Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Steelhead

We study the effects of river environment and dam operations on migration behaviors and migration success of Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and steelhead. Most of our adult salmon and steelhead projects are in the Columbia, Snake and Willamette rivers. These projects have been collaborative efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA-Fisheries, Pacific Northwest Tribal groups, and other state and federal management agencies.

Study topics include:

• Adult migration survival (escapement) through main stem rivers and into spawning tributaries
• Prespawn and en route adult mortality, particularly the role of warming rivers
• Stock-specific migration timing
• Adult fish behavior at dams, including upstream passage through fish ladders and downstream fallback through turbines and over spillways
• Homing and straying of adult salmon and steelhead
• Effects of juvenile salmon and steelhead transport on adult behavior
• Repeat spawning in steelhead
• Adult migration speeds past dams, through reservoirs and in free-flowing rivers
• Sea lion predation on adult fish migrants
• Effects of river environment on fish behavior and survival
• Juvenile salmon survival and downstream migration behaviors
• Effects of fish collection, handling, transport and tagging
• Understanding risks for threatened and endangered populations