Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Loss Study, Tracy Fish Collection Facility-2013

Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Loss Study, Tracy Fish Collection Facility-2013

• 2013 goal: Learn to distinguish Chinook salmon, steelhead, and striped bass telemetry tracks (behavior) at the TFCF to begin to quantify fish survival (loss) and facility efficiency

Methods

• Acoustically tagged juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead were released from the trash boom; acoustically tagged adult striped bass were released upstream and downstream of the trash rack; tags implanted 2 days – 1 week prior (included control fish)

• Fish released at 6 TOD at 3 study flows: 1, 3, 4/5 JPP pumps, March and May

• Fish behavior (including salvage, louver loss, predation, nonparticipation, and swim-out) was determined for the 24 hr period for each specific flow

• Facility hydraulic data were recorded throughout 2 study periods and will be analyzed for influence on fish behavior

• Facility operated normally with louver cleanings and VC/HT pump changes as needed

Fish Data Summary

• Released 133 salmonids:• 69 Chinook salmon (x = 136.2 mm FL)• 64 steelhead (x = 198.7mm FL)

• Control salmonids held for 7 days• 24 Chinook salmon (x=135.5 mm FL)• 24 steelhead (x=200.5 mm FL)

• Released 36 adult striped bass (x = 510 mm FL); 18 in upper channel, 18 in primary channel

• 37 salvage (28 CS, 9 SH) • 10 louver loss (7 CS, 3 SH)• 19 predation (17 CS, 2 SH)• 7 nonparticipation• 3 swim-out• 57 unknown (may change with

additional processing)

Preliminary Fish Fates

Fate assignments based on interagency August meeting, on following a tag through time, and on known species behavior (from salvaged fish).

37 Salvaged Fish

• Fish collected in holding tank and detected in acoustic tag database• 28 Chinook salmon (of 69 released= 40.6%)• 9 steelhead (of 64 released = 14.1%)

3 salvaged Chinook salmon under range of flows

3 salvaged steelhead under range of flows

Participation (Passed Trash Rack) with Flow

Chinook salmon (28)

Upstream Trashrack (hr)

Primary Channel (hr)

Secondary Channel and bypasses (hr)

Total (hr)

Range 0.04 – 13.7 0.01 – 0.2 0.03 – 0.7 0.1 – 14.6

Mean 1.1 0.1 0.1 1.2

SD 3.29 0.05 0.19 3.35

Steelhead (9)

Upstream Trashrack (hr)

Primary Channel (hr)

Secondary Channel and bypasses (hr)

Total(hr)

Range 0.6 – 9.0 0.3 – 7.4 0.06 – 16.1 0.3 – 24.5

Mean 1.6 1.1 4.5 7.2

SD 2.91 2.42 6.14 7.88

Facility Component Time (hr)

Louver losses (10)

• Primary channel: 5 fish • 1 Chinook through gap between bays 1 and 2• 1 Chinook through louvers when secondary

channel being cleaned• 2 Chinook and 1 steelhead through louvers

unrelated to cleaning

• Secondary Channel: 5 fish• 2 steelhead and 3 Chinook through

louvers unrelated to cleaning

3407.21 (Primary Louver Loss, 3 JPP)

3771.21 (Secondary Louver Loss, 5 JPP)

Predation Losses (19)

(as indicated by change in fish’s behavior and detection of a defecated tag within 2-3 days after fish released in MarkTags; predation occurred in both the channel upstream of trash rack (13) and in primary channel (6)

• 17 Chinook salmon • 2 Steelhead

Confirmation of defecated tag in data processing

Size of 19 predated Chinook/steelhead with time to defecation

Time to Defecation (from release time) • Chinook salmon (n = 17, mean = 1.71 days, range = 0.7 - 2.8

days)• Steelhead (n = 2, mean = 3.45 day, range 3.3 - 3.6 days)

Example of swim-out (blue, ~2.8 days) and non-participation (green,~4.5 days) fates

2 Striped Bass

What did we learn from 37 salvaged fish?

• Chinook more likely to move into facility at mid/high flows, more variable behavior at lower flow

• Steelhead behavior more variable; more upstream movement away from facility, less loss to predation and louvers

• Both salmonids generally passed through the primary channel quickly; spent more time in front of trash rack and in bypasses; lots of looping behavior at mid and low flows (and high flows for steelhead)

Acknowledgements

• TFCF Facility and Biology Staff • CVO• DWR• HTI