John W. Beeman

Migration depths of juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead relative to total dissolved gas supersaturation in a Columbia River reservoir

Abstract The in situ depths of juvenile salmonids Oncorhynchus spp. were studied to determine whether hydrostatic compensation was sufficient to protect them from gas bubble disease (GBD) during exposure to total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation from a regional program of spill at dams meant to improve salmonid passage survival. Yearling Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha and juvenile steelhead O. mykiss implanted with pressure-sensing radio transmitters were monitored from boats while they were migrating between the tailrace of Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River and the forebay of McNary Dam on the Columbia River during 1997–1999. The TDG generally decreased with distance from the tailrace of the dam and was within levels known to cause GBD signs and mortality in laboratory bioassays. Results of repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that the mean depths of juvenile steelhead were similar throughout the study area, ranging from 2.0 m in the Snake River to 2.3 m near the McNary Dam forebay. The mea...

Residence Times and Diel Passage Distributions of Radio-Tagged Juvenile Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead in a Gatewell and Fish Collection Channel of a Columbia River Dam

Abstract The amount of time radio-tagged juvenile spring chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and juvenile steelhead O. mykiss spent within a gatewell and the juvenile collection channel at McNary Dam, Columbia River, USA, was measured to determine the diel passage behavior and residence times within these portions of the juvenile bypass system. The median gatewell residence times were 8.9 h for juvenile chinook salmon and 3.2 h for steelhead. Juvenile spring chinook salmon spent 83% of their time in the 18-m-deep gatewell at depths of 9 m or less, and juvenile steelhead spent 96% of their time in the upper 11 m. Fish released during midday and those released in the evening generally exited the gatewell in the evening, indicating that fish entering the gatewell during daylight will have prolonged residence times. Median collection-channel residence times of juvenile chinook salmon were much shorter (2.3 min) than those of steelhead (28.0 min), most likely because of the greater size of the steelhead an...

Comparison of Three Underwater Antennas for Use in Radiotelemetry

Abstract The radiation patterns of three versions of underwater radiotelemetry antennas were measured to compare the relative reception ranges in the horizontal and vertical planes, which are important considerations when designing detection systems. The received signal strengths of an antenna made by stripping shielding from a section of coaxial cable (stripped coax) and by two versions of a dipole antenna were measured at several orientations relative to a dipole transmit antenna under controlled field conditions. The received signal strengths were greater when the transmit and receive antennas were parallel to each other than when they were perpendicular, indicating that a parallel orientation provides optimal detection range. The horizontal plane radiation pattern of the flexible, stripped coax antenna was similar to that of a rigid dipole antenna, but movement of underwater stripped coax antennas in field applications could affect the orientation of transmit and receive antennas in some applications,...

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

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.

Evaluation of a New Miniature Pressure-Sensitive Radio Transmitter

Abstract A miniature pressure-sensitive radio transmitter (tag) was evaluated and field tested as a tool for determining the depths of juvenile salmonids. The tag had an effective radiated power of −19.7 decibels (1 mW reference), dimensions of 23 mm × 7 mm, and a weight of 2.2 g in air. The pulse rate of the tag increased with pressure, resulting in an expected tag life of approximately 11 d at the water surface and 7.5 d at 10.5 m. The tags were accurate to within 16 mm with 95% of observations within ±0.32 m of the true depth. The resolution of the tags was 0.2 m. Errors in indicated depth resulting from differences between the calibration and operating temperatures were minimized by means of a correction factor. Tags surgically implanted in juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss indicated a depth 0.2 m less than the same tags in water. This difference was not affected by pressure or temperature and was rectified by adjusting data from tags in fish. A test tag in a Columbia River reservoir was detected...

Effects of antenna length and material on output power and detection of miniature radio transmitters

The optimal antenna of transmitters used in small aquatic animals is often a compromise between efficient radio wave propagation and effects on animal behavior. Radio transmission efficiency generally increases with diameter and length of the conductor, but increased antenna length or weight can adversely affect animal behavior. We evaluated the effects of changing antenna length and material on the subsequent tag output power, reception, and detection of tagged fish. In a laboratory, we compared the relative signal strengths in water of 150 MHz transmitters over a range of antenna lengths (from 6 to 30 cm) and materials (one weighing about half of the other). The peak relative signal strengths were at 20 and 22 cm, which are approximately one wavelength underwater at the test frequency. The peak relative signal strengths at these lengths were approximately 50% greater than those of 30 cm antennas, a length commonly used in fisheries research. Few significant differences were present in distances for the operator to hear or the telemetry receiver to decode transmitters from a boat-mounted receiving system based on antenna length, but the percent of tagged fish detected passing a hydroelectric dam fitted with an array of receiving systems was significantly greater at the antenna length with peak output power in laboratory tests. This study indicates careful choice of antenna length and material of small transmitters can be used to reduce weight and possible antenna effects on animal behavior, to maximize tag output power and detection, or to balance these factors based on the needs of the application.

Assessment of Smolt Condition for Travel Time Analysis Project, 1987-1997 Project Review.

The assessment of Smolt Condition for Travel Time Analysis Project (Bonneville Power Administration Project 87-401) monitored attributes of salmonid smolt physiology in the Columbia and Snake River basins from 1987 to 1997, under the Northwest Power Planning Council Fish and Wildlife Program, in cooperation with the Smolt Monitoring Program of the Fish Passage Center. The primary goal of the project was to investigate the physiological development of juvenile salmonids related to migration rates. The assumption was made that the level of smolt development, interacting with environmental factos such as flow, would be reflected in travel times. The Fish Passage Center applied the physiological measurements of smolt condition to Water Budget management, to regulate flows so as to decrease travel time and increase survival.