Hot Summer Temperatures Have Unique Impacts to Dworshak Fish Hatchery

NWFCC December 1-3, 2015 Mark Drobish, Adam Izbicki, Chris Peery, Kent Hills

Dworshak Fish Hatchery

Operated by the Nez Perce Tribe and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Funding through Corps, LSRCP, BPA Partners

Background Information

Per the Federal Columbia River Power System BiOp: Operations at Dworshak Dam release sufficient cold water to maintain L. Granite Dam tailrace temperatures at or below 20C to maximize survival of juvenile SR Fall Chinook Salmon

The majority of the water for Dworshak NFH operations is pumped from the North Fork Clearwater River for production and adult holding

Impacts to our Water Supply during spill operations

Colder temperatures for rearing and broodstock holding

Elevated Total Dissolved Gas levels in the river: Water Quality cap at 110%

Spill for discharge >10KCFS from Dworshak Dam

Main River Pump Intake

Water Temperatures Average NF Water Temperatures for June to October 1993-2015

4244464850525456

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

Tem

p d

eg F

Year

June

42

47

52

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

Tem

p d

eg F

Year

August

4244464850525456

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

Tem

p d

eg F

Year

July

4244464850525456

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

Tem

p d

eg F

Year

September

42

47

52

57

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

Tem

p d

eg F

Year

October

Sheet1

June93949596979899000102030405060708091011121314154651.15349.848.351.946.851.749.348.149.550.645.647.744.344.846.344.544.543.64344.441.9

Year

Temp deg F

August939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141552.3505149.553.450.547.948.847.548.14646.846.44646.248.745.345.947.646.646.445.944.6

Year

Temp deg F

July939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141551.747.552.552.552.650.351.548.348.847.647.846.445.343.944.147.344.845.645.945.643.444.642.3

Year

Temp deg F

September939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.551.75454.853.647.1484643.547.245.947.64648.447.84848.547.848.949.149.347.347.4

Year

Temp deg F

October939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.152.651.153.647.64748.249.146.249.646.947.145.648.847.248.749.249.5494949.549.849

Year

Temp deg F

June93949596979899000102030405060708091011121314154651.15349.848.351.946.851.749.348.149.550.645.647.744.344.846.344.544.543.64344.441.9

Year

Temp deg F

August939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141552.3505149.553.450.547.948.847.548.14646.846.44646.248.745.345.947.646.646.445.944.6

Year

Temp deg F

July939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141551.747.552.552.552.650.351.548.348.847.647.846.445.343.944.147.344.845.645.945.643.444.642.3

Year

Temp deg F

September939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.551.75454.853.647.1484643.547.245.947.64648.447.84848.547.848.949.149.347.347.4

Year

Temp deg F

October939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.152.651.153.647.64748.249.146.249.646.947.145.648.847.248.749.249.5494949.549.849

Year

Temp deg F

June93949596979899000102030405060708091011121314154651.15349.848.351.946.851.749.348.149.550.645.647.744.344.846.344.544.543.64344.441.9

Year

Temp deg F

August939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141552.3505149.553.450.547.948.847.548.14646.846.44646.248.745.345.947.646.646.445.944.6

Year

Temp deg F

July939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141551.747.552.552.552.650.351.548.348.847.647.846.445.343.944.147.344.845.645.945.643.444.642.3

Year

Temp deg F

September939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.551.75454.853.647.1484643.547.245.947.64648.447.84848.547.848.949.149.347.347.4

Year

Temp deg F

October939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.152.651.153.647.64748.249.146.249.646.947.145.648.847.248.749.249.5494949.549.849

Year

Temp deg F

June93949596979899000102030405060708091011121314154651.15349.848.351.946.851.749.348.149.550.645.647.744.344.846.344.544.543.64344.441.9

Year

Temp deg F

August939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141552.3505149.553.450.547.948.847.548.14646.846.44646.248.745.345.947.646.646.445.944.6

Year

Temp deg F

July939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141551.747.552.552.552.650.351.548.348.847.647.846.445.343.944.147.344.845.645.945.643.444.642.3

Year

Temp deg F

September939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.551.75454.853.647.1484643.547.245.947.64648.447.84848.547.848.949.149.347.347.4

Year

Temp deg F

October939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.152.651.153.647.64748.249.146.249.646.947.145.648.847.248.749.249.5494949.549.849

Year

Temp deg F

June93949596979899000102030405060708091011121314154651.15349.848.351.946.851.749.348.149.550.645.647.744.344.846.344.544.543.64344.441.9

Year

Temp deg F

August939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141552.3505149.553.450.547.948.847.548.14646.846.44646.248.745.345.947.646.646.445.944.6

Year

Temp deg F

July939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141551.747.552.552.552.650.351.548.348.847.647.846.445.343.944.147.344.845.645.945.643.444.642.3

Year

Temp deg F

September939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.551.75454.853.647.1484643.547.245.947.64648.447.84848.547.848.949.149.347.347.4

Year

Temp deg F

October939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141553.152.651.153.647.64748.249.146.249.646.947.145.648.847.248.749.249.5494949.549.849

Year

Temp deg F

40

42

44

46

48

50

June July August September October

Tem

p d

eg F

Month

2009-2014

2015

2015 Water Temperatures vs 2009-2014 Average

Sheet1

2009-2014JuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctober44.38333333333333344.98333333333334146.28333333333333148.48333333333332749.333333333333336201541.942.344.647.449

Month

Temp deg F

Adult Spring Chinook Return Timing at Lower Granite-Dworshak Fish

Graph-IDFG

Adult Spring Chinook Return Timing at Lower Granite-Kooskia Fish

Graph-IDFG

Kooskia NFH-Ladder Operations

DATA-IFRO

Kooskia NFH-Ladder Operations

DATA-IFRO

Impacts to Dworshak Stock Spawning in 2015

Spring Chinook Adults: Holding in colder than normal water temperatures slowed maturation delaying spawning

Impacts to Kooskia stock Spawning in 2015

Kooskia Spring Chinook Adults: Spawning was even further delayed as adults were held in cold water for approximately 1 month longer

Impacts to Spring Chinook Spawning in 2015

Typically, we meet egg collection target in 3-5 spawns..this year 7 spawns with very low numbers of fish spawned during the 1st couple of spawns. Additional handling and holding time: had

significant adult mortality after the 5th spawn

Spring Chinook and Coho Impacts

Adult spring Chinook spawning was delayed for both Kooskia and Dworshak due to colder than average holding temperatures

Growth was slowed in Coho and Spring Chinook juveniles due to colder than average rearing temperatures resulting in the delay of clipping and tagging procedures.

Summer Steelhead Production

Steelhead are reared on Reservoir Water during early rearing and therefore are not impacted until they are moved to System II and III burrows ponds where they are reared on the cold NFCR water.

Actually some benefit in the colder water to our early takes (oldest) of steelhead in slowing growth on these fish as they will easily make target release size.

Bottom Line

Met Spring Chinook egg targets Able to collect additional SCS adults for collective

Clearwater River Basin Program where warm scenarios caused elevated adult mortality

Spring Chinook and Coho production fish will still make size despite colder rearing temperatures (ability to control incubation temperatures-chillers or ambient)

Steelhead smolt also on track for making size

Lessons learned

Just because the fish returned earlier than the recent averages (2009-2014), doesnt mean theyll spawn earlier (cold holding conditions).

Reminder NOT to get caught up in the old, Thats the way or when weve always done it Delay 1st spawning day by a week (Dworshak), maybe

2 weeks for Kooskia depending on water temps or other factors.

Logistics-build flexibility into plans

QUESTIONS?

Slide Number 1Slide Number 2Background InformationImpacts to our Water Supply during spill operationsWater TemperaturesAverage NF Water Temperatures for June to October 1993-20152015 Water Temperatures vs 2009-2014 AverageAdult Spring Chinook Return Timing at Lower Granite-Dworshak FishAdult Spring Chinook Return Timing at Lower Granite-Kooskia FishKooskia NFH-Ladder OperationsKooskia NFH-Ladder OperationsImpacts to Dworshak Stock Spawning in 2015Impacts to Kooskia stock Spawning in 2015Impacts to Spring Chinook Spawning in 2015Spring Chinook and Coho ImpactsSummer Steelhead ProductionBottom LineLessons learnedQUESTIONS?