White Sturgeon Populations in the BC Hydro Dam Footprint Impacts Area
Author: Louise Porto
Literature summary and assessment of dam impacts on White Sturgeon
The construction of BC Hydro dams fragmented the Columbia white sturgeon population into four sub-populations or remnant groups and potentially isolated four other groups from the larger Kootenay Lake white sturgeon population. In addition, the dams also changed primary production (AIM 2007) and blocked thousands of prey, such as kokanee, from migrating to natal spawning areas. As a result, a large decline in fish productivity occurred, which impacted predator species such as white sturgeon.
White sturgeon in these eight sub-populations are likely impacted by the following footprint impacts: i) construction impacts related to sediment and water quality; ii) habitat loss; iii) nutrient and/or contaminants effects related to flows released from the reservoir; iv) reduction in natural turbidity levels due to interception of sediment in reservoirs; v) fragmentation and loss of habitat connectivity at the landscape level (barriers to fish movement and migration); and, vi) fish entrainment and loss of fish (mostly an operational impact).
The physical presence of BC Hydro dams blocks movements of white sturgeon to important habitats necessary for them to carry out their life history. For example, white sturgeon from the pre-dam Columbia River population had access to many spawning areas that may no longer be available or accessible. Reproductive male white sturgeon often move more frequently to and from spawning areas during the spawning season. Perhaps in a larger area with several spawning grounds, fish could move between locations and reproduce with others using each area and therefore, contribute more to the population (evidenced at Newport, WA; Golder 2006d). Feeding areas may also be limited within each subpopulation, since they may have accessed the entire drainage to feed opportunistically on concentrations of prey that no longer exist.
The construction of BC Hydro dams also altered or flooded spawning, overwintering, and rearing areas in the basin. The habitats lost vary between each area and depend upon the original configuration of the channel and the presence of historical use areas. The presence of important white sturgeon habitats in some reservoirs historically and presently are unknown, which makes the importance of these areas for white sturgeon difficult to ascertain.
The construction of BC Hydro dams fragmented the Columbia white sturgeon population into four sub-populations or remnant groups and potentially isolated four other groups from the larger Kootenay Lake white sturgeon population. In addition, the dams also changed primary production (AIM 2007) and blocked thousands of prey, such as kokanee, from migrating to natal spawning areas. As a result, a large decline in fish productivity occurred, which impacted predator species such as white sturgeon.
White sturgeon in these eight sub-populations are likely impacted by the following footprint impacts: i) construction impacts related to sediment and water quality; ii) habitat loss; iii) nutrient and/or contaminants effects related to flows released from the reservoir; iv) reduction in natural turbidity levels due to interception of sediment in reservoirs; v) fragmentation and loss of habitat connectivity at the landscape level (barriers to fish movement and migration); and, vi) fish entrainment and loss of fish (mostly an operational impact).
The physical presence of BC Hydro dams blocks movements of white sturgeon to important habitats necessary for them to carry out their life history. For example, white sturgeon from the pre-dam Columbia River population had access to many spawning areas that may no longer be available or accessible. Reproductive male white sturgeon often move more frequently to and from spawning areas during the spawning season. Perhaps in a larger area with several spawning grounds, fish could move between locations and reproduce with others using each area and therefore, contribute more to the population (evidenced at Newport, WA; Golder 2006d). Feeding areas may also be limited within each subpopulation, since they may have accessed the entire drainage to feed opportunistically on concentrations of prey that no longer exist.
The construction of BC Hydro dams also altered or flooded spawning, overwintering, and rearing areas in the basin. The habitats lost vary between each area and depend upon the original configuration of the channel and the presence of historical use areas. The presence of important white sturgeon habitats in some reservoirs historically and presently are unknown, which makes the importance of these areas for white sturgeon difficult to ascertain.
No resources found.
Additional Info
Study Years: 2008
Published: 2008
Topics
Tags: Acipenser Transmontanus, Aquatic, Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Compensation, Conservation Status, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Entrainment, Footprint, FWCP, Genetic Diversity, Habitat Loss, Historic, Inundation, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lower Columbia River, Pend DOreille, Recruitment, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, SARA, Species At Risk, Spillimacheen, Turbidity, White SturgeonWhite Sturgeon Populations in the BC Hydro Dam Footprint Impacts Area
Author: Louise Porto
Tags: Acipenser Transmontanus, Aquatic, Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Compensation, Conservation Status, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Entrainment, Footprint, FWCP, Genetic Diversity, Habitat Loss, Historic, Inundation, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lower Columbia River, Pend DOreille, Recruitment, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, SARA, Species At Risk, Spillimacheen, Turbidity, White Sturgeon
Literature summary and assessment of dam impacts on White Sturgeon
Summary
The construction of BC Hydro dams fragmented the Columbia white sturgeon population into four sub-populations or remnant groups and potentially isolated four other groups from the larger Kootenay Lake white sturgeon population. In addition, the dams also changed primary production (AIM 2007) and blocked thousands of prey, such as kokanee, from migrating to natal spawning areas. As a result, a large decline in fish productivity occurred, which impacted predator species such as white sturgeon.
White sturgeon in these eight sub-populations are likely impacted by the following footprint impacts: i) construction impacts related to sediment and water quality; ii) habitat loss; iii) nutrient and/or contaminants effects related to flows released from the reservoir; iv) reduction in natural turbidity levels due to interception of sediment in reservoirs; v) fragmentation and loss of habitat connectivity at the landscape level (barriers to fish movement and migration); and, vi) fish entrainment and loss of fish (mostly an operational impact).
The physical presence of BC Hydro dams blocks movements of white sturgeon to important habitats necessary for them to carry out their life history. For example, white sturgeon from the pre-dam Columbia River population had access to many spawning areas that may no longer be available or accessible. Reproductive male white sturgeon often move more frequently to and from spawning areas during the spawning season. Perhaps in a larger area with several spawning grounds, fish could move between locations and reproduce with others using each area and therefore, contribute more to the population (evidenced at Newport, WA; Golder 2006d). Feeding areas may also be limited within each subpopulation, since they may have accessed the entire drainage to feed opportunistically on concentrations of prey that no longer exist.
The construction of BC Hydro dams also altered or flooded spawning, overwintering, and rearing areas in the basin. The habitats lost vary between each area and depend upon the original configuration of the channel and the presence of historical use areas. The presence of important white sturgeon habitats in some reservoirs historically and presently are unknown, which makes the importance of these areas for white sturgeon difficult to ascertain.