Movement, Distribution, and Passage Behavior of Radio-Tagged Juvenile Salmonids at Three Lower Columbia River Dams, 1998 (Project Proposal)

The goal of our study is to provide detailed distribution and behavior information on juvenile salmonids above and within forebay areas of John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville dams with respect to dam operating conditions and water velocity profiles that will aid in the location, development, and testing of surface bypass/collection structures. Our specific study objectives are to describe the behavior of yearling and subyearling chinook salmon and yearling steelhead in the forebay areas of John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville dams to determine: 1) the approach of juvenile salmonids into forebay areas from locations upriver and determine if route of approach influences subsequent behavior in the forebay; 2) residence time, distribution, and route and timing of dam passage; 3) fine-scale (+5 m) fish behavior near and within surface collection structures. We propose to use radio telemetry to monitor the behavior and distribution of juvenile salmonids in forebay areas. A combination of boats equipped with aerial antennas and fixed locational receiving equipment positioned strategically along the periphery of the dam will be used to collect these data. Recent technological advances in the miniaturization of radio transmitters and the development of receiving equipment that can monitor multiple frequencies and antennas simultaneously allows us to collect more detailed information on fish behavior on a greater number of fish