Research Problem and Background:
Fishery resources have been greatly impacted by hundreds of western water projects, especially native fish, including highly economically valued species such as pacific salmon in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California; large river endangered species such as Colorado River squawfish, pallid sturgeon, and razorback sucker ; and tiny, endangered fish such as Delta smelt in California. Most of the infrastructure of western water projects was developed prior to major environmental concerns, with inadequate or no fish protection facilities. New technologies to protect fishery resources are badly needed to assist Reclamation’s new missions related to environmental friendliness of all projects and operations.

Project Objectives:
Develop and evaluate new technologies for protecting and enhancing fishery resources associated with present and future Reclamation water resource development projects.

Overall Outcome or Conclusions:
Fish survival following passage through new, "fish friendly" pumps at Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the Sacramento River, California, was very high (> 98 percent), indicating this technology for providing water to canals and for bypass flows at new fish screen facilities has great potential for many sites throughout the U.S. Research and development at the major South Delta, California, water diversion facility (Tracy) has led to unique designs for new fish facilities now under serious consideration for funding and support by California Federal agencies (CALFED). The resulting new Tracy Facilities will provide the template and guidance for other, major fish screen systems in the Delta and elsewhere, where enormous challenges exist to protect a multi-species fish community containing endangered species.

Major advancements in understanding the effects of low-head dams on lower Yellowstone River fish species were made, including quantification of fish entrainment at a major canal. Extensive fish sampling above and below three dams demonstrated fish passage around dams exists, but at a low level. Advanced systems for automatic counting and recognition of adult salmon migrations were developed on the Yakima River, Washington. Sampling below Shasta Dam, California, with the new

Temperature Control Device (TCD) operating, demonstrated that small, pelagic forage fish were periodically very vulnerable to entrainment and being lost from the reservoir. Sport species, such as smallmouth bass, were only rarely entrained, however. Data will assist in developing long-term operating plans for the TCD

Partners:
Bureau of Reclamation: MP-Region, Northern California Area Office, Tracy Projects Office, Willows Construction Office, Montana Area Office, Upper Columbia River Area Office, Ephrata Office; Michigan State University; Chico State University; Humboldt State University, Virginia Tech University; USFWS; NMFS; California Department of Fish and Game; California Department of Water Resources; Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks

Publications and/or Other Deliverables
Bowen, M., S. Siegfied, C. Liston, L. Hess, and C. Karp. 1998. Fish collections and secondary louver efficiencies at the Tracy Fish Collection Facility: October 1993 to September 1995. Tracy Fish Collection Facility Studies, Vol. 7. Mid-Pacific Region and DTSC. 40 pp.

Helfrich, L., C. Liston, and S. Hiebert. 1998. Influence of low-head diversion dams on fish passage, community composition, and abundance in the Yellowstone River, Montana. Rivers Journal, In Press. Hiebert, S. 1997. Field testing and evaluation of a video image counting system for fish eggs in the Sacramento River, CA. TFCF Report Series,
vol. 5. 19 pp.

Hiebert, S. 1997. Field testing and evaluation of a video image counting system for fish eggs in the Sacramento River, CA. TFCF Report Series, vol. 5. 19 pp.

Karp, C., L. Hess, J. Lyons, and C. Liston. 1997. Evaluation of the sub-sampling procedure to estimate fish salvage at the Tracy Fish Collection Facility, Tracy, CA. 1993-1996. Tracy Fish Collection Facility Studies, vol. 8. USBR, Mid-Pacific Region and DTSC. 23 pp.

Liston, C. 1997. Status and early results of the Red Bluff Research Pumping Plant Program on the Sacramento River. EPRI sponsored 1997 National Fish Passage Workshop, Milwaukee.

Liston, C., R. Christensen, and A. Glickman. 1996. Report on fish screening alternatives for the Contra Costa Canal Intake (Rock Slough), California. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region and
DTSC. 99 pp.

McNabb, C., C. Liston, and S. Borthwick. 1998. In-plant evaluation of the Red Bluff Research Pumping Plant on the Sacramento River in Northern California: 1995-1996. Red Bluff Research Pumping Plant Report Series, vol. 3. Bureau of Reclamation, DTSC and Mid-Pacific Region. 76 pp.

Puckett, K., C. Liston, C. Karp, and L. Hess. 1996. Preliminary examination of factors that influence fish salvage estimates at the Tracy Fish Collection Facility, CA, 1993 and 1994. TFCF Studies, vol. 4. USBR, Mid-Pacific Region and DTSC. 28 pp.