ABOUTPacific NorthwestNational Laboratory

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,located in southeastern Washington State,is a U.S. Department of Energy Office ofScience laboratory that solves complexproblems in energy, national security, andthe environment, and advances scientificfrontiers in the chemical, biological, materials,environmental, and computational sciences.The Laboratory employs nearly 5,000 staffmembers, has an annual budget in excessof $1 billion, and has been managed byOhio-based Battelle since 1965.

For more information on the scienceyou see here, please contact:

Mike GreinerPacific Northwest National LaboratoryP.O. Box 241North Bonneville, WA 98639(509) 427-5838Michael.Greiner@pnnl.gov

Structural and Operational Modifications to Enhance Survival and Pasage of Juvenile Steelhead at John Day Dam, 2008-2012.Greiner, M.J., M.A. Weiland, G.R. Ploskey, J.S. Hughes, Z. Deng, C.M. Woodley, T.J. Carlson and M.B. Eppard

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IntroductionThe 2008 Biological Opinion (BiOp) on operation of the Federal Columbia River Hydropower System(FCRPS) calls for measurement of juvenile salmon survival and additional performance measures stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords. Fish survival standards and associated metrics include:►96% survival (SE ≤ 1.5) for yearling Chinook salmon (CH1) and

steelhead (STH)►93% survival (SE ≤ 1.5) for subyearling Chinook salmon (CH0)►No decline in spill passage efficiency or increase in forebay

residence and tailrace egress time

Study Location►John Day Dam

At rkm 349 Height: 56 m Length: 2,327 m Capacity 2,485 MW Powerhouse•16 active units• 4 inactive units

Spillway•20 gates

MethodsTagging and Release

Tagging (JSATS and PIT) Late April thru May≥95 and < 300mm TL

JSATS micro transmitters0.438 g in air11.9 mm long x 5.1 mm wide1 pulse every 3 seconds 33 d tag life

Steelhead released by year for survival estimates at John Day Dam 2008-2012.

Flow

Fish Release Sites and Array Locations

Conclusions

FCRPS BiOp criteria are being met

Structural modifications have improved passage survival of juvenile salmonids at JDA

Installation of spillway weirs has improved survival by providing a surface-flow outletPlacement of spillway weirs important in guiding fish

Passage survival improved after installation of bird wires, including turbine passed fish

Structural and Operational Modifications► 2008

Top spill weirs (TSWs) installed into spillbays 15 and16

► 2009 TSWs remained in spillbays 15 and 16

► 2010 TSWs moved to sbays 18 and 19

(closer to powerhouse) Modified spillway deflector installed

at bay 20 (closest to powerhouse) Avian exclusion wires partially

installed in tailrace► 2011

TSWs remained in bays 18 and 19 Avian wires installation completed

► 2012 Avian wires and TSWs in bays 18 and

19 remained

BackgroundAt John Day Dam (JDA), the US Army Corp of Engineers-Portland District (USACE-NWP) has made structural and operational modifications with the intent of increasing juvenile salmonid survival and meeting standards for associated passage metrics.

ObjectivesEstimate dam and route-specific survival of JSATS-tagged juvenile salmonidsEvaluate passage efficiency of the spillway and two spillway weirs 2008 – Treatment study 2009 – Treatment study 2010 – Treatment study 2011 – BiOp study 2012 – BiOp study

Acoustic Receiver ArraysCabled receiver systems mounted to dam faceAutonomous receiver arrays located across forebay and tailrace sections and mid- reservoir

Results

Overall passage survival for steelhead at John Day Dam, 2008-2012. Vertical bars denote standard error; horizontal line represents 96% survival goal.

Steelhead passage survival by route at John Day Dam, 2008-2012. Vertical bars denote standard error; horizontal line represents 96% survival goal.

Mean Forebay Residence Time

MedianForebay Residence Time

Mean Tailrace Egress Time

Median Tailrace Egress Time

2008 2 (0.51) 4.3 5.2 (0.46) 1.2

2009 8.9 (0.10) 5.5 4.6 (0.20) 0.5

2010 13.7 (0.51) 4.44 2.5 (0.33) 0.63

2011 6.88 (0.20) 2.91 9.09 (0.70) 0.58

2012 5.79 (0.33) 2.39 6.22 (0.48) 0.46

Travel Time for steelhead at John Day Dam, 2008-2012. Standard error is reported in parentheses.

Spill Passage Efficiency (SPE) and Fish Passage Efficiency (FPE) for juvenile steelhead at John Day Dam, 2008-2012. Standard error is reported in parentheses.

Spill Passage Efficiency Fish Passage Efficiency

2008 74.4 (1.326) 97.2 (0.357)

2009 76.3 (0.862) 97.4 (0.301)

2010 88.8 (0.007) 98.2 (0.003)

2011 62.8 (0.009) 96.0 (0.004)

2012 74.5 (0.008) 96.9 (0.003)