Temperature Characteristics of Salmon Spawning Gravels in the Hyporheic Zone on the Feather River By: Luis Santana Cazares December 15, 2014 ENVS 190
Acknowledgments This thesis was in collaboration with the California Department of Water Resources grant received by Dr. Tim Horner. I d like to thank the following people for the impact they had on this study: Dr. Tim Horner, CSUS Geology Dr. Michelle Stevens, CSUS Environmental Studies Dr. Jeffery Foran, CSUS Environmental Studies Jay Heffermen, CSUS Geology Joe Rosenbery, CSUS Geology Jessica Bean, CSUS Geology Ryan McCoy, CSUS Geology Whitney Thorpe, CSUS Biology Justin Wood, Sierra Streams Jason Dunn, CSUS Geology Anthony Billecci, CSUS Geology 2
Table of Contents Chapter Page Abstract 4 Introduction 5-7 Objectives 7 Methods 7-9 Results 10-13 Discussion 13-15 Recommendations 15 Conclusion 15-16 List of Figures Figure # Page Figure 1. Physical effects of rivers 6 Figure 2. Map of Oroville 7 Figure 3. Research Site 8 Figure 4. Auditorium Riffle Downstream 10 Figure 5. Auditorium Riffle Upstream 11 Figure 6. Hatchery Cottonwood Downstream 11 Figure 7. Hatchery Cottonwood Upstream 12 Figure 8. Upper Auditorium Upstream 12 Figure 9. Release Flows 14 3
Abstract Streams and rivers have long been altered in the United States to irrigate or for storage. In the process, habitats for many different species have long been changed, including Chinook Salmon. Chinook Salmon have made their journey up the Feather River for hundreds of years and humans have altered their journey. Studies on the American River geographically south of the Feather can be an indicator to how the study will finish. In this study temperature wells were installed in order to collect temperature data. The data was collected with HOBO loggers and took data every 30 minutes. The temperature collection is to aide in better understanding of why salmon choose certain gravels and not others. Spawning habitat is available in different locations for salmon to choose but some are more used than others. We hypothesize that if the augmentation was done correctly it will show good distribution of temperature throughout the placed gravel. 4
Introduction Human activity has long altered the environment across the world. Some of this activity includes the building of: dams, reservoirs, levees, channels, and other forms of urbanization. These activities have destroyed many environments such as wetlands which are needed, not only by us, but by other species as well; such as Salmon. Salmon habitats have been decimated by human activities for many centuries (Mitsch 1993). Recently, there has been a boost in involvement to preserve, protect, and restore Salmon habitats across the world; especially here in Northern California. On the Feather River, in Oroville, Ca; efforts are being made to restore some Chinook salmon spawning habitats. The Feather River has been heavily altered, creating uninhabitable sites for spawning salmon (Heffermen 2013). In order to restore the habitat, gravel augmentation took place on a site near the Oroville Fish Hatchery. Collaborators on this project include: California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) Geology and Environmental Studies Departments; California Department of Water Resources; California Department of Fish & Wildlife; and Sierra Streams Institute. If the augmentation was done correctly it will show good distribution of temperature throughout the placed gravel. The distribution of temperature is important for the survival or mortality of the salmon eggs, which will be discussed later in the paper. Chinook Salmon are a keystone species that many animals depend on as a food source. Mammals that feed on them include orca, bears, sea lions, large birds of prey, and humans. Humans often consider all types of salmon big game. Salmon fishing is a significant contributor to the recreational economy anywhere they are found (NWF 2014). As a keystone species and a huge contributor to economies around the world, Chinook Salmon are the center of many 5
scientific studies. Because their lives are both in the ocean and in the river they are able to affect may different ecosystems and animals. Rivers have been negatively affected by dams since the construction of the first dam. Gravel augmentation is important in order to ensure the existence of salmon all around the world. The importance of augmentation is to replace degraded spawning sites with new gravel for potential new Figure 1. The physical effects of a river without a dam as well as the effects with a dam (Collier 1995). spawning sites (Collier 1996). Temperatures of waters are important because they are an indicator of when Salmon should come up river to spawn. In the mid 1990 s when Folsom dam broke, it caused thousands of fish to migrate upstream too early. This happened because the water released from the dam made its way to the ocean and was at a temperature that told salmon to migrate upstream and spawn (Sientstra 1995). The importance of temperature throughout the hyporheic zone for spawning is still debated today. Temperature does have an effect on eggs however. Once the female salmon lays her eggs and the male salmon fertilizes those eggs, depending on the temperature the eggs will take 3 to 5 months to hatch (NOAA 2014). Water flow in rivers has been heavily altered from its natural state. When no dams hold back water, a natural system of water temperature occurs. On the North Fork of the Feather River, there are several dams that hold back water. When these dams hold back water it allows 6
for the water to collect and warm up. If water is flowing freely, then temperature isn t affected as much as when it stays in place. Another factor caused by temperature manipulation because of dams is the ability to produce dissolved oxygen. With higher temperatures it means lower dissolved oxygen rates. Dissolved oxygen is needed by salmon throughout their lifetime (Carter 2005). Objectives The purpose of the whole project is to provide better habitat for Chinook salmon spawning with gravel augmentation. The spawning sites or nests are known as redds. This study will focus on the distribution of temperatures at different depths throughout the restoration site. Preliminary studies show that temperature flows in gravel have different effects on eggs and fry. The study is done in order to try and distinguish more, whether or not temperature flows in redds are a contributing factor to the salmons redd site selection for survival rates (Juethe 2013). Another aspect that this study will cover is the upwelling and downwelling of water temperature. The temperature data will be collected through hobo temperature loggers, both on the surface of the augmented gravel and within the augmented gravel at different depths. The surface and immediate subsurface (30cm) mostly of the gravel is known as the hyporheic zone. Methods The study site is in Oroville, Ca on the North Fork of the Feather River, Figure 2. Map of a section of Northern California near Oroville. The study site is showed with a yellow thumb nail. 7
directly south of the Feather River Fish Hatchery. Located in Butte County in Northern Figure 3. Three different sample sites: Hatchery Cottonwood, Auditorium, Upper auditorium. With six samples within the site locations: Hatchery Cottonwood Upstream & Downstream, Auditorium Upstream & downstream, Upper Auditorium Upstream & Downstream. California, the elevation at the study site is approximately 45 meters above sea level (CA DWR 2014). The Feather River is part of the Sacramento Watershed and connects to the Sacramento River near Knights Landing, CA. Dams above the site include: the Frenchmen Dam, Grizzly Valley Dam, Antelope Dam, and Oroville Dam (CA DWR 2013). In the study site there are 3 separate sampling sites known as Hatchery Cottonwood, Auditorium, and Upper Auditorium. For this study, the method used to measure temperature from the river was done through HOBO loggers. Hobo loggers are first calibrated in an ice bath; the temperature of the ice bath should be approximately 0 C. The Hobo loggers were placed at the surface of the gravel in the river as well as within the gravel. The loggers are set in place to collect temperature data every 30 minutes. To collate data, the hobo loggers are removed and are connected to a hobo logger computer connection. The program for collecting data is known as HOBOWARE. Once removed from their collecting site they will continue to take temperature data. This may cause some unwanted spikes in data that may have to be removed later. The unwanted spikes can occur because data are collected every 30 minutes, so if the logger is out of the water it will take the temperature of the ambient air. (Bean 2014) 8
To place a logger in the gravel a six foot nail is pounded into the gravel. The nail is two separate pieces, an outer shell that the nail sits in, and the nail itself. Once the nail is pounded into the gravel to a certain depth the nail is able to be removed while the outer shell sits in place in the gravel. While the outer casing is in place, a PVC pipe is inserted into the outer shell. Because a vacuum may form while pulling out the outer casing, another PVC pipe may be needed in order to keep it from coming out of the well made by the nail. The size of the PVC pipe will vary according to depth of the well. Once the PVC pipe is put in place, hobo loggers are strung together by bailing wire or by a constructed PVC holder where the loggers are attached to the PVC by bailing wire. The loggers that collected only surface data are held in place by rebar. The rebar is held together by a metal ring; which has two holes where were or some type of string can put through. For this project wire was used. The wire could then be strung through the holes on the metal ring and be attached to the hobo logger. The hobo is kept in a PVC pipe that is about 6 inches long logger to be protected from the elements. The PVC pipe has two holes drilled into it in order to string the logger to the rebar. 9
Results Figure 4. Auditorium Riffle Downstream. shows the temperature fluctuations between the loggers at different depths. The temperatures are relatively similar throughout. 10
Figure 5. Auditorium Riffle Upstream. Like Auditoruim riffle downstream temperatures are similar. Also like downstream temperatures in the later weeks seem to change more. 54.5 Hatchery Cottonwood Downstream 54 53.5 53 Surface 1 ft 2 ft 52.5 52 10/22/2014 10/24/2014 0:00 10/26/2014 0:00 10/28/2014 0:00 10/30/2014 0:00 11/1/2014 0:00 11/3/2014 0:00 11/5/2014 0:00 11/7/2014 0:00 11/9/2014 0:00 0:00 Figure 6. Hatchery Cottonwood downstream. Samples much more diverse at the different depths. 11
Figure 7. Hatchery Cottonwood Upstream, we see more similar temperatures but at different variations at times. Figure 8. Upper Auditorium Upstream, similar temperature until the last few weeks, more varying temperatures occurred. 12
At three of the five temperature wells: Auditorium Upstream and Downstream, as well as Upper Auditorium Upstream results of temperature flows through the gravel are similar with very little fluctuations. At Hatchery Cottonwood upstream we see relative difference between that temperature well at that site and the three mentioned before. At Hatchery Cottonwood downstream the most fluctuation of all temperatures occurs. At the two foot depth temperature did not seem to vary as much as at the surface and one foot depth. Discussion The loggers at the different sites were able to collect data for several weeks; we see that with most the loggers there are very similar temperatures throughout the gravel. At the Auditorium Upstream site the temperatures are similar at all depths until about October 18 th where they start to become different at the 2 foot and 3 foot mark. Before October 18 th since temperatures were nearly identical to the surface temperatures it can be because downwelling was occurring at a higher rate (Bean 2014). Downwelling occurs because of much more dense surface water. The density of the water can be driven by several things including: wind and released water temperature at the dam. (Toronto 2014). The site where we saw the most fluctuations between temperatures was Hatchery Cottonwood Upstream and Downstream. At this site the differences could be caused by the bed rock being closer to the surface than at the other sites or the cemented gravels below the augmented gravels. At Hatchery Cottonwood Downstream, the nail was much more difficult to get in; this could have been because of higher impermeable soils. With higher impermeable soils it could mean that water flow through the hyporheic zone is much more difficult. The graphs show a dramatic difference in temperatures at 13
the different depths for hatchery cottonwood; this could be because of the low permeability rates. Data from the Upper Auditorium downstream temperature well was not logged as equipment problems didn t allow for collection. We assume that the site could ve been similar to Hatchery Cottonwood downstream because of the same physical characteristics. New gravel at the other sites was much more prominent than both temperature wells at Hatchery Cottonwood. Release rates could also have an effect on our results. If more water at a higher temperature goes through the river it could cause higher upwelling to occur. From the end of September through the end of October the flows Date DIVERSN CFS 10/20/2014 15 10/21/2014 15 10/22/2014 15 10/23/2014 15 10/24/2014 15 10/25/2014 15 10/26/2014 15 10/27/2014 15 10/28/2014 15 10/29/2014 15 10/30/2014 15 10/31/2014 15 11/1/2014 4 11/2/2014 4 11/3/2014 4 11/4/2014 4 11/5/2014 4 11/6/2014 4 11/7/2014 4 11/8/2014 4 11/9/2014 4 11/10/2014 4 11/11/2014 4 11/12/2014 4 11/13/2014 4 11/14/2014 4 11/15/2014 4 11/16/2014 4 11/17/2014 4 11/18/2014 4 11/19/2014 -- Figure 9. Release rates calculated at the Feather River in Oroville right below Oroville Dam released from the Oroville dam were 15 cubic feet per second (cfs). Beginning in November those release flows were lowered to 4 cfs. The release rates are dependent on amount of water that is being stored behind the dam. If a large storm were to occur, release rates would increase and temperatures could change dramatically. Loggers are still taking temperatures at the sites today and will be able to collect data as long as they can. Data could be better with a longer period of data collection. With water temperatures reaching as high as 60ºF, roughly 71ºC, this could kill off some of the salmon eggs before reaching a hatching age. In the study by Juethe, they found that a difference of 1ºC could be the difference between life and death. The ideal temperature for incubation was between 10ºC and 13ºC for Arctic Charr (Juethe 2013). Although conditions in 14
the Feather River are very different than those in the arctic, the temperature change can have the same effect. The site augmentation overall has been very successful with a large number of redds counted through the sites for the spring run; over 500 redds were counted by California Fish and Game Recommendations It is recommended to collect data throughout the following years to have a better understanding of water flows and distribution of temperatures through gravels throughout the augmented sites. It is also recommended to do more biological tests on the salmon to see of the temperature distribution in gravels do have an effect on where salmon choose to make their redds. Perhaps making more augmentation sites downstream to compare to this site would make the study more effective. At this site equipment was taken so data would be lost as well as effective time on the project. In order to avoid this from happening better monitoring of the site would be beneficial or perhaps posting signs throughout and along the edges of the study site. Another recommendation is finding a way to install temperature wells at all sites through four feet of depth. At some temperature wells the full four foot depth was not able to be met because of the physical aspect of the river. For better understanding of any of the testing done in the site a more extensive research has to be don t on all physical, biological, and chemical studies throughout the Feather River. Conclusion Gravel has been augmented on the Feather River to enhance salmon spawning habitat to prior conditions. Temperature wells were installed to collect data in the gravel as the river flowed 15
through the gravel. This could help determine whether or not salmon pick certain locations based on the physical characteristics, chemical characteristics, and biological characteristics or just at random. In the end our hypothesis was not supported as we were unable to clearly get a definitive answer. Gravel augmentation should be happening through streams and rivers in North America to figure out some of the questions that have yet to be answered by scientists. With efforts still increasing in conserving habitats around the world the answers to many questions associated to salmon should be answered in the near future. 16
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