Investigate the Life History of Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead in the Grande Ronde River

1
Investigate the Life History of Spring Chinook
Salmon and Summer Steelhead in the Grande Ronde
River Basin

• Project 199202604
• Brian Jonasson
• Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

2
Project Goals

• Describe and monitor juvenile life history
  strategies and life-stage survival of spring
  chinook salmon and steelhead in the Grande Ronde
  Subbasin
• Provide baseline natural production and life
  history information for evaluation of
  supplementation efforts in the Grande Ronde
  Subbasin

3
Juvenile Life History ObjectivesSpring Chinook
Salmon

• In-basin migration patterns and abundance
• Survival and migration patterns to mainstem dams
• Life stage survival rates
• Use of winter concealment habitat
• Relationships between rearing habitat and
  survival and life history patterns

4
Juvenile Life History ObjectivesSteelhead

• In-basin migration patterns and abundance
• Survival and migration patterns to mainstem dams
• Proportion of fall migrants that smolt in spring
• Population characteristics of steelhead in
  Catherine Creek in summer

5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Migration Timing and Abundance
Spring Chinook Salmon Catherine Creek
8
Migration Timing and Abundance
Spring Chinook Salmon Upper Grande Ronde River
9
Migration Timing and Abundance
Spring Chinook Salmon Lostine River
10
(No Transcript)
11
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Spring Chinook
Salmon 2000 Migratory Year
12
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Spring Chinook
Salmon 2001 Migratory Year
13
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Spring Chinook
Salmon 2002 Migratory Year
14
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Spring Chinook
Salmon 2003 Migratory Year
15
Abundance of Summer Parr Spring Chinook Salmon

16
Egg to Smolt Survival Spring Chinook
Salmon Catherine Creek

17
Egg to Smolt Survival Spring Chinook
Salmon Lostine River

18
Egg to Smolt Survival Spring Chinook Salmon Minam
River

19
Winter ConcealmentSpring Chinook Salmon
Pools were ranked based on

• Depth
• Velocity
• Substrate
• Embeddedness
• Cover

20
Winter ConcealmentSpring Chinook
SalmonCatherine Creek
21
Winter ConcealmentSpring Chinook SalmonLostine
River
22
Winter ConcealmentSpring Chinook SalmonGrande
Ronde River
23
Winter ConcealmentSpring Chinook
SalmonCatherine Creek
24
Habitat RelationshipsSpring Chinook Salmon
Habitat variables

• Aquatic habitat inventory
• Macroinvertebrates
• Streamflow

Fish variables

• Egg to smolt survival
• Proportion of early and late migrants

25
Habitat RelationshipsSpring Chinook Salmon
26
Limiting Factors AnalysisSpring Chinook Salmon

• Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment Method (EDT)
• Aquatic Habitat Inventory data
• Habitat relationships

27
Migration Timing and Abundance
Steelhead Catherine Creek
28
Migration Timing and Abundance
Steelhead Grande Ronde River
29
Migration Timing and Abundance
Steelhead Lostine River
30
Migration Timing and Abundance
Steelhead Minam River
31
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Steelhead Tagged in
Spring
32
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Steelhead Catherine
Creek
33
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Steelhead Grande
Ronde River
34
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Steelhead Lostine
River
35
Survival to Lower Granite Dam Steelhead Minam
River
36
Population StructureSteelheadCatherine Creek -
2001
37
Population StructureSteelheadCatherine Creek -
2002
38
Population StructureSteelheadCatherine Creek -
2003
39
Life History Findings and Management Significance

• Habitats downstream of the spawning areas are
  critical rearing areas in fall and winter
• Deep pools with cover are important for over
  winter habitat

40
Life History Findings and Management Significance

• Local populations exhibit differences in life
  history, including migration timing within the
  subbasin and survival to mainstem dams