Evaluation of Fishway Designs for Downstream Passage of Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout Smolts, 1987 Final Report.

Abstract

The stress response of chinook salmon and steelhead trout smolts to passage through three different flumes was tested by assaying plasma cortisol concentrations before and after flume passage. In addition, descaling of fish was recorded before and after flume passage, and the ability of the flumes to pass adult chinook salmon and debris was determined. The three flumes were a corrugated metal flume (CMF), a 4- foot wide baffled flume (BF4), and a 2-foot wide baffled flume (BF2). Each flume was tested under conditions: 1) at night, 2) during the day with a perforated metal cover, which reduced the amount of light entering the flume by about half (partially darkened), and 3) during the day with the perforated cover and additional double layer of black plastic (completely darkened). Plasma cortisol concentrations were not significantly elevated in chinook salmon smolts after passage through any of the flumes (P>0.2, ANOVA). In daytime tests of partially and completely darkened flumes cortisol concentrations were consistently decreased following flume passage. We attribute this to pre-test stress (holding of fish in small tanks) and to the absence of a strong stress response to flume passage. Flume design did not have a significant effect on cortisol concentrationsmore » (P=0.9).Total darkening of the flumes during daytime was beneficial: cortisol concentrations were lower (P=0.03) in chinook salmon smolts passing through completely darkened flumes than in smolts passing through partially darkened flumes. 16 refs., 15 figs.« less