Footprint Impacts of BC Hydro Dams On Burbot Populations in the Columbia River Basin, British Columbia October 2008 Prepared for: Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Columbia Basin
Author: S. Cope
Literature summary and assessment of dam impacts on Burbot
General life history and habitat utilization data suggest the spawning, incubation and early rearing life stages of burbot are the most likely to be negatively impacted by changes in aquatic habitat due to inundation (Table 2). Alternatively, adult burbot probably benefit from the large increase in lake habitat that supports kokanee, a key food source.
Currently, the upper Columbia Basin is a ‘staircase’ of dams and reservoirs that have transformed the riverine ecosystem into a series of large isolated lacustrine depositional basins. Flooding of the valley bottoms has inundated the river and creek confluence areas, lower reaches of low gradient tributaries, backwater or off-channel areas and low velocity regions within main rivers. These habitat features represent critical burbot rearing and spawning habitat. These habitat features have been the most impacted by dam construction and reservoir operation and should be priorities for mitigation and compensation.
General life history and habitat utilization data suggest the spawning, incubation and early rearing life stages of burbot are the most likely to be negatively impacted by changes in aquatic habitat due to inundation (Table 2). Alternatively, adult burbot probably benefit from the large increase in lake habitat that supports kokanee, a key food source.
Currently, the upper Columbia Basin is a ‘staircase’ of dams and reservoirs that have transformed the riverine ecosystem into a series of large isolated lacustrine depositional basins. Flooding of the valley bottoms has inundated the river and creek confluence areas, lower reaches of low gradient tributaries, backwater or off-channel areas and low velocity regions within main rivers. These habitat features represent critical burbot rearing and spawning habitat. These habitat features have been the most impacted by dam construction and reservoir operation and should be priorities for mitigation and compensation.
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Additional Info
Study Years: 2008
Published: 2008
Topics
Tags: Aquatic, Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Burbot, Compensation, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Entrainment, Fish Habitat Temperature, Footprint, FWCP, Genetic Diversity, Habitat Loss, Habitat Restoration, Historic, Inundation, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lake, Lake Nutrients, Life History, Lota Lota, Lower Columbia River, Migration, Monitoring Recommendations, Pend DOreille, Population Structure, Rearing Habitat, Recruitment, Research Recommendations, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, Riparian Restoration, River, Spawning, Spawning Habitat, Spillimacheen, Stream, Tributary, TurbidityFootprint Impacts of BC Hydro Dams On Burbot Populations in the Columbia River Basin, British Columbia October 2008 Prepared for: Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Columbia Basin
Author: S. Cope
Tags: Aquatic, Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Burbot, Compensation, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Entrainment, Fish Habitat Temperature, Footprint, FWCP, Genetic Diversity, Habitat Loss, Habitat Restoration, Historic, Inundation, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lake, Lake Nutrients, Life History, Lota Lota, Lower Columbia River, Migration, Monitoring Recommendations, Pend DOreille, Population Structure, Rearing Habitat, Recruitment, Research Recommendations, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, Riparian Restoration, River, Spawning, Spawning Habitat, Spillimacheen, Stream, Tributary, Turbidity
Literature summary and assessment of dam impacts on Burbot
Summary
General life history and habitat utilization data suggest the spawning, incubation and early rearing life stages of burbot are the most likely to be negatively impacted by changes in aquatic habitat due to inundation (Table 2). Alternatively, adult burbot probably benefit from the large increase in lake habitat that supports kokanee, a key food source.
Currently, the upper Columbia Basin is a ‘staircase’ of dams and reservoirs that have transformed the riverine ecosystem into a series of large isolated lacustrine depositional basins. Flooding of the valley bottoms has inundated the river and creek confluence areas, lower reaches of low gradient tributaries, backwater or off-channel areas and low velocity regions within main rivers. These habitat features represent critical burbot rearing and spawning habitat. These habitat features have been the most impacted by dam construction and reservoir operation and should be priorities for mitigation and compensation.