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Volume 2010/11, Issue 11March 24, 2011
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In This Issue
Calaveras River Juvenile Migration Monitoring
Stanislaus River Juvenile Migration Monitoring
Tuolumne River Juvenile Migration Monitoring
Mokelumne River Juvenile Migration Monitoring
Stanislaus River Weir Monitoring
Merced River Conditions
San Joaquin Conditions
Delta Exports
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29th Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference:
March 23-26

45th Annual Cal-Neva Conference:
March 30-April 2

Riverbank Beyond Earth Day Event:
April 9

Stockton Steelhead Festival:
May 1

Green on the Stream Festival:
May 21

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FISHBIO

USGS Water Data for California 

 

Juvenile Chinook salmon
  Photo by FISHBIO Juvenile Chinook hatchery mortalities
Key Highlights
February 28 - March 13, 2011

Calaveras River Juvenile Migration Monitoring continued during the reporting period. Due to flood control releases (>300 cfs) from New Hogan Reservoir, the trap only sampled for one day and a total of 2 O. mykiss were captured at Shelton Road (RM 28), bringing the season total to 558.

Stanislaus River Juvenile Migration Monitoring continued at Oakdale (RM 40), and a total of 1,599 Chinook salmon and 2 juvenile O. mykiss were captured during the reporting period, bringing the season total to 41,284 and 12, respectively.

Monitoring at Caswell State Park (RM 8) continued, and a total of 46 Chinook salmon were captured during the reporting period, bringing the season total to 401.

Tuolumne River Juvenile Migration Monitoring continued at Waterford (RM 30) and a total of 238 Chinook salmon fry were captured during the reporting period, bringing the season total to 3,875.

Monitoring at Grayson (RM 5) continued during the reporting period and a total of 32 Chinook salmon were captured, bringing the season total to 1,458.

Mokelumne River Juvenile Migration Monitoring at Vino Farms (RM 54) continued, and a total of 5,811 Chinook salmon fry and 3 O. mykiss were captured during the reporting period, bringing the season total to 29,298 and 8, respectively.

Monitoring at Golf (RM 38) continued, and a total of 874 Chinook salmon and 2 O. mykiss were captured during the reporting period, increasing the season total to 3,137 and 12, respectively.

Stanislaus River Weir Monitoring continued during the reporting period and one O. mykiss was observed passing through the Vaki Riverwatcher on March 1.

Merced River. No fish monitoring data were available for the reporting period.

San Joaquin River Conditions. During the reporting period,San Joaquin River flows at Vernalis decreased from 11,958 cfs to 9,417 cfs. Water temperatures in the San Joaquin River ranged from 49.7�F to 54.9�F at Vernalis, and from 50.4�F to 55.6�F at Mossdale. Average daily dissolved oxygen (DO) in the San Joaquin River fluctuated between 10.1 mg/L and 10.6 mg/L at Mossdale, and between 9.4 mg/L and 10.0 mg/L at Rough 'n Ready.

Delta Exports. Combined total exports (state and federal pumps) fluctuated during the reporting period, ranging from 7,516 cfs to 9,477 cfs.


 
2010/11 Calaveras River Juvenile Migration Monitoring

The Calaveras River rotary screw trap at Shelton Road (RM 28) was operated one day between February 28 and March 13, 2011 due to flood control releases from New Hogan Reservoir that exceeded 300 cfs. A total of 2 O. mykiss were captured during the reporting period, increasing the season total to 558. Daily catches ranged between two and four individuals (Figure 1). Both O. mykiss captured were Age 1+ (100-299 mm) and were rated as silvery parr (n=2). Average forklengths and weights of measured O. mykiss are provided in Table 1.

No Chinook salmon were captured during this reporting period.

 

Instantaneous temperature and turbidity were not recorded at the trap during the reporting period. Daily average combined flows from New Hogan Dam (NHG) and Cosgrove Creek (COS) fluctuated between 63 cfs and 1,642 cfs, and at Bellota (MRS) flows fluctuated between 77 cfs and 1,745 cfs.

No trap efficiency experiments were conducted during the reporting period.

 

Table 1. Biosampling data for O. mykiss captured at Shelton Road between February 28 and March 13, 2011. Parentheses indicate range.

Catch Table

 Flow and Catch   

Figure 1. Daily O. mykiss catch at Shelton Road, Calaveras River flow recorded at New Hogan Dam (NHG) and Cosgrove Creek (COS) combined, and flow recorded at Bellota (MRS), between November 1, 2010, and March 13, 2011.


 
2011 Stanislaus River Juvenile Migration Monitoring


Juvenile Chinook salmon

Figure 2. Chinook salmon captured in the Stanislaus River rotary screw trap at Oakdale.

The Stanislaus River rotary screw trap at Oakdale (RM 40) sampled continuously during the reporting period. A total of 1,599 juvenile Chinook salmon and 2 juvenile O. mykiss were captured, bringing the season totals to 41,284 and 12, respectively. Daily catch of Chinook salmon ranged between 12 and 484 individuals (Figure 2). Average forklengths and weights of Chinook salmon and O. mykiss are provided in Table 2 for the 677 Chinook and 2 O. mykiss that were measured. Most of the measured Chinook were fry (n=510), but parr (n=161) and smolts (n=6) were also recorded. The O. mykiss were rated as silvery parr (n=1) and smolts (n=1).

 

 

Table 2. Biosampling data for Chinook salmon and O. mykiss captured and measured at Oakdale between February 28 and March 13, 2011.

Catch Table  

Instantaneous temperature recorded at the trap ranged from 46.5�F to 55.0�F, and turbidity ranged from 1.11 NTU to 3.86 NTU (Figure 4). Daily average flows at Goodwin Dam (GDW) were stable between 200 cfs and 229 cfs, and flows at Ripon (RIP) ranged from 249 cfs to 324 cfs (Figure 3).

 

Four trap efficiency experiments were conducted with naturally spawned juvenile Chinook salmon marked caudal fin green (CFG; Figure 3). Preliminary capture efficiency estimates from these releases are provided in Table 3.


Table 3. Trap efficiency tests conducted at Oakdale between February 28 and March 13, 2011.

Efficiency Data
 Flow and Catch

Figure 3. Daily Chinook salmon catch at Oakdale, and Stanislaus River flow recorded at Goodwin Dam (GDW) and Ripon (RIP) in 2011.

 

turbidity and catch

Figure 4. Daily Chinook salmon catch at Oakdale in relation to instantaneous turbidity recorded at the trap in 2011.

 

The Stanislaus River rotary screw trap at Caswell State Park (RM 8) sampled continuously during the reporting period and a total of 46 juvenile Chinook salmon were captured, increasing the season total to 401. Daily catch ranged between 0 and 14 Chinook salmon.

 

No O. mykiss have been captured so far this season.

 

No trap efficiency experiments were conducted during the reporting period.

 

Instantaneous temperature recorded at the trap ranged from 48.2�F and 57.9�F, and turbidity ranged from 2.85 NTU to 28.00 NTU. Daily average flow at Ripon (RIP) ranged from to 249 cfs to 324 cfs.


 
2010/11 Tuolumne River Juvenile Migration Monitoring

The Tuolumne River rotary screw trap at Waterford (RM 30) operated continuously during the reporting period. A total of 238 juvenile Chinook salmon fry were captured bringing the season total to 3,875. Daily catch ranged between 9 and 32 Chinook (Figure 5). Average forklengths and weights for 237 Chinook salmon are provided in Table 4. The majority of the measured Chinook were fry (n=228), but parr (n=6) and smolts (n=3) were also recorded.

 

Table 4. Biosampling data for Chinook salmon captured and measured at Waterford between February 28 and March 13, 2011. Parentheses indicate range.

Catch Table     

No O. mykiss were captured during this reporting period.

 

Instantaneous temperature taken at the trap ranged from 47.8�F to 51.0�F, and turbidity ranged from 0.61 NTU to 3.17 NTU. Daily average flow at La Grange (LGN) ranged from 2,870 cfs to 5,000 cfs.

 

No trap efficiencies were conducted during the reporting period.

 Flow and Catch

Figure 5. Daily Chinook salmon catch at Waterford, and Tuolumne River flow recorded at La Grange (LGN) and Modesto (MOD) between December 1, 2010, and March 13, 2011.

 

 

Grayson Rotary Screw Traps

Figure 6. Tuolumne River rotary screw traps at Grayson.

 

The Tuolumne River rotary screw traps at Grayson (RM 5) sampled continuously during the reporting period (Figure 6). A total of 32 Chinook salmon were captured, bringing the season total to 1,458. Average forklengths and weights of all Chinook salmon are provided in Table 5. Most of the Chinook captured and measured were rated as fry (n=24), but parr (n=8) and smolt (n=3) were also observed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 5. Biosampling data for Chinook salmon captured and measured at Grayson between February 28 and March 13, 2011. Parentheses indicate range.

Catch Table 

Instantaneous temperature taken at the trap ranged from 49.4�F to 53.7�F, and turbidity ranged from 1.78 NTU to 4.90 NTU. Daily average flows at Modesto (MOD) decreased from 5,050 cfs to 3,640 cfs (Figure 7).

 

No efficiency experiments were conducted during the reporting period.

 Flow and Catch

Figure 7. Daily Chinook salmon catch at Grayson, and Tuolumne River flow recorded at La Grange (LGN) and Modesto (MOD) between January 1 and March 13, 2011.



2010/11 Mokelumne River Juvenile Migration Monitoring

The Mokelumne River rotary screw trap at Vino Farms (RM 54) was sampled intermittently, and a total of 5,811 juvenile Chinook salmon were captured during the reporting period, bringing the season total to 29,298.

Average daily flow from Camanche Reservoir (CMN) increased from 602 cfs to 953 cfs (Figure 8). Instantaneous temperature ranged from 47.5F to 50.4F, and instantaneous turbidity ranged between 2.20 NTU and 4.25 NTU. 

Three O. mykiss were captured during the reporting period, increasing the season total count to eight.

Flow and Catch

Figure 8. Daily juvenile Chinook catch at Vino Farms and Mokelumne River flow recorded at Camanche Reservoir (CMN), between December 1, 2010, and March 13, 2011.

The Mokelumne River rotary screw trap at Golf (RM 38) continued intermittent monitoring during the reporting period and a total of 874 juvenile Chinook salmon were captured, increasing the season total to 3,137.

Average daily flow at Woodbridge Dam (WBR) fluctuated between 369 cfs and 763 cfs (Figure 9). Instantaneous temperature ranged between 48.2F and 53.6F, and instantaneous turbidity ranged between 2.60 NTU and 5.27 NTU.

Two O. mykiss were captured during the reporting period increasing the season total to twelve. (Note: One O. mykiss was adipose fin-clipped suggesting hatchery origin and increasing the total to eleven ad-clipped O. mykiss.)

Flow and Catch

Figure 9. Daily juvenile Chinook catches at Golf and Mokelumne River flow recorded at Woodbridge Dam (WBR), between January 1 and March 13, 2011.


 
2010/11 Stanislaus River Weir Monitoring

Between February 28 and March 13 the Vaki Riverwatcher did not detect any Chinook salmon passing upstream of the Stanislaus River Weir (Figure 10). The season total remains at 1,382.

 

Stanislaus River Weir

Figure 10. Stanislaus River weir.

 

One O. mykiss (220 mm) was detected passing upstream on March 1 increasing the season total to five O. mykiss (Table 6).

 

Daily average flow in the Stanislaus River at Goodwin Dam (GDW; RM 58) remained stable between 200 cfs and 229 cfs (Figure 11). Flow at Ripon (RIP; RM 15) were stable between 249 cfs and 324 cfs. Note: flows downstream of Goodwin Dam may differ from dam releases due to irrigation, precipitation and other factors.

 

Instantaneous water temperature measured at the weir ranged between 49.6˚F and 58.2˚F, and daily average water temperature at Ripon (RPN; RM 15) ranged between 50.9˚F and 59.2˚F (Figure 12). Instantaneous turbidity ranged between 2.02 NTU and 4.97 NTU (Figure 13). Instantaneous dissolved oxygen at the weir ranged between 10.61 mg/L and 12.69 mg/L, and daily average dissolved oxygen at Ripon (RPN; RM 15) ranged from 8.69 mg/L to 9.41 mg/L (Figure 14).

 

Table 6. Net passage counts for all species between February 28 and March 13, 2011 at the Stanislaus River Weir. (* Indicates multiple passages recorded despite net upstream passage of one.)

Net Passage

Chinook passage and flow

Figure 11. Daily upstream adult Chinook passage at the Stanislaus River weir in relation to daily average flow (cfs) recorded in the Stanislaus River at Goodwin (GDW) and Ripon (RIP), and in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis (VNS) in 2010 and 2011.

 

Temperature and passage

Figure 12. Daily upstream adult Chinook passage recorded at the Stanislaus River weir in relation to instantaneous water temperature recorded at the weir, and daily average water temperature recorded in the Stanislaus River at Ripon (RPN), and in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis (VER), Mossdale (MSD) and Rough & Ready (RRI) in  2010 and 2011.

turbidity and passage

Figure 13. Daily upstream adult Chinook passage at the Stanislaus River weir in relation to instantaneous turbidity recorded at the weir in 2010 and 2011.


Dissolved Oxygen

Figure 14. Daily upstream adult Chinook passage at the Stanislaus River weir in relation to instantaneous dissolved oxygen recorded at the weir, and daily average dissolved oxygen recorded in the Stanislaus River at Ripon (RPN), and in the San Joaquin River at Mossdale (MSD) and Rough & Ready (RRI) in 2010 and 2011.


 
Merced River Conditions

 

Flows in the Merced River at Cressy (CRS; RM 52) decreased from 3,714 cfs to 3,052 cfs during reporting period. Flows at Stevinson (MST; RM 5) decreased from 4,234 cfs to 3,691 cfs (Figure 15). Water temperatures in the Merced River ranged from 49.5�F to 52.2�F at Cressy, and from 49.3�F to 53.1�F at Stevinson (Figure 16).

Flow  

Figure 15. Daily average flows (cfs) recorded in the Merced River at Cressy (CRS) and Stevinson (MST) in 2010 and 2011.

Temperature

Figure 16. Daily average water temperatures (F) recorded in the Merced River at Cressy (CRS) and Stevinson (MST) in 2010 and 2011.


 
San Joaquin Conditions

During the reporting period, flow in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis decreased from 11,958 cfs to 9,417 (Figure 17). Water temperature in the San Joaquin River ranged from 49.7�F to 54.9�F at Vernalis, from 50.4�F to 55.6�F at Mossdale, and from 50.8�F to 56.7�F at Rough 'n Ready Island (Figure 18). Average daily dissolved oxygen (DO) in the San Joaquin River fluctuated from 9.4 mg/L to 10.0 mg/L in the deep water ship channel (measured at Rough 'n Ready Island), and between 10.1 mg/L and 10.6 mg/L at Mossdale (Figure 19).


Flow 

Figure 17. San Joaquin River flows at Vernalis from March 1, 2010, through March 13, 2011.

Temperature   

Figure 18. San Joaquin River daily average water temperatures at Vernalis, Mossdale, and Rough 'n Ready from March 1, 2010, through March 13, 2011.

Dissolved Oxygen 

Figure 19. San Joaquin River daily average dissolved oxygen at Mossdale and Rough 'n Ready, from March 1, 2010, through March 13, 2011.



Delta Exports
 

Mean daily pumping at the C.W. Jones Pumping Plant (federal pumps previously known as Tracy Pumping Plant) ranged between 3,537 cfs and 4,201 cfs (Figure 20). Mean daily pumping at the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant (state pumps) fluctuated between 3,360 cfs and 5,935 cfs. Combined total exports (state and federal pumps) during this period ranged from 7,516 cfs to 9,477 cfs.

Exports

Figure 20. Daily exports at the state and federal pumping stations from March 1, 2010, through March 13, 2011.


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