injection. Instead, advective flow in the dike for 3-4 years best reproduced the field example. Using this result, we estimate that maximum eruption rates for Wapshilla Ridge flows ranged from 3 to 5 km3 d-1. Local eruption rates were likely lower (minimum 0.1-0.8 km3 d-1), as advective modeling results suggest that other fissure segments as yet unidentified fed the same flow. Consequently, the Maxwell Lake dike probably represents an upper crustal (˜2 km) exposure of a long-lived point source within the Columbia River flood basalts.

SENSITIVITY OF THE REGIONAL WATER BALANCE IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN TO CLIMATE VARIABILITY: APPLICATION OF A SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED WATER BALANCE MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

A one-dimensional water balance model was developed and used to simulate water balance for the Columbia River Basin. he model was run over a 10 km X 10 km grid for the United State's portion of the basin. he regional water balance was calculated using a monthly time-step for a re...

Evaluation of potential effects of federal land management alternatives on trends of salmonids and their habitats in the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Bruce Rieman; James T. Peterson; James Clayton; Philip Howell; Russell Thurow; William Thompson; Danny Lee

2001-01-01

Aquatic species throughout the interior Columbia River basin are at risk. Evaluation of the potential effects of federal land management on aquatic ecosystems across this region is an important but challenging task. Issues include the size and complexity of the systems, uncertainty in important processes and existing states, flexibility and consistency in the...

Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Transport and Trends in the Columbia River and Puget Sound Basins, 1993-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wise, Daniel R.; Rinella, Frank A.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Fuhrer, Greg J.; Embrey, Sandra S.; Clark, Gregory M.; Schwarz, Gregory E.; Sobieszczyk, Steven

2007-01-01

This study focused on three areas that might be of interest to water-quality managers in the Pacific Northwest: (1) annual loads of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and suspended sediment (SS) transported through the Columbia River and Puget Sound Basins, (2) annual yields of TN, TP, and SS relative to differences in landscape and climatic conditions between subbasin catchments (drainage basins), and (3) trends in TN, TP, and SS concentrations and loads in comparison to changes in landscape and climatic conditions in the catchments. During water year 2000, an average streamflow year in the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River discharged about 570,000 pounds per day of TN, about 55,000 pounds per day of TP, and about 14,000 tons per day of SS to the Pacific Ocean. The Snake, Yakima, Deschutes, and Willamette Rivers contributed most of the load discharged to the Columbia River. Point-source nutrient loads to the catchments (almost exclusively from municipal wastewater treatment plants) generally were a small percentage of the total in-stream nutrient loads; however, in some reaches of the Spokane, Boise, Walla Walla, and Willamette River Basins, point sources were responsible for much of the annual in-stream nutrient load. Point-source nutrient loads generally were a small percentage of the total catchment nutrient loads compared to nonpoint sources, except for a few catchments where point-source loads comprised as much as 30 percent of the TN load and as much as 80 percent of the TP load. The annual TN and TP loads from point sources discharging directly to the Puget Sound were about equal to the annual loads from eight major tributaries. Yields of TN, TP, and SS generally were greater in catchments west of the Cascade Range. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that TN yields were significantly (p < 0.05) and positively related to precipitation, atmospheric nitrogen load, fertilizer and manure load, and point-source load, and were negatively

Radionuclides, Trace Metals, and Organic Compounds in Shells of Native Freshwater Mussels Along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River: 6000 Years Before Present to Current Times

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

B. L. Tiller; T. E. Marceau

2006-01-25

This report documents concentrations of radionuclides, trace metals, and semivolatile organic compounds measured in shell samples of the western pearl shell mussel collected along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River.

Spatial and temporal trends in occurrence of emerging and legacy contaminants in the Lower Columbia River 2008-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alvarez, David A.; Perkins, Stephanie D.; Nilsen, Elena B.; Morace, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

The Lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, USA, is an important resource for aquatic and terrestrial organisms, agriculture, and commerce. An 86-mile stretch of the river was sampled over a 3 year period in order to determine the spatial and temporal trends in the occurrence and concentration of water-borne organic contaminants. Sampling occurred at 10 sites along this stretch and at 1 site on the Willamette River using the semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) and the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) passive samplers. Contaminant profiles followed the predicted trends of lower numbers of detections and associated concentrations in the rural areas to higher numbers and concentrations at the more urbanized sites. Industrial chemicals, plasticizers, and PAHs were present at the highest concentrations. Differences in concentrations between sampling periods were related to the amount of rainfall during the sampling period. In general, water concentrations of wastewater-related contaminants decreased and concentrations of legacy contaminants slightly increased with increasing rainfall amounts.

Large ensemble and large-domain hydrologic modeling: Insights from SUMMA applications in the Columbia River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, G.; Nijssen, B.; Nearing, G. S.; Newman, A. J.; Mizukami, N.; Clark, M. P.

2016-12-01

The Structure for Unifying Multiple Modeling Alternatives (SUMMA) provides a unifying modeling framework for process-based hydrologic modeling by defining a general set of conservation equations for mass and energy, with the capability to incorporate multiple choices for spatial discretizations and flux parameterizations. In this study, we provide a first demonstration of large-scale hydrologic simulations using SUMMA through an application to the Columbia River Basin (CRB) in the northwestern United States and Canada for a multi-decadal simulation period. The CRB is discretized into 11,723 hydrologic response units (HRUs) according to the United States Geologic Service Geospatial Fabric. The soil parameters are derived from the Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database. The land cover parameters are based on the National Land Cover Database from the year 2001 created by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. The forcing data, including hourly air pressure, temperature, specific humidity, wind speed, precipitation, shortwave and longwave radiations, are based on Phase 2 of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2) and averaged for each HRU. The simulation results are compared to simulations with the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model and the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS). We are particularly interested in SUMMA's capability to mimic model behaviors of the other two models through the selection of appropriate model parameterizations in SUMMA.

Accumulation of radionuclides in bed sediments of the Columbia River between Hanford reactors and McNary Dam

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, Jack L.; Haushild, W.L.

1970-01-01

Amounts of radionuclides from the Hanford reactors contained in bed sediments of the Columbia River were estimated by two methods: (1) from data on radionuclide concentration for the bed sediments between the reactors and McNary Dam, and (2) from data on radionuclide discharge for river stations at Pasco, Washington, and Umatilla, Oregon. Umatilla is 3.2 kilometers below McNary Dam. Accumulations of radionuclides in the Pasco to Umatilla reach estimated by the two methods agree within about 8%. In October 1965 approximately 16,000 curies of gamma emitting radionuclides were resident in bed sediments of the river between the Hanford reactors and McNary Dam. Concentrations and accumulations of chromium-51, zinc-65, cobalt-60, manganese-54, and scandium-46 generally are much higher near McNary Dam than they are in the vicinity of the reactors. These changes are caused by an increase downstream from the reactors in the proportion of the bed sediment that is fine grained and the proportions of the transported zinc, cobalt, manganese, and scandium radionuclides associated with sediment particles.

Two Case Studies to Quantify Resilience across Food-Energy-Water Systems: the Columbia River Treaty and Adaptation in Yakima River Basin Irrigation Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malek, K.; Adam, J. C.; Richey, A.; Rushi, B. R.; Stockle, C.; Yoder, J.; Barik, M.; Lee, S. Y.; Rajagopalan, K.; Brady, M.; Barber, M. E.; Boll, J.; Padowski, J.

2017-12-01

The U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) plays a significant role in meeting agricultural and hydroelectric demands nationwide. Climatic and anthropogenic stressors, however, potentially threaten the productivity, resilience, and environmental health of the region. Our objective is to understand how resilience of each Food-Energy-Water (FEW) sector, and the combined Nexus, respond to exogenous perturbations and the extent to which technological and institutional advances can buffer these perturbations. In the process of taking information from complex integrated models and assessing resilience across FEW sectors, we start with two case studies: 1) Columbia River Treaty (CRT) with Canada that determines how multiple reservoirs in the Columbia River basin (CRB) are operated, and 2) climate change adaptation actions in the Yakima River basin (YRB). We discuss these case studies in terms of the similarities and contrasts related to FEW sectors and management complexities. Both the CRB and YBP systems are highly sensitive to climate change (they are both snowmelt-dominant) and already experience water conflict. The CRT is currently undergoing renegotiation; a new CRT will need to consider a much more comprehensive approach, e.g., treating environmental flows explicitly. The YRB also already experiences significant water conflict and thus the comprehensive Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP) is being pursued. We apply a new modeling framework that mechanistically captures the interactions between the FEW sectors to quantify the impacts of CRT and YBIP planning (as well as adaptation decisions taken by individuals, e.g., irrigators) on resilience in each sector. Proposed modification to the CRT may relieve impacts to multiple sectors. However, in the YRB, irrigators' actions to adapt to climate change (through investing in more efficient irrigation technology) could reduce downstream water availability for other users. Developing a process to quantify resilience to perturbations

The potential for chromium to affect the fertilization process of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Hanford reach of the Columbia River, Washington, USA.

PubMed

Farag, A M; Harper, D D; Cleveland, L; Brumbaugh, W G; Little, E E

2006-05-01

The Hanford Nuclear Reservation in south central Washington was claimed by the federal government as a site for the production of plutonium. During the course of production and operation of the facilities at Hanford, radionuclides and chromium were discharged directly into the river and also contaminated the groundwater. This study was designed to assess the effects of chromium (Cr) on Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fertilization under exposure conditions similar to those of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Chinook salmon gametes were exposed to aqueous Cr concentrations ranging from 0 to 266 microg Cr l(-1). The current ambient water-quality criteria (AWQC) established for the protection of aquatic life (United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA] 1986) is 11 microg Cr l(-1). Cr has been measured in pore water from bottom sediments of the Columbia River at concentrations >600 microg Cr l(-1). Under exposure conditions designed to closely mimic events that occur in the river, the fertilization of Chinook salmon eggs was not affected by concentrations of Cr ranging from 11 to 266 microg Cr l(-1). Data suggest that the instantaneous nature of fertilization likely limits the potential effects of Cr on fertilization success. As a result, the current AWQC of 11 mug Cr l(-1) is most likely protective of Chinook salmon fertilization.

The potential for chromium to affect the fertilization process of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farag, A.M.; Harper, D.D.; Cleveland, L.; Brumbaugh, W.G.; Little, E.E.

2006-01-01

The Hanford Nuclear Reservation in south central Washington was claimed by the federal government as a site for the production of plutonium. During the course of production and operation of the facilities at Hanford, radionuclides and chromium were discharged directly into the river and also contaminated the groundwater. This study was designed to assess the effects of chromium (Cr) on Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fertilization under exposure conditions similar to those of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Chinook salmon gametes were exposed to aqueous Cr concentrations ranging from 0 to 266 μg Cr l−1. The current ambient water-quality criteria (AWQC) established for the protection of aquatic life (United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA] 1986) is 11 μg Cr l−1. Cr has been measured in pore water from bottom sediments of the Columbia River at concentrations >600 μg Cr l−1. Under exposure conditions designed to closely mimic events that occur in the river, the fertilization of Chinook salmon eggs was not affected by concentrations of Cr ranging from 11 to 266 μg Cr l−1. Data suggest that the instantaneous nature of fertilization likely limits the potential effects of Cr on fertilization success. As a result, the current AWQC of 11 μg Cr l−1 is most likely protective of Chinook salmon fertilization.

Evaluating uncertainties in modelling the snow hydrology of the Fraser River Basin, British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, Siraj Ul; Déry, Stephen J.

2017-03-01

This study evaluates predictive uncertainties in the snow hydrology of the Fraser River Basin (FRB) of British Columbia (BC), Canada, using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model forced with several high-resolution gridded climate datasets. These datasets include the Canadian Precipitation Analysis and the thin-plate smoothing splines (ANUSPLIN), North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR), University of Washington (UW) and Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC) gridded products. Uncertainties are evaluated at different stages of the VIC implementation, starting with the driving datasets, optimization of model parameters, and model calibration during cool and warm phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The inter-comparison of the forcing datasets (precipitation and air temperature) and their VIC simulations (snow water equivalent - SWE - and runoff) reveals widespread differences over the FRB, especially in mountainous regions. The ANUSPLIN precipitation shows a considerable dry bias in the Rocky Mountains, whereas the NARR winter air temperature is 2 °C warmer than the other datasets over most of the FRB. In the VIC simulations, the elevation-dependent changes in the maximum SWE (maxSWE) are more prominent at higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains, where the PCIC-VIC simulation accumulates too much SWE and ANUSPLIN-VIC yields an underestimation. Additionally, at each elevation range, the day of maxSWE varies from 10 to 20 days between the VIC simulations. The snow melting season begins early in the NARR-VIC simulation, whereas the PCIC-VIC simulation delays the melting, indicating seasonal uncertainty in SWE simulations. When compared with the observed runoff for the Fraser River main stem at Hope, BC, the ANUSPLIN-VIC simulation shows considerable underestimation of runoff throughout the water year owing to reduced precipitation in the ANUSPLIN forcing dataset. The NARR-VIC simulation yields more winter and spring runoff and earlier decline

Columbia River Estuary Hybrid Model Studies. Report 1. Verification of Hybrid Modeling of the Columbia River Mouth.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

the Subcommittee on Sedimentation, Jackson , Miss., U. S. Department of Agriculture. 1965. "Some Indications of Sediment Transport in the Vicinity of...Conference of the Subcommittee on Sedimentation, Jackson , MS, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 115. Jaske, R.T. 1972. "Potential Thermal Effects of an...Columbia Estuary and Entrance," Misc. Pub. 970, Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference of the Subcommittee on Sedimentation, Jackson , MS, U. S. De

Exotic plant colonization and occupancy within riparian areas of the Interior Columbia River and Upper Missouri River basins, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Ray, Andrew M.; Roper, Brett B.; Archer, Eric

2013-01-01

Exotic plant invasions into riparia often result in shifts in vegetative composition, altered stream function, and cascading effects to biota at multiple scales. Characterizing the distribution patterns of exotic plants is an important step in directing targeted research to identify mechanisms of invasion and potential management strategies. In this study, we employed occupancy models to examine the associations of landscape, climate, and disturbance attributes with the colonization and occupancy patterns for spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L.), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense L., Scop.), and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) in the riparia of headwater streams (n = 1,091) in the Interior Columbia River and Upper Missouri River Basins. We found relatively low occupancy rates for cheatgrass (0.06, SE = 0.02) and spotted knapweed (0.04, SE = 0.01), but moderate occupancy of Canada thistle (0.28, SE = 0.05); colonization rates were low across all species (<0.01). We found the distributions of spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, and cheatgrass to exhibit significant associations with both ambient climate conditions and anthropogenic and natural disturbances. We attribute the low to moderate occupancy and colonization rates to the relatively remote locations of our sample sites within headwater streams and urge consideration of means to prevent further invasions.

Stock-specific migration timing of adult spring-summer Chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keefer, M.L.; Peery, C.A.; Jepson, M.A.; Tolotti, K.R.; Bjornn, T.C.; Stuehrenberg, L.C.

2004-01-01

An understanding of the migration timing patterns of Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead O. mykiss is important for managing complex mixed-stock fisheries and preserving genetic and life history diversity. We examined adult return timing for 3,317 radio-tagged fish from 38 stocks of Columbia River basin spring-summer Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha over 5 years. Stock composition varied widely within and between years depending on the strength of influential populations. Most individual stocks migrated at similar times each year relative to overall runs, supporting the hypotheses that run timing is predictable, is at least partially due to genetic adaptation, and can be used to differentiate between some conspecific populations. Arrival timing of both aggregated radio-tagged stocks and annual runs was strongly correlated with river discharge; stocks arrived earlier at Bonneville Dam and at upstream dams in years with low discharge. Migration timing analyses identified many between-stock and between-year differences in anadromous salmonid return behavior and should and managers interested in protection and recovery of evolutionary significant populations.

BRONXWHITESTONE OVER THE EAST RIVER, NOTE CONSIDERABLE AIR POLLUTION OVER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

BRONX-WHITESTONE OVER THE EAST RIVER, NOTE CONSIDERABLE AIR POLLUTION OVER CITY IN BACKGROUND - Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Spanning East River between Whitestone, Queens & the Bronx, Bronx, Bronx County, NY

Spatial, temporal and frequency based climate change assessment in Columbia River Basin using multi downscaled-scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rana, Arun; Moradkhani, Hamid

2016-07-01

Uncertainties in climate modelling are well documented in literature. Global Climate Models (GCMs) are often used to downscale the climatic parameters on a regional scale. In the present work, we have analyzed the changes in precipitation and temperature for future scenario period of 2070-2099 with respect to historical period of 1970-2000 from statistically downscaled GCM projections in Columbia River Basin (CRB). Analysis is performed using two different statistically downscaled climate projections (with ten GCMs downscaled products each, for RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, from CMIP5 dataset) namely, those from the Bias Correction and Spatial Downscaling (BCSD) technique generated at Portland State University and from the Multivariate Adaptive Constructed Analogs (MACA) technique, generated at University of Idaho, totaling to 40 different scenarios. The two datasets for BCSD and MACA are downscaled from observed data for both scenarios projections i.e. RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Analysis is performed using spatial change (yearly scale), temporal change (monthly scale), percentile change (seasonal scale), quantile change (yearly scale), and wavelet analysis (yearly scale) in the future period from the historical period, respectively, at a scale of 1/16th of degree for entire CRB region. Results have indicated in varied degree of spatial change pattern for the entire Columbia River Basin, especially western part of the basin. At temporal scales, winter precipitation has higher variability than summer and vice versa for temperature. Most of the models have indicated considerate positive change in quantiles and percentiles for both precipitation and temperature. Wavelet analysis provided insights into possible explanation to changes in precipitation.

Sedimentary processes and depositional environments of the Horn River Shale in British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seok-Hoon; Koh, Chang-Seong; Joe, Young-Jin; Woo, Ju-Hwan; Lee, Hyun-Suk

2017-04-01

The Horn River Basin in the northeastern British Columbia, Canada, is one of the largest unconventional gas accumulations in North America. It consists mainly of Devonian shales (Horn River Formation) and is stratigraphically divided into three members, the Muskwa, Otterpark and Evie in descending order. This study focuses on sedimentary processes and depositional environments of the Horn River shale based on sedimentary facies analysis aided by well-log mineralogy (ECS) and total organic carbon (TOC) data. The shale formation consists dominantly of siliceous minerals (quartz, feldspar and mica) and subordinate clay mineral and carbonate materials, and TOC ranging from 1.0 to 7.6%. Based on sedimentary structures and micro texture, three sedimentary facies were classified: homogeneous mudstone (HM), indistinctly laminated mudstone (ILM), and planar laminated mudstone (PLM). Integrated interpretation of the sedimentary facies, lithology and TOC suggests that depositional environment of the Horn River shale was an anoxic quiescent basin plain and base-of-slope off carbonate platform or reef. In this deeper marine setting, organic-rich facies HM and ILM, dominant in the Muskwa (the upper part of the Horn River Formation) and Evie (the lower part of the Horn River Formation) members, may have been emplaced by pelagic to hemipelagic sedimentation on the anoxic sea floor with infrequent effects of low-density gravity flows (turbidity currents or nepheloid flows). In the other hand, facies PLM typifying the Otterpark Member (the middle part of the Horn River Formation) suggests more frequent inflow of bottom-hugging turbidity currents punctuating the hemipelagic settling of the background sedimentation process. The stratigraphic change of sedimentary facies and TOC content in the Horn River Formation is most appropriately interpreted to have been caused by the relative sea-level change, that is, lower TOC and frequent signal of turbidity current during the sea

Spatial heterogeneity of mercury bioaccumulation by walleye in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upper Columbia River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munn, M.D.; Short, T.M.

1997-01-01

We examined mercury concentration in muscle of walleye Stizostedion vitreum from three reaches in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, a reservoir on the Columbia River, and from the upper Columbia River, an area contaminated by wastes from metal mining and associated processing activities. Our objectives were to describe the relation between size and age of walleyes and tissue concentrations of mercury and to compare mercury concentrations within a single reservoir system among spatially segregated cohorts. Overall, mercury concentrations in walleye muscle ranged from 0.11 to 0.44 mg/kg (wet weight) and were positively correlated with age, weight, and length of the fish. Mercury concentrations in walleyes varied spatially within the system; the highest concentrations were in fish from the lower and middle reaches of the reservoir. Condition factor of age-2+ fish was inversely related to tissue concentration of mercury and was lower in fish from the lower and middle reaches than in fish from the upper reach. Spatial patterns in condition factor and mercury in walleyes were unrelated to concentrations of total mercury in surficial bed sediments, which ranged from less than 0.05 to 2.8 mg/kg (dry weight). We suggest that the observed spatial differences in the concentrations of mercury in walleyes may be attributed to the fish preferring to spawn and forage in specific areas where the bioavailability of mercury varies due to local differences in the physical and chemical environment.

Factors affecting the age-C resident fish community along shorelines of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gadomski, D.M.; Wagner, P.G.

2009-01-01

The Hanford Reach is one of the few remaining unimpounded sections of the Columbia River. However, because of flow management at upstream dams, there are often large fluctuations in water level. To determine how environmental conditions might affect age-0 resident fishes in the Hanford Reach, we evaluated species composition, distribution, abundance, and standard lengths of larval and juvenile fishes along shoreline habitats during July and August 1998, 1999, and 2000. Catches in beach seine hauls during all three years were highly variable. The four most abundant taxa collected were three cyprinids, peamouth (Mylocheilus caurinus), northern pikeminnow (Plychocheilus oregonensis), and redside shiner (Richardson ius balteatus); and suckers (Catostoinus spp.). Highest overall catches were in sloughs of the Hanford Reach in 1999, a year with high flows, lower water level fluctuations, and more vegetation. Mean shoreline summer water temperatures were higher in 1998 than in 1999 and 2000, and mean lengths of the four most abundant taxa in late August were also greater in 1998, due presumably to enhanced growth or an earlier spawning season. In spite of flow fluctuations, overall catches of age-0 resident fishes were greater in the riverine Hanford Reach compared to past catches in a more lentic Columbia River reservoir. High abundances of age-0 resident fishes in the Hanford Reach could be due to more spawning and rearing habitat in this structurally complex area, and may mitigate for negative effects of variable flow regimes.

Location and timing of river-aquifer exchanges in six tributaries to the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Konrad, C.P.

2006-01-01

The flow of water between rivers and contiguous aquifers influences the quantity and quality of water resources, particularly in regions where precipitation and runoff are unevenly distributed through the year, such as the Columbia Basin (CB) in northwestern United States. Investigations of basin hydrogeology and gains and losses of streamflow for six rivers in the CB were reviewed to characterize general patterns in the timing and location of river-aquifer exchanges at a reach-scale (0.5-150 km) and to identify geologic and geomorphic features associated with the largest exchanges. Ground-water discharge to each river, or the gain in streamflow, was concentrated spatially: more than one-half of the total gains along each river segment were contributed from reaches that represented no more than 30% of the total segment length with the largest and most concentrated gains in rivers in volcanic terrains. Fluvial recharge of aquifers, or losses of streamflow, was largest in rivers in sedimentary basins where unconsolidated sediments form shallow aquifers. Three types of geologic or geomorphic features were associated with the largest exchanges: (1) changes in the thickness of unconsolidated aquifers; (2) contacts between lithologic units that represent contrasts in permeability; and (3) channel forms that increase the hydraulic gradient or cross-sectional area of flow paths between a river and shallow ground-water. The down-valley component of ground-water flow and its vertical convergence on or divergence from a riverbed account for large streamflow gains in some reaches and contrast with the common assumption of lateral ground-water discharge to a river that penetrates completely through the aquifer. Increased ground-water discharge was observed during high-flow periods in reaches of four rivers indicating that changes in ground-water levels can be more important than stage fluctuations in regulating the direction and magnitude of river-aquifer exchanges and that

Earth observations taken from Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-78 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-06-28

STS078-760-010 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- As photographed with color infrared film by the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, the capital of the United States of America (the right of center) is located at the head of the navigable portion of the Potomac River. The Potomac separates the capital from Virginia to the southwest. It covers an area of 68-square-mile (177-square-kilometers). Andrews Air Force Base is seen east southwest of Washington D.C. at the right edge of the photo. Dulles International Airport is located west of the city on the left edge of the photo. Green vegetation shows up as red in the color infrared image.

75 FR 17106 - Safety Zone; Red Bull Air Race, Detroit River, Detroit, MI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-05

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Red Bull Air Race, Detroit River, Detroit, MI AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION... Detroit River during the Red Bull Air Race. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with air races. DATES: Comments and related material must be...

27 CFR 9.227 - Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... County, 1965; (10) Vantage, Washington, 1965, photorevised 1978; (11) Ginkgo, Washington, 1953... meandering Columbia River for approximately 23.3 miles, crossing over the Ginkgo and Cape Horn SE maps, and...

27 CFR 9.227 - Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... County, 1965; (10) Vantage, Washington, 1965, photorevised 1978; (11) Ginkgo, Washington, 1953... meandering Columbia River for approximately 23.3 miles, crossing over the Ginkgo and Cape Horn SE maps, and...

The Water Level and Transport Regimes of the Lower Columbia River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jay, D. A.

2011-12-01

Tidal rivers are vital, spatially extensive conduits of material from land to sea. Yet the tidal-fluvial regime remains poorly understood relative to the bordering fluvial and estuarine/coastal regimes with which it interacts. The 235km-long Lower Columbia River (LCR) consists of five zones defined by topographic constrictions: a 5km-long ocean-entrance, the lower estuary (15km), an energy-minimum (67km), the tidal river (142km), and a landslide zone (5km). Buoyant plume lift-off occurs within the entrance zone, which is dominated by tidal and wave energy. The lower estuary is strongly tidally, amplifies the semidiurnal tide, and has highly variable salinity intrusion. Tidal and fluvial influences are balanced in the wide energy-minimum, into which salinity intrudes during low-flow periods. It has a turbidity maximum and a dissipation minimum at its lower end, but a water-level variance minimum at its landward end. The tidal river shows a large increase in the ratio of fluvial-to-tidal energy in the landward direction and strong seasonal variations in tidal properties. Because tidal monthly water level variations are large, low waters are higher on spring than neap tides. The steep landslide zone has only weak tides and is the site of the most seaward hydropower dam. Like many dammed systems, the LCR has pseudo-tides: daily and weakly hydropower peaking waves that propagate seaward. Tidal constituent ratios vary in the alongchannel direction due to frictional non-linearities, the changing balance of dissipation vs. propagation, and power peaking. Long-term changes to the system have occurred due to climate change and direct human manipulation. Flood control, hydropower regulation, and diversion have reduced peak flows, total load and sand transport by ~45, 50 and 80%, respectively, causing a blue-shift in the flow and water level power spectra. Overbank flows have been largely eliminated through a redundant combination of diking and flow regulation. Export of sand

Wigwam River McNeil Substrate Sampling Program : 1998-2002 Summary Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tepper, Herb

2003-01-01

The Wigwam River is an important fisheries stream in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia that supports healthy populations of both bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi). The river has been characterized as the single most important bull trout spawning steam in the Kootenay Region (Baxter and Westover 2000), and thus has been the focus of numerous studies in the last ten years (Cope 1998; Cope and Morris 2001; Cope, Morris and Bisset 2002; Kohn Crippen Consultants Ltd. 1998; Westover 1999a; Westover 1999b; Westover and Conroy 1997). Although bull trout populations in the Eastmore » Kootenay region remain healthy, bull trout populations in other parts of British Columbia and within their traditional range in northwestern United States have declined. Thus, bull trout were blue listed as vulnerable in British Columbia by the B.C. Conservation Data Centre (Cannings 1993) and remain a species of special concern. Bull trout in the north-western United States, within the Columbia River watershed, were listed as threatened in 1998 under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1999, the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection applied and received funding from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to assess and monitor the status of wild, native stocks of bull trout in tributaries to Lake Koocanusa (Libby Reservoir) and the upper Kootenay River. The purpose of this report is to summarize one of the many studies undertaken to ''Monitor and Protect Bull Trout for Koocanusa Reservoir'' (BPA Project Number 2000-04-00). Three permanent sampling sites were established on the Wigwam River in April 1998. At each site, substrate samples were obtained using a McNeil Core sampler in April of each year from 1998 to 2002. The objectives of this study were to assess the quality of stream-bed substrates used by bull trout for spawning prior to major resource development in the Wigwam

Columbia-North Pacific Region Comprehensive Framework Study of Water and Related Lands. Appendix I. History of Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1971-12-01

NORTHWEST, R[6~ BASINS COMMIS$ION 1 COLUMBIA RIVER , VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON DECEMBER 1971 PARTICIPATING STATES AND AGENCIES STATES Idaho Nevada Utah Wyoming...G.. ......al H~~~~~s ../....h G.E..n.at. ~J$~ I 314S ~ leCts AVAL SO1IU 1 ppjcoved imP Pacific Submitted by 4-. PcificNorthwest River Basins...Commissions Vancouver, Washington 77𔄁’ -, Prepared by Columbia-North Pacific Technical Staff: ’E. L. White, Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission G. J

Integrated Hatchery Operations Team: Operations Plans for Anadromous Fish Production Facilities in the Columbia River Basin, Volume IV of IV; Washington: Rocky Reach Hatchery Addendum, 1992 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peck, Larry

1993-08-01

Rocky Reach Hatchery is located along the Columbia Paver, just downstream from Rocky Reach Dam. Site elevation is 800 feet above sea level. The Turtle Rock Island facility, located 2 miles upstream, is operated as a satellite facility (shared with the Washington Department of Wildlife). The facility is staffed with 2.75 FTE`S. The hatchery was originally designed as a mile-long spawning channel at Turtle Rock Island. Rearing units consist of eight vinyl raceways at Rocky Reach and four rearing ponds at Turtle Rock. Water rights are held by Chelan County PUD and total 3,613 gpm from the Columbia River. Watermore » available for use in the Turtle Rock rearing ponds averages 12,000 gpm from the Columbia River. Rocky Reach Hatchery and the Turtle Rock satellite facility are owned by Chelan County PUD. They are operated as mitigation facilities for the fishery impacts caused by the construction and operation of Rocky Reach Dam. Rocky Reach Hatchery is used for incubation and early rearing of upriver bright (URB) fall chinook. Fingerlings are later transferred to the Turtle Rock facility for final rearing and release.« less

Turbulent forces within river plumes affect spread

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Atreyee

2012-08-01

When rivers drain into oceans through narrow mouths, hydraulic forces squeeze the river water into buoyant plumes that are clearly visible in satellite images. Worldwide, river plumes not only disperse freshwater, sediments, and nutrients but also spread pollutants and organisms from estuaries into the open ocean. In the United States, the Columbia River—the largest river by volume draining into the Pacific Ocean from North America—generates a plume at its mouth that transports juvenile salmon and other fish into the ocean. Clearly, the behavior and spread of river plumes, such as the Columbia River plume, affect the nation's fishing industry as well as the global economy.

77 FR 12493 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Feather River Air Quality Management District

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-01

... the California State Implementation Plan, Feather River Air Quality Management District AGENCY... limited disapproval of revisions to the Feather River Air Quality Management District (FRAQMD) portion of.... * * * * * (c) * * * (378) * * * (i) * * * (E) Feather River Air Quality Management District. (1) Rule 3.22...

Development of a System-Wide Program, Volume II : Stepwise Implementation of a Predation Index, Predator Control Fisheries and Evaluation Plan in the Columbia River Basin, 1992 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, David L.; Nigro, Anthony A.; Willis, Charles F.

1994-06-01

The authors report their results of studies to determine the extent to which northern squawfish predation on juvenile salmonids is a problem in the Columbia River Basin, and to evaluate how effectively fisheries can be used to control northern squawfish populations and reduce juvenile salmonid losses to predation. These studies were initiated as part of a basinwide program to control northern squawfish predation and reduce mortality of juvenile salmonids on their migration to the ocean. Three papers are included in this report. They are entitled: (1) Development of a Systemwide Predator Control Program: Indexing and Fisheries Evaluation; (2) Economic, Socialmore » and Legal Feasibility of Commercial Sport, and Bounty Fisheries on Northern Squawfish; (3) Columbia River Ecosystem Model (CREM): Modeling Approach for Evaluation of Control of Northern Squawfish Populations using Fisheries Exploitation.« less

Diel spawning behavior of chum salmon in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tiffan, K.F.; Rondorf, D.W.; Skalicky, J.J.

2005-01-01

We conducted a study during 2003 in a side channel of the Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam to describe the diel spawning behavior of wild chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta. We collected observational data on 14 pairs of chum salmon using a dual-frequency identification sonar. Spawners of both genders were observed chasing intruders during nighttime and daytime as nests were constructed. Regardless of diel period, females were engaged in digging to both construct nests and cover eggs, and courting males exhibited the prespawning behavior of tail-crossing. We observed a total of 13 spawning events, of which 9 occurred at night and 4 occurred during the day. Once chum salmon begin nest construction, visual cues are apparently not required for courtship, nest defense, and spawning. To enhance successful spawning, flows from Bonneville Dam during the spawning season were reduced during the day but were sometimes increased at night to pass water and meet power demand (i.e., reverse loading), the assumption being that chum salmon are inactive at night. Our findings show that this assumption was violated. Therefore, reverse loading may disrupt the complex prespawning behavior that occurs both during the day and at night, as well as attract spawners to areas that were dewatered during the day.

Magnitude and Dynamics of Predation on Juvenile Salmonids in Columbia and Snake River Reservoirs, Annual Report of Research, 1989-1990.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, J.H.

1990-07-01

Three aspects of predation upon juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River are addressed in this report: (1) Indexing predator consumption. During 1989--1990, two indices of northern squawfish consumption upon juvenile salmonids were developed for use throughout the Columbia River Basin. The direct Consumption Index (CI) is based upon the concept of meal turnover time and takes into account number of salmonids, temperature, total gut content weight and predator weight. A Bioenergetics Index (BI) for consumption indexing was also developed to complement the direct CI. In the BI, growth, consumption, excretion/evacuation and respiration processes are modeled to predict the consumption requiredmore » to produce an observed growth increment. (2) Studies on predator-smolt dynamics. Northern squawfish consumption data were collected in the McNary Dam tailrace during nine days in July 1988 to improve our understanding of the predator-smolt functional response. (3) Selective predation by northern squawfish. Laboratory and field protocols were developed to evaluate northern squawfish selection and prey vulnerability. Results from laboratory studies suggest that northern squawfish prefer dead over live prey and that descaled prey may be more vulnerable to predation than non-descaled prey. Stressed and unstressed prey were consumed in equal proportions when predation occurred for 6 or 24 h. Physiological and behavioral effects of stress on juvenile salmon are presented. 100 refs., 13 figs., 12 tabs.« less

Reducing the Impacts of Hydroelectric Dams on Juvenile Anadromous Fishes: Bioengineering Evaluations Using Acoustic Imaging in the Columbia River, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Ploskey, Gene R.; Hedgepeth, J.

2008-07-29

Dams impact the survival of juvenile anadromous fishes by obstructing migration corridors, lowering water quality, delaying migrations, and entraining fish in turbine discharge. To reduce these impacts, structural and operational modifications to dams— such as voluntary spill discharge, turbine intake guidance screens, and surface flow outlets—are instituted. Over the last six years, we have used acoustic imaging technology to evaluate the effects of these modifications on fish behavior, passage rates, entrainment zones, and fish/flow relationships at hydroelectric projects on the Columbia River. The imaging technique has evolved from studies documenting simple movement patterns to automated tracking of images to mergingmore » and analysis with concurrent hydraulic data. This chapter chronicles this evolution and shows how the information gleaned from the scientific evaluations has been applied to improve passage conditions for juvenile salmonids. We present data from Bonneville and The Dalles dams that document fish behavior and entrainment zones at sluiceway outlets (14 to 142 m3/s), fish passage rates through a gap at a turbine intake screen, and the relationship between fish swimming effort and hydraulic conditions. Dam operators and fisheries managers have applied these data to support decisions on operational and structural changes to the dams for the benefit of anadromous fish populations in the Columbia River basin.« less

Characterization of the Vertical Structure of Tidal Currents in the Mouth of the Columbia River and Evaluation of the Selfe Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

declination to the Earth (27.3 days) ( Disney and Overshiner 1925). Changes in the moon’s phase and distance from Earth cause changes in tidal current...strength that are approximately half of the changes in tidal range ( Disney and Overshiner, 1925). 5 3. Non-Tidal Currents Non-tidal constituents in...2014: Columbia River Estuary. [http://www.stccmop.org/news/2013/cmop_study_provide_insight_biogeochemic al_exchange_between_bays_estuary] Disney , L

Character and distribution of borehole breakouts and their relationship to in situ stresses in deep Columbia River Basalts ( Washington State, USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paillet, Frederick L.; Kim, K.

1987-01-01

The character and distribution of borehole breakouts in deeply buried basalts at the Hanford Site in S central Washington State are examined in light of stress indicator data and hydraulic- fracturing stress data by means of acoustic televiewer and acoustic waveform logging systems. A series of boreholes penetrating the Grande Ronde Basalt of the Columbia River Basalt Group were logged to examine the extent of breakouts at depths near 1000 m. -from Authors

Climate and Salmon Restoration in the Columbia River Basin: The Role and Usability of Seasonal Forecasts.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulwarty, Roger S.; Redmond, Kelly T.

1997-03-01

The Pacific Northwest is dependent on the vast and complex Columbia River system for power production, irrigation, navigation, flood control, recreation, municipal and industrial water supplies, and fish and wildlife habitat. In recent years Pacific salmon populations in this region, a highly valued cultural and economic resource, have declined precipitously. Since 1980, regional entities have embarked on the largest effort at ecosystem management undertaken to date in the United States, primarily aimed at balancing hydropower demands with salmon restoration activities. It has become increasingly clear that climatically driven fluctuations in the freshwater and marine environments occupied by these fish are an important influence on population variability. It is also clear that there are significant prospects of climate predictability that may prove advantageous in managing the water resources shared by the long cast of regional interests. The main thrusts of this study are 1) to describe the climate and management environments of the Columbia River basin, 2) to assess the present degree of use and benefits of available climate information, 3) to identify new roles and applications made possible by recent advances in climate forecasting, and 4) to understand, from the point of view of present and potential users in specific contexts of salmon management, what information might be needed, for what uses, and when, where, and how it should be provided. Interviews were carried out with 32 individuals in 19 organizations involved in salmon management decisions. Primary needs were in forecasting runoff volume and timing, river transit times, and stream temperatures, as much as a year or more in advance. Most respondents desired an accuracy of 75% for a seasonal forecast. Despite the significant influence of precipitation and its subsequent hydrologic impacts on the regional economy, no specific use of the present climate forecasts was uncovered. Understanding the

FY 2007 Progress Report for Upper Columbia United Tribes' Regional Coordination.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michel, D.R.

2008-12-15

This report is a summary of activities conducted over the fiscal year 2007 contract period to fulfill requirements to coordinate Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT) interests within the Columbia River Basin. This coordination was specific to the implementation of portions of the Integrated Fish and Wildlife Program within the purview of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and Bonneville Power Administration.

Report on the Predation Index, Predator Control Fisheries, and Program Evaluation for the Columbia River Basin Experimental Northern Pikeminnow Management Program, 2008 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porter, Russell

2009-09-10

This report presents results for year seventeen in the basin-wide Experimental Northern Pikeminnow Management Program to harvest northern pikeminnow1 (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. This program was started in an effort to reduce predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids during their emigration from natal streams to the ocean. Earlier work in the Columbia River Basin suggested predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids might account for most of the 10-20% mortality juvenile salmonids experience in each of eight Columbia River and Snake River reservoirs. Modeling simulations based on work in John Day Reservoir from 1982 throughmore » 1988 indicated that, if predator-size northern pikeminnow were exploited at a 10-20% rate, the resulting restructuring of their population could reduce their predation on juvenile salmonids by 50%. To test this hypothesis, we implemented a sport-reward angling fishery and a commercial longline fishery in the John Day Pool in 1990. We also conducted an angling fishery in areas inaccessible to the public at four dams on the mainstem Columbia River and at Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River. Based on the success of these limited efforts, we implemented three test fisheries on a system-wide scale in 1991 - a tribal longline fishery above Bonneville Dam, a sport-reward fishery, and a dam-angling fishery. Low catch of target fish and high cost of implementation resulted in discontinuation of the tribal longline fishery. However, the sport-reward and dam-angling fisheries were continued in 1992 and 1993. In 1992, we investigated the feasibility of implementing a commercial longline fishery in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam and found that implementation of this fishery was also infeasible. Estimates of combined annual exploitation rates resulting from the sport-reward and dam-angling fisheries remained at the low end of our target range of 10-20%. This suggested the need for

Use of fatty acid analysis to determine dispersal of caspian terns in the Columbia River Basin, USA.

PubMed

Maranto, Christina J; Parrish, Julia K; Herman, David P; Punt, André E; Olden, Julian D; Brett, Michael T; Roby, Daniel D

2011-08-01

Lethal control, which has been used to reduce local abundances of animals in conflict with humans or with endangered species, may not achieve management goals if animal movement is not considered. In populations with emigration and immigration, lethal control may induce compensatory immigration, if the source of attraction remains unchanged. Within the Columbia River Basin (Washington, U.S.A.), avian predators forage at dams because dams tend to reduce rates of emigration of juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.), artificially concentrating these prey. We used differences in fatty acid profiles between Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) at coastal and inland breeding colonies and terns culled by a lethal control program at a mid-Columbia River dam to infer dispersal patterns. We modeled the rate of loss of fatty acid biomarkers, which are fatty acids that can be traced to a single prey species or groups of species, to infer whether and when terns foraging at dams had emigrated from the coast. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed that coastal terns had high levels of C(20) and C(22) monounsaturated fatty acids, whereas fatty acids of inland breeders were high in C18:3n3, C20:4n6, and C22:5n3. Models of the rate of loss of fatty acid showed that approximately 60% of the terns collected at Rock Island Dam were unlikely to have bred successfully at local (inland) sites, suggesting that terns foraging at dams come from an extensive area. Fatty acid biomarkers may provide accurate information about patterns of dispersal in animal populations and may be extremely valuable in cases where populations differ demonstrably in prey base. © 2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

Multi-scale Analysis of the Fluxes Between Terrestrial Water Storage, Groundwater, and Stream Discharge in the Columbia River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sproles, E.; Leibowitz, S. G.; Wigington, P. J.; Patil, S.; Reager, J. T.; Famiglietti, J. S.

2013-12-01

The temporal relationships between the measurements of terrestrial water storage (TWS), groundwater, and stream discharge were analyzed at three different scales in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) for water years 2004 - 2012. Our nested watershed approach examined the Snake River (182,000 sq km), Upper Columbia (155,000 sq km), and the greater CRB (614,000 sq km). These three watersheds represent distinct climatic and geologic provinces found in the region. TWS (the vertically-integrated sum of snow, soil moisture, surface water, and groundwater) was measured remotely by NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). Results show that over the course of a water year, TWS and discharge exhibit a characteristic counter clockwise hysteresis pattern for each of the three regional watersheds. Similarly, in each of the three watersheds groundwater and discharge also exhibit a characteristic hysteresis pattern over the course of a water year--only in a clockwise direction. Our findings provide regional characteristics that quantify and describe the fluxes between snow, groundwater, and discharge, and also identify the out-of-phase relationship between the region's wet winters and groundwater recharge from during the spring. The methods and results presented in this study provide an analytic framework to incorporate remotely-sensed measurements of TWS to better understand how regional watersheds function as an integrated system, and also to identify potential water surplus and scarcity in the CRB and other regional watersheds.

Development of a System-Wide Predator Control Program: Stepwise Implementation of a Predation Index, Predator Control Fisheries, and Evaluation Plan in the Columbia River Basin; Northern Pikeminnow Management Program, 2002 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porter, Russell G.; Winther, Eric C.; Fox, Lyle G.

2004-01-01

This report presents results for year twelve in a basin-wide program to harvest northern pikeminnow1 (Ptychocheilus oregonensis). This program was started in an effort to reduce predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids during their emigration from natal streams to the ocean. Earlier work in the Columbia River Basin suggested predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids might account for most of the 10-20% mortality juvenile salmonids experience in each of eight Columbia River and Snake River reservoirs. Modeling simulations based on work in John Day Reservoir from 1982 through 1988 indicated that, if predator-size northern pikeminnow were exploited atmore » a 10-20% rate, the resulting restructuring of their population could reduce their predation on juvenile salmonids by 50%. To test this hypothesis, we implemented a sport-reward angling fishery and a commercial longline fishery in the John Day Pool in 1990. We also conducted an angling fishery in areas inaccessible to the public at four dams on the mainstem Columbia River and at Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River. Based on the success of these limited efforts, we implemented three test fisheries on a system-wide scale in 1991--a tribal longline fishery above Bonneville Dam, a sport-reward fishery, and a dam-angling fishery. Low catch of target fish and high cost of implementation resulted in discontinuation of the tribal longline fishery. However, the sport-reward and dam-angling fisheries were continued in 1992 and 1993. In 1992, we investigated the feasibility of implementing a commercial longline fishery in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam and found that implementation of this fishery was also infeasible. Estimates of combined annual exploitation rates resulting from the sport-reward and damangling fisheries remained at the low end of our target range of 10-20%. This suggested the need for additional effective harvest techniques. During 1991 and 1992, we developed and tested a

Modeling change in potential landscape vulnerability to forest insect and pathogen disturbances: methods for forested subwatersheds sampled in the midscale interior Columbia River basin assessment.

Treesearch

Paul F. Hessburg; Bradley G. Smith; Craig A. Miller; Scott D. Kreiter; R. Brion Salter

1999-01-01

In the interior Columbia River basin midscale ecological assessment, including portions of the Klamath and Great Basins, we mapped and characterized historical and current vegetation composition and structure of 337 randomly sampled subwatersheds (9500 ha average size) in 43 subbasins (404 000 ha average size). We compared landscape patterns, vegetation structure and...

Beach morphology monitoring in the Columbia River Littoral Cell: 1997-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruggiero, Peter; Eshleman, Jodi L.; Kingsley, Etienne; Thompson, David M.; Voigt, Brian; Kaminsky, George M.; Gelfenbaum, Guy

2007-01-01

This report describes methods used, data collected, and results of the Beach Morphology Monitoring Program in the Columbia River Littoral Cell (CRLC) from 1997 to 2005. A collaborative group primarily consisting of the US Geological Survey and the Washington State Department of Ecology performed this work. Beach Monitoring efforts consisted of collecting topographic and bathymetric horizontal and vertical position data using a Real Time Kinematic Differential Global Positioning System (RTK-DGPS). Sediment size distribution data was also collected as part of this effort. The monitoring program was designed to: 1) quantify the short- to medium-term (seasonal to interannual) beach change rates and morphological variability along the CRLC and assess the processes responsible for these changes; 2) collect beach state data (i.e., grain size, beach slope, and dune/sandbar height/position) to enhance the conceptual understanding of CRLC functioning and refine predictions of future coastal change and hazards; 3) compare and contrast the scales of environmental forcing and beach morphodynamics in the CRLC to other coastlines of the world; and 4) provide beach change data in a useful format to land use managers.

Columbia River Coordinated Information System (CIS); Data Catalog, 1992 Technical Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Connor, Dick; Allen, Stan; Reece, Doug

1993-05-01

The Columbia River Coordinated Information system (CIS) Project started in 1989 to address regional data sharing. Coordinated exchange and dissemination of any data must begin with dissemination of information about those data, such as: what is available; where the data are stored; what form they exist in; who to contact for further information or access to these data. In Phase II of this Project (1991), a Data Catalog describing the contents of regional datasets and less formal data collections useful for system monitoring and evaluation projects was built to improve awareness of their existence. Formal datasets are described in amore » `Dataset Directory,` while collections of data are Used to those that collect such information in the `Data Item Directory.` The Data Catalog will serve regional workers as a useful reference which centralizes the institutional knowledge of many data contacts into a single source. Recommendations for improvement of the Catalog during Phase III of this Project include addressing gaps in coverage, establishing an annual maintenance schedule, and loading the contents into a PC-based electronic database for easier searching and cross-referencing.« less

65. VIEW LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM FLUME SUBSTRUCTURE, SHOWING COLUMBIA IMPROVEMENT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

65. VIEW LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM FLUME SUBSTRUCTURE, SHOWING COLUMBIA IMPROVEMENT COMPANY'S NEISSON CREEK SAWMILL. Print No. 177, November 1903 - Electron Hydroelectric Project, Along Puyallup River, Electron, Pierce County, WA

Slab-controlled Tectonomagmatism of the Pacific Northwest: A Holistic view of Columbia River, High Lava Plains, and Snake River Plain/Yellowstone Volcanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, D. E.; Fouch, M. J.; Long, M. D.; Druken, K. A.; Wagner, L. S.; Chen, C.; Carlson, R. W.

2012-12-01

We interpret post-20 Ma tectonomagmatism across the U.S. Pacific Northwest in the context of subduction related processes. While mantle plume models have long enjoyed favor as an explanation for the post 20-Ma magmatism in the region, conceptually their support has hinged almost entirely on two major features: (1) Steens/Columbia River flood basalt volcanism (plume head); and (2) The Snake River Plain/Yellowstone hotspot track (plume tail). Recent work, synthesized in this presentation, suggests that these features are more plausibly the result of mantle dynamical processes driven by southerly truncation of the Farallon/Juan de Fuca subduction zone and slab detachment along the evolving margin of western North America (Long et al., 2012; James et al., 2011). Plate reconstructions indicate that shortening of the subduction zone by the northward migration of the Mendocino triple junction resulted in a significant increase in the rate of trench retreat and slab rollback ca 20 Ma. Both numerical modeling and physical tank experiments in turn predict large-scale mantle upwelling and flow around the southern edge of the rapidly retreating slab, consistent both with the observed Steens/Columbia River flood volcanism and with the strong E-W mantle fabric observed beneath the region of the High Lava Plains of central and eastern Oregon. The High Lava Plains and Snake River Plain time-progressive volcanism began concurrently about 12 Ma, but along highly divergent tracks and characterized by strikingly different upper mantle structure. Crustal and upper mantle structure beneath the High Lava Plains exhibits evidence typical of regional extension; i.e. thin crust, flat and sharp Moho, and an uppermost mantle with low velocities but otherwise largely devoid of significant vertical structure. In contrast, the Snake River Plain exhibits ultra-low mantle velocities to depths of about 180 km along the length of the hotspot track. Seismic images of the upper mantle in the depth

Identification and Large-Scale Mapping of Riverbed Facies along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River for Hyporheic Zone Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheibe, T. D.; Hou, Z.; Murray, C. J.; Perkins, W. A.; Arntzen, E.; Richmond, M. C.; Mackley, R.; Johnson, T. C.

2016-12-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ) is the sediment layer underlying a river channel within which river water and groundwater may interact, and plays a significant role in controlling energy and nutrient fluxes and biogeochemical reactions in hydrologic systems. The area of this study is the HZ along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River in southeastern Washington State, where daily and seasonal river stage changes, hydromorphology, and heterogeneous sediment texture drive groundwater-river water exchange and associated biogeochemical processes. The recent alluvial sediments immediately underlying the river are geologically distinct from the surrounding aquifer sediments, and serve as the primary locale of mixing and reaction. In order to effectively characterize the HZ, a novel approach was used to define and map recent alluvial (riverine) facies using river bathymetric attributes (e.g., slope, aspect, and local variability) and simulated hydrodynamic attributes (e.g., shear stress, flow velocity, river depth). The riverine facies were compared with riverbed substrate texture data for confirmation and quantification of textural relationships. Multiple flow regimes representing current (managed) and historical (unmanaged) flow hydrographs were considered to evaluate hydrodynamic controls on the current riverbed grain size distributions. Hydraulic properties were then mapped at reach and local scales by linking textural information to hydraulic property measurements from piezometers. The spatial distribution and thickness of riverine facies is being further constrained by integrating 3D time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography. The mapped distributions of riverine facies and the corresponding flow, transport and biogeochemical properties are supporting the parameterization of multiscale models of hyporheic exchange between groundwater and river water and associated biogeochemical transformations.

Tidal-Fluvial and Estuarine Processes in the Lower Columbia River: I. Along-channel Water Level Variations, Pacific Ocean to Bonneville Dam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jay, D. A.; Leffler, K.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.

This two-part paper provides comprehensive time and frequency domain analyses and models of along-channel water level variations in the 234km-long Lower Columbia River and Estuary (LCRE) and documents the response of floodplain wetlands thereto. In Part I, power spectra, continuous wavelet transforms, and harmonic analyses are used to understand the influences of tides, river flow, upwelling and downwelling, and hydropower operations ("power-peaking") on the water level regime. Estuarine water levels are influenced primarily by astronomical tides and coastal processes, and secondarily by river flow. The importance of coastal and tidal influences decreases in the landward direction, and water levels aremore » increasingly controlled by river flow variations at periods from ≤1 day to years. Water level records are only slightly non-stationary near the ocean, but become increasingly irregular upriver. Although astronomically forced tidal constituents decrease above the estuary, tidal fortnightly and overtide variations increase for 80-200km landward, both relative to major tidal constituents and in absolute terms.« less

Chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of Columbia River sediments below the Hanford site (USA).

PubMed

Delistraty, Damon; Yokel, Jerry

2007-01-01

Columbia River sediments were characterized (metals, organics, porewater toxicity) with samples (n=12) from four dams below the Hanford site. Analyses were supplemented with colocated radionuclide data, along with comparable data from the Priest Rapids dam, immediately upriver from Hanford. Although not statistically significant (Bonferroni P>0.05), metals were generally highest at Priest Rapids, relative to downriver dams. Semivolatiles, Aroclors, and organochlorine pesticides were below method reporting limits. Radionuclide differences across locations were minor (Bonferroni P>0.05). Whereas Microtox showed little toxicity, Daphnia IQ tests exhibited measurable toxicity at all locations (EC50 = 22 - 78% porewater). Ecotoxicological benchmarks for metals were exceeded at several locations, most notably at Priest Rapids. Except for K-40, radionuclides were below benchmarks. Overall, chemistry and ecotoxicity results suggested that sediments may pose a risk to benthic biota, likely due to metals (derived largely from upriver mining) or factors associated with a reducing environment (e.g., low oxygen, high ammonia).

Conservation challenges and research needs for Pacific lamprey in the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clemens, Benjamin J.; Beamish, Richard J.; Coates, Kelly C.; Docker, Margaret F.; Dunham, Jason B.; Gray, Ann E.; Hess, Jon E.; Jolley, Jeffrey C.; Lampman, Ralph T.; McIlraith, Brian J.; Moser, Mary L.; Murauskas, Joshua G.; Noakes, David L. G.; Schaller, Howard A.; Schreck, Carl B.; Starcevich, Steven J.; Streif, Bianca; van de Wetering, Stan J.; Wade, Joy; Weitkamp, Laurie A.; Wyss, Lance A.

2017-01-01

The Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus, an anadromous fish native to the northern Pacific Ocean and bordering freshwater habitats, has recently experienced steep declines in abundance and range contractions along the West Coast of North America. During the early 1990s, Native American tribes recognized the declining numbers of lamprey and championed their importance. In 2012, 26 entities signed a conservation agreement to coordinate and implement restoration and research for Pacific Lamprey. Regional plans have identified numerous threats, monitoring needs, and strategies to conserve and restore Pacific Lamprey during their freshwater life stages. Prime among these are needs to improve lamprey passage, restore freshwater habitats, educate stakeholders, and implement lamprey-specific research and management protocols. Key unknowns include range-wide trends in status, population dynamics, population delineation, limiting factors, and marine influences. We synthesize these key unknowns, with a focus on the freshwater life stages of lamprey in the Columbia River basin.

Significance of Selective Predation and Development of Prey Protection Measures for Juvenile Salmonids in the Columbia and Snake River Reservoirs: Annual Progress Report, February 1993-February 1994.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poe, Thomas P.

1994-08-01

This report addresses the problem of predator-prey interactions of juvenile salmonids in the Columbia and Snake River. Six papers are included on selective predation and prey protection. Attention is focused on monitoring the movements, the distribution, and the behavior of juvenile chinook salmon and northern squawfish.

Evaluating Cumulative Ecosystem Response to Restoration Projects in the Columbia River Estuary, Annual Report 2007

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Borde, Amy B.

The goal of this multi-year study (2004-2010) is to develop a methodology to evaluate the cumulative effects of multiple habitat restoration projects intended to benefit ecosystems supporting juvenile salmonids in the lower Columbia River and estuary. Literature review in 2004 revealed no existing methods for such an evaluation and suggested that cumulative effects could be additive or synergistic. Field research in 2005, 2006, and 2007 involved intensive, comparative studies paired by habitat type (tidal swamp vs. marsh), trajectory (restoration vs. reference site), and restoration action (tide gate vs. culvert vs. dike breach). The field work established two kinds of monitoringmore » indicators for eventual cumulative effects analysis: core and higher-order indicators. Management implications of limitations and applications of site-specific effectiveness monitoring and cumulative effects analysis were identified.« less

Research, monitoring and evaluation of fish and wildlife restoration projects in the Columbia River Basin: Lessons learned and suggestions for large-scale monitoring programs.

Treesearch

Lyman L. McDonald; Robert Bilby; Peter A. Bisson; Charles C. Coutant; John M. Epifanio; Daniel Goodman; Susan Hanna; Nancy Huntly; Erik Merrill; Brian Riddell; William Liss; Eric J. Loudenslager; David P. Philipp; William Smoker; Richard R. Whitney; Richard N. Williams

2007-01-01

The year 2006 marked two milestones in the Columbia River Basin and the Pacific Northwest region's efforts to rebuild its once great salmon and steelhead runs: the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the 10th anniversary of an amendment to the Northwest Power Act that formalized scientific peer review of the council...

Computer Simulation Performed for Columbia Project Cooling System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmad, Jasim

2005-01-01

This demo shows a high-fidelity simulation of the air flow in the main computer room housing the Columbia (10,024 intel titanium processors) system. The simulation asseses the performance of the cooling system and identified deficiencies, and recommended modifications to eliminate them. It used two in house software packages on NAS supercomputers: Chimera Grid tools to generate a geometric model of the computer room, OVERFLOW-2 code for fluid and thermal simulation. This state-of-the-art technology can be easily extended to provide a general capability for air flow analyses on any modern computer room. Columbia_CFD_black.tiff

Effects of Mitigation Measures on Productivity of the White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia River Downstream from McNary Dam, and Status and Habitat Requirements of White Sturgeon Populations in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from McNary Dam, 1992-1993 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beamesdorfer, Raymond C.; Nigro, Anthony A.

We report on our progress from April 1992-March 1993 in research on white sturgeon in the lower Columbia River. The study began in July 1986 and progress through 1992 was summarized in a comprehensive report in 2 volumes (Beamesderfer and Nigro 1993a, 1993b). This report details activities during the first year of Phase II of this sturgeon research. In Phase I, we assessed the status and habitat requirements of the white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam. Phase II will examine the effects on white sturgeon productivity of mitigative measures recommended in Phase I. The statusmore » and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations upstream from McNary Dam will also be examined in Phase II. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service. Work during the past year has focused on: (1) analysis of results of limited sampling conducted in 1992, (2) submission of Phase I results to the peer-review literature to ensure widespread dissemination, clarity of presentation, and credibility of findings, and (3) preparations for additional field work in 1993. In report sections A to D, each agency reports 1992 results if applicable and the current status of manuscripts. Results of field work conducted in 1993 will be reported in the 1994 annual report.« less

River Gardens Intermediate-Care Facility water-to-air heating and air-conditioning demonstration project. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, R.C.

An integrated system of heat pumps is used to reject heat into or extract heat from circulating water from a shallow well adjacent to the river to demonstrate the efficiency and fuel cost savings of water-to-air heat pumps, without the expense of drilling a deep well. Water is returned unpolluted to the Guadalupe River and is circulated through a five-building complex at River Gardens Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded in New Braunfels, Texas. The water is used as a heat source or sink for 122 heat pumps providing space heating and cooling, and for refrigeration and freezer units.more » The system was not installed as designed, which resulted in water pumping loads being higher than the original design. Electrical consumption for pumping water represented 36 to 37% of system electrical consumption. Without the water pumping load, the water-to-air system was an average of 25% more efficient in heating than a comparable air-to-air unit with resistance heating. With water pumping load included, the installed system averaged 17% less efficient in cooling and 19% more efficient in heating than the comparable unit.« less

An expert panel process to evaluate habitat restoration actions in the Columbia River estuary.

PubMed

Krueger, Kirk L; Bottom, Daniel L; Hood, W Gregory; Johnson, Gary E; Jones, Kim K; Thom, Ronald M

2017-03-01

We describe a process for evaluating proposed ecosystem restoration projects intended to improve survival of juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary (CRE). Changes in the Columbia River basin (northwestern USA), including hydropower development, have contributed to the listing of 13 salmon stocks as endangered or threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Habitat restoration in the CRE, from Bonneville Dam to the ocean, is part of a basin-wide, legally mandated effort to mitigate federal hydropower impacts on salmon survival. An Expert Regional Technical Group (ERTG) was established in 2009 to improve and implement a process for assessing and assigning "survival benefit units" (SBUs) to restoration actions. The SBU concept assumes site-specific restoration projects will increase juvenile salmon survival during migration through the 234 km CRE. Assigned SBUs are used to inform selection of restoration projects and gauge mitigation progress. The ERTG standardized the SBU assessment process to improve its scientific integrity, repeatability, and transparency. In lieu of experimental data to quantify the survival benefits of individual restoration actions, the ERTG adopted a conceptual model composed of three assessment criteria-certainty of success, fish opportunity improvements, and habitat capacity improvements-to evaluate restoration projects. Based on these criteria, an algorithm assigned SBUs by integrating potential fish density as an indicator of salmon performance. Between 2009 and 2014, the ERTG assessed SBUs for 55 proposed projects involving a total of 181 restoration actions located across 8 of 9 reaches of the CRE, largely relying on information provided in a project template based on the conceptual model, presentations, discussions with project sponsors, and site visits. Most projects restored tidal inundation to emergent wetlands, improved riparian function, and removed invasive vegetation. The scientific relationship of geomorphic and

Investigation of the Strontium-90 Contaminant Plume along the Shoreline of the Columbia River at the 100-N Area of the Hanford Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendoza, Donaldo P.; Patton, Gregory W.; Hartman, Mary J.

2007-10-01

Efforts are underway to remediate strontium-laden groundwater to the Columbia River at the 100-N Area of the Hanford Site. Past practices of the 100-N reactor liquid waste disposal sites has left strontium-90 sorbed onto sediments which is a continuing source of contaminant discharge to the river. The Remediation Task of the Science and Technology Project assessed the interaction of groundwater and river water at the hyporheic zone. Limited data have been obtained at this interface of contaminant concentrations, geology, groundwater chemistry, affects of river stage and other variables that may affect strontium-90 release. Efforts were also undertaken to determine themore » extent, both laterally and horizontally, of the strontium-90 plume along the shoreline and to potentially find an alternative constituent to monitor strontium-90 that would be more cost effective and could possibly be done under real time conditions. A baseline of strontium-90 concentrations along the shoreline was developed to help assess remediation technologies.« less

33 CFR 334.560 - Banana River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Commander, 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, and such agencies as he/she may designate. [29... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Banana River at Patrick Air Force... River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area. (a) The area. The waters within an area...

33 CFR 334.560 - Banana River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Commander, 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, and such agencies as he/she may designate. [29... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Banana River at Patrick Air Force... River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area. (a) The area. The waters within an area...

33 CFR 334.560 - Banana River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Commander, 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, and such agencies as he/she may designate. [29... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Banana River at Patrick Air Force... River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area. (a) The area. The waters within an area...

33 CFR 334.560 - Banana River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Commander, 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, and such agencies as he/she may designate. [29... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Banana River at Patrick Air Force... River at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; restricted area. (a) The area. The waters within an area...

Satellite (SWOT) and Airborne (AirSWOT) Wide-Swath Altimeters to Study the Garonne River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biancamaria, S.; Rodriguez, E.; Goutal, N.; Ricci, S.; Mognard, N.; Rogel, P.; Le Pape, E.

2013-09-01

The future NASA/CNES Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will provide global 2D maps of water elevations, water surface volume change and river discharge at an unprecedented resolution. To prepare this mission, airborne campaigns, called AirSWOT, will fly over the Garonne River (and other targets of interest) in 2014. To plan AirSWOT flights over the Garonne, 1D and 2D hydrodynamic models of the 50 km Garonne River reach between Tonneins and La Reole towns developed by the Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement (LNHE) will be used. Models outputs will help to validate airborne measurements. After validation, AirSWOT measurements will be assimilated in the models to reduce model errors. Finally, potential algorithms to estimate discharge from AirSWOT and SWOT observations will be tested over this river reach. This paper presents the study domain, the hydrodynamic models and their use in the context of AirSWOT campaigns in France.

Reconstructing the 1935 Columbia River Gorge: A Topographic and Orthophoto Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonstad, M. A.; Major, J. H.; O'Connor, J. E.; Dietrich, J. T.

2017-12-01

The last decade has seen a revolution in the mapping of rivers and near-river environments. Much of this has been associated with a new type of photogrammetry: structure from motion (SfM) and multi-view stereo techniques. Through SfM, 3D surfaces are reconstructed from nonstructured image groups with poorly calibrated cameras whose locations need not be known. Modern SfM imaging is greatly improved by careful flight planning, well-planned ground control or high-precision direct georeferencing, and well-understood camera optics. The ease of SfM, however, begs the question: how well does it work on archival photos taken without the foreknowledge of SfM techniques? In 1935, the Army Corps of Engineers took over 800 vertical aerial photos for a 160-km-long stretch of the Columbia River Gorge and adjacent areas in Oregon and Washington. These photos pre-date completion of three hydroelectric dams and reservoirs in this reach, and thus provide rich information on the historic pre-dam riverine, geologic, and cultural environments. These photos have little to no metadata associated with them, such as camera calibration reports, so traditional photogrammetry techniques are exceeding difficult to apply. Instead, we apply SfM to these archival photos, and test the resulting digital elevation model (DEM) against lidar data for features inferred to be unchanged in the past 80 years. Few, if any, of the quality controls recommended for SfM are available for these 1935 photos; they are scanned paper positives with little overlap taken with an unknown optical system in high altitude flight paths. Nevertheless, in almost all areas, the SfM analysis produced a high quality orthophoto of the gorge with low horizontal errors - most better than a few meters. The DEM created looks highly realistic, and in many areas has a vertical error of a few meters. However, the vertical errors are spatially inconsistent, with some wildly large, likely because of the many poorly constrained links in

Digital geologic map and database of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac River corridor, District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Southworth, C. Scott; Brezinski, David K.; Orndorff, Randall C.; Chirico, Peter G.; Lagueux, Kerry M.

2001-01-01

The Chesapeake and Ohio (CO) Canal National Historical Park is unique in that it is the only land within the National Park system that crosses 5 physiographic provinces along a major river. From Georgetown, District of Columbia (D.C.) to Cumberland, Maryland (Md.), the CO Canal provides an opportunity to examine the geologic history of the central Appalachian region and how the canal contributed to the development of this area. The geologic map data covers the 184.5-mile long park in a 2-mile wide corridor centered on the Potomac River

Feeding bionomics of juvenile chinook salmon relative to thermal discharges in the central Columbia River

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Becker, C.D.

1994-10-01

Juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Hanford environs of the central Columbia River, Washington consumed almost entirely adult and larval stages of aquatic insects. The food organisms were dominated by midges (Diptera: Tendipedidae); by numbers, adult midges provided 64 and 58% of the diet and larval midges 17 and 18% of the diet, in 1968 and 1969, respectively. The families Hydropsychidae (Trichoptera), Notonectidae (Hemiptera) and Hypogastruridae (Collembola) were of secondary importance. Small fry fed almost exclusively on the small tendipedids. Over 95% of all food organisms originated within the river ecosystem. The distinctive features of food and feeding activitymore » were fourfold: first, relatively few insect groups were utilized; second, the fish depended on drifting, floating, or swimming organisms; third, they visually selected living prey moving in or on the water; and fourth, they were habitat opportunists to a high degree. The 1969 data, were studied to reveal possible thermal effects of heated discharges from plutonium production reactors at Hanford on food and growth parameters. All data were characterized by considerable variation between and within stations. No discernable effects between coldwater and warmwater stations were revealed by analyses of: (1) groups of food organisms utilized, (2) food and feeding activity, (3) numbers of insects consumed, (4) seasonal increases in fish length, (5) fish length-weight relationships, (6) fish coefficients of condition, and (7) stomach biomass. The lack of detectable thermal effects was apparently due to the fact that the main effluent plumes discharge in midstream and the effluents are well mixed before reaching inshore feeding areas. The transient nature of fish groups at each station, influenced by changes in regulated river flows, and the availability of food organisms in the river drift were ecological factors affecting critical thermal evaluation in situ.« less

Statistical modeling of daily and subdaily stream temperatures: Application to the Methow River Basin, Washington

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldwell, R. J.; Gangopadhyay, S.; Bountry, J.; Lai, Y.; Elsner, M. M.

2013-07-01

Management of water temperatures in the Columbia River Basin (Washington) is critical because water projects have substantially altered the habitat of Endangered Species Act listed species, such as salmon, throughout the basin. This is most important in tributaries to the Columbia, such as the Methow River, where the spawning and rearing life stages of these cold water fishes occurs. Climate change projections generally predict increasing air temperatures across the western United States, with less confidence regarding shifts in precipitation. As air temperatures rise, we anticipate a corresponding increase in water temperatures, which may alter the timing and availability of habitat for fish reproduction and growth. To assess the impact of future climate change in the Methow River, we couple historical climate and future climate projections with a statistical modeling framework to predict daily mean stream temperatures. A K-nearest neighbor algorithm is also employed to: (i) adjust the climate projections for biases compared to the observed record and (ii) provide a reference for performing spatiotemporal disaggregation in future hydraulic modeling of stream habitat. The statistical models indicate the primary drivers of stream temperature are maximum and minimum air temperature and stream flow and show reasonable skill in predictability. When compared to the historical reference time period of 1916-2006, we conclude that increases in stream temperature are expected to occur at each subsequent time horizon representative of the year 2020, 2040, and 2080, with an increase of 0.8 ± 1.9°C by the year 2080.

Relating river discharge and water temperature to the recruitment of age‐0 White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1836) in the Columbia River using over‐dispersed catch data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Counihan, Timothy D.; Chapman, Colin G.

2018-01-01

The goals were to (i) determine if river discharge and water temperature during various early life history stages were predictors of age‐0 White Sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, recruitment, and (ii) provide an example of how over‐dispersed catch data, including data with many zero observations, can be used to better understand the effects of regulated rivers on the productivity of depressed sturgeon populations. An information theoretic approach was used to develop and select negative binomial and zero‐inflated negative binomial models that model the relation of age‐0 White Sturgeon survey data from three contiguous Columbia River reservoirs to river discharge and water temperature during spawning, egg incubation, larval, and post‐larval phases. Age‐0 White Sturgeon were collected with small mesh gill nets in The Dalles and John Day reservoirs from 1997 to 2014 and a bottom trawl in Bonneville Reservoir from 1989 to 2006. Results suggest that seasonal river discharge was positively correlated with age‐0 recruitment; notably that discharge, 16 June–31 July was positively correlated to age‐0 recruitment in all three reservoirs. The best approximating models for two of the three reservoirs also suggest that seasonal water temperature may be a determinant of age‐0 recruitment. Our research demonstrates how over‐dispersed catch data can be used to better understand the effects of environmental conditions on sturgeon populations caused by the construction and operation of dams.

Wigwam River Juvenile Bull Trout and Fish Habitat Monitoring Program : 2000 Data Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cope, R.S.; Morris, K.J.

2001-03-01

The Wigwam River bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and fish habitat monitoring program is a trans-boundary initiative implemented by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MOE), in cooperation with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The Wigwam River is an important fisheries stream located in southeastern British Columbia that supports healthy populations of both bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout (Figure 1.1). This river has been characterized as the single most important bull trout spawning stream in the Kootenay Region (Baxter and Westover 2000, Cope 1998). In addition, the Wigwam River supports some of the largest Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchusmore » clarki lewisi) in the Kootenay Region. These fish are highly sought after by anglers (Westover 1999a, 1999b). Bull trout populations have declined in many areas of their range within Montana and throughout the northwest including British Columbia. Bull trout were blue listed as vulnerable in British Columbia by the B.C. Conservation Data Center (Cannings 1993) and although there are many healthy populations of bull trout in the East Kootenays they remain a species of special concern. Bull trout in the United States portion of the Columbia River were listed as threatened in 1998 under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The upper Kootenay River is within the Kootenai sub-basin of the Mountain Columbia Province, one of the eleven Eco-provinces that make up the Columbia River Basin. MOE applied for and received funding from BPA to assess and monitor the status of wild, native stocks of bull trout in tributaries to Lake Koocanusa (Libby Reservoir) and the upper Kootenay River. This task is one of many that was undertaken to ''Monitor and Protect Bull Trout for Koocanusa Reservoir'' (BPA Project Number 2000-04-00).« less

New 40Ar/ 39Ar dating of the Grande Ronde lavas, Columbia River Basalts, USA: Implications for duration of flood basalt eruption episodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, T. L.; Self, S.; Kelley, S. P.; Reidel, S.; Hooper, P.; Widdowson, M.

2010-08-01

Grande Ronde Basalt (GRB) lavas represent the most voluminous eruptive pulse of the Columbia River-Snake River-Yellowstone hotspot volcanism. With an estimated eruptive volume of 150,000 km 3, GRB lavas form at least 66% of the total volume of the Columbia River Basalt Group. New 40Ar/ 39Ar dates for GRB lavas reveal they were emplaced within a maximum period of 0.42 ± 0.18 My. A well-documented stratigraphy indicates at least 110 GRB flow fields (or individual eruptions), and on this basis suggests an average inter-eruption hiatus of less than 4000 years. Isotopic age-dating cannot resolve time gaps between GRB eruptions, and it is difficult to otherwise form a picture of the durations of eruptions because of non-uniform weathering in the top of flow fields and a general paucity of sediments between GR lavas. Where sediment has formed on top of GRB lavas, it varies in thickness from zero to 20-30 cm of silty to fine-sandy material, with occasional diatomaceous sediment. Individual GRB eruptions varied considerably in volume but many were greater than 1000 km 3 in size. Most probably eruptive events were not equally spaced in time; some eruptions may have followed short periods of volcanic repose (perhaps 10 2 to 10 3 of years), whilst others could have been considerably longer (many 1000 s to > 10 4 years). Recent improvements in age-dating for other continental flood basalt (CFB) lava sequences have yielded estimates of total eruptive durations of less than 1 My for high-volume pulses of lava production. The GRB appears to be a similar example, where the main pulse occupied a brief period. Even allowing for moderate to long-duration pahoehoe flow field production, the amount of time the system spends in active lava-producing mode is small — less than c. 2.6% (based on eruption durations of approximately 10,000 years, compared to the duration of the entire eruptive pulse of c. 420,000 years). A review of available 40Ar/ 39Ar data for the major voluminous phases

Redox transformation and reductive immobilization of Cr(VI) in the Columbia River hyporheic zone sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Fen; Liu, Yuanyuan; Zachara, John

An experimental and modeling study was conducted to investigate the redox transformation and reductive immobilization of groundwater contaminant Cr in hyporheic zone (HZ) sediments from U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford site, where groundwater Cr(VI) is migrating and discharging to the nearby Columbia River. Experimental results revealed that Cr(VI) can be reduced to immobile reduced Cr by the HZ sediments in the presence/absence of O2. Anaerobic pre-incubation of the sediments increased the effective rate of Cr reduction that was correlated with the increase in HCl-extractable Fe(II) content in the sediments. The reduced Cr was stable in exposure to O2 under field-relevantmore » pH (~7.5) and Mn-containing (~0.02% w/w) conditions. The Cr(VI) reduction rate showed a multi-rate behavior, apparently reflecting the presence of reductants with different reactivity in the sediments. The results from this study indicated that the HZ sediments can reductively immobilize Cr and the sediment redox capacity can be recharged through microbial activities. The results implied that HZ can play a role as a natural permeable redox barrier for removing groundwater Cr before it discharges into a river system.« less

Redox transformation and reductive immobilization of Cr(VI) in the Columbia River hyporheic zone sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Fen; Liu, Yuanyuan; Zachara, John; Bowden, Mark; Kennedy, David; Plymale, Andrew E.; Liu, Chongxuan

2017-12-01

An experimental and modeling study was conducted to investigate the redox transformation and reductive immobilization of groundwater contaminant Cr in hyporheic zone (HZ) sediments from U.S. DOE's Hanford Site, where groundwater Cr(VI) is migrating and discharging to the nearby Columbia River. Experimental results revealed that Cr(VI) can be reduced and immobilized by the HZ sediments in the presence/absence of O2. Anaerobic pre-incubation of the sediments increased the effective rate of Cr reduction that was correlated with the increase in HCl-extractable Fe(II) content in the sediments. The reduced Cr was stable when exposed to O2 under field-relevant pH (7.5) with and without dissolved Mn(II), which might be oxidized to form Mn(III/IV) oxides that may oxidize reduced Cr. The Cr(VI) reduction rate showed a multi-rate behavior, apparently reflecting the presence of reductants with different reactivity in the sediments. The results from this study indicated that the HZ sediments can reductively immobilize Cr and the sediment redox capacity can be recharged through microbial activities. The results implied that HZ can play a role as a natural permeable redox barrier for removing groundwater Cr before it discharges into a river system.

Water and Sediment Quality in the Yukon River and its Tributaries Between Atlin, British Columbia, Canada, and Eagle, Alaska, USA, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Halm, Douglas R.; Dornblaser, Mark M.

2007-01-01

The Yukon River basin is the fourth largest watershed in North America at 831,400 square kilometers (km2). Approximately 126,000 people live within the basin and depend on the Yukon River and its tributaries for drinking water, commerce, subsistence, and recreational fish and game resources. Climate warming in the Arctic and Subarctic regions encompassing the Yukon basin has recently become a concern because of possible far-reaching effects on the ecosystem. Large amounts of carbon and nutrients are stored in permafrost and have potential for release in response to this warming. These changes in carbon and nutrient cycling may result in changes in stream chemistry and productivity, including salmon populations, and ultimately changes in the chemistry and productivity of the Bearing Sea. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a 5-year comprehensive water-quality study of the Yukon River and its major tributaries starting in 2000. The study included frequent water-quality sampling at a fixed site network as well as intensive sampling along the Yukon River and its major tributaries. This report contains observations of water and sediment quantity and quality of the Yukon River and its tributaries in Canada during 2004. Chemical, biological, physical, and discharge data are presented for the reach of river between Atlin, British Columbia, Canada, and Eagle, Alaska, USA.

Upper air teleconnections to Ob River flows and tree rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meko, David; Panyushkina, Irina; Agafonov, Leonid

2015-04-01

The Ob River, one of the world's greatest rivers, with a catchment basin about the size of Western Europe, contributes 12% or more of the annual freshwater inflow to the Arctic Ocean. The input of heat and fresh water is important to the global climate system through effects on sea ice, salinity, and the thermohaline circulation of the ocean. As part of a tree-ring project to obtain multi-century long information on variability of Ob River flows, a network of 18 sites of Pinus, Larix, Populus and Salix has been collected along the Ob in the summers of 2013 and 2014. Analysis of collections processed so far indicates a significant relationship of tree-growth to river discharge. Moderation of the floodplain air temperature regime by flooding appears to be an important driver of the tree-ring response. In unraveling the relationship of tree-growth to river flows, it is important to identify atmospheric circulation features directly linked to observed time series variations of flow and tree growth. In this study we examine statistical links between primary teleconnection modes of Northern Hemisphere upper-air (500 mb) circulation, Ob River flow, and tree-ring chronologies. Annual discharge at the mouth of the Ob River is found to be significantly positively related to the phase of the East Atlantic (EA) pattern, the second prominent mode of low-frequency variability over the North Atlantic. The EA pattern, consisting of a north-south dipole of pressure-anomaly centers spanning the North Atlantic from east to west, is associated with a low-pressure anomaly centered over the Ob River Basin, and with a pattern of positive precipitation anomaly of the same region. The positive correlation of discharge and EA is consistent with these know patterns, and is contrasted with generally negative (though smaller) correlations between EA and tree-ring chronologies. The signs of correlations are consistent with a conceptual model of river influence on tree growth through air

Supplemental groundwater remediation technologies to protect the Columbia River at Hanford, WA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, K.M.; Petersen, S.W.; Fruchter, J.S.

2007-07-01

movement of carbon tetrachloride and one of its reductive degradation products, chloroform, from the Hanford 200 West Area towards the Columbia River. Current values for these rates have high uncertainty associated with them because they are extrapolated from determinations made at high temperatures (>70 deg. C) to ambient groundwater temperatures ({approx}19 deg. C) and have ignored possible contributions from sorptive interactions with sediments. One of the EM-22 projects will improve this situation by measuring the hydrolysis rates at temperatures down to 20 deg. C and in contact with various sediment solids. (authors)« less

The Rhyolite Flare-up of the Columbia River Basalt Province and its Bearing on Plume vs. Non-plume Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streck, M. J.; Ferns, M. L.

2012-12-01

The decades-long controversy as to whether the Columbia River Basalt province results from arrival of a deep mantle plume is far from over, as new non-plume models are proposed. Age-progressive rhyolites of the Snake River Plain are a centerpiece to a migrating plume model that ties mid-Miocene flood basalt magmatism to the present location of the Yellowstone hotspot. However voluminous mid-Miocene rhyolites coeval with the flood basalts of the Columbia River Basalt province have received little attention. These long-known but relatively underappreciated rhyolite occurrences in eastern Oregon and neighboring areas erupted across the province over a narrow time window making the Columbia River province a strongly bimodal (basalt-rhyolite) Large Igneous Province. The entire rhyolite distribution area has roughly a circular area of about a diameter of 300 km and stretches from rhyolite centers near the towns of Baker City and John Day, Oregon in the north to rhyolite centers of the High Rock Desert, Nevada in the SW and the Jarbidge Rhyolite, Idaho in the SE. Oldest rhyolites are ~16.5 Ma in age and occur both along the southern E-W tangent (including McDermitt) and, in lesser volumes, in the central to northern sector. The considerable data that have been generated over the last few years on rhyolites of the southern sector is now being supplemented by new data that we have begun collecting on rhyolites further north. Province-wide rhyolite volcanism was strongest between ~16.4 and 15.4 Ma coincident with eruptions of the most voluminous member of the CRBG - the Grande Ronde Basalt. This widespread rhyolite volcanism indicates that CRBG crustal inputs were focused during this narrow time window over a large area. Magmas in the upper Grande Ronde Basalt that compositionally correlate with glassy mafic inclusions in the rhyolitic Dinner Creek Tuff effectively place one CRBG crustal storage site below a major silicic center. Youngest rhyolites range from ~14.5 to 12

The Physical, Geochemical and Microbial Conditions and Processes in the Hyporheic Zone of a Large Tidally Influenced River: The Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchin, M.; Roschinski, T.; Ross, K.; Leslie, S.; William, M.; Beckie, R.

2006-12-01

The objective of this research is to investigate the physical, chemical and biological conditions and processes that occur in the hyporheic zone of the lower Fraser River, British Columbia. The large flows of between 2000 and 10000 cubic meters per second, the 10 15 m deep, 250 m wide channel, the 1 m tidal fluctuations, the localized scour and redeposition of sediments during freshet and the strong geochemical contrast between groundwater and surface water distinguish this investigation from studies on smaller channels and streams and required the development of novel characterization tools and strategies. The geochemistry of water samples collected with a push-in profiler, bulk electrical conductivity (EC) measurements collected with a push-in tool and hydraulic head measurements indicate that groundwater principally discharges into the river approximately 100 m offshore in a 10 m wide band. River water and groundwater mix to a maximum depth of between 0.75 and 1.5 m. While hydraulic heads show strong tidal reversals, bulk EC profiles show only moderate changes during the tidal cycle. It was hypothesized that high iron (10's mg/L of Fe(II)) in reduced groundwater would precipitate from solution as secondary iron-oxide phases in the zone where groundwater mixes with aerobic river water. Sediments were collected with a freeze-shoe corer and depth profiles through the hyporheic zone and into the underlying aquifer were analyzed by selective extractions. The 15-30 mg/g of total extractable iron in both the aquifer and hyporheic zone is relatively high. The lack of noticeable iron accumulation in the hyporheic zone may indicate that iron precipitates on shallow sediments that are subsequently scoured from the river bed during freshet. Microbial DNA from sediments was analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and showed a relatively diverse community structure but an overall low biomass.

Evidence of detrimental effects of environmental contaminants on growth and reproductive physiology of white sturgeon in impounded areas of the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feist, G.W.; Webb, M.A.H.; Gundersen, D.T.; Foster, E.P.; Schreck, C.B.; Maule, A.G.; Fitzpatrick, M.S.

2005-01-01

This study sought to determine whether wild white sturgeon from the Columbia River (Oregon) were exhibiting signs of reproductive endocrine disruption. Fish were sampled in the free-flowing portion of the river (where the population is experiencing reproductive success) and from three reservoirs behind hydroelectric dams (where fish have reduced reproductive success). All of the 18 pesticides and almost all of the 28 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that were analyzed in livers and gonads were detected in at least some of the tissue samples. Metabolites of p,p???-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) [p,p???-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and p,p???-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD)] were consistently found at relatively high levels in fish. Some males and immature females showed elevated plasma vitellogenin; however, concentrations were not correlated with any of the pesticides or PCBs analyzed. Negative correlations were found between a number of physiologic parameters and tissue burdens of toxicants. Plasma triglycerides and condition factor were negatively correlated with total DDT (DDD + DDE + DDT), total pesticides (all pesticides detected - total DDT), and PCBs. In males, plasma androgens and gonad size were negatively correlated with total DDT, total pesticides, and PCBs. Fish residing in the reservoir behind the oldest dam had the highest contaminant loads and incidence of gonadal abnormalities, and the lowest triglycerides, condition factor, gonad size, and plasma androgens. These data suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be accumulating behind dams over time. Overall, results of this study indicate that exposure to environmental contaminants may be affecting both growth and reproductive physiology of sturgeon in some areas of the Columbia River.

77 FR 45346 - Mid-Columbia Coho Restoration Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-31

...: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of availability of Record... monitoring and evaluation program. The ROD describes BPA's decision to fund the final phases of this program... the Columbia River. ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and EIS may be obtained by calling BPA's toll-free...

Variables influencing the presence of subyearling fall Chinook salmon in shoreline habitats of the Hanford Reach, Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tiffan, K.F.; Clark, L.O.; Garland, R.D.; Rondorf, D.W.

2006-01-01

Little information currently exists on habitat use by subyearling fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha rearing in large, main-stem habitats. We collected habitat use information on subyearlings in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River during May 1994 and April-May 1995 using point abundance electrofishing. We analyzed measures of physical habitat using logistic regression to predict fish presence and absence in shoreline habitats. The difference between water temperature at the point of sampling and in the main river channel was the most important variable for predicting the presence and absence of subyearlings. Mean water velocities of 45 cm/s or less and habitats with low lateral bank slopes were also associated with a greater likelihood of subyearling presence. Intermediate-sized gravel and cobble substrates were significant predictors of fish presence, but small (<32-mm) and boulder-sized (>256-mm) substrates were not. Our rearing model was accurate at predicting fish presence and absence using jackknifing (80% correct) and classification of observations from an independent data set (76% correct). The habitat requirements of fall Chinook salmon in the Hanford Reach are similar to those reported for juvenile Chinook salmon in smaller systems but are met in functionally different ways in a large river.

Some volcanologic aspects of Columbia River basalt volcanism relevant to the extinction controversy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Donald A.

1988-01-01

The Columbia River Basalt Group is the youngest and most thoroughly studied flood-basalt province known; information about it should be relevant to questions about the possible relation of flood-basalt volcanism to mass extinctions. The group has a total volume of about 174,000 cu km and covers an area of about 164,000 sq km. It was erupted between 17.5 and 6 Ma, as measured by K-Ar and Ar-40/Ar-39 dates. Early eruptions formed the Imnaha Basalt. More than 85 percent of the group was produced during a 1.5 my period between 17 and 15.5 Ma, forming the Grande Ronde and greatly subordinate Picture Gorge Basalts. Later flows formed the Wanapum Basalt, which includes the well-known Roza Member, and the Saddle Mountains Basalt. Linear vent systems for many of the flows are known and are located only in the eastern third of the Columbia Plateau. No systematic migration of vents occurred throughout the 11.5 my period of activity; this and other considerations make it unlikely that the province is related to a hot spot. Model calculations based on observations that little cooling occurred during flow of hundreds of kilometers suggest eruption and emplacement durations of a few days. Some voluminous flows occur in all formations, but most such flows apparently were erupted during Grande Ronde time. The eruption and emplacement of more than 1,000 cu km of 1100 C basaltic lava on the surface within several days doubtless had at least local meteorologic effects. Whether the effects were broader can at present only be hypothesized. Grande Ronde Basalt and Picture Gorge Basalts contain moderately common but thin sedimentary interbeds between flows, whereas earlier and later formations contain numerous, locally thick sediment accumulations. Volcaniclastic debris derived from extra-plateau sources commonly occurs in the testbeds.

Green Street in District of Columbia Curbs Harmful Runoff

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The name of the block hasn’t been changed to “Oh!” Street, but a revamped section of O Street NW in the District of Columbia is turning heads with green features that are keeping stormwater pollution out of the Anacostia River.

Wind River Experimental Forest.

Treesearch

Valerie. Rapp

2003-01-01

The Wind River Experimental Forest, known as the cradle of forest research in the Pacific Northwest, is a major center for ecological and silvicultural research in west-side Pacific Northwest forests. In the state of Washington, Wind River Experimental Forest is in the south-central area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, north of the Columbia River Gorge National...

33 CFR 117.865 - Clatskanie River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.865 Clatskanie River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...

33 CFR 117.865 - Clatskanie River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.865 Clatskanie River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...

33 CFR 117.865 - Clatskanie River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.865 Clatskanie River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...

33 CFR 117.865 - Clatskanie River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.865 Clatskanie River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...