77 FR 74587 - Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-17

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

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.

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

McMichael, Geoffrey A.; Harnish, Ryan A.; Bellgraph, Brian J.

The study reported herein was funded as part of the Anadromous Fish Evaluation Program, which is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The Anadromous Fish Evaluation Program study code is EST P 02 01: A Study of Salmonid Survival and Behavior through the Columbia River Estuary Using Acoustic Tags. The study was conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries for the USACE Portland District. Estimated survival of acoustic-tagged juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead through the lower Columbia River and estuary in 2009 was lowest in the final 50more » km of the estuary. Probability of survival was relatively high (>0.90) for yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon from the Bonneville Dam forebay (rkm 236) to Three-tree Point (rkm 49.6). Survival of juvenile Chinook salmon declined sharply through the lower 50 km of the estuary. Acoustic-tagged steelhead smolts did not survive as well as juvenile Chinook salmon between Bonneville Dam and the mouth of the Columbia River. Steelhead survival began to decline farther upstream (at rkm 86) relative to that of the Chinook salmon stocks. Subyearling Chinook salmon survival decreased markedly as the season progressed. It remains to be determined whether later migrating subyearling Chinook salmon are suffering increasing mortality as the season progresses or whether some portion of the apparent loss is due to fish extending their freshwater residence. This study provided the first glimpse into what promises to be a very informative way to learn more about how juvenile salmonid passage experiences through the FCRPS may influence their subsequent survival after passing Bonneville Dam. New information regarding the influence of migration pathway through the lower 50 km of the Columbia River estuary on probability of survival of juvenile salmonids, combined with increased understanding regarding the foraging distances and time periods of avian predators should prove useful in developing or assessing management actions to reduce losses of juvenile salmonid smolts that attempt to pass through the estuary on their seaward migration.« less

Columbia River Component Data Evaluation Summary Report

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

C.S. Cearlock

2006-08-02

The purpose of the Columbia River Component Data Compilation and Evaluation task was to compile, review, and evaluate existing information for constituents that may have been released to the Columbia River due to Hanford Site operations. Through this effort an extensive compilation of information pertaining to Hanford Site-related contaminants released to the Columbia River has been completed for almost 965 km of the river.

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.

75 FR 81464 - Safety Zone; Columbia River, The Dalles Lock and Dam

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-28

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Columbia River, The Dalles Lock and Dam AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary... Columbia River in the vicinity of The Dalles Lock and Dam while the Army Corps of Engineers completes...; Columbia River, The Dalles Lock and Dam (a) Location. The following is a safety zone: All waters of the...

Annual Coded Wire Tag Program; Oregon Missing Production Groups, 1995 Annual Report.

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

Garrison, Robert L.; Mallette, Christine; Lewis, Mark A.

1995-12-01

Bonneville Power Administration is the funding source for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife`s Annual Coded Wire Tag Program - Oregon Missing Production Groups Project. Tule brood fall chinook were caught primarily in the British Columbia, Washington and northern Oregon ocean commercial fisheries. The up-river bright fall chinook contributed primarily to the Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial fisheries and the Columbia River gillnet fishery. Contribution of Rogue fall chinook released in the lower Columbia River system occurred primarily in the Oregon ocean commercial and Columbia river gillnet fisheries Willamette spring chinook salmon contributed primarily to the Alaska andmore » British Columbia ocean commercial, Oregon freshwater sport and Columbia River gillnet fisheries. Restricted ocean sport and commercial fisheries limited contribution of the Columbia coho released in the Umatilla River that survived at an average rate of 1.05% and contributed primarily to the Washington, Oregon and California ocean sport and commercial fisheries and the Columbia River gillnet fishery. The 1987 to 1991 brood years of coho released in the Yakima River survived at an average rate of 0.64% and contributed primarily to the Washington, Oregon and California ocean sport and commercial fisheries and the Columbia River gillnet fishery. Survival rates of salmon and steelhead are influenced, not only by factors in the hatchery, disease, density, diet and size and time of release, but also by environmental factors in the river and ocean. These environmental factors are controlled by large scale weather patterns such as El Nino over which man has no influence. Man could have some influence over river flow conditions, but political and economic pressures generally out weigh the biological needs of the fish.« less

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

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

Polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in eggs may reduce reproductive success of ospreys in Oregon and Washington, USA.

PubMed

Henny, Charles J; Kaiser, James L; Grove, Robert A; Johnson, Branden L; Letcher, Robert J

2009-10-01

Spatial and temporal assessments and reports of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in birds remain sparse. In the present study, PBDEs were detected in all 120 osprey (Pandion haliaetus) eggs collected. The eggs were collected from nests along the Columbia, Willamette and Yakima rivers of Oregon (OR) and Washington (WA) and in Puget Sound (WA) between 2002 and 2007. PBDE congeners: 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 85, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154 (possible coelution with brominated biphenyl 153 [BB153]), 183, 190 (detected in one egg), 209 (not detected), and BB101 (only detected in 2006 and 2007) and total-alpha-hexabromocyclododecane (only detected in five eggs) were analyzed for in the egg samples. Eggs from reservoirs in the forested headwaters of the Willamette River (2002) contained the lowest concentrations of SigmaPBDEs (geometric mean [range], 98 [55.2-275] ng/g wet weight [ww]), while those from the middle Willamette River (2006) contained the highest (897 [507-1,880] ng/g ww). Concentrations in eggs from the Columbia River progressively increased downstream from Umatilla, OR (River Mile [RM] 286) to Skamokoa, WA (RM 29), which indicated additive PBDE sources along the river. In general, regardless of the year of egg collection, differences in PBDE concentrations reported in osprey eggs along the three major rivers studied (Columbia, Willamette and Yakima) seem to reflect differences in river flow (dilution effect) and the extent of human population and industry (source inputs) along the rivers. PBDE concentrations increased over time at two locations (Seattle, WA; Columbia River, RM 29-84) where temporal patterns could be evaluated. Only during 2006 (on the middle Willamette River, RM 61-157) and 2007 (on the lower Columbia River, RM 29-84) did SigmaPBDE concentrations in osprey eggs exceed 1,000 ng/g ww with negative relationships indicated at both locations between productivity and SigmaPBDE concentrations in eggs (P = 0.008, P = 0.057). Osprey eggs from Everett, WA contained nearly twice the SigmaPBDE concentration (geometric mean 239 vs. 141 ng/g ww, range 124-384 vs. 22.2-819 ng/g ww, P < or = 0.05) as double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) eggs collected at the same location and time, which is likely due to dietary differences. No significant relationship (all Ps > 0.147) was indicated between PBDE congeners (including SigmaPBDEs) and eggshell thickness at the concentrations observed in this study.

Polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in eggs may reduce reproductive success of ospreys in Oregon and Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2009-01-01

Spatial and temporal assessments and reports of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in birds remain sparse. In the present study, PBDEs were detected in all 120 osprey (Pandion haliaetus) eggs collected. The eggs were collected from nests along the Columbia, Willamette and Yakima rivers of Oregon (OR) and Washington (WA) and in Puget Sound (WA) between 2002 and 2007. PBDE congeners: 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 85, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154 (possible coelution with brominated biphenyl 153 [BB153]), 183, 190 (detected in one egg), 209 (not detected), and BB101 (only detected in 2006 and 2007) and total-??-hexabromocyclododecane (only detected in five eggs) were analyzed for in the egg samples. Eggs from reservoirs in the forested headwaters of the Willamette River (2002) contained the lowest concentrations of ???PBDEs (geometric mean [range], 98 [55.2-275] ng/g wet weight [ww]), while those from the middle Willamette River (2006) contained the highest (897 [507-1,880] ng/g ww). Concentrations in eggs from the Columbia River progressively increased downstream from Umatilla, OR (River Mile [RM] 286) to Skamokoa, WA (RM 29), which indicated additive PBDE sources along the river. In general, regardless of the year of egg collection, differences in PBDE concentrations reported in osprey eggs along the three major rivers studied (Columbia, Willamette and Yakima) seem to reflect differences in river flow (dilution effect) and the extent of human population and industry (source inputs) along the rivers. PBDE concentrations increased over time at two locations (Seattle, WA; Columbia River, RM 29-84) where temporal patterns could be evaluated. Only during 2006 (on the middle Willamette River, RM 61-157) and 2007 (on the lower Columbia River, RM 29-84) did ???PBDE concentrations in osprey eggs exceed 1,000 ng/g ww with negative relationships indicated at both locations between productivity and ???PBDE concentrations in eggs (P = 0.008, P = 0.057). Osprey eggs from Everett, WA contained nearly twice the ???PBDE concentration (geometric mean 239 vs. 141 ng/g ww, range 124-384 vs. 22.2-819 ng/g ww, P ??? 0.05) as double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) eggs collected at the same location and time, which is likely due to dietary differences. No significant relationship (all Ps > 0.147) was indicated between PBDE congeners (including ???PBDEs) and eggshell thickness at the concentrations observed in this study. ?? 2009 US Government.

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.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN. (R824802)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

The Columbia River Research Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maule, Alec

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's Columbia River Research Laboratory (CRRL) was established in 1978 at Cook, Washington, in the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland, Oregon. The CRRL, as part of the Western Fisheries Research Center, conducts research on fishery issues in the Columbia River Basin. Our mission is to: 'Serve the public by providing scientific information to support the stewardship of our Nation's fish and aquatic resources...by conducting objective, relevant research'.

Annual Report to the Bonneville Power Administration, Reporting Period: April 2008 - February 2009 [re: "Survival and Growth in the Columbia River Plume and north California Current"].

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

Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries; Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies, Oregon State University; OGI School of Science & Engineering, Oregon Health Sciences University.

2009-07-17

We have made substantial progress toward our objectives outlined in our BPA supported proposal entitled 'Columbia River Basin Juvenile Salmonids: Survival and Growth in the Columbia River Plume and northern California Current' which we report on herein. During 2008, we were able to successfully conduct 3 mesoscale cruises. We also were able to conduct 7 biweekly predator cruises, along with substantial shore-based visual observations of seabirds. Detailed results of the mesoscale cruises are available in the Cruise Reports and summarized in the next section. We have taken a proactive approach to getting the results of our research to fisheries managersmore » and the general public. We have begun to make annual predictions based on ocean conditions of the relative survival of juvenile coho and Chinook salmon well before they return as adults. This is based on both biological and physical indicators that we measure during our surveys or collect from outside data sources. Examples of our predictions for 2009 and 2010 are available on the following web site: http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fed/oeip/a-ecinhome.cfm.« less

Historic Columbia River Highway oral history : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-01

The Historic Columbia River Highway: Oral History Project compliments a larger effort in Oregon to reconnect abandoned sections of the Historic Columbia River Highway. The goals of the larger reconnection project, Milepost 2016 Reconnection Projec...

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...

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...

Impact on the Columbia River of an outburst of Spirit Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sikonia, W.G.

1985-01-01

A one-dimensional sediment-transport computer model was used to study the effects of an outburst of Spirit Lake on the Columbia River. According to the model, flood sediment discharge to the Columbia from the Cowlitz would form a blockage to a height of 44 feet above the current streambed of the Columbia River, corresponding to a new streambed elevation of -3 feet, that would impound the waters of the Columbia River. For an average flow of 233,000 cubic feet in that river, water surface elevations would continue to increase for 16 days after the blockage had been formed. The river elevation at the Trojan nuclear power plant, 5 miles upstream of the Cowlitz River, would rise to 32 feet, compared to a critical elevation of 45 feet, above which the plant would be flooded. For comparison, the Columbia River at average flow without the blockage has an elevation at this location of 6 feet. Correspondingly high water surface elevations would occur along the river to Bonneville Dam , with that at Portland, Oregon, for example, rising also to 32 feet, compared to 10 feet without the blockage. (USGS)

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.

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.

Duck Valley Habitat Enhancement and Protection, 2001-2002 Progress Report.

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

Allen, Mattie H.; Sellman, Jake

The Duck Valley Indian Reservation's Habitat Enhancement project is an ongoing project designed to enhance and protect critical riparian areas, natural springs, the Owhyee River and its tributaries, and native fish spawning areas on the Reservation. The project commenced in 1997 and addresses the Northwest Power Planning Council's measures 10.8C.2, 10.8C.3, and 10.8C.5 of the 1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The performance period covers dates from April 2001 through August 2002.

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...

Annual Coded Wire Tag Program; Oregon Missing Production Groups, 1996 Annual Report.

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

Lewis, Mark A.; Mallette, Christine; Murray, William M.

1998-03-01

This annual report is in fulfillment of contract obligations with Bonneville Power Administration which is the funding source for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Annual Coded Wire Tag Program - Oregon Missing Production Groups Project. Tule stock fall chinook were caught primarily in British Columbia and Washington ocean, and Oregon freshwater fisheries. Up-river bright stock fall chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial, and Columbia River gillnet and other freshwater fisheries. Contribution of Rogue stock fall chinook released in the lower Columbia River occurred primarily in Oregon ocean commercial and Columbia river gillnet fisheries. Willamettemore » stock spring chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial, Oregon freshwater sport and Columbia River gillnet fisheries. Willamette stock spring chinook released by CEDC contributed to similar fisheries as the same stocks released in the Willamette system. Up-river stocks of spring chinook contributed almost exclusively to Columbia River sport fisheries and other freshwater recovery areas. The up-river stocks of Columbia River summer steelhead contributed primarily to the Columbia River gillnet and other freshwater fisheries. Coho ocean fisheries from Washington to California were closed or very limited in 1994 and 1995 (1991 and 1992 broods). This has resulted in a greater average percent of catch for other fishery areas. Coho stocks released by ODFW below Bonneville Dam contributed mainly to Oregon and Washington ocean, Columbia Gillnet and other freshwater fisheries. Coho stocks released in the Klaskanine River and Youngs Bay area had much higher contribution to gillnet fisheries than the other coho releases. Coho stocks released above Bonneville Dam contributed to the same fisheries as those released below Bonneville Dam. Survival rates of salmon and steelhead are influenced, not only by factors in the hatchery (disease, density, diet, size and time of release) but also by environmental factors in the river and ocean. These environmental factors are controlled by large scale weather patterns such as El Nino over which man has no influence. Changes in rearing conditions in the hatchery, over which man has some influence, do impact the survival rates. However, these impacts can be offset by impacts caused by environmental factors. Brood years of salmon and steelhead that were in the ocean during the 1983 El Nino event exhibited poor survival all along the Pacific coast of California, Oregon, and Washington. However, stocks of chinook and coho that entered the ocean in the fall of 1984 following the El Nino experienced remarkably improved survival rates. In some instances, tule fall chinook experienced survival rates almost ten times higher than for the previous brood years of the same stock. Coho salmon released in the Columbia River generally experience better survival rates when released later in the spring. However, for the 1990 brood year June releases of Columbia River coho had much lower survival than May releases, for all ODFW hatcheries. In general survival of ODFW Columbia River hatchery coho has declined to low levels since the 1989 brood year.« less

A preliminary evaluation of regional ground-water flow in south-central Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Sala, A. M.; Doty, G.C.; Pearson, F.J.

1973-01-01

The characteristics of regional ground-water flow were investigated in a 4,500-square-mile region of south-central Washington, centered on the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Hanford Reservation. The investigation is part of the Commission's feasibility study on storing high-level radioactive waste in chambers mined in basaltic rocks at a. depth of about 3,000 feet or more below the surface. Ground-water flow., on a regional scale, occurs principally in the basalt and-in interbedded sediments of the Columbia River Group, and is controlled by topography, the structure of the basalt, and the large streams--the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima Rivers. The ground water beneath the main part of the Hanford Reservation, south and west of the Columbia River, inures southeastward from recharge areas in the uplands, including Cold Creek and Dry Creek valleys, and ultimately discharges to the Columbia River south of the reservation: East and southeast of the Columbia River, ground water flows generally southwestward and discharges to the River. The Yakima River valley contains a distinct flow system in which movement is toward the Yakima River from the topographic divides. A large southward-flowing ground-water system beneath the southern flank of the Horse Heaven Hills discharges to the Columbia River in the westward-trending reach downstream from Wallula Gap.

50 CFR 226.205 - Critical habitat for Snake River sockeye salmon, Snake River fall chinook salmon, and Snake River...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., Wallowa, Wasco; the following counties in Washington: Asotin, Benton, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin..., Union, Wallowa, Wasco; the following counties in Washington: Asotin, Benton, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz... in Washington: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Garfield, Klickitat...

77 FR 47361 - Francis Marion Sumter National Forests Resource Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-08

... office, Large Conference Room, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212. Written comments may be... inspect comments received at Francis Marion Sumter National Forests, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC..., 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212; (803) 561-4058; Email [email protected] . Individuals who...

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.

The Columbia River--on the Leading Edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, J. E.

2005-05-01

On the leading edge of the North American plate, the Columbia River is the largest of the world's 40 or so rivers with drainage areas greater than 500,000 square kilometers to drain toward a convergent plate boundary. This unique setting results in a unique continental river basin; marked by episodic and cataclysmic geologic disturbance, but also famously fecund with perhaps 10 to 16 million salmon historically spawning in its waters each year. Now transformed by dams, transportation infrastructure, dikes and diversions, the Columbia River presents an expensive conundrum for management of its many values. Inclusion of river ecology and geomorphology in discussions of river management is generally limited to observations of the last 200 years-a time period of little natural disturbance and low sediment transport. However, consideration of longer timescales provides additional perspective of historical ecologic and geomorphic conditions. Only 230 km from its mouth, the Columbia River bisects the volcanic arc of the Cascade Range, forming the Columbia River Gorge. Cenozoic lava flows have blocked the river, forcing diversions and new canyon cutting. Holocene eruptions of Mount Mazama (Crater Lake), Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Rainier have shed immense quantities of sediment into the lower Columbia River, forming a large percentage of the Holocene sediment transported through the lower river. Quaternary landslides, perhaps triggered by great earthquakes, have descended from the 1000-m-high gorge walls, also blocking and diverting the river, one as recently as 550 years ago. These geologic disturbances, mostly outside the realm of historical observation and operating at timescales of 100s to 1000s of years in the gorge and elsewhere, have clearly affected basin geomorphology, riverine ecology, and past and present cultural utilization of river resources. The historic productivity of the river, however, hints at extraordinary resilience (and perhaps dependence) of the Columbia River system to such disturbances, many of which are similar to engineered disturbances of the last 200 years.

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.

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…

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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 calc-alkaline lava flows overlying the CRBG across the northern and central parts of the LOEA. The Day 2 field route migrates to southern parts of the LOEA, where rocks of the CRBG are associated in space and time with lesser known and more complex silicic volcanic stratigraphy associated with middle Miocene, large-volume, bimodal basalt-rhyolite vent complexes. Key stops will provide a broad overview of the structure and stratigraphy of the middle Miocene Mahogany Mountain caldera and middle to late Miocene calc-alkaline lavas of the Owyhee basalt. Stops on Day 3 will progress westward from the eastern margin of the LOEA, examining a transition linking the Columbia River Basalt-Yellowstone province with a northwestward-younging magmatic trend of silicic volcanism that underlies the High Lava Plains of eastern Oregon. Initial field stops on Day 3 will examine key outcrops demonstrating the intercalated nature of middle Miocene tholeiitic CRBG flood basalts, prominent ash-flow tuffs, and “Snake River-type” large-volume rhyolite lava flows exposed along the Malheur River. Subsequent stops on Day 3 will focus upon the volcanic stratigraphy northeast of the town of Burns, which includes regional middle to late Miocene ash-flow tuffs, and lava flows assigned to the Strawberry Volcanics. The return route to Portland on Day 4 traverses across the western axis of the Blue Mountains, highlighting exposures of the widespread, middle Miocene Dinner Creek Tuff and aspects of Picture Gorge Basalt flows and northwest-trending feeder dikes situated in the central part of the CRBG province.

Annual Coded Wire Tag Program; Oregon Missing Production Groups, 1997 Annual Report.

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

Lewis, Mark A.; Mallette, Christine; Murray, William M.

1998-03-01

This annual report is in fulfillment of contract obligations with Bonneville Power Administration which is the funding source for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Annual Coded Wire Tag Program - Oregon Missing Production Groups Project. Tule stock fall chinook were caught primarily in British Columbia and Washington ocean, and Oregon freshwater fisheries. Up-river bright stock fall chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial, and Columbia River gillnet and other freshwater fisheries. Contribution of Rogue stock fall chinook released in the lower Columbia River occurred primarily in Oregon ocean commercial and Columbia river gillnet fisheries. Willamettemore » stock spring chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial, Oregon freshwater sport and Columbia River gillnet fisheries. Willamette stock spring chinook released by CEDC contributed to similar ocean fisheries, but had much higher catch in gillnet fisheries than the same stocks released in the Willamette system. Up-river stocks of spring chinook contributed almost exclusively to Columbia River sport fisheries and other freshwater recovery areas. The up-river stocks of Columbia River summer steelhead contributed primarily to the Columbia River gillnet and other freshwater fisheries. Coho ocean fisheries from Washington to California were closed or very limited from 1994 through 1997 (1991 through 1994 broods). This has resulted in a greater average percent of catch for other fishery areas. Coho stocks released by ODFW below Bonneville Dam contributed mainly to Oregon and Washington ocean, Columbia Gillnet and other freshwater fisheries. Coho stocks released in the Klaskanine River and Youngs Bay area had similar ocean catch, but much higher contribution to gillnet fisheries than the other coho releases. Coho stocks released above Bonneville Dam had similar contribution to ocean fisheries as other coho releases. However, they contributed more to gillnet fisheries above Bonneville Dam than coho released below the dam. Survival rates of salmon and steelhead are influenced, not only by factors in the hatchery (disease, density, diet, size and time of release) but also by environmental factors in the river and ocean. These environmental factors are influenced by large scale weather patterns such as El Nino over which man has no influence. Changes in rearing conditions in the hatchery, over which man has some influence, do impact the survival rates. However, these impacts can be offset by impacts caused by environmental factors. Coho salmon released in the Columbia River generally experience better survival rates when released later in the spring. However, for the 1990 brood year June releases of Columbia River coho had much lower survival than May releases, for all ODFW hatcheries. In general survival of ODFW Columbia River hatchery coho has declined to low levels since the 1989 brood year. In an effort to evaluate photonic marking as a tool to mass mark salmonids, two groups of 1995 brood juvenile coho salmon were marked at Sandy Hatchery. The first group (Group A) received a fluorescent red mark, adipose fin clip and coded-wire tag. The second group (Group B) received a cryptic blue mark, adipose fin clip and coded-wire tag. Both groups were released in the spring of 1997. No photonic marks were detected in the precocious males (jacks) returning to Sandy hatchery in the fall of 1997.« less

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 an effect on their reproductive physiology.The objective of this study was to determine if sturgeon from an impounded section of the Columbia River (where reproductive success has been low) had higher levels of bioaccumulative pollutants than sturgeon from the estuary (where reproductive success has been high) and if these compounds were associated with decreased plasma steroid levels. Specifically, we measured chlorinated pesticides and PCBs in the gonads and plasma steroids in white sturgeon from the Columbia River fishery.

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.

1. View of north tower, facing northwest from dike on ...

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

1. View of north tower, facing northwest from dike on north bank of the Columbia River. - Pasco-Kennewick Transmission Line, Columbia River Crossing Towers, Columbia Drive & Gum Street, Kennewick, Benton County, WA

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...

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.

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...

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...

Annual Coded Wire Tag Program; Oregon Stock Assessment, 2000 Annual Report.

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

Lewis, Mark; Mallette, Christine; Murray, William

2002-03-01

This annual report is in fulfillment of contract obligations with Bonneville Power Administration which is the funding source for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Annual Stock Assessment - Coded Wire Tag Program (ODFW) Project. Tule stock fall chinook were caught primarily in British Columbia and Washington ocean, and Columbia Basin fisheries. Up-river bright stock fall chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial, Columbia Basin gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Contribution of Rogue stock fall chinook released in the lower Columbia River occurred primarily in Oregon ocean commercial, Columbia Basin gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Willamettemore » stock spring chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean, and Columbia Basin sport fisheries. Willamette stock spring chinook released by CEDC contributed to similar ocean fisheries, but had much higher catch in Columbia Basin gillnet fisheries than the same stocks released in the Willamette Basin. Up-river stocks of spring chinook contributed almost exclusively to Columbia Basin fisheries. The up-river stocks of Columbia River summer steelhead contributed almost exclusively to the Columbia Basin gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Coho ocean fisheries from Washington to California were closed or very limited from 1994 through 1999 (1991 through 1996 broods). This has resulted in a lower percent of catch in Washington, Oregon and California ocean fisheries, and a higher percent of catch in Alaska and British Columbia ocean and Columbia Basin freshwater fisheries. Coho stocks released by ODFW below Bonneville Dam were caught mainly in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia ocean, Columbia Gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Coho stocks released in the Klaskanine River and Youngs Bay area had similar ocean catch distributions, but a much higher percent catch in gillnet fisheries than the other coho releases. Ocean catch distribution of coho stocks released above Bonneville Dam was similar to the other coho groups. However, they had a higher percent catch in gillnet fisheries above Bonneville Dam than coho released below the dam. Survival rates of salmon and steelhead are influenced, not only by factors in the hatchery (disease, density, diet, size and time of release) but also by environmental factors in the river and ocean. These environmental factors are influenced by large scale oceanic and weather patterns such as El Nino. Changes in rearing conditions in the hatchery do impact survival, however, these can be offset by impacts caused by environmental factors. Coho salmon released in the Columbia River generally experience better survival rates when released later in the spring. However, for the 1990 brood year June releases of Columbia River coho had much lower survival than May releases, for all ODFW hatcheries. In general survival of ODFW Columbia River hatchery coho has declined to low levels in recent years. Preliminary results from the evaluation of Visual Implant Elastomer (VIE) tags showed tagging rate and pre-release tag retention improved from the first to second years of tagging. Tagging rate remained identical from 1999 to 2000 while pre-release tag retention dropped to 95%. Returning jack and adult salmon were sampled for CWT and VIE tags in the fall of 2000. Of 606 adults recovered at Sandy Fish Hatchery in 2000, only 1 or 0.2%, retained their VIE tag. Of 36 jacks recovered in 2000, 13 or 36.1% retained their VIE tag.« less

Columbia River System Analysis Model - Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

Reach reservoirs due to the impact of APPENDIX D 6 Wenatchee River flows and additional inflow downstream of Rocky Reach. An inflow link terminates at...AD-A246 639I 11 11111 till11 1 111 US Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center Columbia River System Analysis Model - Phase I Libby...WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) Columbia River System Analysis - Phase I 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S

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

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2011-01-01

The objectives of this report are to provide a fundamental understanding of aquatic food webs in the Columbia River Basin and to illustrate and summarize their influences on native fish restoration efforts. The spatial scope addresses tributaries, impoundments, the free-flowing Columbia and Snake rivers, as well as the estuary and plume. Achieving the Council's vision for the Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Program (NPCC 2009-09) of sustaining a "productive and diverse community" that provides "abundant" harvest, is best accomplished through a time-prioritized action plan, one that complements other approaches while addressing important challenges and uncertainties related to the Basin's food webs. Note that the oceanic food webs, although of immense importance in sustaining fish populations, are not considered beyond the plume since they involve an additional set of complex and rapidly evolving issues. An analysis of oceanic food webs of relevance to the Columbia River requires a separately focused effort (e.g., Hoegh- Guldberg and Bruno 2010).

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

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 water, desorption may be the primary process resulting in U remobilization from OA-SGW-stimulated 300 A sediments at the subsurface of the Hanford 300 A site.« less

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. 

Wind River Watershed Restoration: Annual report April 2006 to March 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Connolly, Patrick J.; Jezorek, Ian G.; Munz, Carrie S.

2007-01-01

This report summarizes work completed by U.S. Geological Survey’s Columbia River Research Laboratory (USGS-CRRL) in the Wind River subbasin during the period April 2006 through March 2007 under Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) contract 26922. During this period, we collected temperature, flow, and habitat data to characterize physical habitat condition and variation within and among tributaries and mainstem sections in the Wind River subbasin. We also conducted electrofishing and snorkeling surveys to determine juvenile salmonid populations within select study areas throughout the subbasin. Portions of this work were completed with additional funding from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group (LCFEG). Funding from USFWS was for work to contribute to a study of potential interactions between introduced Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and wild steelhead O. mykiss. Funding from LCFEG was for work to evaluate the effects of nutrient enrichment in small streams. A statement of work (SOW) was submitted to BPA in March 2006 that outlined work to be performed by USGS-CRRL. The SOW was organized by work elements, with each describing a research task. This report summarizes the progress completed under each work element.

Wind River Watershed Restoration, 2006-2007 Annual Report.

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

Connolly, Patrick J.; Jezorek, Ian G.; Munz, Carrie S.

2008-11-04

This report summarizes work completed by U.S. Geological Survey's Columbia River Research Laboratory (USGS-CRRL) in the Wind River subbasin during the period April 2006 through March 2007 under Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) contract 26922. During this period, we collected temperature, flow, and habitat data to characterize physical habitat condition and variation within and among tributaries and mainstem sections in the Wind River subbasin. We also conducted electrofishing and snorkeling surveys to determine juvenile salmonid populations within select study areas throughout the subbasin. Portions of this work were completed with additional funding from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and themore » Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group (LCFEG). Funding from USFWS was for work to contribute to a study of potential interactions between introduced Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and wild steelhead O. mykiss. Funding from LCFEG was for work to evaluate the effects of nutrient enrichment in small streams. A statement of work (SOW) was submitted to BPA in March 2006 that outlined work to be performed by USGS-CRRL. The SOW was organized by work elements, with each describing a research task. This report summarizes the progress completed under each work element.« less

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...

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...

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

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

33 CFR 162.230 - Columbia River, Wash.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Grand Coulee Dam discharge channel; restricted area—(1) The area. That portion of the Columbia River between Grand Coulee Dam (situated at river mile 596.6) and river mile 593.7. (2) The regulations. (i) No.... Department of the Interior, Coulee Dam, Washington. ...

33 CFR 162.230 - Columbia River, Wash.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Grand Coulee Dam discharge channel; restricted area—(1) The area. That portion of the Columbia River between Grand Coulee Dam (situated at river mile 596.6) and river mile 593.7. (2) The regulations. (i) No.... Department of the Interior, Coulee Dam, Washington. ...

78 FR 36212 - Availability of Application for the Proposal To Replace the Existing Movable I-5 Bridge Across...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-17

... materials for the Columbia River Crossing. The document contained an incorrect phone number for the Columbia... Columbia River Crossing.'' (78 FR 26380). Mistakenly, the phone number for the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section was incorrect. The correct phone number for Gary Greene, Columbia...

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

Carter, Jessica A.; McMichael, Geoffrey A.; Welch, Ian D.

To facilitate preparing Biological Assessments of proposed channel maintenance projects, the Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contracted the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to consolidate and synthesize available information about the use of the lower Columbia River and estuary by juvenile anadromous salmonids. The information to be synthesized included existing published documents as well as data from five years (2004-2008) of acoustic telemetry studies conducted in the Columbia River estuary using the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System. For this synthesis, the Columbia River estuary includes the section of the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam at river kilometermore » (Rkm) 235 downstream to the mouth where it enters the Pacific Ocean. In this report, we summarize the seasonal salmonid presence and migration patterns in the Columbia River estuary based on information from published studies as well as relevant data from acoustic telemetry studies conducted by NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) between 2004 and 2008. Recent acoustic telemetry studies, conducted using the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS; developed by the Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), provided information on the migratory behavior of juvenile steelhead (O. mykiss) and Chinook salmon in the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean. In this report, Section 2 provides a summary of information from published literature on the seasonal presence and migratory behavior of juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River estuary and plume. Section 3 presents a detailed synthesis of juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead migratory behavior based on use of the JSATS between 2004 and 2008. Section 4 provides a discussion of the information summarized in the report as well as information drawn from literature reviews on potential effects of channel maintenance activities to juvenile salmonids rearing in or migrating through the Columbia River estuary and plume.« less

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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...

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...

5. View of south tower, facing northnortheast from south bank ...

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

5. View of south tower, facing north-northeast from south bank of the Columbia River. Center tower and north tower in background, lower right. - Pasco-Kennewick Transmission Line, Columbia River Crossing Towers, Columbia Drive & Gum Street, Kennewick, Benton County, WA

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

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...

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/feasibility study (RI/FS) reports developed for upland areas, riparian areas, and groundwater in the Hanford Site River Corridor. The RI/FS reports will evaluate the impacts to soil, groundwater, and river sediments and lead to proposed cleanup actions and records of decision to address releases from the Hanford Site reactor operations. (authors)« less

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.

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, desorption may be the primary process resulting in U remobilization from OA-SGW-stimulated 300 A sediments at the subsurface of the Hanford 300 A site. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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 12.5 Ma and erupted from central as well as peripherally located areas of the province overlapping along the eastern and western margins with what is traditionally already considered part of age-progressive rhyolites of the Yellowstone and High-Lava Plains trends. In summary, rhyolites are markers of where a thermal pulse originating from the mantle is delivered to the crust via injection of basalt and suggest the following. There is no true south-to-north age progression within the Province; earlier venting in the south (Steens Basalt) could be simply caused by rhyolites acting as density filters that deflected basalt eruptions to areas where little rhyolite was generated. The arrival of the thermal anomaly associated with flood basalts that is essentially instantaneous across a circular area of 300 km lies at the heart of the broader debate on plume vs. non-plume models of this flood basalt province.

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 fish. Other organochlorine pesticides did not exceed toxicity thresholds in fish or were detected infrequently. Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; >0.11 microg/g) and TCDD-EQs (>5 pg/g) exceeded wildlife guidelines in fish from the middle and lower CRB, and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was also elevated at many of the same sites. Temporal trend analysis indicated decreasing or stable concentrations of Pb, Se, Hg, p,p'-DDE, and PCBs at most sites where historical data were available. Altered biomarkers were noted in fish throughout the CRB. Fish from some stations had responded to chronic contaminant exposure as indicated by fish health and reproductive biomarker results. Although most fish from some sites had grossly visible external or internal lesions, histopathological analysis determined these to be inflammatory responses associated with helminth or myxosporidian parasites. Many largescale sucker from the Columbia River at Northport and Grand Coulee, WA had external lesions and enlarged spleens, which were likely associated with infections. Intersex male smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) were found in the Snake River at Lewiston, ID and the Columbia River at Warrendale, OR. Male bass, carp, and largescale sucker containing low concentrations of vitellogenin were common in the CRB, and comparatively high concentrations (>0.3 mg/mL) were measured in male fish from the Flathead River at Creston, Montana, the Snake River at Ice Harbor Dam, WA, and the Columbia River at Vernita Bridge, WA and Warrendale, OR. Results from our study and other investigations indicate that continued monitoring in the CRB is warranted to identify consistently degraded sites and those with emerging problems.

White sturgeon mitigation and restoration in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from Bonneville Dam, Annual Progress Report April 2004 - March 2005. Report C

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, M.J.; Kofoot, P.

2006-01-01

River discharge and water temperatures that occurred during April through July 2004 provided conditions suitable for spawning by white sturgeon downstream from Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams. Optimal spawning temperatures in the four tailraces occurred for 3-4 weeks and coincided with the peak of the river hydrograph. However, the peak of the hydrograph was relatively low compared to past years, which is reflected in the relatively low monthly and annual indices of suitable spawning habitat. Bottom-trawl sampling in the Bonneville Reservoir revealed the presence of young-of-theyear (YOY) white sturgeon.

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.

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

Rakowski, Cynthia L.; Guensch, Gregory R.; Patton, Gregory W.

Beginning in fiscal year 2003, the DOE Richland Operations Office initiated activities, including the development of data packages, to support the 2004 Composite Analysis. The river data package provides calculations of flow and transport in the Columbia River system. This document presents the data assembled to run the river module components for the section of the Columbia River from Vernita Bridge to the confluence with the Yakima River.

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 little information is available about their survival as they pass hydroelectric dams in the lower Columbia River. Collecting information on fish released in the Mid-Columbia River, as well as on fish released 8 kilometers upstream of McNary Dam, allowed us to evaluate similarities and differences in passage and survival probabilities. In general, juvenile salmonids released in the Mid-Columbia River and detected at and downstream of McNary Dam showed trends in passage and survival probabilities that were similar to fish released 8 kilometers upstream of McNary Dam. This suggests that increased migration time or length of migration had little effect on behavior and survival of Mid-Columbia River released juvenile salmonids detected at McNary Dam.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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).

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...

Summary Report for Bureau of Fisheries Stream Habitat Surveys : Clearwater, Salmon, Weiser, and Payette River Basins, 1934-1942, Final Report.

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

McIntosh, Bruce A.; Clark, Sharon E.; Sedell, James R.

This document contains summary reports of stream habitat surveys, conducted in Idaho, by the Bureau of Fisheries (BOF, now National Marine Fisheries Service) from 1938-1942.. These surveys were part of a larger project to survey streams in the Columbia River basin that provided, or had provided, spawning and rearing habitat for salmon and steelhead (Rich, 1948). The purpose of the survey was, as described by Rich, 'to determine the present condition of the various tributaries with respect to their availability and usefulness for the migration, breeding, and rearing of migratory fishes'. The Idaho portion of the survey consisted of extensivemore » surveys of the Clearwater, Salmon, Weiser, and Payette River Subbasins. Current estimates of the loss of anadromous fish habitat in the Columbia River Basin are based on a series of reports published from 1949-1952 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The reports were brief, qualitative accounts of over 5000 miles of stream surveys conducted by the BOF from 1934-1946 (Bryant, 1949; Bryant and Parkhurst, 1950; Parkhurst, 1950a-c; Parkhurst et al., 1950). Despite their brevity, these BOF reports have formed the basis for estimating fish habitat losses and conditions in the Columbia River Basin (Fulton, 1968, 1970; Thompson, 1976; NPPC, 1986). Recently, the field notebooks from the BOF surveys were discovered. The data is now archived and stored in the Forest Science DataBank at Oregon State University (Stafford et al., 1984; 1988). These records are the earliest and most comprehensive documentation available of the condition and extent of anadromous fish habitat before hydropower development in the Columbia River Basin. They provide the baseline data for quantifying changes and setting a benchmark for future restoration of anadromous fish habitat throughout the Basin. The summaries contained in this book are exact replicates of the originals. Due to discrepancies between the field data and the summaries, the database should be used to assess pool and substrate conditions. This data is available from the Bonneville Power Administration. The Bureau of Fisheries survey is unique because it is the only long-term data set that quantifies fish habitat in a manner that is replicable over time; no other similar work is known to exist. Other surveys, such as Thompson and Haas (1960), inventoried extensive areas in a manner that was mostly qualitative, subjectively estimating physical characteristics like bank cover and stream shading. Spawning, rearing, and resting habitat were not systematically quantified to allow comparisons over time. Knowledge of the past and present quantity and quality of anadromous fish habitat in the Columbia River Basin is essential to any effort to enhance fish populations. Habitat condition is a key element in monitoring and evaluating progress towards the doubling goal. Integration of this information into the Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Plan can provide the baseline information to greatly enhance understanding of past, present, and future habitat conditions in the basin to provide for improved management decisions.« less

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.

Columbia River Component Data Gap Analysis

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

L. C. Hulstrom

2007-10-23

This Data Gap Analysis report documents the results of a study conducted by Washington Closure Hanford (WCH) to compile and reivew the currently available surface water and sediment data for the Columbia River near and downstream of the Hanford Site. This Data Gap Analysis study was conducted to review the adequacy of the existing surface water and sediment data set from the Columbia River, with specific reference to the use of the data in future site characterization and screening level risk assessments.

Evaluation of Dual Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) for Monitoring Pacific Lamprey Passage at Fishways of Bonneville and John Day Dams, 2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

often been low in Columbia River basin radiotelemetry studies. In the summer of 2012, we conducted a Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON...Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Columbia River Basin have declined considerably over the past several decades. Given the cultural and ecological value of...R. W. Zabel, T. C. Bjornn, and C. A. Peery. 2007. Slow dam passage in Columbia River salmonids associated with unsuccessful migration: delayed

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.

38. From hilltop, Route 14, last segment of flume before ...

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

38. From hilltop, Route 14, last segment of flume before Broughton Lumber Company. Section of flume and broken out section. Columbia River and Oregon in background. West/southwest 240 degrees. - Broughton Flume, Hood River Junction on Columbia River at Washington/Oregon border, Hood, Skamania County, WA

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 ...

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.

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...

VIEW OF ONEONTA TUNNEL, CURRENT BYPASS ROAD IS ON THE ...

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

VIEW OF ONEONTA TUNNEL, CURRENT BYPASS ROAD IS ON THE LEFT - Historic Columbia River Highway, Oneonta Tunnel, Adjacent to Historic Columbia River Highway through Oneonta Point, Troutdale, Multnomah County, OR

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.

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.

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. Other organochlorine pesticides did not exceed toxicity thresholds in fish or were detected infrequently. Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; > 0.11 ??g/g) and TCDD-EQs (> 5 pg/g) exceeded wildlife guidelines in fish from the middle and lower CRB, and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was also elevated at many of the same sites. Temporal trend analysis indicated decreasing or stable concentrations of Pb, Se, Hg, p,p???-DDE, and PCBs at most sites where historical data were available. Altered biomarkers were noted in fish throughout the CRB. Fish from some stations had responded to chronic contaminant exposure as indicated by fish health and reproductive biomarker results. Although most fish from some sites had grossly visible external or internal lesions, histopathological analysis determined these to be inflammatory responses associated with helminth or myxosporidian parasites. Many largescale sucker from the Columbia River at Northport and Grand Coulee, WA had external lesions and enlarged spleens, which were likely associated with infections. Intersex male smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) were found in the Snake River at Lewiston, ID and the Columbia River at Warrendale, OR. Male bass, carp, and largescale sucker containing low concentrations of vitellogenin were common in the CRB, and comparatively high concentrations (> 0.3 mg/mL) were measured in male fish from the Flathead River at Creston, Montana, the Snake River at Ice Harbor Dam, WA, and the Columbia River at Vernita Bridge, WA and Warrendale, OR. Results from our study and other investigations indicate that continued monitoring in the CRB is warranted to identify consistently degraded sites and those with emerging problems. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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...

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...

An assessment of the effects of human-caused air pollution on resources within the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Anna W. Schoettle; Kathy Tonnessen; John Turk; John Vimont; Robert Amundson; Ann Acheson; Janice Peterson

1999-01-01

An assessment of existing and potential impacts to vegetation, aquatics, and visibility within the Columbia River basin due to air pollution was conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This assessment examined the current situation and potential trends due to pollutants such as ammonium, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides,...

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...

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…

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...

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

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.

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

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.

Contaminants in ospreys from the Pacific Northwest: II. Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and mercury, 1991-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, J.E.; Macmer, M.M.; Wilson, L.K.; Henny, Charles J.

2000-01-01

Eggs of ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) were collected over the period 1991 to 1997 at 111 nests in the Fraser and Columbia River drainage systems of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Contents were analyzed for organochlorine (OC) pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and total mercury. Blood samples were taken from nestling ospreys at two time points during the 1992 breeding season on the Thompson River and analyzed for non-ortho PCBs. Concentrations of DDE and related compounds showed high variability among individual eggs within study areas and no significant differences in mean concentrations among study areas. Some eggs contained high concentrations of DDE, up to 20 mg/kg (wet weight), for which there were no evident local sources, suggesting that exposure occurred outside of the breeding grounds. Most other OC pesticides measured in osprey eggs showed a similar distribution, although mean concentrations of chlordane-related compounds were generally, and in some cases significantly, higher in samples collected from the Columbia River sites compared to elsewhere. Significantly greater concentrations of PCBs were found in eggs from the Columbia River basin compared to the Fraser. This was attributed to extensive development of hydroelectric generation and related industries on the Columbia system. Significant differences among sites were also found in the pattern of PCB congeners, e.g., eggs from the lower Columbia River site had proportionally greater concentrations of less chlorinated, Aroclor 1242–type PCBs compared to other sites. In contrast, eggs from upper reaches of the Columbia River had relatively greater amounts of Aroclor 1254 and 1260 congeners. Mercury concentrations in osprey eggs tended to be uniform among sites and comparable to those reported in the literature for ospreys nesting on naturally formed lakes and rivers. There were no significant temporal changes in mean concentrations of any of the measured compounds at sites monitored from 1991 to 1997.

Contaminants in ospreys from the Pacific Northwest: II. Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and mercury, 1991-1997.

PubMed

Elliott, J E; Machmer, M M; Wilson, L K; Henny, C J

2000-01-01

Eggs of ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) were collected over the period 1991 to 1997 at 111 nests in the Fraser and Columbia River drainage systems of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Contents were analyzed for organochlorine (OC) pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and total mercury. Blood samples were taken from nestling ospreys at two time points during the 1992 breeding season on the Thompson River and analyzed for non-ortho PCBs. Concentrations of DDE and related compounds showed high variability among individual eggs within study areas and no significant differences in mean concentrations among study areas. Some eggs contained high concentrations of DDE, up to 20 mg/kg (wet weight), for which there were no evident local sources, suggesting that exposure occurred outside of the breeding grounds. Most other OC pesticides measured in osprey eggs showed a similar distribution, although mean concentrations of chlordane-related compounds were generally, and in some cases significantly, higher in samples collected from the Columbia River sites compared to elsewhere. Significantly greater concentrations of PCBs were found in eggs from the Columbia River basin compared to the Fraser. This was attributed to extensive development of hydroelectric generation and related industries on the Columbia system. Significant differences among sites were also found in the pattern of PCB congeners, e.g., eggs from the lower Columbia River site had proportionally greater concentrations of less chlorinated, Aroclor 1242-type PCBs compared to other sites. In contrast, eggs from upper reaches of the Columbia River had relatively greater amounts of Aroclor 1254 and 1260 congeners. Mercury concentrations in osprey eggs tended to be uniform among sites and comparable to those reported in the literature for ospreys nesting on naturally formed lakes and rivers. There were no significant temporal changes in mean concentrations of any of the measured compounds at sites monitored from 1991 to 1997.

3. View of north tower, facing north across the main ...

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

3. View of north tower, facing north across the main channel of the Columbus River from Clover Island. - Pasco-Kennewick Transmission Line, Columbia River Crossing Towers, Columbia Drive & Gum Street, Kennewick, Benton County, WA

6. BRIDGE LOOKING SOUTH FROM CROWN POINT STATE PARK SHOWING ...

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

6. BRIDGE LOOKING SOUTH FROM CROWN POINT STATE PARK SHOWING SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT FROM CONSTRUCTION OF DAM - Columbia River Bridge at Grand Coulee Dam, Spanning Columbia River at State Route 155, Coulee Dam, Okanogan County, WA

10. BRIDGE IN CONTEXT OF DAM, THIRD POWER HOUSE IN ...

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

10. BRIDGE IN CONTEXT OF DAM, THIRD POWER HOUSE IN FOREGROUND, LOOKING NORTH BY 360 DEGREES - Columbia River Bridge at Grand Coulee Dam, Spanning Columbia River at State Route 155, Coulee Dam, Okanogan County, WA

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.

White sturgeon mitigation and restoration in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from Bonneville Dam Report C, Annual Progress Report April 2003 - March 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.; Gadomski, Dena M.; Kofoot, Pete

2005-01-01

River discharge and water temperatures that occurred during April through July 2003 provided conditions suitable for spawning by white sturgeon downstream from Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams. Although optimal spawning temperatures in the four tailraces occurred for less than two weeks, they coincided with a period of relatively high river discharge. Bottom-trawl sampling in Bonneville and The Dalles Reservoirs revealed the presence of young-of-the-year (YOY) white sturgeon in Bonneville Reservoir, but none were captured in The Dalles Reservoir. A comparison of five years of indices of abundance of YOY sturgeon from sampling done by ODFW with gillnets and the USGS with bottom trawls was completed. Despite obvious differences in gear sampling characteristics (e.g. one gear is actively fished, one passively fished), it appears that either gear can be used to assess relative trends in YOY white sturgeon abundance. The analyses suffered due to poor catches of YOY fish, as YOY were only captured in The Dalles Reservoir during three of the five years of comparison sampling, and during only one of four years in John Day Reservoir. However, both gears detected the presence or absence of YOY white sturgeon within a reservoir equally. That is, if any YOY white sturgeon were captured in any year in a reservoir, both gears captured at least one fish, and if one gear failed to collect any YOY white sturgeon, both gears failed. Concerns have been raised that the Wang et al. (1985) egg development relationships for Sacramento River white sturgeon may not be applicable to Columbia Basin stocks. However, using laboratory experiments with white sturgeon eggs incubated at 10, 12, 15, and 18o C, we found no significant differences in development rates of eggs of Columbia, Kootenai, Snake, and Sacramento river fish.

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...

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...

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.

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...

Amplification and transport of an endemic fish disease by an introduced species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hershberger, Paul; Leeuw, Bjorn; Jacob, Gregg; Grady, Courtney; Lujan, Kenneth; Gutenberger, Susan; Purcell, Maureen K.; Woodson, James; Winton, James; Parsley, Michael

2010-01-01

The introduction of American shad from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast of North America in the late 1800’s and the subsequent population expansion in the 1980’s resulted in the amplification of Ichthyophonus sp., a Mesomycetozoean parasite of wild marine fishes. Sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA gene complex (small subunit and internal transcribed spacer regions) and Ichthyophonus epidemiological characteristics indicate a low probability that Ichthyophonus was co-introduced with American shad from the Atlantic; rather, Ichthyophonus was likely endemic to marine areas of the Pacific region and amplified by the expanding population of a highly susceptible host species. The migratory life history of shad resulted in the transport of amplified Ichthyophonus from its endemic region in the NE Pacific to the Columbia River watershed. An Ichthyophonus epizootic occurred among American shad in the Columbia River during 2007, when infection prevalence was 72%, and 57% of the infections were scored as moderate or heavy intensities. The epizootic occurred near the record peak of shad biomass in the Columbia River, and corresponded to an influx of 1,595 mt of infected shad tissues into the Columbia River. A high potential for parasite spillback and the establishment of a freshwater Ichthyophonus life cycle in the Columbia River results from currently elevated infection pressures, broad host range, plasticity in Ichthyophonus life history stages, and precedents for establishment of the parasite in other freshwater systems. The results raise questions regarding the risk for sympatric salmonids and the role of Ichthyophonus as a population-limiting factor affecting American shad in 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)

Geologic map of the Beacon Rock quadrangle, Skamania County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evarts, Russell C.; Fleck, Robert J.

2017-06-06

The Beacon Rock 7.5′ quadrangle is located approximately 50 km east of Portland, Oregon, on the north side of the Columbia River Gorge, a scenic canyon carved through the axis of the Cascade Range by the Columbia River. Although approximately 75,000 people live within the gorge, much of the region remains little developed and is encompassed by the 292,500-acre Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, managed by a consortium of government agencies “to pro­tect and provide for the enhancement of the scenic, cultural, recreational and natural resources of the Gorge and to protect and support the economy of the Columbia River Gorge area.” As the only low-elevation corridor through the Cascade Range, the gorge is a critical regional transportation and utilities corridor (Wang and Chaker, 2004). Major state and national highways and rail lines run along both shores of the Columbia River, which also provides important water access to ports in the agricultural interior of the Pacific Northwest. Transmission lines carry power from hydroelectric facilities in the gorge and farther east to the growing urban areas of western Oregon and Washington, and natural-gas pipelines transect the corridor (Wang and Chaker, 2004). These lifelines are highly vulnerable to disruption by earthquakes, landslides, and floods. A major purpose of the work described here is to identify and map geologic hazards, such as faults and landslide-prone areas, to provide more accurate assessments of the risks associated with these features.The steep canyon walls of the map area reveal exten­sive outcrops of Miocene flood-basalt flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group capped by fluvial deposits of the ances­tral Columbia River, Pliocene lavas erupted from the axis of the Cascade arc to the east, and volcanic rocks erupted from numerous local vents. The Columbia River Basalt Group unconformably rests on a sequence of late Oligocene and early Miocene rocks of the ancestral Cascade volcanic arc, which underlies most of the map area. The resistant flood-basalt flows form some of the famous landforms in the map area, such as Hamilton Mountain. Extensive landslide complexes have devel­oped where the basalt flows were emplaced on weak volcani­clastic rocks.

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

Economics of Fishery Failure: The Fall of the King-Analysis of U.S. West Coast Chinook Salmon (Oncorhyncus Tshawytscha)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

anadromous fish in the Columbia River System River Basin (From: NPPC, 1992). ........................................................6 Figure 5. Major...needed to travel for stream-type species (Gilbert, 1913). The majority of Chinook spawn in the middle and upper main stems of rivers and in larger...distribution and migration 4 Upon leaving the rivers of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, juvenile Chinook move up the coast in a

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.

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 Bridge up to Bonneville Dam and those spawning in Hamilton and Hardy creeks. Response to the federal ESA listing has been primarily through direct-recovery actions: reducing harvest, hatchery supplementation using local broodstock for populations at catastrophic risk, habitat restoration (including construction of spawning channels) and flow agreements to protect spawning and rearing areas. Both state and federal agencies have built controlled spawning areas. In 1998, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) began a chum salmon supplementation program using native stock on the Grays River. This program was expanded during 1999 - 2001 to include reintroduction into the Chinook River using eggs from the Grays River Supplementation Program. These eggs are incubated at the Grays River Hatchery, reared to release size at the Sea Resources Hatchery on the Chinook River, and the fry are released at the mouth of the Chinook River. Native steelhead, chum, and coho salmon are present in Duncan Creek, and are recognized as subpopulations of the Lower Gorge population, and are focal species in the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board (LCFRB) plan. Steelhead, chum and coho salmon that spawn in Duncan Creek are listed as Threatened under the ESA. Duncan Creek is classified by the LCFRB plan as a watershed for intensive monitoring (LCFRB 2004). This project was identified in the 2004 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) revised Biological Opinion (revised BiOp) to increase survival of chum salmon, 'BPA will continue to fund the program to re-introduce Columbia River chum salmon into Duncan Creek as long as NOAA Fisheries determines it to be an essential and effective contribution to reducing the risk of extinction for this ESU'. (USACE et al. 2004, page 85-86). The Governors Forum on Monitoring and Salmon Recovery and Watershed Health recommends one major population from each ESU have adult and juvenile monitoring. Duncan Creek chum salmon are identified in this plan to be intensively monitored. Planners recommended that a combination of natural and hatchery production would be the most likely way to produce the most rapid sustainable improvement in chum runs. Specifically, it was assumed that improving habitat conditions would promote efficient natural production, and that the most rapid way to rebuild the run would be to combine releases of an appropriate stock into the improved habitat. WDFW's recovery strategy for LCR chum salmon, as outlined in the WDFW Grays River and Washougal Hatchery Genetic Management Plans (HGMP), is as follows. First, determine if remnant populations of chum salmon exist in LCR tributaries. Second, if such populations exist, develop stock-specific recovery plans involving habitat restoration that include the creation of spawning refugias, supplementation where necessary, and a habitat and fish monitoring and evaluation plan.« less

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...

77 FR 42487 - Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement To Reduce Avian Predation on Juvenile...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-19

...-Crested Cormorants in the Columbia River Estuary AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of...; hereafter, cormorant used alone refers to double-crested cormorant) in the Columbia River Estuary (CRE...

22. DETAIL EXTERIOR VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST, SHOWING FISH LADDER AT ...

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

22. DETAIL EXTERIOR VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST, SHOWING FISH LADDER AT NORTH END OF DAM/SPILLWAY; VIEW SHOWS SECTION OF FISH LADDER NEAR WHERE IT ENTERS THE COLUMBIA RIVER. - Bonneville Project, Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, Bonneville, Multnomah County, OR

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

American shad in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, J.H.; Hinrichsen, R.A.; Gadomski, D.M.; Feil, D.H.; Rondorf, D.W.

2003-01-01

American shad Alosa sapidissima from the Hudson River, New York, were introduced into the Sacramento River, California, in 1871 and were first observed in the Columbia River in 1876. American shad returns to the Columbia River increased greatly between 1960 and 1990, and recently 2-4 million adults have been counted per year at Bonneville Dam, Oregon and Washington State (river kilometer 235). The total return of American shad is likely much higher than this dam count. Returning adults migrate as far as 600 km up the Columbia and Snake rivers, passing as many as eight large hydroelectric dams. Spawning occurs primarily in the lower river and in several large reservoirs. A small sample found returning adults were 2-6 years old and about one-third of adults were repeat spawners. Larval American shad are abundant in plankton and in the nearshore zone. Juvenile American shad occur throughout the water column during night, but school near the bottom or inshore during day. Juveniles consume a variety of zooplankton, but cyclopoid copepods were 86% of the diet by mass. Juveniles emigrate from the river from August through December. Annual exploitation of American shad by commercial and recreational fisheries combined is near 9% of the total count at Bonneville Dam. The success of American shad in the Columbia River is likely related to successful passage at dams, good spawning and rearing habitats, and low exploitation. The role of American shad within the aquatic community is poorly understood. We speculate that juveniles could alter the zooplankton community and may supplement the diet of resident predators. Data, however, are lacking or sparse in some areas, and more information is needed on the role of larval and juvenile American shad in the food web, factors limiting adult returns, ocean distribution of adults, and interactions between American shad and endangered or threatened salmonids throughout the river. ?? 2003 by the American Fisheries Society.

Emplacement of Columbia River flood basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reidel, Stephen P.

1998-11-01

Evidence is examined for the emplacement of the Umatilla, Wilbur Creek, and the Asotin Members of Columbia River Basalt Group. These flows erupted in the eastern part of the Columbia Plateau during the waning phases of volcanism. The Umatilla Member consists of two flows in the Lewiston basin area and southwestern Columbia Plateau. These flows mixed to form one flow in the central Columbia Plateau. The composition of the younger flow is preserved in the center and the composition of the older flow is at the top and bottom. There is a complete gradation between the two. Flows of the Wilbur Creek and Asotin Members erupted individually in the eastern Columbia Plateau and also mixed together in the central Columbia Plateau. Comparison of the emplacement patterns to intraflow structures and textures of the flows suggests that very little time elapsed between eruptions. In addition, the amount of crust that formed on the earlier flows prior to mixing also suggests rapid emplacement. Calculations of volumetric flow rates through constrictions in channels suggest emplacement times of weeks to months under fast laminar flow for all three members. A new model for the emplacement of Columbia River Basalt Group flows is proposed that suggests rapid eruption and emplacement for the main part of the flow and slower emplacement along the margins as the of the flow margin expands.

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 tributary basins to 53 percent for the portion of the Snake River basin between Heise and King Hill, Idaho. For the Columbia River near The Dalles, Oreg., the average depletion during the period 1921 through 1945, amounted to 4,7 percent of the yield and the depletion represented by the 1946 stage of irrigation development amounted to 5.3 percent of the long-term yield.

An assessment the effects of human-caused air pollution on resources within the interior Columbia River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoettle, A.W.; Tonnessen, K.; Turk, J.; Vimont, J.; Amundson, Ronald; Acheson, A.; Peterson, J.

1999-01-01

An assessment of existing and potential impacts to vegetation, aquatics, and visibility within the Columbia River basin due to air pollution was conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This assessment examined the current situation and potential trends due to pollutants such as ammonium, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulates, carbon, and ozone. Ecosystems and resources at risk are identified, including certain forests, lichens, cryptogamic crusts, high-elevation lakes and streams, arid lands, and class I areas. Current monitoring data are summarized and air pollution sources identified. The assessment also includes a summary of data gaps and suggestions for future research and monitoring related to air pollution and its effects on resources in the interior Columbia River basin.

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

Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Johnson, Gary E.; Sather, Nichole K.

This report describes the 2009 research conducted under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE or Corps) project EST-09-P-01, titled “Evaluation of Life History Diversity, Habitat Connectivity, and Survival Benefits Associated with Habitat Restoration Actions in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary.” The research was conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Marine Science Laboratory and Hydrology Group, in partnership with the University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Columbia Basin Research, and Earl Dawley (NOAA Fisheries, retired). This Columbia River Fish Mitigation Program project, referred to as “Salmonid Benefits,” was started in FY 2009 to evaluate themore » state-of-the science regarding the ability to quantify the benefits to listed salmonids1 of habitat restoration actions in the lower Columbia River and estuary.« less

Performance Assessment of Bi-Directional Knotless Tissue-Closure Device in Juvenile Chinook Salmon Surgically Implanted with Acoustic Transmitters, 2010 - Final Report

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

Woodley, Christa M.; Bryson, Amanda J.; Carpenter, Scott M.

2012-09-10

In 2010, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the University of Washington (UW) conducted a compliance monitoring study—the Lower Columbia River Acoustic Transmitter Investigations of Dam Passage Survival and Associated Metrics 2010 (Carlson et al. in preparation)—for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District. The purpose of the compliance study was to evaluate juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) passage routes and survival through the lower three Columbia River hydroelectric facilities as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp; NOAA Fisheries 2008) and the Columbia Basin Fishmore » Accords (Fish Accords; 3 Treaty Tribes and Action Agencies 2008).« less

Probabilistic Prediction of Riverine Bathymetry

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

planned a substantial data field collection effort on the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River near Richland, WA, which represents an ideal testing...4 Figure 2. 82-km Hanford Reach of the Columbia River (WA) IMPACT/APPLICATIONS The developed methods are directly applicable to video

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...

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

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

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

Carlson, Thomas J.; Johnson, Gary E.; Woodley, Christa M.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (USACE) conducted the 20-year Columbia River Channel Improvement Project (CRCIP) to deepen the navigation channel between Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean to allow transit of fully loaded Panamax ships (100 ft wide, 600 to 700 ft long, and draft 45 to 50 ft). In the vicinity of Warrior Point, between river miles (RM) 87 and 88 near St. Helens, Oregon, the USACE conducted underwater blasting and dredging to remove 300,000 yd3 of a basalt rock formation to reach a depth of 44 ft in the Columbia River navigation channel. The purposemore » of this report is to document methods and results of the compliance monitoring study for the blasting project at Warrior Point in the Columbia River.« less

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 basin. The Duncan Creek project has two goals: (1) re-introduction of chum into Duncan Creek by providing off channel high quality spawning and incubation areas and (2) to simultaneously evaluate natural re-colonization and a supplementation strategy where adults are collected and spawned artificially at a hatchery. The eggs from these artificial crossings are then either incubated at Duncan Creek or incubated and the fry reared at the hatchery to be released back into Duncan Creek. Tasks associated with the first goal include: (1) removing mud, sand and organics present in four of the creek branches and replace with gravels expected to provide maximum egg-to-fry survival rates to a depth of at least two feet; (2) armoring the sides of these channels to reduce importation of sediment by fish spawning on the margins; (3) planting native vegetation adjacent to these channels to stabilize the banks, trap silt and provide shade; (4) annual sampling of gravel in the spawning channels to detect changes in gravel composition and sedimentation levels.« less

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.

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.

Investigations into the Early Life History of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon in the Grande Ronde Riiver Basin : Fish Research Project Oregon : Annual Progress Report 1 September 1995 to 1 August 1996.

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

Jonasson, Brian C.; Carmichael, Richard W.; Keefe, MaryLouise

1997-09-01

Historically, the Grande Ronde River produced an abundance of salmonids including stocks of spring, summer and fall chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, and summer steelhead. During the past century, numerous factors have caused the reduction of salmon stocks such that only sustainable stocks of spring chinook salmon and summer steelhead remain. The sizes of spring chinook salmon populations in the Grande Ronde River basin also have been declining steadily and are substantially depressed from estimates of historic levels. In addition to a decline in population abundance, a reduction of spring chinook salmon spawning distribution is evident in the Grandemore » Ronde River basin. Numerous factors are thought to contribute to the decline of spring chinook salmon in the Snake River and its tributaries. These factors include passage problems and increased mortality of juvenile and adult migrants at mainstem Columbia and Snake river dams, overharvest, and habitat degradation associated with timber, agricultural, and land development practices. This study was designed to describe aspects of the life history strategies exhibited by spring chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River basin. During the past year the focus was on rearing and migration patterns of juveniles in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek. The study design included three objectives: (1) document the annual in-basin migration patterns for spring chinook salmon juveniles in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek, including the abundance of migrants, migration timing and duration; (2) estimate and compare smolt survival indices to mainstem Columbia and Snake river dams for fall and spring migrating spring chinook salmon; and (3) determine summer and winter habitat utilization and preference of juvenile spring chinook salmon in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek.« 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.

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.

Mount St. Helens Future Expected Deposition Scenario (FEDS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-14

Gradation in HEC - RAS Sediment Transport Model of the Lower Cowlitz River ...Cowlitz 1-D/2-D modeling. Will also be used to test proposed measures where appropriate. Cowlitz River Toutle to Columbia 1-D HEC - RAS Aug 2004...Sep 2008 (6 years) Calibration Model Cowlitz River Toutle to Columbia 1-D HEC - RAS Oct 2007 – Sep 2035 (28 years) Forecast to predict trends in

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…

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.

Libby Mitigation Program, 2007 Annual Progress Report: Mitigation for the Construction and Operation of Libby Dam.

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

Dunnigan, James; DeShazer, J.; Garrow, L.

Libby Reservoir was created under an International Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada for cooperative water development of the Columbia River Basin (Columbia River Treaty 1964). Libby Reservoir inundated 109 stream miles of the mainstem Kootenai River in the United States and Canada, and 40 miles of tributary streams in the U.S. that provided habitat for spawning, juvenile rearing, and migratory passage (Figure 1). The authorized purpose of the dam is to provide power (91.5%), flood control (8.3%), and navigation and other benefits (0.2%; Storm et al. 1982). The Pacific Northwest Power Act of 1980 recognized possiblemore » conflicts stemming from hydroelectric projects in the northwest and directed Bonneville Power Administration to 'protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife to the extent affected by the development and operation of any hydroelectric project of the Columbia River and its tributaries' (4(h)(10)(A)). Under the Act, the Northwest Power Planning Council was created and recommendations for a comprehensive fish and wildlife program were solicited from the region's federal, state, and tribal fish and wildlife agencies. Among Montana's recommendations was the proposal that research be initiated to quantify acceptable seasonal minimum pool elevations to maintain or enhance the existing fisheries (Graham et al. 1982). Research to determine how operations of Libby Dam affect the reservoir and river fishery and to suggest ways to lessen these effects began in May 1983. The framework for the Libby Reservoir Model (LRMOD) was completed in 1989. Development of Integrated Rule Curves (IRCs) for Libby Dam operation was completed in 1996 (Marotz et al. 1996). The Libby Reservoir Model and the IRCs continue to be refined (Marotz et al 1999). Initiation of mitigation projects such as lake rehabilitation and stream restoration began in 1996. The primary focus of the Libby Mitigation project now is to restore the fisheries and fish habitat in basin streams and lakes. 'Mitigation for the Construction and Operation of Libby Dam' is part of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's (NPCC) resident fish and wildlife program. The program was mandated by the Northwest Planning Act of 1980, and is responsible for mitigating damages to fish and wildlife caused by hydroelectric development in the Columbia River Basin. The objective of Phase I of the project (1983 through 1987) was to maintain or enhance the Libby Reservoir fishery by quantifying seasonal water levels and developing ecologically sound operational guidelines. The objective of Phase II of the project (1988 through 1996) was to determine the biological effects of reservoir operations combined with biotic changes associated with an aging reservoir. The objectives of Phase III of the project (1996 through present) are to implement habitat enhancement measures to mitigate for dam effects, to provide data for implementation of operational strategies that benefit resident fish, monitor reservoir and river conditions, and monitor mitigation projects for effectiveness. This project completes urgent and high priority mitigation actions as directed by the Kootenai Subbasin Plan.« 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

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.

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

Garono, Ralph; Anderson, Becci; Robinson, Rob

The Lower Columbia River Estuary Management Plan (Jerrick, 1991) recognizes the positive relationship between the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat, and sustaining their populations. An important component of fish and wildlife conservation and management is the identification of habitats, trends in habitat change, and delineation of habitat for preservation, restoration or enhancement. Alterations to the environment, such as hydropower generation, dredging, forestry, agriculture, channel alteration, diking, bank stabilization and floodplain development, have dramatically altered both the type and distribution of habitats along the Columbia River Estuary (CRE) and its floodplain. Along the Columbia River, tidally influenced habitats occur frommore » the river mouth to the Bonneville Dam, a distance of 230 km. If we are to effectively manage the natural resources of the Columbia River ecosystem, there is a need to understand how habitats have changed because fish and wildlife populations are known to respond to changes in habitat quality and distribution. The goal of this study was to measure the amount and type of change of CRE land cover from 1992 to 2000. We performed a change analysis on two spatial data sets describing land cover along the lower portion of the estuary (Fig. 1). The 1992 data set was created by the NOAA Coastal Remote Sensing, Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) in cooperation with Columbia River Estuary Study Task Force (CREST), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Point Adams Field Station, and State of Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The 2000 data set was produced by Earth Design Consultants, Inc. (EDC) and the Wetland Ecosystem Team (WET: University of Washington) as part of a larger Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (Estuary Partnership) habitat mapping study. Although the image classification methodologies used to create the data sets differed, both data sets were produced by classifying Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery, making it feasible to assess land cover changes between 1992 and 2000.« less

Two-rail steel-backed timber guardrail system : Crown Point Highway, Multnomah County, Oregon : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-02-01

In 1920, to provide for the safety of drivers on the Columbia River Highway, two-rail timber guardrail were installed. Subsequently, the two-rail timber guardrail were replaced by more modern guardrail. Recently, the Historic Columbia River Highway A...

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....

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

The use of aquatic bioconcentration factors in ecological risk assessments: Confounding issues, laboratory v/s modeled results

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

Brandt, C.; Blanton, M.L.; Dirkes, R.

1995-12-31

Bioconcentration in aquatic systems is generally taken to refer to contaminant uptake through non-ingestion pathways (i.e., dermal and respiration uptake). Ecological risk assessments performed on aquatic systems often rely on published data on bioconcentration factors to calibrate models of exposure. However, many published BCFs, especially those from in situ studies, are confounded by uptake from ingestion of prey. As part of exposure assessment and risk analysis of the Columbia River`s Hanford Reach, the authors tested a methodology to estimate radionuclide BCFs for several aquatic species in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. The iterative methodology solves for BCFs frommore » known body burdens and environmental media concentrations. This paper provides BCF methodology description comparisons of BCF from literature and modeled values and how they were used in the exposure assessment and risk analysis of the Columbia River`s Hanford Reach.« 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

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

Fryer, John L.

The Department of Microbiology at Oregon State University with funding from the Bonneville Power Administration conducted a study relating to the epidemiology and control of three fish diseases of salmonids in the Columbia River Basin. These three diseases were ceratomyxosis which is caused by the myxosporidan parasite Ceratomyxa shasta, bacterial kidney disease, the etiological agent of which is Renibacterium salmoninarum, and infectious hematopoietic necrosis, which is caused by a rhabdovirus. Each of these diseases is highly destructive and difficult or impossible to treat with antimicrobial agents. The presence of ceratomyxosis in rainbow trout exposed at McNary and Little Goose Damsmore » extends the range of this disease about 200 miles further up the Columbia River and into the Snake River drainage. Wallowa steelhead trout were less resistant to this disease than other upriver stocks tested. Juvenile salmonids entering the Columbia River estuary were collected periodically between May to September, 1983. Nine percent of the beach seined chinook salmon and 5, 11 and 12%, respectively, of the purse seined coho and chinook salmon and steelhead trout were infected with Ceratomyxa shasta. Experiments indicated ceratomyxosis progresses in salt water at the same rate as in fresh water once the fish have become infected. These data indicate a longer exposure to infective stages of C. shasta than previously identified and that approximately 10% of the migrating salmonids are infected and will probably die from this organism after entering salt water. Since sampling began in 1981 the bacterial kidney disease organism, Renibacterium salmoninarum, has been detected by the fluorescent antibody test in seven salmonid species caught in the open ocean off the coasts of Washington and Oregon. The bacterium has been found primarily in chinook salmon (11%) with lesions in 2.5% of these fish. This disease was also detected at levels ranging from 17% in coho salmon to 25% in chinook salmon seined from the Columbia River just before entering the estuary. Interpretation of these numbers suggests an even greater economic impact on Columbia River salmonid stocks than that proposed for C. shasta. Fertilized eggs from bacterial kidney disease infected parents examined after one month of incubation revealed the presence of bacteria with identical morphology to R. salmoninarum on or in the egg wall further reinforcing the proposed vertical transmission of this disease organism. Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus was recovered at the 67% level from seeded water samples supplemented with 1% fetal calf serum. Virus injected into unfertilized eggs survived for over two weeks; in eyed eggs the virus also replicated. Epizootics caused by IHNV occurred in two of the 8 separate groups of steelhead trout fingerlings held in LJV treated water at Round Butte Hatchery. Comparing these results to those in the vertical transmission experiment where none of the groups developed IHNV suggests that vertical transmission of IHNV, if it occurs, is a very infrequent or random event. On three occasions IHNV was detected in ovarian fluid samples after storage for 6--9 days at 4 C. No virus had been detected in these samples at spawning. This suggests the presence of an interfering substance, perhaps anti-IHNV antibody in ovarian fluid. This observation raises the possibility that IHNV is much more widespread throughout Columbia River Basin salmonid stocks than previously believed.« less

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

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.

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...

78 FR 63439 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Upper...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-24

... Experimental Population of Upper Columbia Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Okanogan River Subbasin, Washington... authorize the release of a nonessential experimental population (NEP) of Upper Columbia River spring-run... (301-427-8403). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Information Relevant to Experimental Population...

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.

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.

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

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 1913 at the Columbia River entrance. The inlets and inner deltas eroded and the outer deltas moved offshore and accreted. The adjacent coasts experienced accretion over alongshore distances of tens of kilometers. North of the Grays Harbor entrance along North Beach and north of the Columbia River entrance along Long Beach the shoreface and the beach-dune complex mainly prograded, whereas south of the Grays Harbor entrance along Grayland Plains and south of the Columbia River entrance along Clatsop Plains the beach-dune complex above -10 m NAVD88 prograded and the shoreface between approximately -30 m and -10 m NAVD88 eroded. In the decades following jetty construction, the rates of erosion and accretion at the entrances decreased and the centers of deposition along the adjacent coasts moved away from the entrances. The rates of change have decreased, suggesting the systems are approaching dynamic equilibrium. Exceptions to this behaviour are the accretion of the beach-dune complex of Long Beach, the erosion of Cape Shoalwater, and the northward migration of the Willapa Bay ebb-tidal delta during all intervals. The net shoreline advance of Long Beach increases from 0.28 m/yr in pre-jetty conditions to 3.78 m/yr during Interval 4. The erosion of Cape Shoalwater and the northward migration of the Willapa Bay ebb-tidal delta are related to the northern migration of the Willapa Bay North Channel. Volume changes at the Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and Columbia River entrances and the Columbia River estuary are balanced against losses and gains due to littoral transport and sand supply from the Columbia River. Based on these sediment balances, we infer the following pathways: sand that eroded from the inlets and inner deltas at the Grays Harbor and Columbia River entrances moved offshore and northward to accrete the outer deltas and the beaches to the north; sand from the south flank of the Grays Harbor delta and shelf along Grayland Plains moved onshore to accrete th

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

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 or all of FY 1992. ''Deferred'' means that BPA implementation has been postponed to FY 1993 or later. ''Completed'' indicates completion during FY 1991. ''New'' denotes projects planned for BPA implementation in FY 1992. A number of projects are expected to begin in late FY 1991 and have been listed in Table 1 of the AIWP as ''Projected FY '91 Starts,'' based on their projected start dates. Several other projects are expected to end in late FY 1991. These projects have been listed in Table 1 as ''Projected FY '91 Completions,'' based on their projected completion dates.« less

Mantle-lithosphere interaction beneath the Yellowstone-Snake River province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Keken, P. E.; Lin, S.

2006-12-01

The Yellowstone-Snake River province (YSRP) is one the few currently active continental hotspot locations and the only one with a clear age progression from 16-17 Ma eruptions at the Oregon-Nevada border to the present day activity at in Western Wyoming. The province has a number of characteristics that are quite similar to oceanic hotspot regions, which include a topographic bulge and geoid anomaly. The initial silicic magmatism is contemporaneous with the Columbia River Basalts, but this would require significant northward transport of basalt from the hotspot track, which is potentially accommodated by lateral transport in the crust or by a sideways transport from more competent lithosphere to a weaker spot. We will present 3D models of plumes and plume heads interacting with the lithosphere for the YSRP following the approach of Lin et al. (2005). We are particularly interested in the role of the variable properties of the lithosphere and surface tectonics influence the magmatic emplacement. We investigate the type conditions under which we can generate the Columbia River Basalts as a part of a single Yellowstone plume rising below the western US. This provides important estimates of the original size of the plume head, the current buoyancy flux and the lateral transport of mantle below the lithosphere. S.C. Lin, B.Y. Kuo, L.Y. Chiao, P.E. van Keken, Thermal plume models and melt generation in East Africa: A dynamical modeling approach, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 237, 175-192, 2005.

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)

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.

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 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...

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

Sobocinski, Kathryn L.; Johnson, Gary E.; Sather, Nichole K.

This document is the first annual report for the study titled “Ecology of Juvenile Salmonids in Shallow Tidal Freshwater Habitats in the Vicinity of the Sandy River Delta in the Lower Columbia River.” Hereafter, we refer to this research as the Tidal Freshwater Monitoring (TFM) Study. The study is part of the research, monitoring, and evaluation effort developed by the Action Agencies (Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) in response to obligations arising from the Endangered Species Act as a result of operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). The project ismore » performed under the auspices of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.« 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...

Climatology of the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Sue A. Ferguson

1999-01-01

This work describes climate means and trends in each of three major ecological zones and 13 ecological reporting units in the interior Columbia River basin. Widely differing climates help define each major zone and reporting unit, the pattern of which is controlled by three competing air masses: marine, continental, and arctic. Paleoclimatic evidence and historical...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Air quality climate in the Columbia River Basin.

Treesearch

Sue A. Ferguson

1998-01-01

Aspects of climate that influence air quality in the Columbia River basin of the Northwestern United States are described. A few, relatively simple, analytical tools were developed to show the spatial and temporal patterns of mean-monthly mixing heights, precipitation scavenging, upper level and surface trajectory winds, and drought that inhibit pollution uptake. Also...

Status of White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1863) throughout the species range, threats to survival, and prognosis for the future

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hildebrand, L. R.; Drauch Schreier, Andrea; Lepla, K.; McAdam, S. O.; McLellan, J; Parsley, Michael J.; Paragamian, V L; Young, S P

2016-01-01

White Sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus (WS), are distributed throughout three major river basins on the West Coast of North America: the Sacramento-San Joaquin, Columbia, and Fraser River drainages. Considered the largest North American freshwater fish, some WS use estuarine habitat and make limited marine movements between river basins. Some populations are listed by the United States or Canada as threatened or endangered (upper Columbia River above Grand Coulee Dam; Kootenai River; lower, middle and, upper Fraser River and Nechako River), while others do not warrant federal listing at this time (Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers; Columbia River below Grand Coulee Dam; Snake River). Threats that impact WS throughout the species’ range include fishing effects and habitat alteration and degradation. Several populations suffer from recruitment limitations or collapse due to high early life mortality associated with these threats. Efforts to preserve WS populations include annual monitoring, harvest restrictions, habitat restoration, and conservation aquaculture. This paper provides a review of current knowledge on WS life history, ecology, physiology, behavior, and genetics and presents the status of WS in each drainage. Ongoing management and conservation efforts and additional research needs are identified to address present and future risks to the species.

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.

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.

AUTOMATED WATER LEVEL MEASUREMENTS IN SMALL-DIAMETER AQUIFER TUBES

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

PETERSEN SW; EDRINGTON RS; MAHOOD RO

2011-01-14

Groundwater contaminated with hexavalent chromium, strontium-90, and uranium discharges into the Columbia River along approximately 16 km (10 mi) of the shoreline. Various treatment systems have and will continue to be implemented to eliminate the impact of Hanford Site contamination to the river. To optimize the various remediation strategies, it is important to understand interactions between groundwater and the surface water of the Columbia River. An automated system to record water levels in aquifer sampling tubes installed in the hyporheic zone was designed and tested to (1) gain a more complete understanding of groundwater/river water interactions based on gaining andmore » losing conditions ofthe Columbia River, (2) record and interpret data for consistent and defensible groundwater/surface water conceptual models that may be used to better predict subsurface contaminant fate and transport, and (3) evaluate the hydrodynamic influence of extraction wells in an expanded pump-and-treat system to optimize the treatment system. A system to measure water levels in small-diameter aquifer tubes was designed and tested in the laboratory and field. The system was configured to allow manual measurements to periodically calibrate the instrument and to permit aquifer tube sampling without removing the transducer tube. Manual measurements were collected with an e-tape designed and fabricated especially for this test. Results indicate that the transducer system accurately records groundwater levels in aquifer tubes. These data are being used to refine the conceptual and numeric models to better understand interactions in the hyporheic zone of the Columbia River and the adjacent river water and groundwater, and changes in hydrochemistry relative to groundwater flux as river water recharges the aquifer and then drains back out in response to changes in the river level.« less

Tagging studies of mule deer fawns on the Hanford Site, 1969 to 1977

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

Eberhardt, L.E.; Hedlund, J.D.; Rickard, W.H.

1979-10-01

From 1969 to 1977, 346 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fawns were tagged and released on islands and shoreline habitat associated with the Columbia River on the Hanford Site in south-central Washington. The purpose was to determine the movement of mule deer along the Columbia River shoreline from the Hanford Site through tag recovery. Twenty-one tagged deer have been killed primarily by hunters near the Hanford Site or on areas of the Hanford Site open to public access. Movements of up to 113 km from Hanford have been documented. Although the Columbia River at Hanford is one of the largest andmore » most swift-flowing rivers in North America it is not an impassable barrier to mule deer. River islands are important and perhaps critical fawining habitat for the local deer herd. The selection of these islands by pregnant female deer is apparently influenced by predation, human access, and recreational use of islands. The number of fawns captured decreased during the latter years of the study (1974 to 1977). This is probably a reflection of an actual decrease in deer productivity, particularly along the upper stretch of the Columbia flowing through the Hanford Site. The reasons for this apparent decrease are unkown.« less

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...

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,...

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...

33 CFR 165.T13-240 - Safety Zones; Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers Association Facilities; Columbia and Willamette...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Handlers Association Facilities; Columbia and Willamette Rivers. (a) Definitions. As used in this section... Officer as defined in Revised Code of Washington section 10.93.020 (b) Locations. The following areas are... River Captain of the Port Zone enclosed by three lines and the shoreline: line one starting on the...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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…

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.

White sturgeon mitigation and restoration in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from Bonneville Dam, Annual Progress Report April 2005 - March 2006. Report C.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, M.J.; Kofoot, P.

2007-01-01

River discharge and water temperatures that occurred during April through July 2005 provided conditions suitable for spawning by white sturgeon downstream from Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams. Optimal spawning temperatures in the four tailraces occurred for 3-4 weeks and coincided with the peak of the river hydrograph. However, the peak of the hydrograph occurred in mid May and discharges dropped quickly and water temperature rose during June, which is reflected in the monthly and annual indices of suitable spawning habitat. Indices of available spawning habitat for the month of June 2005 were less than one-half of the average of the period from 1985-2004. Bottom-trawl sampling in the Bonneville Reservoir revealed the presence of young-of-the-year (YOY) white sturgeon but the proportion of positive tows was quite low at 0.06.

InSAR observations of aseismic slip associated with an earthquake swarm in the Columbia River flood basalts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wicks, Charles; Thelen, W.; Weaver, C.; Gomberg, J.; Rohay, A.; Bodin, P.

2011-01-01

In 2009 a swarm of small shallow earthquakes occurred within the basalt flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). The swarm occurred within a dense seismic network in the U.S. Department of Energys Hanford Site. Data from the seismic network along with interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data from the European Space Agencys (ESA) ENVISAT satellite provide insight into the nature of the swarm. By modeling the InSAR deformation data we constructed a model that consists of a shallow thrust fault and a near horizontal fault. We suggest that the near horizontal lying fault is a bedding-plane fault located between basalt flows. The geodetic moment of the modeled fault system is about eight times the cumulative seismic moment of the swarm. Precise location estimates of the swarm earthquakes indicate that the area of highest slip on the thrust fault, ???70mm of slip less than ???0.5km depth, was not located within the swarm cluster. Most of the slip on the faults appears to have progressed aseismically and we suggest that interbed sediments play a central role in the slip process. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

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, 1995-1996 Annual Report.

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

Rien, Thomas A.; Beiningen, Kirk T.

This project began in July 1986 and is a cooperative effort of federal, state, and tribal fisheries entities to determine (1) the status and habitat requirements, and (2) effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the lower Colombia and Snake rivers.

Geologic map of the Washougal quadrangle, Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evarts, Russell C.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Tolan, Terry L.

2013-01-01

The Washougal 7.5’ quadrangle spans the boundary between the Portland Basin and the Columbia River Gorge, approximately 30 km east of Portland, Oregon. The map area contains the westernmost portion of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic area as well as the rapidly growing areas surrounding the Clark County, Washington, cities of Camas and Washougal. The Columbia River transects the map area, and two major tributaries, the Washougal River in Washington and the Sandy River in Oregon, also flow through the quadrangle. The Columbia, Washougal, and Sandy Rivers have all cut deep valleys through hilly uplands, exposing Oligocene volcanic bedrock in the north part of the map area and lava flows of the Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group in the western Columbia River Gorge. Elsewhere in the map area, these older rocks are buried beneath weakly consolidated to well-consolidated Neogene and younger basin-fill sedimentary rocks and Quaternary volcanic and sedimentary deposits. The Portland Basin is part of the Coastal Lowland that separates the Cascade Range from the Oregon Coast Range. The basin has been interpreted as a pull-apart basin located in the releasing stepover between two en echelon, northwest-striking, right-lateral fault zones. These fault zones are thought to reflect regional transpression, transtension, and dextral shear within the forearc in response to oblique subduction of the Pacific plate along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The southwestern margin of the Portland Basin is a well-defined topographic break along the base of the Tualatin Mountains, an asymmetric anticlinal ridge that is bounded on its northeast flank by the Portland Hills Fault Zone, which is probably an active structure. The nature of the corresponding northeastern margin of the basin is less clear, but a series of poorly defined and partially buried dextral extensional structures has been hypothesized from topography, microseismicity, potential-field anomalies, and reconnaissance geologic mapping. This map is a contribution to a program designed to improve the geologic database for the Portland Basin region of the Pacific Northwest urban corridor, the densely populated Cascadia forearc region of western Washington and Oregon. Updated, more detailed information on the bedrock and surficial geology of the basin and its surrounding area will facilitate improved assessments of seismic risk, and resource availability in this rapidly growing region.

Genetic characterization of naturally spawned Snake River fall-run Chinook salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marshall, A.R.; Blankenship, H.L.; Connor, W.P.

1999-01-01

We sampled juvenile Snake River chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to genetically characterize the endangered Snake River fall-run population. Juveniles from fall and spring–summer lineages coexisted in our sampling areas but were differentiated by large allozyme allele frequency differences. We sorted juveniles by multilocus genotypes into putative fall and spring lineage subsamples and determined lineage composition using maximum likelihood estimation methods. Paired sMEP-1* and PGK-2* genotypes—encoding malic enzyme (NADP+) and phosphoglycerate kinase, respectively—were very effective for sorting juveniles by lineage, and subsamples estimated to be 100% fall lineage were obtained in four annual samples. We examined genetic relationships of these fall lineage juveniles with adjacent populations from the Columbia River and from Lyons Ferry Hatchery, which was established to perpetuate the Snake River fall-run population. Our samples of naturally produced Snake River fall lineage juveniles were most closely aligned with Lyons Ferry Hatchery samples. Although fall-run strays of Columbia River hatchery origin found on spawning grounds threaten the genetic integrity of the Snake River population, juvenile samples (a) showed distinctive patterns of allelic diversity, (b) were differentiated from Columbia River populations, and (c) substantiate earlier conclusions that this population is an important genetic resource. This first characterization of naturally produced Snake River fall chinook salmon provides a baseline for monitoring and recovery planning.

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.

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

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...

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...

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-...

Currents and Undercurrents: An Administrative History of Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKay, Kathryn L.; Renk, Nancy F.

The 1,259-mile Columbia River flows out of Canada and across eastern Washington state, forming the border between Washington and Oregon. In 1941 the federal government dammed the Columbia River at the north end of Grand Coulee, creating a man-made reservoir named Lake Roosevelt that inundated homes, farms, and businesses, and disrupted the lives…

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...

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...

Contribution of Hanford liquid effluents to strontium-90 levels in offsite soils

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

Jaquish, R.E.

1993-08-01

Strontium-90 is a major constituent of liquid effluents entering the Columbia River at the 100-N Area. The Columbia River also contains {sup 90}Sr from world-wide fallout that enters the Columbia River upstream of Hanford. Irrigation water pumped from the Columbia River can deposit {sup 90}Sr on soil where it can be taken up by farm crops. Fallout has also deposited {sup 90}Sr directly on soil by atmospheric deposition. A review of the sources of {sup 90}Sr in soil in the vicinity of Hanford indicates that about 2% can be attributed to Hanford liquid effluents. PNL measurements of {sup 90}Sr inmore » soil at a background location agree with predicted levels of fallout made by the Federal Radiation Council in 1964. Alfalfa is routinely monitored for {sup 90}Sr and is of special interest since it has concentrations higher than other farm crops. The concentrations of {sup 90}Sr in alfalfa measured in the Hanford vicinity are in the range one would expect, based on measured soil concentrations and using uptake factors from an earlier {sup 90}Sr uptake study at Hanford.« less

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 chemical composition of the streams. The maximum dissolved-solids concentration and hardness of water observed in major irrigation areas were 507 and 262 parts per million, respectively, for the. Walla Walla River near Touchet, Wash. In terms of the U.S. Salinity Laboratory Staff classification (1954, p. 80), water in most streams in the basin has low salinity and sodium hazards and is suitable for irrigation. A salt-balance problem does exist in the Hermiston-Stanfield, Oreg., area of the Umatilla River basin, and because of poor drainage, improper irrigation practices could cause salt-balance problems in the Willamette River Valley, Oreg., in which irrigation is rapidly increasing. Pollution by sewage disposal has reached undesirable levels in the Walla Walla River, in the Willamette River from Eugene to Portland, Oreg., and in the Columbia River from Portland to Puget Island. In the lower reaches of the Willamette River, the pollution load from sewage and industrial-waste disposal at times depletes the dissolved oxygen in the water to concentrations below what is considered necessary for aquatic life. Water in most of the tributaries to the lower Columbia River is of excellent quality and after some treatment could be used for industrial and municipal supplies. The principal treatment required would be disinfection and turbidity removal.

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. Survival and detection probabilities were estimated precisely for most of the 2008 yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead migrations. Hatchery and wild fish were combined in some of the analyses. For yearling Chinook salmon, overall percentages for combined release groups used in survival analyses in the Snake River were 80% hatchery-reared and 20% wild. For steelhead, the overall percentages were 65% hatchery-reared and 35% wild. Estimated survival from the tailrace of Lower Granite Dam to the tailrace of Little Goose Dam averaged 0.939 for yearling Chinook salmon and 0.935 for steelhead.« less

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.

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

Wind River Watershed Restoration: Annual Report April 2005 - March 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jezorek, Ian G.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Charrier, Jodi; Munz, Carrie

2007-01-01

This report summarizes work completed by U.S. Geological Survey’s Columbia River Research Laboratory (USGS-CRRL) in the Wind River subbasin during the period April 2005 through March 2006 under Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) contract 22095. During this period, we collected temperature, flow, and habitat data to characterize habitat condition and variation within and among tributaries and mainstem sections in the Wind River subbasin. We also conducted electrofishing and snorkeling surveys to determine juvenile salmonid populations within select study areas throughout the subbasin. Portions of this work were completed with additional funding from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group (LCFEG).

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...

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...

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...

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...

75 FR 69426 - Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, WA; Notice of Application for Amendment of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-12

... Reach Hydroelectric Project. f. Location: The project is located on the Columbia River in the City of..., Wenatchee, WA 98807. Phone: (509) 663-8121. i. FERC Contact: Any questions on this notice should be... construct a 40-slip community boat dock, and a community access area on the left bank of the Columbia River...

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.

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...

33 CFR 117.865 - Clatskanie River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 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...

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

Johnson, Gary E.; Thom, Ronald M.; Whiting, Allan H.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in coordination with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and NOAA Fisheries, originated this project (BPA Project No. 2002-076; Contract No. DE-AC06-76RL01830, Release No. 652-24). Their intent was to develop a useful habitat restoration plan for the lower Columbia River and estuary to help guide restoration efforts and fulfill Reasonable and Prudent Alternative Action 159 of the 2000 National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion on operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System. This document focuses on salmon habitat, although its ecosystem-based approach necessarily affects other species as well. Salmon habitat restoration ismore » best undertaken within the context of other biota and physical processes using an ecosystem perspective. The anticipated audience for the plan includes entities responsible for, interested in, or affected by habitat restoration in the lower Columbia River and estuary. Timeframes to apply this plan extend from the immediate (2003-2004) to the near-term (2005-2006) to the long-term (2007 and beyond). We anticipate and encourage that the plan be revised as new knowledge and experience are attained. A team comprised of the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST), the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (Estuary Partnership), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) wrote this document. The BPA and the COE, as the responsible Action Agencies, provided technical oversight. The Estuary Partnership's Science Work Group, NOAA Fisheries Habitat Conservation Division, Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) staff, and state and tribal fisheries management agencies reviewed drafts. The Independent Scientific Advisory Board of the NPPC reviewed and commented on the 90% draft. Revisions were incorporated into the final draft document subsequently released for public review. Extensive efforts were made to ensure a sound technical and policy basis and to solicit input from all interested parties.« less

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.

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.

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.

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.

Status Review of Wildlife Mitigation at 14 of 27 Major Hydroelectric Projects in Idaho, 1983-1984 Final Report.

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

Martin, Robert C.; Mehrhoff, L.A.

1985-01-01

The Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act and wildlife and their habitats in the Columbia River Basin and to compliance with the Program, the wildlife mitigation status reports coordination with resource agencies and Indian Tribes. developed the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program development, operation, and maintenance of hydroelectric projects on existing agreements; and past, current, and proposed wildlife factual review and documentation of existing information on wildlife meet the requirements of Measure 1004(b)(l) of the Program. The mitigation, enhancement, and protection activities were considered. In mitigate for the losses to those resources resulting from the purposemore » of these wildlife mitigation status reports is to provide a resources at some of the Columbia River Basin hydroelectric projects the river and its tributaries. To accomplish this goal, the Council were written with the cooperation of project operators, and in within Idaho.« less

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

Anomalous Near-Surface Low-Salinity Pulses off the Central Oregon Coast

PubMed Central

Mazzini, Piero L. F.; Risien, Craig M.; Barth, John A.; Pierce, Stephen D.; Erofeev, Anatoli; Dever, Edward P.; Kosro, P. Michael; Levine, Murray D.; Shearman, R. Kipp; Vardaro, Michael F.

2015-01-01

From mid-May to August 2011, extreme runoff in the Columbia River ranged from 14,000 to over 17,000 m3/s, more than two standard deviations above the mean for this period. The extreme runoff was the direct result of both melting of anomalously high snowpack and rainfall associated with the 2010–2011 La Niña. The effects of this increased freshwater discharge were observed off Newport, Oregon, 180 km south of the Columbia River mouth. Salinity values as low as 22, nine standard deviations below the climatological value for this period, were registered at the mid-shelf. Using a network of ocean observing sensors and platforms, it was possible to capture the onshore advection of the Columbia River plume from the mid-shelf, 20 km offshore, to the coast and eventually into Yaquina Bay (Newport) during a sustained wind reversal event. Increased freshwater delivery can influence coastal ocean ecosystems and delivery of offshore, river-influenced water may influence estuarine biogeochemistry. PMID:26607750

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

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.

Investigating the effects of Pleistocene events on genetic divergence within Richardsonius balteatus, a widely distributed western North American minnow

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Biogeographers seek to understand the influences of global climate shifts and geologic changes to the landscape on the ecology and evolution of organisms. Across both longer and shorter timeframes, the western North American landscape has experienced dynamic transformations related to various geologic processes and climatic oscillations, including events as recently as the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ~20 Ka) that have impacted the evolution of the North American biota. Redside shiner is a cyprinid species that is widely distributed throughout western North America. The species’ native range includes several well-documented Pleistocene refugia. Here we use mitochondrial DNA sequence data to assess phylogeography, and to test two biogeographic hypotheses regarding post-glacial colonization by redside shiner: 1) Redside shiner entered the Bonneville Basin at the time of the Bonneville Flood (Late Pleistocene; 14.5 Ka), and 2) redside shiner colonized British Columbia post-glacially from a single refugium in the Upper Columbia River drainage. Results Genetic diversification in redside shiner began in the mid to late Pleistocene, but was not associated with LGM. Different clades of redside shiner were distributed in multiple glacial age refugia, and each clade retains a signature of population expansion, with clades having secondary contact in some areas. Conclusions Divergence times between redside shiner populations in the Bonneville Basin and the Upper Snake/Columbia River drainage precedes the Bonneville Flood, thus it is unlikely that redside shiner invaded the Bonneville Basin during this flooding event. All but one British Columbia population of redside shiner are associated with the Upper Columbia River drainage with the lone exception being a population near the coast, suggesting that the province as a whole was colonized from multiple refugia, but the inland British Columbia redside shiner populations are affiliated with a refugium in the Upper Columbia River drainage. PMID:24885371

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

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

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

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.

Evaluate ERTS imagery for mapping and detection of changes of snowcover on land and on glaciers. [Washington, Alaska, British Columbia, and U.S.S.R.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meier, M. F. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The standard error of measurement of snow covered areas in major drainage basins in the Cascade Range, Washington, using single measurements of ERTS-1 images, was found to range from 11% to 7% during a typical melt season, but was as high as 32% in midwinter. Many dangerous glacier situations in Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia were observed on ERTS-1 imagery. Glacier dammed lakes in Alaska are being monitored by ERTS-1. Embayments in tidal glaciers show changes detectable by ERTS-1. Surges of Russell and Tweedsmuir Glaciers, now in progress, are clearly visible. The Tweedsmuir surge is likely to dam the large Alsek River by mid-November, producing major floods down-river next summer. An ERTS-1 image of the Pamir Mountains, Tadjik S.S.R., shows the surging Medvezhii (Bear) Glacier just after its surge of early summer which dammed the Abdukagor Valley creating a huge lake and later a flood in the populous Vanch River Valley. A map was compiled from an ERTS-1 image of the Lowell Glacier after its recent surge, compared with an earlier map compiled from pain-stakingly compiled from a mosaic of many aerial photographs, in a total elapsed time of 1.5 hours. This demonstrates the value of ERTS-1 for rapid mapping of large features.

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...

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...

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.

33 CFR 117.881 - John Day River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.881 John Day River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...

33 CFR 117.881 - John Day River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.881 John Day River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...

33 CFR 117.881 - John Day River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Oregon § 117.881 John Day River. The draw of the... (Washington State Department of Fisheries and the Fish Commission of Oregon) for the Columbia River Fishery...

Rainwater Wildlife Area Management Plan : Executive Summary.

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

Childs, Allen B.; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon.

The purpose of the project is to protect, enhance, and mitigate fish and wildlife resources impacted by Columbia River Basin hydroelectric development. The effort is one of several wildlife mitigation projects in the region developed to compensate for terrestrial habitat losses resulting from the construction of McNary and John Day Hydroelectric facilities located on the mainstem Columbia River. While this project is driven primarily by the purpose and need to mitigate for wildlife habitat losses, it is also recognized that management strategies will also benefit many other non-target fish and wildlife species and associated natural resources. The Northwest Power Actmore » directs the NPPC to develop a program to ''protect, mitigate, and enhance'' fish and wildlife of the Columbia River and its tributaries. The overarching goals include: A Columbia River ecosystem that sustains an abundant, productive, and diverse community of fish and wildlife; Mitigation across the basin for the adverse effects to fish and wildlife caused by the development and operation of the hydrosystem; Sufficient populations of fish and wildlife for abundant opportunities for tribal trust and treaty right harvest and for non-tribal harvest; and Recovery of the fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of the hydrosystem that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.« less

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.

Using remotely sensed imagery and GIS to monitor and research salmon spawning: A case study of the Hanford Reach fall chinook (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha)

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

RH Visser

2000-03-16

The alteration of ecological systems has greatly reduced salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest. The Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, for example, is a component of the last ecosystem in eastern Washington State that supports a relatively healthy population of fall chinook salmon ([Oncorhynchus tshawytscha], Huntington et al. 1996). This population of fall chinook may function as a metapopulation for the Mid-Columbia region (ISG 1996). Metapopulations can seed or re-colonize unused habitat through the mechanism of straying (spawning in non-natal areas) and may be critical to the salmon recovery process if lost or degraded habitat is restored (i.e., themore » Snake, Upper Columbia, and Yakima rivers). For these reasons, the Hanford Reach fall chinook salmon population is extremely important for preservation of the species in the Columbia River Basin. Because this population is important to the region, non-intrusive techniques of analysis are essential for researching and monitoring population trends and spawning activities.« less

Effect of Rapidly Changing River Stage on Uranium Flux through the Hyporheic Zone

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

Fritz, Brad G.; Arntzen, Evan V.

2007-11-01

At the Hanford Site, the flux of uranium contaminated groundwater into the Columbia River varies according to the dynamic changes in hydraulic gradient caused by fluctuating river stage. The river stage changes in response to operations of dams on the Columbia River. Piezometers were installed in the hyporheic zone to facilitate long term, high frequency measurement of water and uranium fluxes into the Columbia River in response to fluctuating river stage. In addition, measurement of the water level in the near shore unconfined aquifer enhanced the understanding of the relationship between fluctuating river stage and uranium flux. The changing rivermore » stage caused head fluctuations in the unconfined aquifer, and resulted in fluctuating hydraulic gradient in the hyporheic zone. Further, influx of river water into the unconfined aquifer caused reduced uranium concentration in near shore groundwater as a result of dilution. Calculated water flux through the hyporheic zone ranged between 0.3 and -0.5 L/min/m2. The flux of uranium through the hyporheic zone exceeded 30 ug/min/m2 during some time periods, but was generally on the order of 3 to 5 ug/min/m2 over the course of this study. It was also found that at this location, the top 20 cm of the hyporheic zone constituted the most restrictive portion of the aquifer, and controlled the flux of water through the hyporheic zone.« less

Electronic tagging of green sturgeon reveals population structure and movement among estuaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindley, S.T.; Erickson, D.L.; Moser, M.L.; Williams, G.; Langness, O.P.; McCovey, B.W.; Belchik, M.; Vogel, D.; Pinnix, W.; Kelly, J.T.; Heublein, J.C.; Klimley, A.P.

2011-01-01

Green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris spend much of their lives outside of their natal rivers, but the details of their migrations and habitat use are poorly known, which limits our understanding of how this species might be affected by human activities and habitat degradation.We tagged 355 green sturgeon with acoustic transmitters on their spawning grounds and in known nonspawning aggregation sites and examined their movement among these sites and other potentially important locations using automated data-logging hydrophones. We found that green sturgeon inhabit a number of estuarine and coastal sites over the summer, including the Columbia River estuary, Willapa Bay, Grays Harbor, and the estuaries of certain smaller rivers in Oregon, especially the Umpqua River estuary. Green sturgeon from different natal rivers exhibited different patterns of habitat use; most notably, San Francisco Bay was used only by Sacramento River fish, while the Umpqua River estuary was used mostly by fish from the Klamath and Rogue rivers. Earlier work, based on analysis of microsatellite markers, suggested that the Columbia River mixed stock was mainly composed of fish from the Sacramento River, but our results indicate that fish from the Rogue and Klamath River populations frequently use the Columbia River as well. We also found evidence for the existence of migratory contingentswithin spawning populations.Our findings have significant implications for the management of the threatened Sacramento River population of green sturgeon, which migrates to inland waters outside of California where anthropogenic impacts, including fisheries bycatch and water pollution, may be a concern. Our results also illustrate the utility of acoustic tracking to elucidate the migratory behavior of animals that are otherwise difficult to observe. ?? American Fisheries Society 2011.

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...

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

6. View of south tower, facing south from Clover Island, ...

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

6. View of south tower, facing south from Clover Island, across boat moorage channel. - Pasco-Kennewick Transmission Line, Columbia River Crossing Towers, Columbia Drive & Gum Street, Kennewick, Benton County, WA

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 the mouth of the river at higher rates, with estimated survival probabilities of 84% and 86%, respectively. The influence of route of passage at the lower three dams in the FCRPS on juvenile salmonid survival appeared to be relatively direct and immediate. Significant differences in estimated survival probabilities of juvenile salmonid smolts among groups with different dam passage experiences were often detected between the dams and rkm 153. In contrast, the influence of route of passage on survival to the mouth of the Columbia River was not apparent among the groups of tagged juvenile salmonids with different FCRPS passage experiences after they had already survived to a point about 80 km downstream of Bonneville Dam. Yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts that migrated through the lower estuary in off-channel habitats took two to three times longer to travel through these lower reaches and their estimated survival probabilities were not significantly different from that of their cohorts which migrated in or near the navigation channel. A large proportion of the tagged juvenile salmonids migrating in or near the navigation channel in the lower estuary crossed from the south side of the estuary near Astoria, Oregon and passed through relatively shallow expansive sand flats (Taylor Sands) to the North Channel along the Washington shore of the estuary. This migratory behavior may contribute to the avian predation losses observed on for fish (2 to 12% of fish in this study).« less

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

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.

11. photographer unknown 3 September 1984 AERIAL VIEW OF BONNEVILLE ...

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

11. photographer unknown 3 September 1984 AERIAL VIEW OF BONNEVILLE PROJECT TAKEN AT 6000-FOOT ELEVATION. POWERHOUSE #1 AND NAVIGATION LOCK ARE IN UPPER/CENTER PART OF PHOTO, AND THE DAM/SPILLWAY IS IN LEFT/CENTER; THE SECOND POWERHOUSE IS PARTIALLY VISIBLE IN LOWER LEFT CORNER. COLUMBIA RIVER FLOWS FROM LEFT-TO-RIGHT. - Bonneville Project, Columbia River, 1 mile Northeast of Exit 40, off Interstate 84, Bonneville, Multnomah County, OR

Demolition of Munitions Storage Area Facilities. Right Size Project 10-0192C

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

area of the Proposed Action. 3.4.2 Affected Environment Fairchild AFB is situated within the channeled scablands of the Columbia River Basin which...grebe, great blue heron, turkey vulture, Caspian tern , black tern , and osprey. The white-tailed jackrabbit, a state candidate species, is known to...Geography The MSA is located in the Upper Columbia River Basin Basalt Geomorphic Province and lies within the Latah Creek watershed. The landtype is

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...

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.

The Results of a Laboratory Feasibility Study for the Biological Treatment of Umatilla Groundwater

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

high fructose corn syrup Kroger brand lactose Columbia River Processors, Boardman, OR cheese whey Columbia River Processors, Boardman, OR lactate...Processing Roy Dugan 541·481-3771 79588 Rippee Road 55 High Fructose Corn Syrup Malt Products Corp. Joanne McGuire 530-677-8282 #677 Blackstrap...communication with experts) tested in Run 1 were: • high - fructose corn sugar (based on promising results obtained using soft drink by-products

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

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

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

Johnson, Gary E.

The Estuary/Ocean Subgroup (EOS) is part of the research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME) effort that the Action Agencies (Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) developed in response to obligations arising from the Endangered Species Act as applied to operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). The goal of the EOS project is to facilitate activities of the estuary/ocean RME subgroup as it coordinates design and implementation of federal RME in the lower Columbia River and estuary. The EOS is one of multiple work groups in the federal research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME)more » effort developed in response to responsibilities arising from the Endangered Species Act as a result of operation of the FCRPS. The EOS is tasked by NOAA Fisheries and the Action Agencies to design and coordinate implementation of the federal RME plan for the lower Columbia River and estuary, including the plume.« less

The quality of our Nation's waters: groundwater quality in the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain basin-fill and basaltic-rock aquifers and the Hawaiian volcanic-rock aquifers, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii, 1993-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2015-01-01

The Columbia Plateau, Snake River Plain, and Hawaii are large volcanic areas in the western United States and mid-Pacific ocean that contain extensive regional aquifers of a hard, gray, volcanic rock called basalt. Residents of the Columbia Plateau, the Snake River Plain, and the island of Oahu depend on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Although the depth to the water table can be several hundred feet, the groundwater is highly vulnerable to contamination because the permeable sediments and rocks allow contaminants to move readily down to the water table. Intense agricultural and urban activities occur above the drinking-water supply and are increasing in some areas. Contaminants, such as nitrate, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds, associated with agricultural and urban activities, have adversely affected groundwater quality.

Geologic map of the Vancouver and Orchards quadrangles and parts of the Portland and Mount Tabor quadrangles, Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, Jim E.; Cannon, Charles M.; Mangano, Joseph F.; Evarts, Russell C.

2016-06-03

IntroductionThis is a 1:24,000-scale geologic map of the Vancouver and Orchards quadrangles and parts of the Portland and Mount Tabor quadrangles in the States of Washington and Oregon. The map area is within the Portland Basin and includes most of the city of Vancouver, Washington; parts of Clark County, Washington; and a small part of northwestern Multnomah County, Oregon. The Columbia River flows through the southern part of the map area, generally forming the southern limit of mapping. Mapped Quaternary geologic units include late Pleistocene cataclysmic flood deposits, eolian deposits, and alluvium of the Columbia River and its tributaries. Older deposits include Miocene to Pleistocene alluvium from an ancestral Columbia River. Regional geologic structures are not exposed in the map area but are inferred from nearby mapping.

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

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

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.

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

Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) Report; Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Technical Report 2000-2001.

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

Allard, Donna

2001-09-01

Steigenvald Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR, refuge) was established as a result of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) transferring ownership of the Stevenson tract located in the historic Steigerwald Lake site to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS, Service) for the mitigation of the fish and wildlife losses associated with the construction of a second powerhouse at the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River and relocation of the town of North Bonneville (Public Law 98-396). The construction project was completed in 1983 and resulted in the loss of approximately 577 acres of habitat on the Washingtonmore » shore of the Columbia River (USFWS, 1982). The COE determined that acquisition and development of the Steigenvald Lake area, along with other on-site project management actions, would meet their legal obligation to mitigate for these impacts (USCOE, 1985). Mitigation requirements included restoration and enhancement of this property to increase overall habitat diversity and productivity. From 1994 to 1999, 317 acres of additional lands, consisting of four tracts of contiguous land, were added to the original refuge with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funds provided through the Washington Wildlife Mitigation Agreement. These tracts comprised Straub (191 acres), James (90 acres), Burlington Northern (27 acres), and Bliss (9 acres). Refer to Figure 1. Under this Agreement, BPA budgeted $2,730,000 to the Service for 'the protection, mitigation, and enhancement of wildlife and wildlife habitat that was adversely affected by the construction of Federal hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River or its tributaries' in the state of Washington (BPA, 1993). Lands acquired for mitigation resulting from BPA actions are evaluated using the habitat evaluation procedures (HEP) methodology, which quantifies how many Habitat Units (HUs) are to be credited to BPA. HUs or credits gained lessen BPA's debt, which was formally tabulated in the Federal Columbia River Power System Loss Assessments and adopted as part of the Northwest Power Planning Council's Fish and Wildlife Program as a BPA obligation (BPA, 1994). Steigenvald Lake NWR is located in southwest Washington (Clark County), within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Historically part of the Columbia River flood plain, the refuge area was disconnected from the river by a series of dikes constructed by the COE for flood control in 1966. An aerial photograph from 1948 portrays this area as an exceedingly complex mosaic of open water, wetlands, sloughs, willow and cottonwood stands, wet meadows, upland pastures, and agricultural fields, which once supported a large assemblage of fish and wildlife populations. Eliminating the threat of periodic inundation by the Columbia River allowed landowners to more completely convert the area into upland pasture and farmland through channelization and removal of standing water. Native pastures were 'improved' for grazing by the introduction of non-native fescues, orchard grass, ryegrass, and numerous clovers. Although efforts to drain the lake were not entirely successful, wetland values were still significantly reduced.« less

Ground-water flow and ground- and surface-water interaction at McBaine Bottoms, Columbia, Missouri--2000-02

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Brenda J.

2003-01-01

McBaine Bottoms southwest of Columbia, Missouri, is the site of 4,269 acres of the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, about 130 acres of the city of Columbia wastewater-treat-ment wetlands, and the city of Columbia munici-pal-supply well field. The city of Columbia wastewater-treatment wetlands supply treated effluent to the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. The presence of a sustained ground-water high underlying the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area has indicated that ground-water flow is toward the municipal well field that supplies drinking water to the city of Columbia. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation and the city of Columbia, measured the ground-water levels in about 88 monitoring wells and the surface-water elevation at 4 sites monthly during a 27-month period to determine the ground-water flow and the ground- and surface-water interaction at McBaine Bottoms. Lateral ground-water flow was dominated by the presence of a ground-water high that was beneath the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area and the presence of a cone of depression in the northern part of the study area. The ground-water high was present during all months of the study. Ground-water flow was radially away from the apex of the ground-water high; west and south of the high, flow was toward the Missouri River, east of the high, flow was toward Perche Creek, and north of the high, flow was toward the north toward the city of Columbia well field. The cone of depression was centered around the city of Columbia well field. Another permanent feature on the water-level maps was a ground-water high beneath treatment wetland unit 1. Although the ground-water high beneath the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area was present throughout the study period, the configuration of the high changed depending on hydrologic conditions. Generally in the spring, the height of the ground-water high began to decrease and hydraulic gradients around the high became more shallow than in the winter months. In early summer, the high was the least pronounced. During mid-sum-mer, the high became more pronounced, and it continued to become higher, increasing until it reached its maximum height in late fall or early winter. Fluctuations in the ground-water high were partially produced by the cycle of flooding of the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area wetland pools in the fall and subsequent drainage so crops could be planted in many of the wetland pools. The cone of depression in the northern part of the study area generally extended from the base of the ground-water high in the northern part of the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area throughout the rest of the study area. The depth of the cone primarily was affected by the altitude of the Missouri River and the quantity of water being pumped from the alluvial aquifer by the city of Columbia well field. Ground-water flow in the alluvial aquifer in McBaine Bottoms in the late 1960?s before the development of the city of Columbia well field and the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area was from northwest to southeast approximately parallel to the Missouri River. The ground-water high beneath the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area and the cone of depression around the city of Columbia well field were not present in water-level maps for 1968 and 1978. The Missouri River can be a source of recharge to the alluvial aquifer. Generally the altitude of the river in the northern part of the study area was higher than the water table in the aquifer. Ground-water flow in this area was from the river into the alluvial aquifer. In the southern part of the study area adjacent to the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, the Missouri River was lower than the water table in the alluvial aquifer, indicating that the river was receiving water from the alluvial aquifer beneath the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area.

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 designed to show some initial analysis and to disseminate summary information that could potentially be used in ongoing modeling efforts by USGS, Reclamation, and University of Idaho. The second chapter documents the database of fish and habitat data collected by USGS from 2004 through 2012 and compares USGS habitat protocols to the Columbia Habitat Monitoring Program (CHaMP) protocol. The third chapter is a survival analysis of fish moving through Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag interrogation systems in the Methow and Columbia Rivers. It examines the effects of adding PIT tags and/or PIT tag interrogation systems on survival estimates of juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon.

Molecular epizootiology and evolution of the glycoprotein and non-virion protein genes of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, a fish rhabdovirus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichol, Stuart T.; Rowe, Joan E.; Winton, James R.

1995-01-01

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) causes a highly lethal, economically important disease of salmon and trout. The virus is enzootic throughout western North America, and has been spread to Asia and Europe. The nucleotide sequences of the glycoprotein (G) and non-virion (NV) genes of 12 diverse IHNV isolates were determined in order to examine the molecular epizootiology of IHN, the primary structure and conservation of NV, and the evolution of the virus. The G and NV genes and their encoded proteins were highly conserved, with a maximum pairwise nucleotide divergence of 3.6 and 4.4.%, and amino acid divergence of 3.7 and 6.2%, respectively. Conservation of NV protein sequence (111 amino acids in length) confirms that the protein is functional and plays an important role in virus replication. The phylogenetic relationship of viruses was found to correlate with the geographic origin of virus isolates rather than with host species or time of isolation. These data are consistent with stable maintenance of virus in enzootic foci. Two main IHNV genetic lineages were identified; one in the Columbia River Basin (Oregon, Washington and Idaho), the other in the Sacramento River Basin (California). The first major IHNV outbreak in chinook salmon in 1973 in the Columbia River was genetically linked to importation of virus-infected fish eggs from the Sacramento River where outbreaks in chinook salmon are common. However, the introduced virus apparently did not persist, subsequent virus outbreaks in Columbia River chinook salmon being associated with Columbia River genetic lineages. In general, virus monoclonal antibody reactivity profiles and phylogenetic relationships correlated well.

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 all of FY 1991. ''Deferred'' means that BPA implementation has been postponed to FY 1992 or later. ''Completed'' indicates completion during FY 1990. ''New'' denotes projects planned for BPA implementation in FY 1991. However, several of these new projects were still under review by the Policy Review Group as the FY 1991 AIWP went to press. The new projects still under review have been noted in Table 2 and in the text of the AIWP. A number of projects are expected to begin in late FY 1990 and have been listed in Table 1 of the Draft AIWP as ''Projected FY '90 Starts,'' based on their projected start dates. Several other projects are expected to end in late FY 1990. These projects have been listed in Table 1 as ''Projected FY '90 Completions,'' based on their projected completion dates. Section VIII describes BPA's non-Program, internal support projects. These projects were not subject to review by the PRG and have been included in the AIWP to help the PRG and the public to better understand what BPA is doing.« less

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, and deferred projects. Table 2 (pp. 15-18) lists all projects which BPA plans to fund as ''new'' projects in FY 1990. ''Ongoing'' status indicates that the project started in FY 1989 or before, and that it is expected to continue in FY 1990. ''Deferred'' means that BPA implementation has been postponed to FY 1991 or later. ''Completed'' indicates completion during FY 1989. ''New'' denotes projects that BPA plans to start in FY 1990. One new FY 1990 project was included in the draft FY 1990 AIWP as a ''conditional'' project, as a result of PRG recommendations at the May 25, 1989, PRG meeting. If specified conditions are met, BPA will begin to implement the project in FY 1990. Section VII describes BPA's non-Program, internal support projects. These projects were not subject to review by the PRG and have been included in the AIWP to help the PRG and the public to better understand what BPA is doing.« less

Genetic variation in steelhead of Oregon and northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reisenbichler, R.R.; McIntyre, J.D.; Solazzi, M.F.; Landino, S.W

1992-01-01

Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss from various sites between the Columbia River and the Mad River, California, were genetically characterized at 10 protein-coding loci or pairs of loci by starch gel electrophoresis. Fish from coastal streams differed from fish east of the Cascade Mountains and from fish of the Willamette River (a tributary of the Columbia River, west of the Cascade Mountains). Coastal steelhead from the northern part of the study area differed from those in the southern part. Genetic differentiation within and among drainages was not statistically significant; however, gene diversity analysis and the life history of steelhead suggested that fish from different drainages should be considered as separate populations. Genetic variation among fish in separate drainages was similar to that reported in northwestern Washington and less than that reported in British Columbia. Allele frequencies varied significantly among year-classes. Genetic variation within samples accounted for 98.3% of the total genetic variation observed in this study. Most hatchery populations differed from wild populations, suggesting that conservation of genetic diversity among and within wild populations could be facilitated by altering hatchery programs.

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

Dowell, Jonathan; Franco, Joe

The discussion of Hanford's River Corridor will cover work that has already been completed plus the work remaining to be done. This includes the buildings, waste sites, and groundwater plumes in the 300 Area; large-scale burial ground remediation in the 600 Area; plutonium production reactor dismantling and 'cocooning' along the river; preservation of the world's first full-scale plutonium production reactor; removal of more than 14 million tons of contaminated soil and debris along the Columbia River shoreline and throughout the River Corridor; and the excavation of buried waste sites in the river shore area. It also includes operating an EPA-permittedmore » low-level waste disposal facility in the central portion of the site. At the completions of cleanup in 2015, Hanford's River Corridor will be the largest closure project ever completed by the Department of Energy. Cleanup of the River Corridor has been one of Hanford's top priorities since the early 1990's. This urgency has been due to the proximity of hundreds of waste sites to the Columbia River. In addition, removal of the sludge from K West Basin, near the river, remains a high priority. This 220-square-mile area of the Hanford Site sits on the edge of the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River. The River Corridor portion of the Hanford Site includes the 100 and 300 Areas along the south shore of the Columbia River. The 100 Areas contain nine retired plutonium production reactors. These areas are also the location of numerous support facilities and solid and liquid waste disposal sites that have contaminated groundwater and soil. The 300 Area, located just north of the city of Richland, contains fuel fabrication facilities, nuclear research and development facilities, and their associated solid and liquid waste disposal sites that have contaminated groundwater and soil. In order to ensure that cleanup actions address all threats to human health and the environment, the River Corridor includes the adjacent areas that extend from the 100 Area and 300 Area to the Central Plateau. For sites in the River Corridor, remedial actions are expected to restore groundwater to drinking water standards and ensure that aquatic life in the Columbia River is protected by achieving ambient water quality standards. It is intended that these objectives be achieved, unless technically impracticable, within a reasonable timeframe. In those instances where remedial action objectives are not achievable in a reasonable time frame, or are determined to be technically impracticable, programs are being implemented to contain the plume, prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater, and evaluate further risk reduction opportunities as new technologies become available. River Corridor cleanup work also removes potential sources of contamination, which are close to the Columbia River, and places them on the Central Plateau for final disposal. The intent is to shrink the footprint of active cleanup to within the 75-square- mile area of the Central Plateau by removing excess facilities and remediating waste sites. Cleanup actions are supporting anticipated future land uses consistent with the Hanford Reach National Monument, where applicable, and the Hanford Comprehensive Land- Use Plan (DOE 1999). The River Corridor has been divided into six geographic decision areas to achieve source and groundwater remedy decisions. These decisions will provide comprehensive coverage for all areas within the River Corridor and will incorporate ongoing interim action cleanup activities. Cleanup levels will be achieved in order to support anticipated future land uses of conservation and preservation for most of this area and industrial use for the 300 Area. At the conclusion of cleanup actions, the federal government will implement long-term stewardship activities to ensure protection of human health and the environment. (authors)« less

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.

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...

Linkages between life history type and migration pathways in freshwater and marine environments for Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Rishi; Quinn, Thomas P.

2012-05-01

Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, are commonly categorized as ocean-type (migrating to the ocean in their first year of life) or stream-type (migrating after a full year in freshwater). These two forms have been hypothesized to display different ocean migration pathways; the former are hypothesized to migrate primarily on the continental shelf whereas the latter are hypothesized to migrate off the shelf to the open ocean. These differences in migration patterns have important implications for management, as fishing mortality rates are strongly influenced by ocean migration. Ocean-type Chinook salmon predominate in coastal rivers in the southern part of the species' range, whereas stream-type predominate in the interior and northerly rivers. This latitudinal gradient has confounded previous efforts to test the hypothesis regarding ocean migration pathways. To address this problem, we used a pair-wise design based on coded wire tagging data to compare the marine distributions of stream- and ocean-type Chinook salmon from a suite of rivers producing both forms. Both forms of Chinook salmon from the lower Columbia River, Oregon coast, lower Fraser River, and northern British Columbia rivers followed similar migration paths, contradicting the hypothesis. In contrast, recoveries of tagged Chinook salmon from the upper Columbia River, Snake River, and the upper Fraser River revealed migration patterns consistent with the hypothesis. These findings have important implications for our understanding of these life history types, and also for the conservation and management of declining, threatened, or endangered stream-type Chinook salmon populations in the US and Canada.

4. View of center tower at Clover Island, facing northeast. ...

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

4. View of center tower at Clover Island, facing northeast. Pasco-Kennewick automobile bridge in background, lower right. - Pasco-Kennewick Transmission Line, Columbia River Crossing Towers, Columbia Drive & Gum Street, Kennewick, Benton County, WA

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.

Effects of Fluctuating River flow on Groundwater/Surface Water Mixing in the Hyporheic Zone of a Regulated, Large Cobble Bed River

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

Arntzen, Evan V.; Geist, David R.; Dresel, P. Evan

2006-10-31

Physicochemical relationships in the boundary zone between groundwater and surface water (i.e., the hyporheic zone) are controlled by surface water hydrology and the hydrogeologic properties of the riverbed. We studied how sediment permeability and river discharge altered the vertical hydraulic gradient (VHG) and water quality of the hyporheic zone within the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. The Columbia River at Hanford is a large, cobble-bed river where water level fluctuates up to 2 m daily because of hydropower generation. Concomitant with recording river stage, continuous readings were made of water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and water level ofmore » the hyporheic zone. The water level data were used to calculate VHG between the river and hyporheic zone. Sediment permeability was estimated using slug tests conducted in piezometers installed into the river bed. The response of water quality measurements and VHG to surface water fluctuations varied widely among study sites, ranging from no apparent response to co-variance with river discharge. At some sites, a hysteretic relationship between river discharge and VHG was indicated by a time lag in the response of VHG to changes in river stage. The magnitude, rate of change, and hysteresis of the VHG response varied the most at the least permeable location (hydraulic conductivity (K) = 2.9 x 10-4 cms-1), and the least at the most permeable location (K=8.0 x 10-3 cms-1). Our study provides empirical evidence that sediment properties and river discharge both control the water quality of the hyporheic zone. Regulated rivers, like the Columbia River at Hanford, that undergo large, frequent discharge fluctuations represent an ideal environment to study hydrogeologic processes over relatively short time scales (i.e., days to weeks) that would require much longer periods of time to evaluate (i.e., months to years) in un-regulated systems.« less

Route-Specific Passage Proportions and Survival Rates for Fish Passing through John Day Dam, The Dalles Dam, and Bonneville Dam in 2010 and 2011

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

Ploskey, Gene R.; Weiland, Mark A.; Carlson, Thomas J.

This report fulfills a request of the U.S. Army Engineer District, Portland, Oregon, to produce an interim report of estimates of route-specific fish passage proportions and survival rates for lower Columbia River dams in 2010 and 2011. The estimates are needed to update the Compass Model for the Columbia River Treaty and the new Biological Opinion before detail technical reports are published in late 2012. This report tabulates route-specific fish-passage proportions and survival rates for steelhead and Chinook salmon smolts passing through various sampled routes at John Day Dam, The Dalles Dam, and Bonneville Dam in 2010 and 2011. Resultsmore » were compiled from analyses of data acquired in spring 2010 and 2011 studies that were specifically designed to estimate dam-passage and forebay-to-tailrace survival rates, travel time metrics, and spill passage efficiency, as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion and the Columbia Basin Fish Accords. The study designs allowed for estimation of route-specific fish passage proportions and survival rates as well as estimation of forebay-passage survival, all of which are summarized herein.« less

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

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

Trudel, Marc; Tucker, Strahan; Morris, John

Historically, salmon stocks from the Columbia River and Snake River formed one of the most valuable fisheries on the west coast of North America. However, salmon and steelhead returns sharply declined during the 1980s and 1990s to reach nearly 1 million fish. Although several factors may be responsible for the decline of Columbia River salmon and steelhead, there is increasing evidence that these drastic declines were primarily attributable to persistently unfavorable ocean conditions. Hence, an understanding of the effects of ocean conditions on salmon production is required to forecast the return of salmon to the Columbia River basin and tomore » assess the efficacy of mitigation measures such as flow regulation on salmon resources in this system. The Canadian Program on High Seas Salmon has been collecting juvenile salmon and oceanographic data off the west coast of British Columbia and Southeast Alaska since 1998 to assess the effects of ocean conditions on the distribution, migration, growth, and survival of Pacific salmon. Here, we present a summary of the work conducted as part of the Canada-USA Salmon Shelf Survival Study during the 2008 fiscal year and compare these results with those obtained from previous years. The working hypothesis of this research is that fast growth enhances the marine survival of salmon, either because fast growing fish quickly reach a size that is sufficient to successfully avoid predators, or because they accumulate enough energy reserves to better survive their first winter at sea, a period generally considered critical in the life cycle of salmon. Sea surface temperature decreased from FY05 to FY08, whereas, the summer biomass of phytoplankton increased steadily off the west coast of Vancouver Island from FY05 to FY08. As in FY07, zooplankton biomass was generally above average off the west coast of Vancouver Island in FY08. Interestingly, phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass were higher in FY08 than was expected from the observed nutrient concentration that year. This suggests nutrients were more effectively by phytoplankton in FY08. In addition, the abundance of lipid-rich northern copepods increased from FY05 to FY08, whereas lipid-poor southern copepods showed the opposite pattern, suggesting that growth conditions were more favorable to juvenile salmon in FY08 than in previous years. However, growth indices for juvenile coho salmon were near the 1998-2008 average, both off the west coast of Vancouver Island and Southeast Alaska, indicating that additional factors beside prey quality affect juvenile salmon growth in the marine environment. Catches of juvenile Chinook, sockeye and chum salmon off the west coast of Vancouver Island in June-July 2008 were the highest on record during summer since 1998, suggesting that early marine survival for the 2008 smolt year was high. Interestingly, the proportion of hatchery fish was high (80-100%) among the juvenile Columbia River Chinook salmon caught off the British Columbia coast during summer, suggest that relatively few wild Chinook salmon are produced in the Columbia River Chinook. In addition, we also recovered two coded-wire tagged juvenile Redfish Lake sockeye salmon in June 2008 off the west coast of British Columbia. As relatively few Redfish Lake sockeye smolts are tagged each year, this also suggests that early marine survival was high for these fish, and may result in a high return in 2009 if they mature at age three, or in 2010 if they mature at age four. To date, our research shows that different populations of Columbia River salmon move to different locations along the coastal zone where they establish their ocean feeding grounds and overwinter. We further show that ocean conditions experienced by juvenile Columbia River salmon vary among regions of the coast, with higher plankton productivity and temperatures off the west coast of Vancouver Island than in Southeast Alaska. Hence, different stocks of juvenile salmon originating from the Columbia River and Snake River are exposed to different ocean conditions and may respond differently to climate changes. In particular, our work shows that the growth and fat content of Chinook and coho salmon vary along different parts of the coast and among years. These growth differences appear to be associated with differences in prey quality rather than by a direct effect of temperature on salmon growth or prey quantity, indicating that changes in ocean conditions and circulation affect salmon production indirectly through changes in prey community composition and quality. Taken together, our analyses indicate that the relative survival of different stocks of salmon in the ocean will depend on where they migrate in the ocean, and that changes at the base of the food chain must be taken into consideration to understand the effects of ocean conditions on salmon growth, and hence, on salmon survival.« 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 than fish in the cool thermal regime.

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 papers in this special issue.

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

Skalski, John R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

The study was designed to estimate dam passage survival at Bonneville Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and to provide additional fish passage performance measures at that site as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

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 locations.

Proceedings of a Seminar on Water Quality Evaluation. 22-24 January 1980, Tampa, Florida.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

Columbia River system from the Pacific Ocean to Lewiston , Idaho , a distance of 465 miles. Tugs and barges are raised a total of 738 feet in this distance by...States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho , Montana and small areas in Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. It drains 259,000 square miles, about 15% of which are in...million acres of agricultural land in Oregon, Washington and Idaho were irrigated with water from the river system in 1979. - Fisheries In the Columbia

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

Environmental Assessment: Armed Forces Reserve Center Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

and are a major part of the landscape from the Spokane area southwestward to Moses Lake and as far south as the Columbia River . Soils in the...turkey vulture, Caspian tern , black tern , and osprey. The white-tailed jackrabbit, a state candidate species, is known to occur adjacent to FAFB but... Columbia River Basalt Group. The uppermost basalt is referred to as Basalt A, and the deeper basalt sequence is referred to as Basalt B. The top

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

1988 Hanford riverbank springs characterization report

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

Dirkes, R.L.

1990-12-01

This reports presents the results of a special study undertaken to characterize the riverbank springs (i.e., ground-water seepage) entering the Columbia River along the Hanford Site. Radiological and nonradiological analyses were performed. River water samples were also analyzed from upstream and downstream of the Site as well as from the immediate vicinity of the springs. In addition, irrigation return water and spring water entering the river along the shoreline opposite Hanford were analyzed. Hanford-origin contaminants were detected in spring water entering the Columbia River along the Hanford Site. The type and concentrations of contaminants in the spring water were similarmore » to those known to exist in the ground water near the river. The location and extent of the contaminated discharges compared favorably with recent ground-water reports and predictions. Spring discharge volumes remain very small relative to the flow of the Columbia. Downstream river sampling demonstrates the impact of ground-water discharges to be minimal, and negligible in most cases. Radionuclide concentrations were below US Department of Energy Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs) with the exception {sup 90}Sr near the 100-N Area. Tritium, while below the DCG, was detected at concentrations above the US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards in several springs. All other radionuclide concentrations were below drinking water standards. Nonradiological contaminants were generally undetectable in the spring water. River water contaminant concentrations, outside of the immediate discharge zones, were below drinking water standards in all cases. 19 refs., 5 figs., 12 tabs.« less

Geographic variation, genetic structure and conservation unit designation in the larch mountain salamander( Plethodon larselli)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, R.S.; Miller, Mark P.; Crisafulli, Charles; Haig, Susan M.

2005-01-01

The Larch Mountain salamander (Plethodon larselli Burns, 1954) is an endemic species in the Pacific northwestern United States facing threats related to habitat destruction. To facilitate development of conservation strategies, we used DNA sequences and RAPDs (random amplified polymorphic DNA) to examine differences among populations of this species. Phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome b revealed a clade of haplotypes from populations north of the Columbia River derived from a clade containing haplotypes from the river's southwestern region. Haplotypes from southeastern populations formed a separate clade. Nucleotide diversity was reduced in northern populations relative to southern populations. These results were corroborated by analyses of RAPD loci, which revealed similar patterns of clustering and diversity. Network analyses suggested that northern populations were colonized following a range expansion mediated by individuals from populations located southwest of the river. Changes in the Columbia River's location during the Pliocene and Pleistocene likely released distributional constraints on this species, permitting their northern range expansion. Based on the barrier presented by the Columbia River's present location and differences in haplotype diversity and population structure observed between northern and southern populations, we suggest that designation of separate management units encompassing each region may assist with mitigating different threats to this species.

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 report presents classification results from analysis of the CASI imagery. Data sets produced for this project from both types of imagery fill a critical information gap by creating a current description of the condition and extent of estuarine habitat cover types along the lower Columbia River. Results from this study will be used by the Estuary Partnership and its cooperators to: (1) develop indicators of 'habitat health' and biological integrity; (2) develop definitions of 'critical salmonid habitat'; (3) identify and evaluate potential wetland conservation and restoration sites; (4) track exotic and invasive species; and (5) develop an understanding of how estuarine and riverine habitats have changed over the past 200 years. This study focuses on estuarine and riparian habitat cover types important to native species, particularly juvenile salmonids. This study is meant to provide support to the multiple efforts currently underway to recover 12 species of Columbia River salmonids identified as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.« less

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.

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

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 modified (small-sized) Merwin trapnet. We found this floating trapnet to be very effective in catching northern pikeminnow at specific sites. Consequently, in 1993 we examined a system-wide fishery using floating trapnets, but found this fishery to be ineffective at harvesting large numbers of northern pikeminnow on a system-wide scale.« less

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

Flagg, Thomas A.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) are involved in a project to evaluate the feasibility of re-establishing anadromous salmon runs to Cle Elum Lake in the Yakima River Basin of Washington state. Historically, the Yakima River system supported large runs of anadromous salmonids that contributed significantly to the Columbia River harvest. Habitat destruction and overfishing drastically reduced run abundance prior to the early 1900s. Salmon runs were eliminated from upper reaches of the Yakima River Basin with development of irrigation storage reservoirs without fishways in the early 1900s. The goal of the NMFS/BPA projectmore » is to determine if it is feasible for anadromous salmonids to recolonize the habitat above Cle Elum Dam under the present format of irrigation water withdrawal from the reservoir. The primary concern is whether anadromous fish can successfully exit Cle Elum Lake and survive downstream passage through the Yakima and Columbia Rivers to the ocean.« less

Pentzien lays diagonal cross of Potomac for Columbia gas

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

Klinger, O.

1976-05-01

One of the most unusual pipeline river crossings was completed last fall by Pentzien, Inc., for Columbia LNG Corp. on the Potomac River at Bryans Road, MD, 22 miles south of Washington, DC. Part of a line delivering regasified Algerian LNG to Virginia and Pennsylvania, this crossing would have been only 7896 ft straight across the river; however, to obtaining necessary country authorization without excessively delaying the project, the line was laid diagonally 19,500 ft across the river at a cost about two-thirds more than for a straight-line crossing. The concrete-coated 36-in.-diam pipe for the project was so heavy thatmore » each transport truck could handle only a single 40-ft length at a time. Laser beams on each side of the river were used to guide both the dredging and pipelaying operations.« less

Factors affecting the quality of fish caught by Native Americans in the Zone 6 fishery 1991 through 1993

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

Abernethy, C.S.

1994-09-01

A program to monitor the salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus spp.) fishery in the lower Columbia River (Zone 6 fishery) was initiated in 1991 to respond to questions and comments frequently made by Native Americans at public meetings. Native Americans were concerned that the quality of the Columbia River had deteriorated and that the poor environmental conditions had affected the health and quality of fish they relied on for subsistence, ceremonial, religious, and commercial purposes. They also feared that eating contaminated fish might endanger the health of their children and future generations. Operations at the Hanford Site were listed as onemore » of many causes of the deteriorating environment. Fisheries pathologists concluded that most of the external symptoms on fish were related to bacterial infection of gill net abrasions and pre-spawning trauma, and were not caused by pollution or contamination of the Columbia River. The pathologists also stated that consumption of the fish posed no threat to human consumers.« less

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

Sather, NK; Johnson, GE; Storch, AJ

The tidal freshwater monitoring (TFM) project reported herein is part of the research, monitoring, and evaluation effort developed by the Action Agencies (Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE], and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) in response to obligations arising from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as a result of operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System. The project is being performed under the auspices of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Project No. 2005-001-00). The research is a collaborative effort among the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Oregon Departmentmore » of Fish and Wildlife, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the University of Washington. The overarching goal of the TFM project is to bridge the gap in knowledge between tidal freshwater habitats and the early life history attributes of migrating salmon. The research questions include: In what types of habitats within the tidal freshwater area of the Columbia River are juvenile salmon found, when are they present, and under what environmental conditions? What is the ecological contribution of shallow (0-5 m) tidal freshwater habitats to the recovery of ESA-listed salmon in the Columbia River basin? Field data collection for the TFM project commenced in June 2007 and since then has continued monthly at six to nine sites in the vicinity of the Sandy River delta (river kilometer 192-208). While this report includes summary data spanning the 19-month period of study from June 2007 through December 2008, it highlights sampling conducted during calendar year 2008. Detailed data for calendar year 2007 were reported previously. The 2008 research objectives were as follows: (1) Characterize the vegetation composition and percent cover, conventional water quality, water surface elevation, substrate composition, bathymetry, and beach slope at the study sites within the vicinity of the Sandy River delta. (2) Characterize the fish community and juvenile salmon migration, including species composition, length-frequency distribution, density (number/m{sup 2}), and temporal and spatial distributions in the vicinity of the Sandy River delta in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE). (3) Determine the stock of origin for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured at sampling sites through genetic identification. (4) Characterize the diets of juvenile Chinook and coho (O. kisutch) salmon captured within the study area. (5) Estimate run timing, residence times, and migration pathways for acoustic-tagged fish in the study area. (6) Conduct a baseline evaluation of the potential restoration to reconnect the old Sandy River channel with the delta. (7) Apply fish density data to initiate a design for a juvenile salmon monitoring program for beach habitats within the tidal freshwater segment of the LCRE (river kilometer 56-234).« less

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...

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

Optimizing fixed observational assets in a coastal observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frolov, Sergey; Baptista, António; Wilkin, Michael

2008-11-01

Proliferation of coastal observatories necessitates an objective approach to managing of observational assets. In this article, we used our experience in the coastal observatory for the Columbia River estuary and plume to identify and address common problems in managing of fixed observational assets, such as salinity, temperature, and water level sensors attached to pilings and moorings. Specifically, we addressed the following problems: assessing the quality of an existing array, adding stations to an existing array, removing stations from an existing array, validating an array design, and targeting of an array toward data assimilation or monitoring. Our analysis was based on a combination of methods from oceanographic and statistical literature, mainly on the statistical machinery of the best linear unbiased estimator. The key information required for our analysis was the covariance structure for a field of interest, which was computed from the output of assimilated and non-assimilated models of the Columbia River estuary and plume. The network optimization experiments in the Columbia River estuary and plume proved to be successful, largely withstanding the scrutiny of sensitivity and validation studies, and hence providing valuable insight into optimization and operation of the existing observational network. Our success in the Columbia River estuary and plume suggest that algorithms for optimal placement of sensors are reaching maturity and are likely to play a significant role in the design of emerging ocean observatories, such as the United State's ocean observation initiative (OOI) and integrated ocean observing system (IOOS) observatories, and smaller regional observatories.

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.

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

Skalski, John R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

The study estimated dam passage survival at The Dalles Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and provided additional performance measures as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords. This summary report focuses on spring run stocks, yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead.

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.

Correlation of gene expression and contaminat concentrations in wild largescale suckers: a field-based study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christiansen, Helena E.; Mehinto, Alvine C.; Yu, Fahong; Perry, Russell W.; Denslow, Nancy D.; Maule, Alec G.; Mesa, Matthew G.

2014-01-01

Toxic compounds such as organochlorine pesticides (OCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) have been detected in fish, birds, and aquatic mammals that live in the Columbia River or use food resources from within the river. We developed a custom microarray for largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and used it to investigate the molecular effects of contaminant exposure on wild fish in the Columbia River. Using Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) we identified 72 probes representing 69 unique genes with expression patterns that correlated with hepatic tissue levels of OCs, PCBs, or PBDEs. These genes were involved in many biological processes previously shown to respond to contaminant exposure, including drug and lipid metabolism, apoptosis, cellular transport, oxidative stress, and cellular chaperone function. The relation between gene expression and contaminant concentration suggests that these genes may respond to environmental contaminant exposure and are promising candidates for further field and laboratory studies to develop biomarkers for monitoring exposure of wild fish to contaminant mixtures found in the Columbia River Basin. The array developed in this study could also be a useful tool for studies involving endangered sucker species and other sucker species used in contaminant research.

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.

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.

The Design and Analysis of Salmonid Tagging Studies in the Columbia Basin : Volume II: Experiment Salmonid Survival with Combined PIT-CWT Tagging.

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

Newman, Ken

1997-06-01

Experiment designs to estimate the effect of transportation on survival and return rates of Columbia River system salmonids are discussed along with statistical modeling techniques. Besides transportation, river flow and dam spill are necessary components in the design and analysis otherwise questions as to the effects of reservoir drawdowns and increased dam spill may never be satisfactorily answered. Four criteria for comparing different experiment designs are: (1) feasibility, (2) clarity of results, (3) scope of inference, and (4) time to learn. In this report, alternative designs for conducting experimental manipulations of smolt tagging studies to study effects of river operationsmore » such as flow levels, spill fractions, and transporting outmigrating salmonids around dams in the Columbia River system are presented. The principles of study design discussed in this report have broad implications for the many studies proposed to investigate both smolt and adult survival relationships. The concepts are illustrated for the case of the design and analysis of smolt transportation experiments. The merits of proposed transportation studies should be measured relative to these principles of proper statistical design and analysis.« less

33 CFR 117.255 - Potomac River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Potomac River. 117.255 Section 117.255 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements District of Columbia § 117.255 Potomac River. (a) The...

33 CFR 117.255 - Potomac River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Potomac River. 117.255 Section 117.255 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements District of Columbia § 117.255 Potomac River. (a) The...

33 CFR 117.255 - Potomac River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Potomac River. 117.255 Section 117.255 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements District of Columbia § 117.255 Potomac River. (a) The...

33 CFR 117.255 - Potomac River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Potomac River. 117.255 Section 117.255 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements District of Columbia § 117.255 Potomac River. (a) The...

33 CFR 117.255 - Potomac River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Potomac River. 117.255 Section 117.255 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements District of Columbia § 117.255 Potomac River. (a) The...

Resurrecting an extinct salmon evolutionarily significant unit: archived scales, historical DNA and implications for restoration.

PubMed

Iwamoto, Eric M; Myers, James M; Gustafson, Richard G

2012-04-01

Archival scales from 603 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), sampled from May to July 1924 in the lower Columbia River, were analysed for genetic variability at 12 microsatellite loci and compared to 17 present-day O. nerka populations-exhibiting either anadromous (sockeye salmon) or nonanadromous (kokanee) life histories-from throughout the Columbia River Basin, including areas upstream of impassable dams built subsequent to 1924. Statistical analyses identified four major genetic assemblages of sockeye salmon in the 1924 samples. Two of these putative historical groupings were found to be genetically similar to extant evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) in the Okanogan and Wenatchee Rivers (pairwise F(ST)  = 0.004 and 0.002, respectively), and assignment tests were able to allocate 77% of the fish in these two historical groupings to the contemporary Okanogan River and Lake Wenatchee ESUs. A third historical genetic grouping was most closely aligned with contemporary sockeye salmon in Redfish Lake, Idaho, although the association was less robust (pairwise F(ST)  = 0.060). However, a fourth genetic grouping did not appear to be related to any contemporary sockeye salmon or kokanee population, assigned poorly to the O. nerka baseline, and had distinctive early return migration timing, suggesting that this group represents a historical ESU originating in headwater lakes in British Columbia that was probably extirpated sometime after 1924. The lack of a contemporary O. nerka population possessing the genetic legacy of this extinct ESU indicates that efforts to reestablish early-migrating sockeye salmon to the headwater lakes region of the Columbia River will be difficult. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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 stages, 2) long-term chronic or multiple exposure, 3) vulnerable habitats and reaches, 4) effects on incubating fish in hyporheic habitats, and 5) community and ecosystem effects. Although some of these areas of concern may have been identified previously in earlier works, we suggest that consideration of the issues is warranted to avoid detrimental impacts on aquatic resources of the Columbia River system. We discuss these issues and provide recommendations to regulatory and management agencies based on our review of recent literature. In general, we recommend that additional attention be directed toward resolving the uncertainties within these five areas.« less

Kootenai River Floodplain Ecosystem Operational Loss Assessment, Protection, Mitigation and Rehabilitation, 2007-2008 Annual Report.

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

Merz, Norm

2009-02-18

The overarching goals of the 'Kootenai River Floodplain Ecosystem Operational Loss Assessment, Protection, Mitigation and Rehabilitation' Project (BPA Project No.2002-011-00) are to: (1) assess abiotic and biotic factors (i.e., geomorphologic, hydrological, aquatic and riparian/floodplain communities) in determining a definitive composition of ecological integrity, (2) develop strategies to assess and mitigate losses of ecosystem functions, and (3) produce a regional operational loss assessment framework. To produce a scientifically defensible, repeatable, and complete assessment tool, KTOI assembled a team of top scientists in the fields of hydrology, hydraulics, ornithology, entomology, statistics, and river ecology, among other expertise. This advisory team is knownmore » as the Research Design and Review Team (RDRT). The RDRT scientists drive the review, selection, and adaptive management of the research designs to evaluate the ecologic functions lost due to the operation of federal hydropower facilities. The unique nature of this project (scientific team, newest/best science, adaptive management, assessment of ecological functions, etc.) has been to work in a dynamic RDRT process. In addition to being multidisciplinary, this model KTOI project provides a stark contrast to the sometimes inflexible process (review, re-review, budgets, etc.) of the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The project RDRT is assembled annually, with subgroups meeting as needed throughout the year to address project issues, analyses, review, and interpretation. Activities of RDRT coordinated and directed the selection of research and assessment methodologies appropriate for the Kootenai River Watershed and potential for regional application in the Columbia River Basin. The entire RDRT continues to meet annually to update and discuss project progress. RDRT Subcontractors work in smaller groups throughout the year to meet project objectives. Determining the extent to which ecological systems are experiencing anthropogenic disturbance and change in structure and function is critical for long term conservation of biotic diversity in the face of changing landscapes and land use. KTOI and the RDRT propose a concept based on incorporating hydrologic, aquatic, and terrestrial components into an operations-based assessment framework to assess ecological losses as shown in Figure E-1.« less

Identification of the Spawning, Rearing, and Migratory Requirements of Fall Chinook Salmon in the Columbia River Basin, Annual Report 1994.

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

Rondorf, Dennis W.; Tiffan, Kenneth F.

1996-08-01

Spawning ground surveys were conducted in 1994 as part of a five year study of Snake River chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawyacha begun in 1991. Observations of fall chinook salmon spawning in the Snake River were limited to infrequent aerial red counts in the years prior to 1987. From 1987-1990, red counts were made on a limited basis by an interagency team and reported by the Washington Department of Fisheries. Starting in 1991, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and other cooperating agencies and organizations, expanded the scope of spawning ground surveys to include: (1) additional aerial surveys to improvemore » red counts and provide data on the timing of spawning; (2) the validation (ground truthing) of red counts from aerial surveys to improve count accuracy; (3) underwater searches to locate reds in water too deep to allow detection from the air; and (4) bathymetric mapping of spawning sites for characterizing spawning habitat. This document is the 1994 annual progress report for selected studies of fall chinook salmon. The studies were undertaken because of the growing concern about the declining salmon population in the Snake River basin.« less

Wind River watershed restoration, annual report November 2009 to October 2010.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Connolly, P.J.; Jezorek, I.G.

2011-01-01

This report summarizes work completed by U.S. Geological Survey’s Columbia River Research Laboratory (USGS-CRRL) in the Wind River subbasin during the period November 2009 through October 2010 under Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) contract 46102. Long term research in the Wind River has focused on assessments of steelhead/rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss populations, interactions with introduced populations of spring Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha and brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, and influences of habitat variables and habitat restoration on fish productivity. During the period covered by this report, we collected water temperature data to characterize variation within and among tributaries and mainstem sections in the Trout Creek watershed, and assisted Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) with smolt trapping and tagging of smolt and parr steelhead with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. We also continued to maintain and test efficacy of a passive integrated transponder tag interrogation system (PTIS) in Trout Creek for assessing the adult steelhead runsize. A statement of work (SOW) was submitted to BPA in October 2009 that outlined work to be performed by USGS-CRRL. The SOW was organized by work elements, with each describing a research task. This report summarizes the progress completed under each work element.

Taking Closure to the Next Level - 13030

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

Feist, E.T.

2013-07-01

The River Corridor Closure Project (RCCP) is the Hanford Site's first closure project and when it is complete, in 2015, it will have cleaned up 220 mi{sup 2} of contaminated land adjacent to the Columbia River. Washington Closure Hanford (WCH) was selected by the DOE to manage the removal and cleanup of Hanford's nuclear legacy along the River Corridor. Work began in 2005 and is now more than 85% complete with more than 2 years left in the contract. A Closure Team was commissioned in December 2009 and has since issued a closure strategy and a disciplined three-phase approach tomore » transition land parcels to DOE, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) as cleanup is completed. This process supports DOE-RL objectives for progressive footprint reduction based on the division of the River Corridor into geographical land parcels. It also allows for incremental area-by-area transition and turnover to the Long-Term Stewardship program. Several important milestones stand between now and the successful end of the RCCP. They include overall funding impacts, working with DOE-RL on new scope additions, meeting regulatory milestones, and maintaining a strong safety performance. (authors)« less

Research information needs on terrestrial vertebrate species of the interior Columbia basin and northern portions of the Klamath and Great Basins: a research, development, and application database.

Treesearch

Bruce G. Marcot

1997-01-01

Research information needs on selected invertebrates and all vertebrates of the interior Columbia River basin and adjacent areas in the United States were collected into a research, development, and application database as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. The database includes 482 potential research study topics on 232 individual...

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 half in the vicinity of the Portland metropolitan area, and that the Portland Hills-Clackamas River and other parallel structural zones could be the loci of larger and more dangerous strike-slip earthquakes than previously thought.

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

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.

23. AC GENERATOR, ALLISCHALMERS SN #1246797, MFG. MILWAUKEE, KW 1600 ...

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

23. AC GENERATOR, ALLIS-CHALMERS SN #1246797, MFG. MILWAUKEE, KW 1600 PF 80 C/O VOLTS 2300 AMPS 503 CY 60 PH 3 RMP 164 EXC VOLTS 125 AMPS MAN 300 - Columbia Canal & Power Plant, Waterfront of Broad River, Columbia, Richland County, SC

A New Hydrogeological Research Site in the Willamette River Floodplain

EPA Science Inventory

The Willamette River is a ninth-order tributary of the Columbia which passes through a productive and populous region in northwest Oregon. Where unconstrained by shoreline revetments, the floodplain of this river is a high-energy, dynamic system which supports a variety of ripari...

Salmon habitat assessment for conservation planning in the lower White Salmon River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hardiman, Jill M.; Allen, M. Brady

2015-01-01

In 2011, Condit Dam was removed from the White Salmon River, Washington. Since dam removal, there has been interest among scientists (State and Federal), Tribes, non-profit organizations, and the general public in assessing Pacific salmon habitat and use in the White Salmon River for conservation planning and potential fishery management actions. The study area extended from the lower 6 miles of the White Salmon River to the confluence with the Columbia River, including the former reservoir area. The Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group received a grant to initiate efforts to plan for salmon habitat protection in the lower 6 river miles of the White Salmon River. As part of efforts by the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group to conduct conservation planning, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) used current and historical habitat information to assist in the planning process. The USGS compiled existing georeferenced habitat data into a Geographic Information System to identify areas of high quality habitat for salmon, potential areas for restoration/improvement, and areas that could be threatened. The primary sources of georeferenced data for this project include a lidar flight contracted by PacifiCorp, bathymetry from USGS, and fall Chinook salmon redd surveys from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Redd observations provided support that the study area is a migratory corridor for salmon and steelhead and that the lowest 2–3 miles had the highest concentration of documented fall Chinook salmon redds. The study area has potential for restoration/conservation areas to improve/conserve salmon habitat.

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.

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

Dunnigan, James L.; Marotz, Brian L.; DeShazer, Jay

Libby Reservoir was created under an International Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada for cooperative water development of the Columbia River Basin (Columbia River Treaty 1964). Libby Reservoir inundated 109 stream miles of the mainstem Kootenai River in the United States and Canada, and 40 miles of tributary streams in the U.S. that provided habitat for spawning, juvenile rearing, and migratory passage (Figure 1). The authorized purpose of the dam is to provide power (91.5%), flood control (8.3%), and navigation and other benefits (0.2%; Storm et al. 1982). The Pacific Northwest Power Act of 1980 recognized possiblemore » conflicts stemming from hydroelectric projects in the northwest and directed Bonneville Power Administration to ''protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife to the extent affected by the development and operation of any hydroelectric project of the Columbia River and its tributaries...'' (4(h)(10)(A)). Under the Act, the Northwest Power Planning Council was created and recommendations for a comprehensive fish and wildlife program were solicited from the region's federal, state, and tribal fish and wildlife agencies. Among Montana's recommendations was the proposal that research be initiated to quantify acceptable seasonal minimum pool elevations to maintain or enhance the existing fisheries (Graham et al. 1982). Research to determine how operations of Libby Dam affect the reservoir and river fishery and to suggest ways to lessen these effects began in May, 1983. The framework for the Libby Reservoir Model (LRMOD) was completed in 1989. Development of Integrated Rule Curves (IRCs) for Libby Dam operation was completed in 1996 (Marotz et al. 1996). The Libby Reservoir Model and the IRCs continue to be refined (Marotz et al 1999). Initiation of mitigation projects such as lake rehabilitation and stream restoration began in 1996. The primary focus of the Libby Mitigation project now is to redevelop fisheries and fisheries habitat in basin streams and lakes.« less

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.

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 re-evolve historical adaptations.

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

Sobocinski, Kathryn; Johnson, Gary; Sather, Nichole

This document is the first annual report for the study titled 'Ecology of Juvenile Salmonids in Shallow Tidal Freshwater Habitats in the Vicinity of the Sandy River Delta in the Lower Columbia River'. Hereafter, we refer to this research as the Tidal Freshwater Monitoring (TFM) Study. The study is part of the research, monitoring, and evaluation effort developed by the Action Agencies (Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) in response to obligations arising from the Endangered Species Act as a result of operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). The project ismore » performed under the auspices of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The goal of the 2007-2009 Tidal Freshwater Monitoring Study is to answer the following questions: In what types of habitats within the tidal freshwater area of the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE; Figure 1) are yearling and subyearling salmonids found, when are they present, and under what environmental conditions?1 And, what is the ecological importance2 of shallow (0-5 m) tidal freshwater habitats to the recovery of Upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon and steelhead and Snake River fall Chinook salmon? Research in 2007 focused mainly on the first question, with fish stock identification data providing some indication of Chinook salmon presence at the variety of habitat types sampled. The objectives and sub-objectives for the 2007 study were as follows: (1) Habitat and Fish Community Characteristics-Provide basic data on habitat and fish community characteristics for yearling and subyearling salmonids at selected sites in the tidal freshwater reach in the vicinity of the Sandy River delta. (1a) Characterize vegetation assemblage percent cover, conventional water quality, substrate composition, and beach slope at each of six sampling sites in various tidal freshwater habitat types. (1b) Determine fish community characteristics, including species composition, abundance, and temporal and spatial distributions. (1c) Estimate the stock of origin for the yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon captured at the sampling sites using genetic analysis. (1d) Statistically assess the relationship between salmonid abundance and habitat parameters, including ancillary variables such as temperature and river stage. (2) Acoustic Telemetry Monitoring-Assess feasibility of applying Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) technology to determine migration characteristics from upriver of Bonneville Dam through the study area (vicinity of the Sandy River delta/Washougal River confluence). (2a) Determine species composition, release locations, and distributions of JSATS-tagged fish. (2b) Estimate run timing, residence times, and migration pathways for these fish. Additionally, both objectives serve the purpose of baseline research for a potential tidal rechannelization project on the Sandy River. The U.S. Forest Service, in partnership with the Bonneville Power Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is currently pursuing reconnection of the east (relict) Sandy River channel with the current channel to improve fish and wildlife habitat in the Sandy River delta. Our study design and the location of sampling sites in this reach provide baseline data to evaluate the potential restoration.« 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 salmonid responses to restoration actions remains the foremost concern. Although not designed to establish a broad strategy for estuary restoration, the scoring process has adaptively influenced the types, designs, and locations of restoration proposals. The ERTG process may be a useful model for others who have unique ecosystem restoration goals and share some of our common challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

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

78 FR 70858 - Safety Zones; Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers Association Facilities; Columbia and Willamette...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-27

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zones; Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers Association Facilities; Columbia and... establishing temporary safety zones around the following Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers Association... Commodities facility on the Willamette River in Portland, OR. These safety zones extend approximately between...

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

Hartman, Mary J.; Peterson, Robert E.

This report presents and discusses results of the fiscal year 2003 sampling event associated with aquifer tubes along the Columbia River in the northern Hanford Site. Aquifer tube data help define the extent of groundwater contamination near the river, determine vertical variations in contamination, monitor the performance of interim remedial actions near the river, and support impact studies.

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 juvenile bypass systems). The results of this study provide information about the route of passage and subsequent survival of steelhead kelts that migrated through the Snake and Columbia rivers from LGR to Bonneville Dam in 2013. These data may be used by fisheries managers and dam operators to identify potential ways to increase the survival of kelts during their seaward migrations.« less

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 juvenile bypass systems). The results of this study provide information about the route of passage and subsequent survival of steelhead kelts that migrated through the Snake and Columbia rivers from LGR to Bonneville Dam in 2013. These data may be used by fisheries managers and dam operators to identify potential ways to increase the survival of kelts during their seaward migrations.« less

Steps Taken to Reduce Trash in Anacostia

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The District of Columbia and two Maryland counties are taking action to keep trash out of the Anacostia River as they work to meet first-ever trash limits for an interstate river and EPA permit requirements.

2. AERIAL VIEW LOOKING EAST FROM ABOVE THE POTOMAC RIVER ...

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

2. AERIAL VIEW LOOKING EAST FROM ABOVE THE POTOMAC RIVER OVER THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND REFLECTING POOL TO THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT AND THE MALL BEYOND. - West Potomac Park, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Factsheet about Anacostia's Great Outdoors

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In partnership with the federal government, the District ofColumbia and State of Maryland are working to restore theAnacostia River and provide safe and convenient means forpeople to access the Anacostia River and enjoy the outdoors.

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 to ~1,400 m. If the elevated permeability in these zones persists to greater depths, they may provide natural permeability of sufficient magnitude to allow their exploitation as conventional geothermal reservoirs. Alternatively, if the permeability in these interflow zones is less than 10-14 m2 at depth, it may be possible to use hydraulic and thermal stimulation to enhance the permeability of both the interflow zones and the natural jointing within the low-permeability interior portions of individual basalt flows in order to develop Enhanced/Engineered Geothermal System (EGS) reservoirs. The key challenge for an improved Columbia Plateau geothermal assessment is acquiring and interpreting comprehensive field data that can provide quantitative constraints on the recovery of heat from the Columbia River Basalts at depths greater than those currently tested by deep boreholes.

Accommodation space in a high-wave-energy inner-shelf during the Holocene marine transgression: Correlation of onshore and offshore inner-shelf deposits (0–12 ka) in the Columbia River littoral cell system, Washington and Oregon, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, C. D.; Twichell, D. C.; Roberts, M. C.; Vanderburgh, S.; Hostetler, Steven W.

2016-01-01

The Columbia River Littoral Cell (CRLC), a high-wave-energy littoral system, extends 160 km alongshore, generally north of the large Columbia River, and 10–15 km in across-shelf distance from paleo-beach backshores to about 50 m present water depths. Onshore drill holes (19 in number and 5–35 m in subsurface depth) and offshore vibracores (33 in number and 1–5 m in subsurface depth) constrain inner-shelf sand grain sizes (sample means 0.13–0.25 mm) and heavy mineral source indicators (> 90% Holocene Columbia River sand) of the inner-shelf facies (≥ 90% fine sand). Stratigraphic correlation of the transgressive ravinement surface in onshore drill holes and in offshore seismic reflection profiles provide age constraints (0–12 ka) on post-ravinement inner-shelf deposits, using paleo-sea level curves and radiocarbon dates. Post-ravinement deposit thickness (1–50 m) and long-term sedimentation rates (0.4–4.4 m ka− 1) are positively correlated to the cross-shelf gradients (0.36–0.63%) of the transgressive ravinement surface. The total post-ravinement fill volume of fine littoral sand (2.48 × 1010 m3) in the inner-shelf represents about 2.07 × 106 m3 year− 1 fine sand accumulation rate during the last 12 ka, or about one third of the estimated middle- to late-Holocene Columbia River bedload or sand discharge (5–6 × 106 m3 year− 1) to the littoral zone. The fine sand accumulation in the inner-shelf represents post-ravinement accommodation space resulting from 1) geometry and depth of the transgressive ravinement surface, 2) post-ravinement sea-level rise, and 3) fine sand dispersal in the inner-shelf by combined high-wave-energy and geostrophic flow/down-welling drift currents during major winter storms.

A mantle plume beneath California? The mid-Miocene Lovejoy Flood Basalt, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrison, N.J.; Busby, C.J.; Gans, P.B.; Putirka, K.; Wagner, D.L.

2008-01-01

The Lovejoy basalt represents the largest eruptive unit identified in California, and its age, volume, and chemistry indicate a genetic affinity with the Columbia River Basalt Group and its associated mantle-plume activity. Recent field mapping, geochemical analyses, and radiometric dating suggest that the Lovejoy basalt erupted during the mid-Miocene from a fissure at Thompson Peak, south of Susanville, California. The Lovejoy flowed through a paleovalley across the northern end of the Sierra Nevada to the Sacramento Valley, a distance of 240 km. Approximately 150 km3 of basalt were erupted over a span of only a few centuries. Our age dates for the Lovejoy basalt cluster are near 15.4 Ma and suggest that it is coeval with the 16.1-15.0 Ma Imnaha and Grande Ronde flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group. Our new mapping and age dating support the interpretation that the Lovejoy basalt erupted in a forearc position relative to the ancestral Cascades arc, in contrast with the Columbia River Basalt Group, which erupted in a backarc position. The arc front shifted trenchward into the Sierran block after 15.4 Ma. However, the Lovejoy basalt appears to be unrelated to volcanism of the predominantly calc-alkaline Cascade arc; instead, the Lovejoy is broadly tholeiitic, with trace-element characteristics similar to the Columbia River Basalt Group. Association of the Lovejoy basalt with mid-Miocene flood basalt volcanism has considerable implications for North American plume dynamics and strengthens the thermal "point source" explanation, as provided by the mantle-plume hypothesis. Alternatives to the plume hypothesis usually call upon lithosphere-scale cracks to control magmatic migrations in the Yellowstone-Columbia River basalt region. However, it is difficult to imagine a lithosphere-scale flaw that crosses Precambrian basement and accreted terranes to reach the Sierra microplate, where the Lovejoy is located. Therefore, we propose that the Lovejoy represents a rapid migration of plume-head material, at ??20 cm/yr to the southwest, a direction not previously recognized. ?? 2008 The Geological Society of America.

Optics of the Offshore Columbia River Plume from Glider Observations and Satellite Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saldias, G.; Shearman, R. K.; Barth, J. A.; Tufillaro, N.

2016-02-01

The Columbia River (CR) is the largest source of freshwater along the U.S. Pacific coast. The resultant plume is often transported southward and offshore forming a large buoyant feature off Oregon and northern California in spring-summer - the offshore CR plume. Observations from autonomous underwater gliders and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery are used to characterize the optics of the offshore CR plume off Newport, Oregon. Vertical sections, under contrasting river flow conditions, reveal a low-salinity and warm surface layer of 20-25 m (fresher in spring and warmer in summer), high Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) concentration and backscatter, and associated with the base of the plume high chlorophyll fluorescence. Plume characteristics vary in the offshore direction as the warm and fresh surface layer thickens progressively to an average 30-40 m of depth 270-310 km offshore; CDOM, backscatter, and chlorophyll fluorescence decrease in the upper 20 m and increase at subsurface levels (30-50 m depth). MODIS normalized water-leaving radiance (nLw(λ)) spectra for CR plume cases show enhanced water-leaving radiance at green bands (as compared to no-CR plume cases) up to 154 km from shore. Farther offshore, the spectral shapes for both cases are very similar, and consequently, a contrasting color signature of low-salinity plume water is practically imperceptible from ocean color remote sensing. Empirical algorithms based on multivariate regression analyses of nLw(λ) plus Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data produce more accurate results detecting offshore plume waters than previous studies using single visible bands (e.g. adg(412) or nLw(555)).

Vertical distribution of trace-element concentrations and occurrence of metallurgical slag particles in accumulated bed sediments of Lake Roosevelt, Washington, September 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cox, S.E.; Bell, P.R.; Lowther, J.S.; Van Metre, P.C.

2005-01-01

Sediment cores were collected from six locations in Lake Roosevelt to determine the vertical distributions of trace-element concentrations in the accumulated sediments of Lake Roosevelt. Elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc occurred throughout much of the accumulated sediments. Concentrations varied greatly within the sediment core profiles, often covering a range of 5 to 10 fold. Trace-element concentrations typically were largest below the surficial sediments in the lower one-half of each profile, with generally decreasing concentrations from the 1964 horizon to the surface of the core. The trace-element profiles reflect changes in historical discharges of trace elements to the Columbia River by an upstream smelter. All samples analyzed exceeded clean-up guidelines adopted by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation for cadmium, lead, and zinc and more than 70 percent of the samples exceeded cleanup guidelines for mercury, arsenic, and copper. Although 100 percent of the samples exceeded sediment guidelines for cadmium, lead, and zinc, surficial concentrations of arsenic, copper, and mercury in some cores were less than the sediment-quality guidelines. With the exception of copper, the trace-element profiles of the five cores collected along the pre-reservoir Columbia River channel typically showed trends of decreasing concentrations in sediments deposited after the 1964 time horizon. The decreasing concentrations of trace elements in the upper half of cores from along the pre-reservoir Columbia River showed a pattern of decreasing concentrations similar to reductions in trace-element loading in liquid effluent from an upstream smelter. Except for arsenic, trace-element concentrations typically were smaller at downstream reservoir locations along the pre-reservoir Columbia River. Trace-element concentration in sediments from the Spokane Arm of the reservoir showed distinct differences compared to the similarities observed in cores from along the pre-reservoir Columbia River. Particles of slag, which have physical and chemical characteristics of slag discharged to the Columbia River by a lead-zinc smelter upstream of the reservoir at Trail, British Columbia, were found in sediments of Lake Roosevelt. Slag particles are more common in the upstream reaches of the reservoir. The chemical composition of the interior matrix of slag collected from Lake Roosevelt closely approximated the reported elemental concentrations of fresh smelter slag, although evidence of slag weathering was observed. Exfoliation flakes were observed on the surface of weathered slag particles isolated from the core sediments. The concentrations of zinc on the exposed surface of slag grains were smaller than concentrations on interior surfaces. Weathering rinds also were observed in the cross section of weathered slag grains, indicating that the glassy slag material was undergoing hydration and chemical weathering. Trace elements observed in accumulated sediments in the middle and lower reaches of the reservoir are more likely due to the input from liquid effluent discharges compared to slag discharges from the upstream smelter.

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.

Genetic status and conservation of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Glacier National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhlfeld, Clint C.; D'Angelo, Vincent S.; Downs, Christopher C.; Powell, John D.; Amish, Stephen J.; Luikart, Gordon; Kovach, Ryan; Boyer, Matthew; Kalinowski, Steven T.

2016-01-01

Invasive hybridization is one of the greatest threats to the persistence of Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi. Large protected areas, where nonhybridized populations are interconnected and express historical life history and genetic diversity, provide some of the last ecological and evolutionary strongholds for conserving this species. Here, we describe the genetic status and distribution of Westslope Cutthroat Trout throughout Glacier National Park, Montana. Admixture between Westslope Cutthroat Trout and introduced Rainbow Trout O. mykiss and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout O. clarkii bouvieri was estimated by genotyping 1,622 fish collected at 115 sites distributed throughout the Columbia, Missouri, and South Saskatchewan River drainages. Currently, Westslope Cutthroat Trout occupy an estimated 1,465 km of stream habitat and 45 lakes (9,218 ha) in Glacier National Park. There was no evidence of introgression in samples from 32 sites along 587 km of stream length (40% of the stream kilometers currently occupied) and 17 lakes (2,555 ha; 46% of the lake area currently occupied). However, nearly all (97%) of the streams and lakes that were occupied by nonhybridized populations occurred in the Columbia River basin. Based on genetic status (nonnative genetic admixture ≤ 10%), 36 Westslope Cutthroat Trout populations occupying 821 km of stream and 5,482 ha of lakes were identified as “conservation populations.” Most of the conservation populations (N = 27; 736 km of stream habitat) occurred in the Columbia River basin, whereas only a few geographically restricted populations were found in the South Saskatchewan River (N = 7; 55 km) and Missouri River (N = 2; 30 km) basins. Westslope Cutthroat Trout appear to be at imminent risk of genomic extinction in the South Saskatchewan and Missouri River basins, whereas populations in the Columbia River basin are widely distributed and conservation efforts are actively addressing threats from hybridization and other stressors. A diverse set of pro-active management approaches will be required to conserve, protect, and restore Westslope Cutthroat Trout populations in Glacier National Park throughout the 21st century.

Conservation and Management for Fish-eating Birds and Endangered Salmon

Treesearch

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

2005-01-01

A conflict involving piscivorous birds and salmonids in the Pacific Northwest pits the conservation of protected migratory waterbirds against the restoration of Columbia Basin salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) that are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The Columbia River Avian Predation Project is a cooperative, collaborative research project...

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...

76 FR 42658 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Authorizing Release of a Nonessential Experimental Population...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-19

... Experimental Population of Upper Columbia Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Okanogan River Basin Under the... nonessential experimental population of Upper Columbia (UC) spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha... Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. The geographic boundaries of the experimental population area would...

Genetic and Phenotypic Catalog of Native Resident Trout of the Interior Columbia River Basin; Populations of the Upper Yakima Basin, 1997-1998 Annual Report.

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

Trotter, Patrick C.; McMillan, Bill; Gayeski, Nick

1999-10-01

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.

Green Infrastructure in the Mix to Reduce District of Columbia Sewer Overflows

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

District of Columbia's Long Term Control Plan to keep sewage out of the city’s rivers is being modified to include a substantial greening component for the first time, making it a dominant feature of 2 of the 3 drainage areas of the combined sewer system.

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.

Characteristics of a Recent and Prehistoric Landslides in the Pine River Valley, BC: a Mapping Effort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heijenk, R.; Geertsema, M.; Miller, B.; de Jong, S. M.

2015-12-01

Spreads and other low gradient landslides are common in glacial lake sediments in north eastern British Columbia. Both pre and post glacial lake sediments, largely derived from shale bedrock are susceptible to low-gradient landslides. Bank erosion by rivers and streams and high pore pressures, have contributed to the landslides. We used LiDAR for mapping the extent of the glaciolacustrine sediments and map and characterise landslides in the Pine River valley, near Chetwynd, British Columbia. We included metrics such as travel angle, length, area, and elevation to distinguish rotational and translational landslides. We mapped 45 landslides in the Pine River valley distinguishing between rotational and translational landslides. The rotational landslides commonly have a smaller area and smaller travel length than translational landslides. Most rotational slides involved overlying alluvial fans, while most translational slides involved terraces.

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.

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

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

Climate Change Impacts to Hydro Power Reservoir Systems in British Columbia, Canada: Modelling, Validation and Projection of Historic and Future Streamflow and Snowpack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, K. E.; Schnorbus, M.; Werner, A. T.; Berland, A. J.

2010-12-01

The British Columbia Hydro Electric Corporation (BC Hydro) has a mandate to provide clean, renewable and reliable sources of hydro-electric power into the future, hence managing those resources in the context of climate change will be an important component of reservoir operational planning in British Columbia. The Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (www.PacificClimate.org) has implemented the Variable Infiltration Capacity hydrologic model parameterized at 1/16th degree (~32 km2) to provide BC Hydro with future projections of changes to streamflow and snowpack to the 2050s. The headwaters of the Peace, Columbia, and Campbell River basins were selected for study; the Upper Peace River basin (101,000 km2) is a snowmelt-dominated watershed, and the Upper Columbia River Basin (104,000 km2) has a mixed snowmelt-glacier melt runoff regime, with glacier runoff contributing up to 15 to 20% of late summer discharge. The Upper Campbell River watershed (1,200 km2) has a mixed rainfall and snowmelt (hybrid) hydrologic regime. The model has been calibrated using historical streamflow observations and validated against these observations, as well as automated snow pillow measurements. Future streamflow changes are estimated based on eight Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the CMIP3 suite, downscaled using the Bias Correction Spatial Downscaling (BCSD) technique, run under three emissions scenarios (A2, A1B and B1; A1B is specifically reported on herein). Climate impacts by the 2050s in the three watersheds illustrate an increase in annual average temperature and precipitation ranging between +2.2°C to +2.8°C and +2% to +10% depending on basin, and an annual change in streamflow of -1% to +12% for the three watersheds. Changes are more profound on the seasonal time-scale and differ across basins. Summer streamflow in the Upper Campbell River watershed is projected to decline by -60%, where as the Upper Peace and Columbia systems are projected to decline by -25% and -22%, respectively. Streamflow is projected to increase during winter months for all basins, ranging from increases of +54% (Upper Campbell), +77% (Upper Peace) to +94% (Upper Columbia). These changes in streamflow illustrate a shift towards more rainfall dominated systems with lower snowpacks during the winter months, particularly in the Campbell system (shifting from 23% to 13% snow dominated by the 2050s), which is located at a relatively low elevation and proximal to the Pacific Ocean. Shifts in the distribution of water resources, and in particular snowpack reserves, may require BC Hydro to reconsider their operational planning framework for impacted systems.

Hood River Production Master Plan.

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

O'Toole, Patty

1991-07-01

The Northwest Power Planning Council's 1987 Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Program authorizes the development of artificial production facilities to raise chinook salmon and steelhead for enhancement in the Hood, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers and elsewhere. On February 26, 1991 the Council agreed to disaggregate Hood River from the Northeast Oregon Hatchery Project, and instead, link the Hood River Master Plan (now the Hood River Production Plan) to the Pelton Ladder Project (Pelton Ladder Master Plan 1991).

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

Treesearch

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

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...

Earth observations from shuttle Columbia during STS-73 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-10-24

STS073-E-5096 (30 Oct. 1995) --- Central Chesapeake Bay. The lower Potomac River and Patuxent River join the Bay, whose eastern side is muddy from sediment eroded from the shoreline. The image is centered on the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The frame was exposed with the Electronic Still Camera (ESC).

77 FR 41685 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Willamette River, Portland, OR

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

... deviation is necessary to accommodate Portland's Big Float event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain... of the Big Float event. The Hawthorne Bridge crosses the Willamette River at mile 13.1 and provides 49 feet of vertical clearance above Columbia River Datum 0.0 while in the closed position. Vessels...

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.

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

Chromium Toxicity Test for Fall Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Using Hanford Site Groundwater: Onsite Early Life-Stage Toxicity Evaluation

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

Patton, Gregory W; Dauble, Dennis D; Chamness, Mickie A

The objective of this study was to evaluate site-specific effects for early life-stage (eyed eggs to free swimming juveniles) fall chinook salmon that might be exposed to hexavalent chromium from Hanford groundwater sources. Our exposure conditions included hexavalent chromium obtained from Hanford groundwater wells near the Columbia River, Columbia River water as the diluent, and locally adapted populations of fall chinook salmon. This report describes both a 96-hr pretest using rainbow trout eggs and an early life-stage test beginning with chinook salmon eggs.

Malheur River Wildlife Mitigation Project, Annual Report 2003.

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

Ashley, Paul

Hydropower development within the Columbia and Snake River Basins has significantly affected riparian, riverine, and adjacent upland habitats and the fish and wildlife species dependent upon them. Hydroelectric dams played a major role in the extinction or major loss of both anadromous and resident salmonid populations and altered instream and adjacent upland habitats, water quality, and riparian/riverine function. Hydroelectric facility construction and inundation directly affected fish and wildlife species and habitats. Secondary and tertiary impacts including road construction, urban development, irrigation, and conversion of native habitats to agriculture, due in part to the availability of irrigation water, continue to affectmore » wildlife and fish populations throughout the Columbia and Snake River Basins. Fluctuating water levels resulting from facility operations have created exposed sand, cobble, and/or rock zones. These zones are generally devoid of vegetation with little opportunity to re-establish riparian plant communities. To address the habitat and wildlife losses, the United States Congress in 1980 passed the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Act) (P.L. 96-501), which authorized the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington to create the Northwest Power Planning Council (Council). The Act directed the Council to prepare a program in conjunction with federal, state, and tribal wildlife resource authorities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife species affected by the construction, inundation and operation of hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin (NPPC 2000). Under the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program), the region's fish and wildlife agencies, tribes, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the public propose fish and wildlife projects that address wildlife and fish losses resulting from dam construction and subsequent inundation. As directed by the Council, project proposals are subjected to a rigorous review process prior to receiving final approval. An eleven-member panel of scientists referred to as the Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP) examines project proposals. The ISRP recommends project approval based on scientific merit. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA), Council staff, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and subbasin groups also review project proposals to ensure each project meets regional and subbasin goals and objectives. The Program also includes a public involvement component that gives the public an opportunity to provide meaningful input on management proposals. After a thorough review, the Burns Paiute Tribe (BPT) acquired the Malheur River Mitigation Project (Project) with BPA funds to compensate, in part, for the loss of fish and wildlife resources in the Columbia and Snake River Basins and to address a portion of the mitigation goals identified in the Council's Program (NPPC 2000).« less

The River Corridor Closure Contract How Washington Closure Hanford is Closing A Unique Department of Energy Project - 12425

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

Feist, E.T.

2012-07-01

Cleanup of the Hanford River Corridor has been one of Hanford Site's top priorities since the early 1990's. This urgency is due to the proximity of hundreds of waste sites to the Columbia River and the groundwater that continues to threaten the Columbia River. In April 2005, the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) awarded the Hanford River Corridor Closure Contract (RCCC), a cost-plus incentive-fee closure contract with a 2015 end date and first of its kind at Hanford Site, to Washington Closure Hanford (WCH), a limited-liability company owned by URS, Bechtel National, and CH2M HILL. WCH ismore » a single-purpose company whose goal is to safely, compliantly, and efficiently accelerate cleanup in the Hanford River Corridor and reduce or eliminate future obligations to DOE-RL for maintaining long-term stewardship over the site. Accelerated performance of the work-scope while keeping a perspective on contract completion presents challenges that require proactive strategies to support the remaining work-scope through the end of the RCCC. This paper outlines the processes to address the challenges of completing work-scope while planning for contract termination. WCH is responsible for cleanup of the River Corridor 569.8 km{sup 2} (220 mi{sup 2}) of the 1,517.7 km{sup 2} (586 mi{sup 2}) Hanford Site's footprint reduction. At the end of calendar year 2011, WCH's closure implementation is well underway. Fieldwork is complete in three of the largest areas within the RCCC scope (Segments 1, 2, and 3), approximately 44.5% of the River Corridor (Figure 3). Working together, DOE-RL and WCH are in the process of completing the 'paper work' that will document the completion of the work-scope and allow DOE-RL to relieve WCH of contractual responsibilities and transition the completed areas to the Long-Term Stewardship Program, pending final action RODs. Within the next 4 years, WCH will continue to complete cleanup of the River Corridor following the completion goals. As field work-scope is completed, progressive reductions of business processes, physical facilities, and staff will occur. Organizations will collapse and flatten commensurate with workload. WCH employees will move on to new endeavors, proud of their accomplishments and the legacy they are leaving behind as being the first and largest environmental cleanup closure contract at Hanford. (authors)« less

77 FR 23547 - Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Columbia River Crossing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-19

... at Astoria, Oregon. Coastal tides influence the flow rate and river level up to Bonneville Dam at.... Contractor schedules, weather, materials, and equipment could also influence construction duration. CRC would...

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 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 LCR chum salmon and integrate habitat improvement and fry-to-adult survival evaluations. Third, reduce extinction risks to the Grays River chum salmon population by randomly capturing adults in the basin for use in a supplementation program and reintroduction into the Chinook River basin. The Duncan Creek project was developed using the same recovery strategy implemented for LCR chum. Biologists with the WDFW and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) identified Duncan Creek as an ideal upriver location below Bonneville Dam for chum re-introduction. It has several attributes that make it a viable location for a re-introduction project: historically chum salmon were present, the creek is low gradient, has numerous springs/seeps, has a low potential for future development and is located close to a donor population of Lower Gorge chum. The Duncan Creek project has two goals: (1) re-introduction of chum into Duncan Creek by providing off channel high-quality spawning and incubation areas, and (2) to simultaneously evaluate natural recolonization and a supplementation strategy where adults are collected and spawned artificially at a hatchery. For supplementation, eggs are incubated and the fry reared at the Washougal Hatchery to be released back into Duncan Creek. The tasks associated with re-establishing a naturally self-sustaining population include: (1) removing mud, sand and organics present in four of the creek branches and replace with gravels expected to provide maximum egg-to-fry survival rates to a depth of at least two feet; (2) armoring the sides of these channels to reduce importation of sediment by fish spawning on the margins; (3) planting native vegetation adjacent to the channels to stabilize the banks, trap silt and provide shade; (4) annual sampling of gravel in the spawning channels to detect changes in gravel composition and sedimentation levels. Tasks associated with the second goal of the recovery strategy for Lower Columbia River chum are detailed in The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the Duncan Creek Chum Salmon Reintroduction Program. Four main questions are used to evaluate the success of this program: (1) what egg-to-fry survival rates are being achieved in the renovated channels, (2) what is the survival of the eggs and fry used in the artificial rearing program in Duncan Creek, (3) what is the survival and spawning ground distribution of adult chum salmon produced from the spawning channels and the artificial rearing program, and (4) what is the straying rate of non-program chum salmon into Duncan Creek. The monitoring portion of the Duncan M&E includes documenting and monitoring the physical attributes of the channels.« less

Silvics of western white pine

Treesearch

Charles A. Wellner

1962-01-01

Western white pine grows along west coast mountain ranges from Vancouver Island and the Homathko River on the adjacent mainland in British Columbia southward to the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California (13, 65, 75, 83). In the interior its range is from Quesnel Lake through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia southward into northern Idaho, western...

Columbia's payload bay with Earth in the background

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-24

STS003-17-806 (22-30 March 1982) --- A 70mm out-the-window view showing Israel, the Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, Sinai, Jordan, the Red Sea and Egypt (in background). Rested Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm and part of the aft section of space shuttle Columbia in foreground. Photo credit: NASA

25. At 1050 Gallery, Block 55, view of gate control ...

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

25. At 1050 Gallery, Block 55, view of gate control and motor, looking west, (Westinghouse Gearmotor, ca. 1939, type CS induction motor, 440 volts, 43 rpm, 60 cycle). - Columbia Basin Project, Grand Coulee Dam & Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, Across Columbia River, Southeast of Town of Grand Coulee, Grand Coulee, Grant County, WA

76 FR 42549 - Columbia Unlimited Hydroplane Races; Kennewick, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-19

... Hydroplane Races. This regulation which restricts navigation and anchorage on the Columbia River for six days... have questions on this notice, call or e-mail BM1 Silvestre Suga III, Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit... Guard will enforce the regulations found in 33 CFR 100.1303 restricting regular navigation and anchoring...

76 FR 1392 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Critical Habitat for Threatened Lower Columbia...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-10

... Columbia River. Although there is some level of reproductive isolation and ecological specialization... isolation of the remaining naturally produced fish confer considerable risks to LCR coho. Major habitat... changes are warranted, we will document the bases for the revisions and include this rationale as part of...

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.

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, 1998 Annual Report.

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

Young, Franklin R.; Wachtel, Mark L.; Petersen, Marc R.

2003-03-01

We are reporting on the progress of the Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery (NPSRF) in the lower Columbia and Snake rivers for 1998. The objectives of this project were to (1) implement a sport fishery that rewards anglers who harvest northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis {ge}279 mm (11 inches) total length, (2) collect catch data on selected fish species caught by fishery participants while targeting northern pikeminnow, (3) monitor and report incidental catch of sensitive salmonid species by anglers targeting northern pikeminnow and, (4) collect, monitor and report data on angler participation, catch and catch per angler day of northern pikeminnow duringmore » the season. A total of 108,903 northern pikeminnow {ge}279 mm were harvested during the 1998 season and 21,959 angler days were spent harvesting these fish. Harvest was below the seven year average of 150,874 and participation was well below the seven-year average of 51,013 angler days. Catch per angler day for all anglers during the season was 4.96 and exceeded the seven-year average of 2.96 northern pikeminnow per angler day. Peamouth Mylocheilus caurinus, and white sturgeon Acipencer transmontanus, were the other species most often harvested by returning NPSRF anglers targeting northern pikeminnow. Harvest of salmonids Oncorhynchus spp. by NPSRF anglers targeting northern pikeminnow remained below limits established by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).« less

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.

HANFORD SITE CENTRAL PLATEAU CLEANUP COMPLETION STRATEGY

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

BERGMAN TB

2011-01-14

Cleanup of the Hanford Site is a complex and challenging undertaking. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a comprehensive vision for completing Hanford's cleanup mission including transition to post-cleanup activities. This vision includes 3 principle components of cleanup: the {approx}200 square miles ofland adjacent to the Columbia River, known as the River Corridor; the 75 square miles of land in the center of the Hanford Site, where the majority of the reprocessing and waste management activities have occurred, known as the Central Plateau; and the stored reprocessing wastes in the Central Plateau, the Tank Wastes. Cleanup of themore » River Corridor is well underway and is progressing towards completion of most cleanup actions by 2015. Tank waste cleanup is progressing on a longer schedule due to the complexity of the mission, with construction of the largest nuclear construction project in the United States, the Waste Treatment Plant, over 50% complete. With the progress on the River Corridor and Tank Waste, it is time to place increased emphasis on moving forward with cleanup of the Central Plateau. Cleanup of the Hanford Site has been proceeding under a framework defmed in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement). In early 2009, the DOE, the State of Washington Department of Ecology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed an Agreement in Principle in which the parties recognized the need to develop a more comprehensive strategy for cleanup of the Central Plateau. DOE agreed to develop a Central Plateau Cleanup Completion Strategy as a starting point for discussions. This DOE Strategy was the basis for negotiations between the Parties, discussions with the State of Oregon, the Hanford Advisory Board, and other Stakeholder groups (including open public meetings), and consultation with the Tribal Nations. The change packages to incorporate the Central Plateau Cleanup Completion Strategy were signed by the Parties on October 26,2010, and are now in the process of being implemented.« less

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

Johnson, Gary E.; Borde, Amy B.; Dawley, Earl

This report is the third annual report of a six-year project to evaluate the cumulative effects of habitat restoration action in the Columbia River Estuary (CRE). The project is being conducted for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) by the Marine Sciences Laboratory of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Pt. Adams Biological Field Station of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce. Measurement of the cumulative effects of ecological restoration projects in the Columbia River estuary is a formidable task because of the size and complexity of the estuarine landscape and the meta-populationsmore » of salmonids in the Columbia River basin. Despite the challenges presented by this system, developing and implementing appropriate indicators and methods to measure cumulative effects is the best way to enable estuary managers to track the overall effectiveness of investments in estuarine restoration projects. This project is developing methods to quantify the cumulative effects of multiple restoration activities in the CRE. The overall objectives of the 2006 study were to continue to develop techniques to assess cumulative effects, refine the standard monitoring protocols, and initiate development of an adaptive management system for Corps of Engineers’ habitat restoration monitoring efforts in the CRE. (The adaptive management effort will be reported at a later date.) Field studies during 2006 were conducted in tidal freshwater at Kandoll Farm on the lower Grays River and tidal brackish water at Vera Slough on Youngs Bay. Within each of area, we sampled one natural reference site and one restoration site. We addressed the overall objectives with field work in 2006 that, coupled with previous field data, had specific objectives and resulted in some important findings that are summarized here by chapter in this report. Each chapter of the report contains data on particular monitored variables for pre- and post-restoration conditions at both the Kandoll and Vera study areas.« less

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

Baptista, António M.

This work focuses on the numerical modeling of Columbia River estuarine circulation and associated modeling-supported analyses conducted as an integral part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional effort led by NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The overall effort is aimed at: (1) retrospective analyses to reconstruct historic bathymetric features and assess effects of climate and river flow on the extent and distribution of shallow water, wetland and tidal-floodplain habitats; (2) computer simulations using a 3-dimensional numerical model to evaluate the sensitivity of salmon rearing opportunities to various historical modifications affecting the estuary (including channel changes, flow regulation, and diking of tidalmore » wetlands and floodplains); (3) observational studies of present and historic food web sources supporting selected life histories of juvenile salmon as determined by stable isotope, microchemistry, and parasitology techniques; and (4) experimental studies in Grays River in collaboration with Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) and the Columbia Land Trust (CLT) to assess effects of multiple tidal wetland restoration projects on various life histories of juvenile salmon and to compare responses to observed habitat-use patterns in the mainstem estuary. From the above observations, experiments, and additional modeling simulations, the effort will also (5) examine effects of alternative flow-management and habitat-restoration scenarios on habitat opportunity and the estuary's productive capacity for juvenile salmon. The underlying modeling system is part of the SATURN1coastal-margin observatory [1]. SATURN relies on 3D numerical models [2, 3] to systematically simulate and understand baroclinic circulation in the Columbia River estuary-plume-shelf system [4-7] (Fig. 1). Multi-year simulation databases of circulation are produced as an integral part of SATURN, and have multiple applications in understanding estuary/plume variability, the role of the estuary and plume on salmon survival, and functional changes in the estuary-plume system in response to climate and human activities.« less

Individual Based modeling of cold water refuge use in the Columbia River

EPA Science Inventory

Diadromous fish populations in the Pacific Northwest face challenges along their migratory routes from declining habitat quality, harvest, and barriers to longitudinal connectivity. Changes in river temperature regimes are producing an additional challenge for upstream migrating ...

Individual based modelling of cold water refuge use in the Columbia River

EPA Science Inventory

Diadromous fish populations in the Pacific Northwest face challenges along their migratory routes from declining habitat quality, harvest, and barriers to longitudinal connectivity. Changes in river temperature regimes are producing an additional challenge for upstream migrating ...

Individual Based Modelling of Cold Water Refuge Use in the Columbia River.

EPA Science Inventory

Anadromous fish populations in the Pacific Northwest face challenges along their migratory routes from declining habitat quality, harvest, and barriers to longitudinal connectivity. Changes in river temperature regimes are producing an additional challenge for upstream migrating ...

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

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

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

Sather, Nichole K.; Storch, Adam; Johnson, Gary E.

The study reported here was conducted by researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the University of Washington (UW), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (USACE). This research project was initiated in 2007 by the Bonneville Power Administration to investigate critical uncertainties regarding juvenile salmon ecology in shallow tidal freshwater habitats of the lower Columbia River. However, as part of the Washington Memorandum of Agreement, the project was transferred to the USACE in 2010. In transferring from BPA to the USACE, themore » focus of the tidal freshwater research project shifted from fundamental ecology toward the effectiveness of restoration in the Lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE). The research is conducted within the Action Agencies Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP). Data reported herein spans the time period May 2010 to September 2011.« less

River food webs: Incorporating nature’s invisible fabric into river management

Treesearch

Andrea Watts; Ryan Bellmore; Joseph Benjamin; Colden Baxter

2018-01-01

Increasing the population of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in Washington state’s Methow River is a goal of the Upper Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan. Spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead are listed as endangered and threatened, respectively, under the Endangered Species Act. Installing logjams and...

Hyperspectral Imaging of River Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-30

98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 2 2. As soon as it is available we will collect HICOTM data for the Yangtze River and adjacent coastal...the Yangtze and other river systems. The goal is to validate our algorithms and to further our understanding of this important river and the East...For the past year we have been collecting HICOTM data for the Columbia (Fig. 3) and Yangtze Rivers (Fig. 4). There are many constraints on data

Environmental Education and the Bogotá River: An Intervention to Be Carried out in Cundinamarca (Colombia)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jefferson, Galeano Martínez; Ciro, Parra Moreno; Méndez Sánchez, Maria Andrea

2017-01-01

The Bogotá River is one of the most contaminated bodies of water in Colombia and in the world. It originates in Guacheneque Páramo (Villapinzón, Cundinamarca) in the centre of the country and runs 336 kilometres before joining the Magdalena River. Along its course, the river receives the sewage of approximately 20.9% of Columbia's population. The…

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 watershed, thus providing one potential measure of future impact to bull trout spawning habitat.« less

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 biologists requested data analysis to determine the project hydraulic extent based on the following criteria: 1) For areas where the mean velocities are less than 4 ft/s, the water velocity differences between operations are not greater than 0.5 ft/sec and /or the differences in water flow direction are not greater than 10 degrees, 2) If mean water velocity is 4.0 ft/second or greater the boundary is determined using the differences in water flow direction (i.e., not greater than 10 degrees). Based on these criteria, and excluding areas with a mean velocity of less than 0.1 ft/s (within the error of the model), a final set of graphics were developed that included data from all flows and all operations. Although each hydroelectric project has a different physical setting, there were some common results. The downstream hydraulic extent tended to be greater than the hydraulic extent in the forebay. The hydraulic extent of the projects tended to be larger at the mid-range flows. At higher flows, the channel geometry tends to reduce the impact of project operations.« less

Sandy River Delta Habitat Restoration Project, Annual Report 2001.

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

Kelly, Virginia; Dobson, Robin L.

The Sandy River Delta is located at the confluence of the Sandy and Columbia Rivers, just east of Troutdale, Oregon. It comprises about 1,400 land acres north of Interstate 84, managed by the USDA Forest Service, and associated river banks managed by the Oregon Division of State Lands. Three islands, Gary, Flag and Catham, managed by Metro Greenspaces and the State of Oregon lie to the east, the Columbia River lies to the north and east, and the urbanized Portland metropolitan area lies to the west across the Sandy River. Sandy River Delta was historically a wooded, riparian wetland withmore » components of ponds, sloughs, bottomland woodland, oak woodland, prairie, and low and high elevation floodplain. It has been greatly altered by past agricultural practices and the Columbia River hydropower system. Restoration of historic landscape components is a primary goal for this land. The Forest Service is currently focusing on restoration of riparian forest and wetlands. Restoration of open upland areas (meadow/prairie) would follow substantial completion of the riparian and wetland restoration. The Sandy River Delta is a former pasture infested with reed canary grass, blackberry and thistle. The limited over story is native riparian species such as cottonwood and ash. The shrub and herbaceous layers are almost entirely non-native, invasive species. Native species have a difficult time naturally regenerating in the thick, competing reed canary grass, Himalayan blackberry and thistle. A system of drainage ditches installed by past owners drains water from historic wetlands. The original channel of the Sandy River was diked in the 1930's, and the river diverted into the ''Little Sandy River''. The original Sandy River channel has subsequently filled in and largely become a slough. The FS acquired approximately 1,400 acres Sandy River Delta (SRD) in 1991 from Reynolds Aluminum (via the Trust for Public Lands). The Delta had been grazed for many years but shortly after FS acquisition grazing was terminated while a master plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) were developed for the site. During the following three years, the vegetation changed dramatically as a result of cessation of grazing. The dramatic changes included the explosive increases of reed canary grass monocultures in wet areas and the expansion of Himalayan blackberries throughout the site.« less

Particulate organic matter predicts bacterial productivity in a river dominated estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crump, B. C.

2015-12-01

Estuaries act as coastal filters for organic and inorganic fluvial materials in which microbial, biogeochemical, and ecological processes combine to transform organic matter and nutrients prior to export to the coastal ocean. The function of this estuarine 'bioreactor' is linked to the residence times of those materials and to rates of microbial heterotrophic activity. Our ability to forecast the impact of global change on estuarine bioreactor function requires an understanding of the basic controls on microbial community activity and diversity. In the Columbia River estuary, the microbial community undergoes a dramatic seasonal shift in species composition during which a spring bacterioplankton community, dominated by Flavobacteriaceae and Oceanospirillales, is replaced by a summer community, dominated by Rhodobacteraceae and several common marine taxa. This annual shift occurs in July, following the spring freshet, when river flow and river chlorophyll concentration decrease and when estuarine water residence time increases. Analysis of a large dataset from 17 research cruises (1990-2014) showed that the composition of particulate organic matter in the estuary changes after the freshet with decreasing organic carbon and nitrogen content, and increasing contribution of marine and autochthonous estuarine organic matter (based on PO13C and pigment ratios). Bacterial production rates (measured as leucine or thymidine incorporation rates) in the estuary respond to this change, and correlate strongly with labile particulate nitrogen concentration and temperature during individual sampling campaigns, and with the concentration of chlorophyll in the Columbia River across all seasons. Regression models suggest that the concentration of labile particulate nitrogen and the rate of bacterial production can be predicted from sensor measurements of turbidity, salinity, and temperature in the estuary and chlorophyll in the river. These results suggest that the quality of particulate organic matter supplied by the river influences the composition of estuarine bacterial communities and the degree to which the Columbia River estuary functions as a bioreactor for fluvial particulate material.

Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon life history investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erhardt, John M.; Bickford, Brad; Hemingway, Rulon J.; Rhodes, Tobyn N.; Tiffan, Kenneth F.

2017-01-01

Predation by nonnative fishes is one factor that has been implicated in the decline of juvenile salmonids in the Pacific Northwest. Impoundment of much of the Snake and Columbia rivers has altered food webs and created habitat favorable for species such as Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu. Smallmouth Bass are common throughout the Columbia River basin and have become the most abundant predator in lower Snake River reservoirs (Zimmerman and Parker 1995). This is a concern for Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (hereafter, subyearlings) that may be particularly vulnerable due to their relatively small size and because their main-stem rearing habitats often overlap or are in close proximity to habitats used by Smallmouth Bass (Curet 1993; Tabor et al. 1993). Concern over juvenile salmon predation spawned a number of large-scale studies to quantify its effect in the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s (Poe et al. 1991; Rieman et al. 1991; Vigg et al. 1991; Fritts and Pearsons 2004; Naughton et al. 2004). Smallmouth Bass predation represented 9% of total salmon consumption by predatory fishes in John Day Reservoir, Columbia River, from 1983 through 1986 (Rieman et al. 1991). In transitional habitat between the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River and McNary Reservoir, juvenile salmon (presumably subyearlings) were found in 65% of Smallmouth Bass (>200 mm) stomachs and comprised 59% of the diet by weight (Tabor et al. 1993). Within Lower Granite Reservoir on the Snake River, Naughton et al. (2004) showed that monthly consumption (based on weight) ranged from 5% in the upper reaches of the reservoir to 11% in the forebay. However, studies in the Snake River were conducted soon after Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon (NMFS 1992). During this time, Fall Chinook Salmon abundance was at an historic low, which may explain why consumption rates were relatively low compared to those from studies conducted in the Columbia and Yakima rivers where abundance was higher (e.g., Tabor et al. 1993; Fritts and Pearsons 2004). We speculate that predation on subyearlings by Smallmouth Bass in the Snake River may have increased in recent years for several reasons. Since their ESA listing, recovery measures implemented for Snake River Fall Chinook salmon have resulted in a large increase in the juvenile population (Connor et al. 2013). Considering that subyearlings probably now make up a larger portion of the forage fish population, it is plausible they should make up a large portion of Smallmouth Bass diets. Second, migrating subyearlings delay downstream movement in the transition zones of the Clearwater River and Snake River for varying lengths of time (Tiffan et al. 2010), which increases their exposure and vulnerability to predators. Spatial overlap in locations of Smallmouth Bass and subyearlings that died during migration provides support for this (Tiffan et al. 2010). Finally, the later outmigration of subyearlings from the Clearwater River results in their presence in Lower Granite Reservoir during the warmest summer months when predation rates of Smallmouth Bass should be highest. In 2016, we focused our efforts on Smallmouth Bass predation in Lower Granite Reservoir downstream of the transition zones and the confluence area where we worked during 2012–2015. Similar to past years, our first objective was to quantify Smallmouth Bass consumption rates of subyearlings, determine relative bass abundance, and describe bass diets. In addition, Tiffan et al. (2016a) posited that predation risk to subyearlings may be higher in shoreline habitats that are more suitable for Smallmouth Bass and lower in shoreline habitats that are more suitable for subyearlings. To test this hypothesis, our second objective examines the relationship between Smallmouth Bass predation of subyearlings and habitat suitability.

Compliance Monitoring of Yearling Chinook Salmon and Juvenile Steelhead Survival and Passage at John Day Dam, Spring 2011

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

Skalski, J. R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

2012-02-01

The study was designed to estimate dam passage survival at John Day Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and to provide additional fish passage performance measures at that site as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

Characterization and assessment of economic systems in the interior Columbia basin: fisheries.

Treesearch

David L. Fluharty

2000-01-01

Economic value of commercial, recreational, and tribal fishing is one measure of the importance of fisheries in the interior Columbia River basin (the basin) but only part of the values associated with fish of that region. The basin historically has provided substantial intraregional anadromous stock fisheries and contributes to interregional fisheries along the entire...

Compliance Monitoring of Yearling Chinook Salmon and Juvenile Steelhead Survival and Passage at John Day Dam, Spring 2011

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

Skalski, J. R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

The study was designed to estimate dam passage survival at John Day Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and to provide additional fish passage performance measures at that site as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

Broadscale assessment of aquatic species and habitats [Chapter 4

Treesearch

Danny C. Lee; James R. Sedell; Bruce F. Rieman; Russell F. Thurow; Jack E. Williams

1997-01-01

In this chapter, we report on a broad-scale scientific assessment of aquatic resources conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. Our assessment area, collectively referred to as the Basin, includes the Columbia River Basin east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana, and small portions of...

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

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

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

This study investigates predation by piscivorous waterbirds on juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) from throughout the Columbia River Basin. During 2006, study objectives in the Columbia River estuary, work funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, were to (1) monitor and evaluate previous management initiatives to reduce Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) predation on juvenile salmonids (smolts); (2) measure the impact of double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) predation on smolt survival, and assess potential management options to reduce cormorant predation; and (3) monitor large colonies of other piscivorous waterbirds in the estuary (i.e., glaucous-winged/western gulls [Larus glaucescens/occidentalis]) to determine the potential impacts on smoltmore » survival. Study objectives on the mid-Columbia River, work funded by the Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, were to (1) measure the impact of predation by Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants on smolt survival; and (2) monitor large nesting colonies of other piscivorous waterbirds (i.e., California gulls [L. californicus], ring-billed gulls [L. delawarensis], American white pelicans [Pelecanus erythrorhynchos]) on the mid-Columbia River to determine the potential for significant impacts on smolt survival. Our efforts to evaluate system-wide losses of juvenile salmonids to avian predation indicated that Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants were responsible for the vast majority of smolt losses to avian predators in the Columbia Basin, with most losses occurring in the Columbia River estuary. In 2006, East Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary supported the largest known breeding colonies of Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants in the world. The Caspian tern colony on East Sand Island consisted of about 9,200 breeding pairs in 2006, up slightly (but not significantly so) from the estimate of colony size in 2005 (8,820 pairs). There has not been a statistically significant change in the size of the Caspian tern colony on East Sand Island since 2000. Tern nesting success averaged 0.72 fledglings per breeding pair in 2006, significantly higher than in 2005 (0.37 fledglings per breeding pair), a year of poor ocean conditions. Despite the presumably higher availability of marine forage fishes in 2006, the proportion of juvenile salmonids in diets of Caspian terns (32% of prey items) averaged higher than in 2005 (23% of prey items) and 2004 (18% of prey items). Steelhead smolts were particular vulnerable to predation by East Sand Island terns in 2006, with predation rates as high as 20% on particular groups of PIT-tagged fish reaching the estuary. Consumption of juvenile salmonids by terns nesting at the East Sand Island colony in 2006 was approximately 5.3 million smolts (95% c.i. = 4.4-6.2 million), significantly higher than the estimated 3.6 million smolts consumed in 2005, but still roughly 7 million fewer smolts consumed compared to 1998 (when all terns nested on Rice Island in the upper estuary). Caspian terns nesting on East Sand Island continue to rely primarily on marine forage fishes as a food supply, even in 2005 when availability of marine forage fishes declined due to poor ocean conditions. Further management of Caspian terns to reduce losses of juvenile salmonids would be implemented under the Caspian Tern Management Plan for the Columbia River Estuary; the Records of Decision (RODs) authorizing implementation of the plan were signed in November 2006. The ROD lists as the management goal the redistribution of approximately half of the East Sand Island Caspian tern colony to alternative colony sites in interior Oregon and San Francisco Bay, California (USFWS 2006). Implementation of the management plan is stalled, however, because of the lack of appropriated funds.« less

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

Perry, Russell W.; Skalski, John R.

Wetlands in the Columbia River estuary are actively being restored by reconnecting these habitats to the estuary, making more wetland habitats available to rearing and migrating juvenile salmon. Concurrently, thousands of acoustically tagged juvenile salmonids are released into the Columbia River to estimate their survival as they migrate through the estuary. Here, we develop a release-recapture model that makes use of these tagged fish to measure the success of wetland restoration projects in terms of their contribution to populations of juvenile salmon. Specifically, our model estimates the fraction of the population that enter the wetland, survival within the wetland, andmore » the mean residence time of fish within the wetland. Furthermore, survival in mainstem Columbia River downstream of the wetland can be compared between fish that remained the mainstem and entered the wetland. These conditional survival estimates provide a means of testing whether the wetland improves the subsequent survival of juvenile salmon by fostering growth or improving their condition. Implementing such a study requires little additional cost because it takes advantage of fish already released to estimate survival through the estuary. Thus, such a study extracts the maximum information at minimum cost from research projects that typically cost millions of dollars annually.« less

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

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

Extensive feeding on sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka smolts by bull trout Salvelinus confluentus during initial outmigration into a small, unregulated and inland British Columbia river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Furey, Nathan B.; Hinch, Scott G.; Lotto, A.G.; Beauchamp, David A.

2015-01-01

Stomach contents were collected and analysed from 22 bull trout Salvelinus confluentus at the edge of the Chilko Lake and Chilko River in British Columbia, Canada, during spring outmigration of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka smolts. Twenty of the 22 (>90%) stomachs contained prey items, virtually all identifiable prey items were outmigrant O. nerka smolts and stomach contents represented a large portion (0·0–12·6%) of estimated S. confluentus mass. The results demonstrate nearly exclusive and intense feeding by S. confluentus on outmigrant smolts, and support recent telemetry observations of high disappearance rates of O. nerka smolts leaving large natural lake systems prior to entering high-order unregulated river systems.

Extensive feeding on sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka smolts by bull trout Salvelinus confluentus during initial outmigration into a small, unregulated and inland British Columbia river.

PubMed

Furey, N B; Hinch, S G; Lotto, A G; Beauchamp, D A

2015-01-01

Stomach contents were collected and analysed from 22 bull trout Salvelinus confluentus at the edge of the Chilko Lake and Chilko River in British Columbia, Canada, during spring outmigration of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka smolts. Twenty of the 22 (>90%) stomachs contained prey items, virtually all identifiable prey items were outmigrant O. nerka smolts and stomach contents represented a large portion (0·0-12·6%) of estimated S. confluentus mass. The results demonstrate nearly exclusive and intense feeding by S. confluentus on outmigrant smolts, and support recent telemetry observations of high disappearance rates of O. nerka smolts leaving large natural lake systems prior to entering high-order unregulated river systems. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Preliminary flood-duration frequency estimates using naturalized streamflow records for the Willamette River Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lind, Greg D.; Stonewall, Adam J.

2018-02-13

In this study, “naturalized” daily streamflow records, created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, were used to compute 1-, 3-, 7-, 10-, 15-, 30-, and 60-day annual maximum streamflow durations, which are running averages of daily streamflow for the number of days in each duration. Once the annual maximum durations were computed, the floodduration frequencies could be estimated. The estimated flood-duration frequencies correspond to the 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent probabilities of their occurring or being exceeded each year. For this report, the focus was on the Willamette River Basin in Oregon, which is a subbasin of the Columbia River Basin. This study is part of a larger one encompassing the entire Columbia Basin.

Past, Present, Future Erosion at Locke Island

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

Bjornstad, Bruce N.

2006-08-08

This report describes and documents the erosion that has occurred along the northeast side of Locke Island over the last 10 to 20 years. The principal cause of this erosion is the massive Locke Island landslide complex opposite the Columbia River along the White Bluffs, which constricts the flow of the river and deflects the river's thalweg southward against the island.

Waterborne Commerce of the United States, Calendar Year 1986. Part 5. Waterways and Harbors, National Summaries

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-31

COLUMBIA RIVER ’ WENATCHEE , WASH., TO INTERNATIONAL SOUNDRYJ COEUR DfALENE LAKE............................................................ 39,625...1986 ............ .............................. 28 8 Comparative Statement of Traffic on the Mississippi River System, 1975-1986. 29 9 Comparative...Statement of Traffic on the Mississippi River from Minneapolis, Minn., to the Mouth of Passes, 1975 - 1986 ... .............. . 29 10 Domestic Barge

Spatio-temporal variability in movement, age, and growth of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a river network based upon PIT tagging and otolith chemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benjamin, Joseph R.; Wetzel, Lisa A.; Martens, Kyle D.; Larsen, Kimberly; Connolly, Patrick J.

2013-01-01

Connectivity of river networks and the movements among habitats can be critical for the life history of many fish species, and understanding of the patterns of movement is central to managing populations, communities, and the landscapes they use. We combined passive integrated transponder tagging over 4 years and strontium isotopes in otoliths to demonstrate that 25% of the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) sampled moved between the Methow and Columbia rivers, Washington, USA. Seasonal migrations downstream from the Methow River to the Columbia River to overwinter occurred in autumn and upstream movements in the spring. We observed migration was common during the first year of life, with migrants being larger than nonmigrants. However, growth between migrants and nonmigrants was similar. Water temperature was positively related to the proportion of migrants and negatively related to the timing of migration, but neither was related to discharge. The broad spatio-temporal movements we observed suggest mountain whitefish, and likely other nonanadromous fish, require distant habitats and also suggests that management and conservation strategies to keep connectivity of large river networks are imperative.

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.

Ground motions estimates for a cascadia earthquake from liquefaction evidence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dickenson, S.E.; Obermeier, S.F.

1998-01-01

Paleoseismic studies conducted in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest in the past decade have revealed evidence of crustal downdropping and subsequent tsunami inundation, attributable to a large earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone which occurred approximately 300 years ago, and most likely in 1700 AD. In order to characterize the severity of ground motions from this earthquake, we report on results of a field search for seismically induced liquefaction features. The search was made chiefly along the coastal portions of several river valleys in Washington, rivers along the central Oregon coast, as well as on islands in the Columbia River of Oregon and Washington. In this paper we focus only on the results of the Columbia River investigation. Numerous liquefaction features were found in some regions, but not in others. The regional distribution of liquefaction features is evaluated as a function of geologic and geotechnical factors at each site in order to estimate the intensity of ground shaking.

Impact of the Fraser River Geometry on Tides and the River Plumes in a Model of the Fraser River Plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Allen, S. E.; Soontiens, N. K.

2016-02-01

Fraser River is the largest river on the west coast of Canada. It empties into the Strait of Georgia, which is a large, semi-enclosed body of water between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. We have developed a three-dimensional model of the Strait of Georgia, including the Fraser River plume, using the NEMO model in its regional configuration. This operational model produces daily nowcasts and forecasts for salinity, temperature, currents and sea surface heights. Observational data available for evaluation of the model includes daily British Columbia ferry salinity data, profile data and surface drifter data. The salinity of the modelled Fraser River plume agrees well with ferry based measurements of salinity. However, large discrepencies exist between the modelled and observed position of the plume. Modelled surface currents compared to drifter observations show that the model has too strong along-strait velocities and too weak cross-strait velocities. We investigated the impact of river geometry. A sensitivity experiment was performed comparing the original, short, shallow river channel to an extended and deepened river channel. With the latter bathymetry, tidal amplitudes within Fraser River correspond well with observations. Comparisons to drifter tracks show that the surface currents have been improved with the new bathymetry. However, substantial discrepencies remain. We will discuss how reducing vertical eddy viscosity and other changes further improve the modelled position of the plume.

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

Annual suspended sediment and trace element fluxes in the Mississippi, Columbia, Colorado, and Rio Grande drainage basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Elrick, K.A.; Smith, J.J.

2001-01-01

Suspended sediment, sediment-associated, total trace element, phosphorus (P), and total organic carbon (TOC) fluxes were determined for the Mississippi, Columbia, Rio Grande, and Colorado Basins for the study period (the 1996, 1997, and 1998 water years) as part of the US Geological Survey's redesigned National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) programme. The majority (??? 70%) of Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Ba, P, As, Fe, Mn, and Al are transported in association with suspended sediment; Sr transport seems dominated by the dissolved phase, whereas the transport of Li and TOC seems to be divided equally between both phases. Average dissolved trace element levels are markedly lower than reported during the original NASQAN programme; this seems due to the use of 'clean' sampling, processing, and analytical techniques rather than to improvements in water quality. Partitioning between sediment and water for Ag, Pb, Cd, Cr, Co, V, Be, As, Sb, Hg, and Ti could not be estimated due to a lack of detectable dissolved concentrations in most samples. Elevated suspended sediment-associated Zn levels were detected in the Ohio River Basin and elevated Hg levels were detected in the Tennessee River, the former may affect the mainstem Mississippi River, whereas the latter probably do not. Sediment-associated concentrations of Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Co, Ba, Mo, Sb, Hg, and Fe are markedly elevated in the upper Columbia Basin, and appear to be detectable (Zn, Cd) as far downstream as the middle of the basin. These elevated concentrations seem to result from mining and/or mining-related activities. Consistently detectable concentrations of dissolved Se were found only in the Colorado River Basin. Calculated average annual suspended sediment fluxes at the mouths of the Mississippi and Rio Grande Basins were below, whereas those for the Columbia and Colorado Basins were above previously published annual values. Downstream suspended sediment-associated and total trace element fluxes increase in the Mississippi and Columbia Basins, whereas fluxes markedly decrease in the Colorado Basin. No consistent pattern in trace element fluxes was detected in the Rio Grande Basin.

Simulation of groundwater storage changes in the eastern Pasco Basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heywood, Charles E.; Kahle, Sue C.; Olsen, Theresa D.; Patterson, James D.; Burns, Erick

2016-03-29

The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group and younger sedimentary deposits of lacustrine, fluvial, eolian, and cataclysmic-flood origins compose the aquifer system of the Pasco Basin in eastern Washington. Irrigation return flow and canal leakage from the Columbia Basin Project have caused groundwater levels to rise substantially in some areas, contributing to landslides along the Columbia River. Water resource managers are considering extraction of additional stored groundwater to supply increasing demand and possibly mitigate problems caused by the increased water levels. To help address these concerns, the transient groundwater model of the Pasco Basin documented in this report was developed to quantify the changes in groundwater flow and storage. The MODFLOW model uses a 1-kilometer finite-difference grid and is constrained by logs and water levels from 846 wells in the study area. Eight model layers represent five sedimentary hydrogeologic units and underlying basalt formations. Head‑dependent flux boundaries represent the Columbia and Snake Rivers to the west and south, respectively, underflow to and (or) from adjacent areas to the northeast, and discharge to agricultural drains, springs, and groundwater withdrawal wells. Specified flux boundaries represent recharge from infiltrated precipitation and anthropogenic sources, including irrigation return flow and leakage from water-distribution canals. The model was calibrated with the parameter‑estimation code PEST++ to groundwater levels measured from 1907 through 2013 and measured discharge to springs and estimated discharge to agricultural drains. Increased recharge since pre-development resulted in a 6.8 million acre-feet increase in storage in the 508-14 administrative area of the Pasco Basin. Four groundwater-management scenarios simulate the 7-year drawdown resulting from withdrawals in different locations. Withdrawals of 2 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) from a hypothetical well field in the upper Ringold Formation along the Columbia River could generate 30–70 feet of drawdown, which may reduce landslide susceptibility along the White Bluffs. Drawdowns resulting from a 1 Mgal/d withdrawal from wells screened in either Pasco gravels, upper Ringold Formation, or both Ringold Formation and underlying basalt are simulated in the other three scenarios, and differ because of the contrasting hydraulic conductivities within the screened intervals.

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 > PBDE-153. Concentrations in tissues and in sediments increased moving downstream from Skamania, WA to Columbia City, OR to Longview, WA. Preliminary biomarker results indicate that fish at the downstream sites experience greater stress relative to the upstream site based on gonad, kidney, spleen, and liver histopathology. These results support the hypothesis that contaminant concentrations in the environment correlate to bioaccumulation in the foodweb.

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 range 300-600 km show that a northern segment of the orphaned Farallon plate lies sub-horizontally in the mantle transition zone parallel to and along the length of the SRP. The images also provide evidence for present-day upwelling from the deep upper mantle around the northern edge of the remnant slab beneath SRP as well as around its leading tip beneath Yellowstone. These results, coupled with petrologic and geochemical constraints, provide compelling support for a subduction model that accounts for virtually all post-20 Ma Cenozoic volcanism and structural deformation in the Cascadian back arc. James, D.E., Fouch, M.J., Carlson, R.W., Roth, J.B., 2011. Slab fragmentation, edge flow, and the origin of the Yellowstone hotspot track. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 311, 124-135. Long, M.D., Till, C.B., Druken, K.A., Carlson, R.W., Wagner, L.S., Fouch, M.J., James, D.E., Grove, T.L., Schmerr, N., Kincaid, C., 2012. Mantle dynamics beneath the Pacific Northwest and generation of voluminous back-arc volcanism. G-cubed in press.

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

Bottom, Daniel L.; Simenstad, Charles A.; Campbell, Lance

In 2002 with support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), an interagency research team began investigating salmon life histories and habitat use in the lower Columbia River estuary to fill significant data gaps about the estuary's potential role in salmon decline and recovery . The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) provided additional funding in 2004 to reconstruct historical changes in estuarine habitat opportunities and food web linkages of Columbia River salmon (Onchorhynchus spp.). Together these studies constitute the estuary's first comprehensive investigation of shallow-water habitats, including selected emergent, forested, and scrub-shrub wetlands. Among other findings, this research documented themore » importance of wetlands as nursery areas for juvenile salmon; quantified historical changes in the amounts and distributions of diverse habitat types in the lower estuary; documented estuarine residence times, ranging from weeks to months for many juvenile Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha); and provided new evidence that contemporary salmonid food webs are supported disproportionately by wetland-derived prey resources. The results of these lower-estuary investigations also raised many new questions about habitat functions, historical habitat distributions, and salmon life histories in other areas of the Columbia River estuary that have not been adequately investigated. For example, quantitative estimates of historical habitat changes are available only for the lower 75 km of the estuary, although tidal influence extends 217 km upriver to Bonneville Dam. Because the otolith techniques used to reconstruct salmon life histories rely on detection of a chemical signature (strontium) for salt water, the estuarine residency information we have collected to date applies only to the lower 30 or 35 km of the estuary, where fish first encounter ocean water. We lack information about salmon habitat use, life histories, and growth within the long tidal-fresh reaches of the main-stem river and many tidally-influenced estuary tributaries. Finally, our surveys to date characterize wetland habitats within island complexes distributed in the main channel of the lower estuary. Yet some of the most significant wetland losses have occurred along the estuary's periphery, including shoreline areas and tributary junctions. These habitats may or may not function similarly as the island complexes that we have surveyed to date. In 2007 we initiated a second phase of the BPA estuary study (Phase II) to address specific uncertainties about salmon in tidal-fresh and tributary habitats of the Columbia River estuary. This report summarizes 2007 and 2008 Phase II results and addresses three principal research questions: (1) What was the historic distribution of estuarine and floodplain habitats from Astoria to Bonneville Dam? (2) Do individual patterns of estuarine residency and growth of juvenile Chinook salmon vary among wetland habitat types along the estuarine tidal gradient? (3) Are salmon rearing opportunities and life histories in the restoring wetland landscape of lower Grays River similar to those documented for island complexes of the main-stem estuary? Phase II extended our analysis of historical habitat distribution in the estuary above Rkm 75 to near Bonneville Dam. For this analysis we digitized the original nineteenth-century topographic (T-sheets) and hydrographic (H-sheets) survey maps for the entire estuary. Although all T-sheets (Rkm 0 to Rkm 206) were converted to GIS in 2005 with support for the USACE estuary project, final reconstruction of historical habitats throughout the estuary requires completion of the remaining H-sheet GIS maps above Rkm 75 and their integration with the T-sheets. This report summarizes progress to date on compiling the upper estuary H-sheets above Rkm 75. For the USACE estuary project, we analyzed otoliths from Chinook salmon collected near the estuary mouth in 2003-05 to estimate variability in estuary residence times among juvenile out migrants. In Phase II we expanded these analyses to compare growth and residency among individuals collected in tidal-fresh water wetlands of the lower main-stem estuary. Although no known otolith structural or chemical indicators currently exist to define entry into tidal fresh environments, our previous analyses indicate that otolith barium concentrations frequently increase before individuals encounter salt water. Here we evaluate whether otolith barium levels may provide a valid indicator of tidal fresh water entry by Columbia River Chinook salmon. We also examine otolith growth increments to quantify and compare recent (i.e., the previous 30 d) growth rates among individuals sampled in different wetland habitats along the estuarine tidal gradient.« less

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

NeSmith, Frank; Long, Mack; Matthews, Dayne

This report was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), US Department of Energy, as part of BPA`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. Illegal harvest and violation of habitat protection regulations are factors affecting the survival of many native species of anadromous and resident fish in the Columbia Basin.

Potential vegetation hierarchy for the Blue Mountains section of northeastern Oregon, southeastern Washington, and west-central Idaho.

Treesearch

David C. Powell; Charles G. Johnson; Elizabeth A. Crowe; Aaron Wells; David K. Swanson

2007-01-01

The work described in this report was initiated during the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP). The ICBEMP produced a broad-scale scientific assessment of ecological, biophysical, social, and economic conditions for the interior Columbia River basin and portions of the Klamath and Great Basins. The broad-scale assessment made extensive use of...

Macroecology, paleoecology, and ecological integrity of terrestrial species and communities of the interior Columbia basin and northern portions of the Klamath and Great Basins.

Treesearch

Bruce G. Marcot; L.K. Croft; J.F. Lehmkuhl; R.H. Naney; C.G. Niwa; W.R. Owen; R.E. Sandquist

1998-01-01

This report present information on biogeography and broad-scale ecology (macroecology) of selected fungi, lichens, bryophytes, vascular plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates of the interior Columbia River basin and adjacent areas. Rareplants include many endemics associated with local conditions. Potential plant and invertebrate bioindicators are identified. Species...

Developing measures of socioeconomic resiliency in the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Amy L. Horne; Richard W. Haynes

1999-01-01

Measures of socioeconomic resiliency were developed for the 100 counties studied in the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. These measures can be used for understanding the extent to which changes in policies for management of Federal lands may affect socioeconomic systems coincident with those lands. Sixty-seven percent of the basin’s residents live...

Classifying plant series-level forest potential types: methods for subbasins sampled in the midscale assessment of the interior Columbia basin.

Treesearch

Paul F. Hessburg; Bradley G. Smith; Scott D. Kreiter; Craig A. Miller; Cecilia H. McNicoll; Michele. Wasienko-Holland

2000-01-01

In the interior Columbia River basin midscale ecological assessment, 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 composition, and landscape vulnerability to wildfires...

Water Quality Trends in the Entiat River Subbasin: 2007-2008

Treesearch

Andy Bookter; Richard D. Woodsmith; Frank H. McCormick; Karl M. Polivka

2009-01-01

Production of high-quality water is a vitally important ecosystem service in the largely semiarid interior Columbia River basin (ICRB). Communities, tribal governments, and various agencies are concerned about maintenance of this water supply for domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational, and ecosystem uses. Water quantity and...

75 FR 6020 - Electrical Interconnection of the Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-05

... River Wind Energy Project AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE... (BPA) has decided to offer Puget Sound Energy Inc., a Large Generator Interconnection Agreement for... and Columbia counties, Washington. To interconnect the Wind Project, BPA will construct a new...

78 FR 74116 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-10

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... plans and request for comment. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and... River and Columbia River basins by providing hatchery fish to support fishing opportunities while...

77 FR 27188 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-09

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... plans and request for comment SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and... River and Columbia River basins by providing hatchery fish to support fishing opportunities while...