Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fisheries Investigations Project, 1993 Annual Report

Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fisheries Investigations Project, 1993 Annual Report
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Total Pages: 39
Release: 1995
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We monitored the kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka kennerlyi population in Dworshak Reservoir, Idaho, by mid-water trawling and counting spawners in representative streams. Our estimates of age 1 kokanee abundance in 1993 were the highest on record; 556,000 fish. These fish resulted from last years record year class of age 0 kokanee. Age 2 kokanee were also abundant, achieving their second highest level on record. Dworshak Dam discharged less water between July 1, 1992 and June 30, 1993 than any of our recent years of study (the lowest since 1986-1987). Based on a past relationship with an r2=0.62, we expected age 2 kokanee abundance to be very high with this low level of discharge. We estimated mature kokanee abundance by trawling, which correlated well (r2=.89) to standardized spawner counts. This gives us the means to convert the older spawner count data into age 2 kokanee estimates. It is also a validation of spawner counts in tributary streams as an accurate method to obtain an index of adult kokanee abundance.

Dworshak Dam Impact Assessment and Fishery Investigation, 1989 Annual Report

Dworshak Dam Impact Assessment and Fishery Investigation, 1989 Annual Report
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Total Pages: 24
Release: 1990
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The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funded two 4-year research projects to develop recommendations for improving the sport fishery on Dworshak Reservoir. Research began during 1987 as a cooperative effort between the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho. The Nez Perce Tribe examined smallmouth bass and rainbow trout fisheries. The IDFG evaluated kokanee population dynamics and documented changes in reservoir productivity. 12 refs., 12 figs.

Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fishery Investigation

Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fishery Investigation
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Total Pages: 46
Release: 1988
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A total of 7,071 kokanee spawners were counted during the peak of the spawning run in five tributaries to Dworshak Reservoir during 1987. Both size and numbers of fish were fairly average. During years when numbers of fish were large, total length of age 3+ kokanee was as low as 25 cm. Conversely, small numbers of kokanee resulted in an average length of 37 cm. Zooplankton densities during November of 1987 averaged 17.92 organisms/L, but decreased to 3.96 organism/L during December. These densities are similar to values obtained during 1972, although the percentage of cladocerans in the samples may have declined. Kokanee preferred Daphnia over 1 mm in length. Concentrations of orthophosphate and nitrate appear to have declined since the reservoir filled. Kokanee catch rates for boat anglers changed from 1.4 fish/h during November to 2.7 fish/h during December to 0.0 fish/h during January. This declining trend may have been temperature related. Harvest for these 3 months was an estimated 1,612 kokanee. 10 refs., 13 figs., 4 tabs.

Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fisheries Investigation Project

Dworshak Dam Impacts Assessment and Fisheries Investigation Project
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Total Pages: 18
Release: 1998
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We used split-beam hydroacoustics to monitor kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka kennerlyi abundance in Dworshak Reservoir from 1995 to 1996 in order to quantify the impacts of water releases from Dworshak Dam. The kokanee population was at a record high level of 1.9 million age-1 and age-2 fish (350 fish/ha) during June 1995. Large discharges of water during July and August of 1995 did not result in major losses of kokanee. Mid-winter flooding in February. March, and April of 1996: however, caused entrainment losses of 90% of all kokanee in the reservoir. The population declined to 140,000 kokanee. High flows during spring runoff used another 50% of the kokanee to be lost, further reducing the population to 71,000 fish (13 fish/ha). Entrainment losses were partially explainable by the distribution of kokanee in the reservoir. During winter, all age-classes of kokanee congregated near the dam making them susceptible to high releases of water. Kokanee appeared to be less susceptible to entrainment during summer and early fall because most kokanee were in other parts of the reservoir: adults were in the upper reservoir staging to spawn, fry were in the upper reservoir having emerged from tributary streams, and juvenile kokanee were spread throughout the reservoir.