Using infrared to monitor chinook salmon and other species in turbid waters

Ryan Cuthbert (FISHBIO)

Contributing Scientists: Stephen Zipper, Gabriel Kopp,

and Doug Demko

Going Beyond Visible Light: Using Infrared to Monitor Chinook Salmon and Other Species in Turbid Waters

• Vaki Riverwatcher Overview How does it work… What are the benefits…

• Salinas River Case Study Adult steelhead migration monitoring

• Stanislaus River Case Study Adult steelhead migration monitoring

Outline

• Uses and Advantages• Passive • Adaptable• Cost Effective• Effective in Extremely Turbid Conditions• Accurate• Remote Monitoring

Vaki Riverwatcher Overview

• Standard Riverwatcher• Estimates Length• Records Passage Date and Time• Determines Passage Direction• Silhouette Images• Records Speed and Position• Streamline Species ID

• Camera Riverwatcher• Video Clips

Vaki Overview

Total Length

Depth

Lc = Lm/D

Le = D*Lc


Male Female

vs.

Adipose No Ad

vs.

`Study Objectives

`Study Area

Winari Database

Turbidity Improvements

Turbidity Improvements

Passage tunnel with camera

and lights

Passage tunnel with air filled

chamber

`Case Studies

• Four Seasons of Monitoring (December – March, 2011-2014)

• Weir Directs Fish Into Riverwatcher

• Low Steelhead Counts Between 0 – 44 Adult Steelhead Annually

• Extremely High Turbidity Throughout Monitoring Season Between 20 – 500+ NTU’s

Salinas River

`Salinas River

Steelhead w/o AFC

Sac. Sucker w/ AFCSac. Sucker w/o AFC

Steelhead w/ AFC

Steelhead Passage and Flow 2010-11

N=13 Monitoring Initiated Weir Collapsed


N=16


N=44


N=0

Salinas River Turbidity

0

100

200

300

400

500

0

5

10

15

20

25

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr

Insta

nta

neo

us

Tu

rbid

ity (

NT

U)

Net

Up

str

ean

m C

ou

nt

Net Upstream Count Average Turbidity Max Turbidity

*Dec and Feb Max Turbidity was 1330 NTUs and 890 NTUs, respectively.

* *

• Eleven Years of Monitoring (2005-2015)

• Weir Directs Fish Into Riverwatcher

• Low Steelhead Counts 63 Total Steelhead

• High Turbidity During Steelhead Migration Periods

Stanislaus River

Stanislaus River Steelhead Counts

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

October November December January February March

NetUpstream

Count

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

N=63

Stanislaus River Turbidity

0

24

48

72

96

120

0

3

6

9

12

15

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Insta

nta

neo

us T

urb

idit

y (

NT

U)

Net

Up

str

ean

m C

ou

nt

Net Upstream Count Max Turbidity

*Percentages above represent how many days per month instantaneous turbidity was greater than 3.0 NTU’s.

16% 4% 20% 27% 29% 15%

Summary

• Time Lapse – implemented within the past year

• Riverwatcher Daily

• PIT Tag Equipment Compatibility

• Wider and Larger Scanners

• Automatic Species Recognition

Thank You!

Using infrared to monitor chinook salmon and other species in turbid waters

Technology

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