Dam Removal and Other Fish Dam Removal and Other Fish Population Restoration Population Restoration

StrategiesStrategiesin the Columbia River Basinin the Columbia River Basin

Kyle PalmerKyle Palmer

Sara PowellSara Powell

Andy WhiteAndy White

The ProblemThe Problem

Fish populations are declining in the Columbia Fish populations are declining in the Columbia River Basin, largely due to the network of River Basin, largely due to the network of

hydroelectric dams located along the waterway.hydroelectric dams located along the waterway.

BackgroundBackground

• Anadromous fish, specifically Steelhead and Anadromous fish, specifically Steelhead and salmon, have been an important part of life in the salmon, have been an important part of life in the Columbia River Basin since the time of Native Columbia River Basin since the time of Native Americans.Americans.

• Once very abundant.Once very abundant.

• Habitat alterations, ocean conditions, harvesting Habitat alterations, ocean conditions, harvesting methods, and the methods, and the construction of hydrodamsconstruction of hydrodams have caused a drastic decline in natural have caused a drastic decline in natural abundance of these fish.abundance of these fish.

Multiple StakeholdersMultiple Stakeholders

• Fishermen (commercial/recreational)Fishermen (commercial/recreational)

• FarmersFarmers

• Power SupplyPower Supply

• EnvironmentalistsEnvironmentalists

• Native AmericansNative Americans

Goal StatementGoal Statement

• Determine the most Determine the most viable management viable management strategy for restoring strategy for restoring the natural balance of the natural balance of anadromous fish anadromous fish populations in the populations in the Lower Snake River.Lower Snake River.

ObjectivesObjectives

• Identify the widespread impacts of dam Identify the widespread impacts of dam construction on an ecosystem.construction on an ecosystem.

• Weigh the costs and benefits of dam removal as a Weigh the costs and benefits of dam removal as a management strategy for fish restoration in the management strategy for fish restoration in the Lower Snake River Lower Snake River

• Determine the effectiveness of fish ladders, Determine the effectiveness of fish ladders, trapping and transportation of fish, turbine trapping and transportation of fish, turbine diversion screens, and stocking as fish population diversion screens, and stocking as fish population restoration methods.restoration methods.

• Develop a recommendation of how these Develop a recommendation of how these methods should be used in conjunction to restore methods should be used in conjunction to restore the fish populations and satisfy the shareholders.the fish populations and satisfy the shareholders.

Ecological Impacts of DamsEcological Impacts of Dams• Altered Flow RegimeAltered Flow Regime

• Formation of ReservoirsFormation of Reservoirs

-transformation from river to lake-like -transformation from river to lake-like habitathabitat

• Sediment AccumulationSediment Accumulation

- increased likelihood - increased likelihood

of dam failureof dam failure

- clear water releases- clear water releases

• River ConnectivityRiver Connectivity

- effects on migratory - effects on migratory

fishesfishes

Ecological Impacts of Dam Ecological Impacts of Dam RemovalRemoval ProsPros

• Return flow regime back to natural patternReturn flow regime back to natural pattern

-Increase biodiversityIncrease biodiversity

- Disappearance of warm water lake species and Disappearance of warm water lake species and reappearance of cold water river species – Salmon and troutreappearance of cold water river species – Salmon and trout

• Redistribution of sedimentRedistribution of sediment

- Hard substrates re-exposed- Hard substrates re-exposed

ConsCons

• SupersaturationSupersaturation

• Sudden and temporary increase in free-floating sedimentSudden and temporary increase in free-floating sediment

- Timing very important- Timing very important

Economic Costs and BenefitsEconomic Costs and Benefits

Fish LaddersFish Ladders

• Fish ladders have been successful in the Fish ladders have been successful in the Columbia River BasinColumbia River Basin

• How they Work : attract migrants by providing How they Work : attract migrants by providing appropriate flows that will attract and guide the appropriate flows that will attract and guide the migrating fish. migrating fish.

• While the fish ladders have been successful, they While the fish ladders have been successful, they only allow certain members of the migrating only allow certain members of the migrating population to pass through; the large, strongly population to pass through; the large, strongly swimming pre-spawning salmonids and shad swimming pre-spawning salmonids and shad

Fish Ladders at the Bonneville Dam

Inappropriate flows make it Inappropriate flows make it hard for fish to get through hard for fish to get through these structures these structures

TruckingTrucking

• The oldest method that involves capturing The oldest method that involves capturing migrants and hauling them above the dam for migrants and hauling them above the dam for releaserelease

• This method can prove useful and successful in This method can prove useful and successful in the short term for reestablishing an upstream the short term for reestablishing an upstream population, population,

• Costly and difficult for fish and peopleCostly and difficult for fish and people

Fish ElevatorsFish Elevators

• Fish elevators are similar to fish ladders where they Fish elevators are similar to fish ladders where they use attracting flows to get the migrating species to use attracting flows to get the migrating species to use themuse them

• instead of having an open passageway all the time, instead of having an open passageway all the time, • more complicated for the fishmore complicated for the fish• This system consists of the fish entering a This system consists of the fish entering a

downstream hopper and are held until, triggered by downstream hopper and are held until, triggered by a timer, a sonar system, or a human operator; the a timer, a sonar system, or a human operator; the hopper is closed and then raised from one level to hopper is closed and then raised from one level to another .another .

• The hopper opens and the fish are released into the The hopper opens and the fish are released into the opposite side of the upstream part of the damopposite side of the upstream part of the dam

Fish Elevators

Some ProblemsSome Problems

• Ladders and Elevators: Do not work as well for Ladders and Elevators: Do not work as well for some other migrating species like eels and some other migrating species like eels and lampreys that do not swim as well against strong lampreys that do not swim as well against strong currents. currents.

• The eels are catadromous which means they The eels are catadromous which means they need to move from the freshwater of the rivers to need to move from the freshwater of the rivers to the sea waters to reproduce. the sea waters to reproduce.

• They are thus migrating downstream/upstream at They are thus migrating downstream/upstream at a much smaller body size than other species that a much smaller body size than other species that make the same journey make the same journey

More ProblemsMore Problems

• Fish ladders, with submerged orifices, successfully pass a Fish ladders, with submerged orifices, successfully pass a large percentage of adult fish at each main stem damlarge percentage of adult fish at each main stem dam

• fish have trouble finding the entrances, poor locations for the fish have trouble finding the entrances, poor locations for the ladders, or lacking water velocities that the fish will respond toladders, or lacking water velocities that the fish will respond to

• rejection of ladders at all dams results in an overall effect in rejection of ladders at all dams results in an overall effect in the amount of stock that are successfully spawningthe amount of stock that are successfully spawning

• The lack of juvenile migrants successfully passing through The lack of juvenile migrants successfully passing through diversion points can be largely due to the fact that there is diversion points can be largely due to the fact that there is little understanding of juvenile fish behavior as it relates to little understanding of juvenile fish behavior as it relates to flow ratesflow rates

• lack of maintenance of these structures lack of maintenance of these structures

Turbine Diversion ScreensTurbine Diversion Screens

• Decrease fish mortality by directing juveniles Decrease fish mortality by directing juveniles away from deadly turbines.away from deadly turbines.

• Up to 93% effective at protecting yearlings.Up to 93% effective at protecting yearlings.

however…however…• Success rate only approx. 50% for subyearling Success rate only approx. 50% for subyearling

juvenilesjuveniles

• Fish sometimes experience injuryFish sometimes experience injury

• Increased predation at bypass exitIncreased predation at bypass exit

StockingStocking

• Currently produce 70 – 80% of fish in coastal Currently produce 70 – 80% of fish in coastal salmon and steelhead fisheries.salmon and steelhead fisheries.

• Not sustainableNot sustainable• Behavioral differences make hatchery fish less fit Behavioral differences make hatchery fish less fit

than natural counterpartsthan natural counterparts

• Genetic defects in hatchery fishGenetic defects in hatchery fish

• Competition between hatchery and natural fishCompetition between hatchery and natural fish

• DiseaseDisease

Conservation HatcheriesConservation Hatcheries

• Produce fish genetically Produce fish genetically similar to natural fishsimilar to natural fish

• Broodstock derived from Broodstock derived from natural fishnatural fish

• Fish matured at natural Fish matured at natural rate in better environment rate in better environment and low densityand low density

• Fish released at own Fish released at own volitionvolition

• MonitoredMonitored

Conclusions/Conclusions/RecommendationsRecommendations

• Selective dam removalSelective dam removal

• Conservation hatcheriesConservation hatcheries

• Minimal trapping/transportationMinimal trapping/transportation

• Modification to remaining damsModification to remaining dams– Fish ladders/elevatorsFish ladders/elevators– Turbine diversion screensTurbine diversion screens

These steps make for lots of big,

strong, healthy fish

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