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[cool][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Salmon populations in the Columbia River have been declining and hydro system impacts continue to be cited as a major cause of the decline. Because of this, significant changes in system operation and mainstem dam configuration are being suggested. Endangered Species Act compliance is becoming an increasingly large task, Indian tribes are becoming more vocal and litigation settlement talks over hydro system operation are ongoing. In response to these concerns, the Corps of Engineers is beginning several major, concurrent studies of fish passage at its mainstem Columbia/ Snake river dams. These include studies of surface juvenile fish collection, dissolved gas abatement, system configuration, turbine intake screen design, transportation versus in river survival, and adult migration. This paper will discuss the use of a three-dimensional physical model of John Day Lock and Dam, Columbia River to investigate alternatives to improve fish passage at the structure. A 1:80 scale physical model of the site was constructed to investigate flow conditions developed under various operating procedures. The model reproduces the Columbia River from river mile 212.5 to 219.5. The hydraulic experiments investigate fish passage improvement measures required under the Columbia River Juvenile Fish Mitigation Program for the John Day Project. Experiments are being conducted to investigate spill patterns for juvenile fish, drawdown options, gate spill patterns for adult fish, proper location of a juvenile fish transportation facility, and flow conditions approaching the powerhouse intakes.[/size][/green][/font]
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[black][size 3]This is a situation that has been on the decline for many years.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]I use to fish for the salmon on the salmon river above Ketchum, Idaho, and even if they were not plentiful, you could spend a week, and come home with some good eats.[/size]
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[size 3]It would take the salmon 90 days to reach the spawning beds after they left the Pacific.[/size]
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[size 3]They would loose 1/3 of their body weight during the trip.[/size]
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[size 3]The thing that got to me most was the fact that the actual spawning areas were closed to angling, but the local native (Indian) population would gaff the spawners, cut the eggs from them to sell to fishermen, and toss the fish.[/size]
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[size 3]God only knows how many millions of salmon were missed because they were never allowed to spawn.[/size]
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[size 3]Just airing one of my life long conservation gripes.[/size]
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[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]I hear you Saberfish. It is unfortunate that the native Americans have such a disregard for the fish populations especially the salmon. [/size][/green][/font]
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How do yas like them indians, ever since they gave us the right to vote back in the mid 1970's we've been stickin our noses in most all environmental issues...
I had been watching the acounts on the columbia as well, tho the dam may be of primary issue, it is a short comming to discount the level of toxins in the river. I have been hearing that consumption warnings have been higher than that of the great lakes here where I live.
I beleive I made comment to this several years back, I have been wondering as late if any thing had been done to restrict manufacturing that produces the waist that ends up in the columbia. There was talk about it, but the on PBS they state the dams as being the main problem.
Our oregon mod had been to one of the fish latters not to long ago. she didnt give any reports as to any tabulations kept there, only a pic of fish going through the latter... "I think that was a stergeon"
its funny, no matter how much tecnology we use, the answer to the problem always seems to be to revert back to a natural state. Dose make one wonder dont it.
one thing for sure is we need to reduce the numbers of human population before nature dose it for us or worse we poisens our self out of a home....
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