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Refining Quagga Habitat Suitability Models
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Yale Passamaneck
As introductions of invasive freshwater mussels continue to be detected across the Western United States there is significant interest in understanding what waters are most at risk of infestation. In the absence of extensive laboratory studies on the physiological tolerances of invasive dreissenid mussels, correlative studies comparing mussel distribution and environmental parameters remains the best tool available for understanding the risk of mussel establishment in new waters. Previous efforts to define such habitat suitability parameters for dreissenid mussels have drawn primarily on data from waters in the Eastern US and Europe. Hydrological regimes in these regions are often less dynamic than in Reclamation waters in the arid Western US. We hypothesize that such factors may play an as yet unrecognized role in determining a waterbody's potential risk of invasive mussel establishment and infestation, and may serve to limit the spread of infestations in Reclamation waters. The proposed work will draw on a decade of early detection research conducted at the Reclamation Detection Laboratory for Exotic Species (RDLES), as well as publicly available data on water quality and hydrology to understand what factors may control the establishment of mussels in the Western US. Of particular interest will be waterbodies where RDLES has identified evidence of dreissenid mussel introductions, but populations have not proceeded to establishment and infestation. These data suggest initial habitat suitability but that some environmental features limited population expansion and survival. This is significant because for waters where no detection has occurred, it is not necessarily possible to distinguish if this is due to unsuitable environmental conditions or simply a lack of any introduction. This project will assess how current habitat suitability models may be refined to more accurately inform risk assessment in Reclamation waters.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2021
- Conventional Hydro
Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Emerging Issues and Measures to Recover the Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon ESU
Lead Companies
U.S. Geological Survey
Lead Researcher (s)
- Kenneth Tiffan
- Russell Perry
In this report, USGS scientists and partners illustrate how a life-cycle model of intermediate complexity can be used to understand population dynamics and factors affecting different life stages of Snake River basin fall Chinook salmon.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
complete
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Review of trap-and-haul for managing Pacific salmonids in impounded river systems
Lead Companies
U.S. Geological Survey
Lead Researcher (s)
- Tobias Kock
USGS scientists and partners reviewed 17 trap-and-haul programs regarding Pacific salmon to (1) summarize information about facility design, operation and biological effects; (2) identify critical knowledge gaps; and (3) evaluate trap-and-haul as a current and future management tool.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
complete
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Risk mapping for mussel infestation in the Pacific Northwest
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Anthony Prisciandaro
Determining how to best allocate dreissenid mussel early detection monitoring effort across the Columbia River Basin (CRB) to address both inter-jurisdictional and regional priorities has been identified as an immediate need by multiple regional partnerships, including DOI's "Safeguarding the West from Invasive Species" Initiative. An initial step toward optimal allocation of early detection resources across the CRB is to develop a regional strategy for assessing how water quality affects dreissenid mussel establishment risk. We will address issues identified in regional forums surrounding the use of water quality data to assess dreissenid mussel establishment risk. Project deliverables include: (1) Development of criteria for assessing the relevance of water quality data (e.g., based on how, when and where data were collected) for dreissenid mussel risk assessments across the CRB; (2) Development of a ranking scheme for water quality metrics relevant to dreissenid mussel establishment in the CRB; (3) Discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of various strategies currently used to assign dreissenid mussel risk rankings based on water quality across the CRB; and (4) Display the application of water quality relevance criteria and risk assessment rankings to water bodies in the Upper Snake River subbasin (FY19) and the remainder of the Columbia River Basin (FY20) in a georeferenced format that will be accessible by stakeholders.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Self Powered Acoustic Transmitter
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Deng
The goal of this project is to prepare the self-powered transmitter for commercialization by demonstrating its viability and market impact in collaboration with private partners.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
complete
Completion Date
2021
- Conventional Hydro
Self-Cleaning Strainers and Filtration to Mitigate Mussel Impacts
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Bryan Heiner
Can self-cleaning strainers and filters be used to effectively manage mussel impacts with reduced maintenance at Reclamation facilities? With the infestation in the Lower Colorado Region, operations and maintenance have been impacted by a significant increase in mussel shell debris. Mussel shell debris is entrained in various piped systems (predominantly cooling water) within the facility either during normal operations or following dewatering for maintenance. To date, most facilities manage this increased debris load using conventional strainers and manual cleanout. However, strainer capacity can be easily exceeded by heavy shell debris loads. Reclamation would benefit greatly from having a self-cleaning method to remove large and small shell debris more effectively thereby reducing maintenance costs.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Sequencing of the quagga mussel genome as a tool for biocontrol
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Yale Passamaneck
Invasive quagga mussels, which form dense aggregations that can clog water intakes and other submerged infrastructure, pose a significant threat to water and power delivery by the USBR in the Western United States. Once established in a water body, invasive mussels dramatically increase operations and maintenance costs for facilities, as well as having other economic impacts. One of the most significant challenges associated with quagga mussels is that, at present, no practicable approaches exist to eliminate, or even control, mussel populations in open water once they have become established. A major impediment to developing new control technologies is that relatively little is yet know about quagga mussel biology, particularly in regards to their genome. Sequencing the quagga mussel genome will allow identification of vulnerabilities that can be targeted for control measures through integrated pest management. The proposed research will sequence and assemble the genome of the quagga mussel. Availability of the quagga mussel genome sequence will provide a valuable toolkit for understanding the biology of this invasive organism and developing control techniques. Having the quagga genome will provide insight into fundamental aspects of quagga biology, such as the basis of sex determination, regulation of reproduction, and chemical attractants and deterrents. Targeted control techniques, such as genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 would only effect quagga mussels, and could not spread to other organisms in the environment.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
- Conventional Hydro
Side channel evolution and design: achieving sustainable habitat for aquatic species recovery
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Nathan Holste
How do side channels form and evolve in both sand and gravel bed river systems? Side channels in natural river corridors are created and maintained as a result of a number of processes related to the morphology and geology of the river corridor and floodplain, the hydrology of the watershed, the sediment supply and size, and the amount of large wood within the system. A global understanding of how side channels form and evolve over time currently does not exist. To achieve this understanding of side channel form and process, we propose to conduct an empirical study of side channels across the variety of river systems represented in our study areas. This study would evaluate a range of variables that characterize side channels in terms of their form, location and angle of inlet from the main stem of the river, their frequency of inundation (perennial to intermittent), the type of habitat they provide (target species life stage served) as well as their evolution over time. The outcome of this study would be a classification of side channels and a conceptual model describing the side channel life cycle.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
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Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org