Hanford Reach Research Articles

Physiological Development and Migratory Behavior of Subyearling Fall Chinook Salmon in the Columbia River

Abstract We describe the migratory behavior and physiological development of subyearling fall chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha migrating through John Day Reservoir on the Columbia River, Washington and Oregon. Fish were freeze-branded and coded-wire-tagged at McNary Dam, Oregon, from 1991 to 1994, to determine travel time to John Day Dam and subsequent adult contribution. Stepwise multiple regression showed that 47% of the variation in subyearling fall chinook salmon travel time was explained by the reciprocal of minimum flow and fish size. Smoltification, as measured by gill Na+-K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, was not important in explaining variability in travel time of subyearling chinook salmon. Fish marked early in the out-migration generally traveled faster than middle and late migrants. Seawater challenges were used to describe physiological development and showed that osmoregulatory competence of premigrants in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River increased with fish size ...

Comparison of mainstem spawning habitats for two populations of fall chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin

Extensive hydroelectric development in the Columbia River system has eliminated most mainstem riverine habitat available for spawning by fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). The two remaining populations, Hanford Reach, Columbia River and Hells Canyon Reach, Snake River, are separated geographically and their status is markedly different. Annual escapements to Hanford Reach have averaged approximately 80 000 adults, while the Snake River run size has declined to <1500 adults over the past 10 years. We compared their spawning habitat characteristics over a range of measurement scales, as a means to identify strategies for rebuilding the weak Snake River population. Physical habitat characteristics of redds were similar for both study areas. Redd locations were correlated with channel characteristics, such as braiding and sinuosity. Several differences between the two spawning areas were identified at the watershed scale: the Hells Canyon Reach had a much steeper longitudinal gradient, was largely confined by bedrock, and had a more variable flow regime. These features are controlling variables that operate at the reach-scale to limit the availability and size of substrate and other conditions that influence egg deposition and incubation survival. Geomorphological characteristics of the two study sites are sufficiently different to indicate that the production potential of the Hells Canyon Reach population is markedly lower than that of the Hanford Reach population. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suitability criteria analyzed at the spatial scale of redd clusters improved estimates of fall chinook salmon (&lt;i&gt;Oncorhynchus tshawytscha&lt;/i&gt;) spawning habitat use in the Hanford Reach, Columbia River

We improved our predictions of fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) habitat use by analyzing spawning habitat at the spatial scale of redd clusters. Spatial point pattern analyses indicated that redd clusters in the Hanford Reach, Columbia River, were consistent in their location from 1994 to 1995. Redd densities were 16.1 and 8.9 redds·ha-1 in 1994 and 1995, respectively, and individual redds within clusters were usually less than 30 m apart. Pattern analysis also showed strong evidence that redds were uniformly distributed within the clusters where interredd distances ranged from 2 to 5 m. Redd clusters were found to occur predominantly where water velocity was between 1.4 and 2 m·s-1, water depth was 2-4 m, and lateral slope of the riverbed was less than 4%. This habitat use represented a narrower range of use than previously reported for adult fall chinook salmon. Logistic regression analysis determined that water velocity and lateral slope were the most significant predictors of redd cluster location over a range of river discharges. Overestimates of available spawning habitat lead to nonachievable goals for protecting and restoring critical salmonid habitat. Better predictions of spawning habitat may be possible if cluster-specific characteristics are used.

Ecotoxicity of riverbank spring water along the Hanford Reach, Columbia River

Ecotoxicity of riverbank spring water along the Hanford Reach, Columbia River

Ecotoxicity of riverbank spring water along the Hanford Reach, Columbia River

The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential ecotoxicity of riverbank springs along the Columbia River on the Hanford site where nuclear materials were historically produced. Water samples from seven springs were collected during 1994–1995. Bioassays were conducted with Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) for survival and growth and with Ceriodaphnia dubia (daphnids) for survival and reproduction. Synoptic chemical data were used to supplement interpretation of bioassay results. Significant decreases (p<0.05) in survival were observed for two springs in both P. promelas and C. dubia at separate locations during 1994. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in C. dubia reproduction were found for six springs in 1994 and one in 1995. A stimulatory effect (p<0.05) was also observed for this endpoint at another spring in 1995. Reproduction was the most sensitive endpoint evaluated in terms of both number of adverse effects identified and test water concentration, while growth was the least sensitive endpoint. One or more toxicological benchmarks were equaled or exceeded for all riverbank spring samples where toxicity was observed. For the contaminants evaluated, heavy metals (e.g., Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn) may have contributed to the observed toxicity. Despite limitations of employing synoptic chemical data to supplement sample characterization and extrapolating laboratory bioassay data to the field, results of this study demonstrated ecotoxicity associated with several riverbank springs, presumably reflecting contamination of groundwater on the Hanford site. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 14: 473–480, 1999

Spawning Habitat Used by Fall Chinook Salmon in the Snake River

Literature describing spawning habitat used by fall-run chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha is lacking for populations using large, main-stem rivers. A stable spawning flow regime in the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam and enhanced survey capabilities using remote underwater videography allowed us to accurately describe spawning habitat used by fall chinook salmon within this large river. Water depth measured at 205 fall chinook salmon redds ranged from 0.2 to 6.5 m. Mean water column velocity at 145 redds ranged from 0.4 to 2.1 m/s, and substrate- level water velocity at 164 redds ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 m/s. Substrate size classifications from 112 redds indicated that areas having particle sizes that are relatively homogenous with diameters of 2.5–15.0 cm are used for spawning. During our study, spawning generally began as water temperatures dropped below 16.0°C, and concluded as temperatures approached 5.0°C. Our results corroborate earlier observations of fall chinook salmon spawning in deep, fast-velocity water in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River and significantly expand current criteria used to model spawning habitat availability for these fish within large rivers.

Redd Site Selection and Spawning Habitat Use by Fall Chinook Salmon: The Importance of Geomorphic Features in Large Rivers

/ Knowledge of the three-dimensional connectivity between rivers and groundwater within the hyporheic zone can be used to improve the definition of fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawning habitat. Information exists on the microhabitat characteristics that define suitable salmon spawning habitat. However, traditional spawning habitat models that use these characteristics to predict available spawning habitat are restricted because they can not account for the heterogeneous nature of rivers. We present a conceptual spawning habitat model for fall chinook salmon that describes how geomorphic features of river channels create hydraulic processes, including hyporheic flows, that influence where salmon spawn in unconstrained reaches of large mainstem alluvial rivers. Two case studies based on empirical data from fall chinook salmon spawning areas in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River are presented to illustrate important aspects of our conceptual model. We suggest that traditional habitat models and our conceptual model be combined to predict the limits of suitable fall chinook salmon spawning habitat. This approach can incorporate quantitative measures of river channel morphology, including general descriptors of geomorphic features at different spatial scales, in order to understand the processes influencing redd site selection and spawning habitat use. This information is needed in order to protect existing salmon spawning habitat in large rivers, as well as to recover habitat already lost.KEY WORDS: Hyporheic zone; Geomorphology; Spawning habitat; Large rivers; Fall chinook salmon; Habitat management

A description of long-term environmental monitoring and assessment programs at two U.S. Department of Energy sites

The U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site was established in southeastern Washington during the 1940s to produce plutonium, and the Pantex plant in Texas (used to load conventional ammunition shells and bombs) was rehabilitated in the 1950s to assemble nuclear weapons using the plutonium produced at Hanford. Current concentrations of airborne radionuclides around the perimeters of both sites are below applicable guidelines. Concentrations of radionuclides and nonradiological water quality in the Columbia River at Hanford and radiological and nonradiological water quality in the Ogallala Aquifer beneath the Pantex plant are also in compliance with applicable standards. Foodstuffs irrigated with river water downstream from Hanford show levels of radionuclides similar to those in foodstuffs from control areas. Levels of 137Cs and 90Sr in some on-site Hanford wildlife samples and concentrations of radionuclides in soils and vegetation on and off site at both locations are typical of naturally occurring radioactivity and worldwide fallout. The potential dose received by a maximally exposed individual at both sites in 1994 was ≤0.05 mrem; the average per capita dose was ≤0.002 mrem. By virtue of its size, restricted access, and conservative use of undeveloped land, the Hanford Site has become a sanctuary for plant and animal populations that have been eliminated from, or greatly reduced on, surrounding agricultural and range lands. The Hanford Reach of the Columbia River and its islands and the Pantex Plant with its playas serve as refuges for raptorial birds and migratory waterfowl. In addition, the Hanford Reach serves as a migration route for several species of salmon, and chinook salmon and steelhead trout spawn there. Bald eagles congregate along the Hanford Reach in the fall and winter to feed on the spawned-out carcasses of salmon and wintering waterfowl.

Status of Fall Chinook Salmon Populations in the Mid-Columbia River, 1948–1992

Abstract Historically, fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha spawned in the main-stem Columbia River over a distance of approximately 900 km. However, because of hydroelectric development and other human activities, most natural production of upriver stocks of fall Chinook salmon (upriver bright, URB) is now restricted to a 90-km-long section of river known as the Hanford Reach. The adjacent Hanford Nuclear Reservation was managed for production of nuclear materials from 1943 to 1971, which restricted many development activities, including additional hydroelectric projects. Aerial counts of fall Chinook salmon redds since 1948 at the Hanford Reach provide an index of relative abundance among spawning areas and years. Redd counts during peak spawning were less than 1,000 annually from 1948 to 1961, but they increased to as high as 8,800 in 1989 following construction of several main-stem dams on both the Columbia and Snake rivers. Escapement of adult fall Chinook salmon to the Hanford Reach averaged...

Radionuclide Concentrations in White Sturgeons from the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River

Abstract We summarized radionuclide concentrations in white sturgeons Acipenser transmontanus from the Columbia River during a period when several plutonium-production reactors were operating at the Hanford Site in Washington State and compared these values to those measured several years after reactor shutdown. Studies conducted in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River during 1953–1955 indicated that high concentrations of radionuclides (as total beta) were present in some internal organs and on the external surface of white sturgeons. Average concentrations were about 1,480 Bq/kg for liver and kidney and exceeded 2,200 Bq/kg for fins and scutes. The principal radionuclides in the tissues of white sturgeons from the Hanford Reach during 1963–1967, the peak reactor operation interval, were 32P, 65Zn, and 51Cr. Average concentrations of 32P in muscle ranged from 925 to 2,109 Bq/kg and were typically two to seven times greater than 65Zn. Average concentrations of radionuclides were usually in the order of...

Past and present water-quality conditions in the Hanford Reach, Columbia River

Twelve water quality variables from upstream and downstream locations in the Hanford Reach of the mainstem Columbia River, southcentral Washington, were compared statistically for the two time periods 1951 to 1953 and 1986 to 1988. During the 1951 to 1953 period, beta radioactivity and, most likely, water temperatures in the Hanford Reach were significantly higher downstream than upstream, while dissolved oxygen and sulfate were significantly lower. The increased beta radioactivity and temperature downstream were due to the discharge of cooling water from five single-purpose production reactors then operating on the Hanford Site. The last production reactor closed in January 1971. During the 1986 to 1988 period, beta radioactivity and water temperatures were similar upstream and downstream, but nitrate nitrogen had become significantly higher downstream. Comparison of 1951 to 1953 with 1986 to 1988 showed, as expected, that beta radioactivity was much lower today, at essentially background levels. Phosphate in the Hanford Reach had decreased significantly over the 35 year interval, while biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and nitrate nitrogen had increased. These changes, while detectable statistically, were relatively small. Today, the quality of water in the Hanford Reach remains well within Washington State standards for Class A waters. Occasional low pH values, which appear to orginate upriver, violate these standards.

A Genetic Mixture Analysis for use with Incomplete Source Population Data

While anadromous salmonids reproduce in fresh water, most harvests occur at sea. Effective genetic management requires knowledge of the stock (source population) composition of the harvest. This is accomplished with genetic stock identification (GSI), which compares the genotypes of harvested fish with those of freshwater stocks, assuming that all candidate stocks are identified and that their allele frequencies are known exactly. We develop methods that: (1) allow for sampling error in allele frequencies of candidate stocks, and (2) evaluate the possibility of unsampled contributing stocks. Composition analysis for chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) collected for the Bonneville Dam egg bank program in 1980 and 1981 shows that about 10% of both harvests were from the Deschutes River and about 90% from the Hanford Reach area. Contributions from lower Columbia and Snake River stocks or from unidentified sources were limited.

FISH BEHAVIOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Studies at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory have evaluated fish behavior and migration in response to gas-supersaturated water, thermal discharge, water-soluble fractions (WSFs) of coal liquids and other environmental stresses. Approaches have included biotelemetry in the field, and avoidance/attraction and predator/prey studies in the laboratory. This article specifically addresses three study examples and integrates the results with those of related studies. Overall, major findings included the following: Thermal discharges (surface water Δts 0->17°C) did not block upstream migration of sonic-tagged adult chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) and rainbow trout (O. mykiss, formerly Salmo gairdneri) in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Juvenile chinook salmon avoided thermal discharges in the laboratory when Δts exceeded 9 to 11°C above ambient. However, juvenile salmon were more susceptible to predation at 10 to 20% of the thermal dose causing loss of equilibrium. Radio-tagged adult chinook salmon swam deeper in supersaturated water than in normally saturated water in the Snake River and, thereby, avoided the upper, critical zone. Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and black bullhead (Ictalurus melas) did not always avoid lethal gas levels in the laboratory and some fish died in the test apparatus. Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) avoided the WSF of a coal liquid at concentrations causing acute effects but not at those causing chronic effects. Rainbow trout did not avoid coal liquid WSFs although they reportedly avoid the major constituent, phenol, tested as a pure compound. Susceptibility to predation of juvenile rainbow trout did not increase until phenol concentrations reached the acute LC50. A conceptual model to link avoidance and toxicological data for environmental assessment is presented.

Fish behavior and environmental assessment

AbstractStudies at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory have evaluated fish behavior and migration in response to gas‐supersaturated water, thermal discharge, water‐soluble fractions (WSFs) of coal liquids and other environmental stresses. Approaches have included biotelemetry in the field, and avoidance/attraction and predator/prey studies in the laboratory. This article specifically addresses three study examples and integrates the results with those of related studies. Overall, major findings included the following: Thermal discharges (surface water Δts 0‐&gt;17°C) did not block upstream migration of sonic‐tagged adult chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) and rainbow trout (O. mykiss, formerly Salmo gairdneri) in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Juvenile chinook salmon avoided thermal discharges in the laboratory when Δts exceeded 9 to 11°C above ambient. However, juvenile salmon were more susceptible to predation at 10 to 20% of the thermal dose causing loss of equilibrium. Radio‐tagged adult chinook salmon swam deeper in supersaturated water than in normally saturated water in the Snake River and, thereby, avoided the upper, critical zone. Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and black bullhead (Ictalurus melas) did not always avoid lethal gas levels in the laboratory and some fish died in the test apparatus. Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) avoided the WSF of a coal liquid at concentrations causing acute effects but not at those causing chronic effects. Rainbow trout did not avoid coal liquid WSFs although they reportedly avoid the major constituent, phenol, tested as a pure compound. Susceptibility to predation of juvenile rainbow trout did not increase until phenol concentrations reached the acute LC50. A conceptual model to link avoidance and toxicological data for environmental assessment is presented.

Life History and Ecology of the Largescale Sucker (Castostomus macrocheilus) in the Columbia River

All life stages of the largescale sucker (Castostomus macrocheilus) occurred throughout the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Peak population estimates were 14,961 + 9422 and 12,343 + 6721 per km for June and July 1981. Although some individuals showed little movement, tag-return data indicated the majority of the population was mobile. Most upstream movement over Priest Rapids Dam occurred in June. Growth rates, as determined by analysis of scales, were highest during the 1st 4 years and ranged from 37-73 mm per year until maturity. Fish were aged to 15 years, however measurements of tagged fish provided evidence that ages of larger fish were underestimated. Length-weight relationships were logeW = -9.8 + 2.7 logeL and logeW = -5.8 + 2.0 logeL, for females and males, respectively. Both sexes matured near 400 mm FL at 6-9 years of age. Peak spawning occurred in late May and June at water temperatures from 12-15 C. Anal fin length of mature males was significantly larger than mature females throughout the year. Diet of largescale sucker consisted mainly of periphyton and insect larvae. Diet overlap occurs between sympatric bridgelip sucker (C. columbianus) and several members of the cyprinid community at Hanford. Largescale suckers are important prey for a number of vertebrate predators, including fishes and birds.

Four Decades of Environmental Change and Their Influence upon Native Wildlife and Fish on the Mid-Columbia River, Washington, USA

The Hanford Reach of the Columbia River has experienced a great deal of human-imposed environmental change within the past 40 years, as has much of the adjacent land. The major disturbances have been from hydroelectric dams' construction and an intensive expansion of irrigated agriculture. A notable exception to the steady expansion of agriculture and dam-building has been the 1,400 km2 Hanford Site, which was established in 1943. Today, the Hanford Site consists mostly of undeveloped land that still supports native vegetation. It is free from agricultural practices, and has also been essentially free from livestock grazing and the shooting of animal wildlife. This conservative land-use has favoured populations of native wildlife that use the riverine habitats of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River—e.g. Mule Deer, Canada Goose, and Great Blue Heron, are notable instances.The Hanford Reach supports the only mainstem Chinook Salmon spawning habitat on the Columbia River. This population is maintained by a combination of natural spawning and artificial propagation in concert with a regulated harvest of returning adults. Numbers of mainstem spawning Salmon have increased markedly in the past 10 years, and this has attracted increasing numbers of wintering Bald Eagles to the Hanford Reach.

Estimates of Hybridization between Two Species of Catostomids in the Columbia River

Extent of hybridization is described between two sympatric catostomids, Catostomus macrocheilus and C. columbianus, from the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, southeastern Washington state. Estimated percentage of hybrids based on presence of intermediate meristic characters ranged from 12.4 to 14.6% of the total sucker population. Discriminant function analysis reduced subjective variability and lowered estimates of hybridization to 3.0 to 7.1%. Principal component analysis also provided evidence that the suspected hybrids were intermediate between populations of C. macrocheilus and C. columbianus. Meristic characters contributed most to all methods of treatment, with number of lateral line scales the best single criterion for species separation. Any analysis of closely related species would benefit from examination of offspring from artificial crosses and from knowledge of allopatric population characteristics. Breakdown of isolating mechanisms leading to C. macrocheilus X C. columbianus crosses may result from overlap in spawning time and incomplete habitat segregation. Morphological and coloration differences at spawning may provide a basis for species recognition, thus providing some degree of ethological isolation.