Thesis
Maximum acclimation depth of juvenile Chinook salmon: implications for survival during hydroturbine passage
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103770
Abstract
This study investigated the maximum depth at which juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha can acclimate by attaining neutral buoyancy. Depth of neutral buoyancy is dependent upon the volume of gas within the swim bladder, which greatly influences the occurrence of injuries to fish passing through hydroturbines. Three methods were used to obtain maximum swim bladder volumes that were transformed into depth estimations; Gas-puckreflex test (GPT), the increased excess mass test (IEMT), and swim bladder rupture test (SBRT). GPT and SBRT entailed artificially increasing swim bladder volume, inside and outside of the body cavity, through decompression. IEMT required fish to increase swim bladder volume, to remain neutrally buoyant, by increasing the fish’s excess mass by externally attaching weights. From these tests, we estimate the maximum acclimation depth for juvenile Chinook salmon is a median of 6.72m (range = 4.57 – 11.55m). These findings have important implications to survival estimates, studies using tags, hydropower operations, and survival of juvenile salmon that pass through large Kaplan turbines typical of those found within the Columbia and Snake River hydropower system.
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Details
- Title
- Maximum acclimation depth of juvenile Chinook salmon
- Creators
- Brett Pflugrath
- Contributors
- James R. Pratt (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAHNRS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525026301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis