1995 water quality control plan periodic review topic 8: river flows: san joaquin river at
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1995 Water Quality Control Plan Periodic Review Topic 8: River Flows: San Joaquin River at Airport Way Bridge, Vernalis Jeff McLain National Marine Fisheries Service Protected Resources Sacramento Area Office. Presentation Outline Salmonid population trends in the San Joaquin Basin - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
1995 Water Quality Control PlanPeriodic Review
Topic 8: River Flows: San Joaquin River at Airport Way Bridge, Vernalis
Jeff McLainNational Marine Fisheries Service
Protected ResourcesSacramento Area Office
Presentation Outline
• Salmonid population trends in the San Joaquin Basin
• Temporal distribution
• Salmonid flow needs
• National Marine Fisheries Service recommendations
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40,000Adult escapement
Estimated Yearly Escapement of Stanislaus River Adult Fall-run Chinook Salmon*
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cap
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en
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Year
* from CDFG Grand Tab (Feb 3, 2005). Note DOI Exhibit 17.
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Estimated Yearly Escapement of Tuolumne River Adult Fall-run Chinook Salmon*
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t o
f fa
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Year
* from CDFG Grand Tab (Feb 3, 2005). Note DOI Exhibit 17.
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Estimated Yearly Escapement of Merced River Adult Fall-run Chinook Salmon*
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* from CDFG Grand Tab (Feb 3, 2005). Note DOI Exhibit 17.
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Adult escapement
Estimated Yearly Escapement of San Joaquin Basin Adult Fall-run Chinook Salmon*
Es
cap
em
en
t o
f fa
ll-ru
n C
hin
oo
k
Year
* from CDFG Grand Tab (Feb 3, 2005). Note DOI Exhibit 17.
Escapement trends of San Joaquin Basin fall-run Chinook salmon appear to be variable and related to water year type. Despite the variability related to water year type, it appears overall returns are decreasing through time.
Increases in abundance due to Merced River Fish Facility, and unknown contributions of hatchery stocks on other San Joaquin Basin tributaries may be masking naturally produced Chinook trends.
Chinook Population Trends
Presence of Juvenile Central Valley Steelhead in San Joaquin River
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1988
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CDFG Mossdale trawl
Catch
Year
Temporal Distribution of O. mykiss
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Feb Mar Apr
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NovDec
O. mykiss > 16 inches reported by anglers on the San Joaquin River downstream of the Merced River between 1993 and 2002 (DFG unpublished data).
Catch
Month
NMFS remains highly concerned by the decline in total abundance of the O. mykiss ESU and that the decline appears to be continuing.
O. mykiss Population Trends• Catch of juvenile O. mykiss at Chipps Island ranged from October to July in 1997, 1998, and 1999 (Nobriga and Cadrett, 2001).
• CDFG steelhead report card data indicate adult O. mykiss presence in the San Joaquin River may be nearly year-round.
Temporal Distribution of Chinook salmon
• Catch of Chinook salmon smolts commonly occur between April and June at Mossdale (DOI Exhibits 11-16).
• Fry Chinook salmon are commonly found to be present on the lower San Joaquin River (downstream of Merced River) in January, February, and March (DOI Exhibit 11-16).
San Joaquin Flow at Vernalis
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Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
2004 FN
Fu
ll N
atu
ral F
low
(a
cre
-fe
et)
Attraction Flows
O. mykissHabitat
Rearingand Fry
MigrationJuvenile/Smolt
Migration
FN Flow = sum of Stan, Tuol, Mer, and San Joaquin FN flow (CDEC) converted from acre-ft to cfs.Vernalis Flow = Monthly flow (CDEC, VNS station)
San Joaquin Flow at Vernalis
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2004 Flow
Attraction Flows
O. mykissHabitat
Rearingand Fry
Migration
Ve
rnal
is F
low
(cf
s)
Juvenile/SmoltMigration
FN Flow = sum of Stan, Tuol, Mer, and San Joaquin FN flow (CDEC) converted from acre-ft to cfs.Vernalis Flow = Monthly flow (CDEC, VNS station)
Fu
ll N
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ral F
low
(a
cre
-fe
et)
San Joaquin Flow at Vernalis
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Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
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2004 FNF
2004 Flow
Ve
rnal
is F
low
(cf
s)
FN Flow = sum of Stan, Tuol, Mer, and San Joaquin FN flow (CDEC) converted from acre-ft to cfs.Vernalis Flow = Monthly flow (CDEC, VNS station)
Fu
ll N
atu
ral F
low
(a
cre
-fe
et)
San Joaquin Flow at Vernalis
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Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
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2001 FNF
2001 Flow
Ve
rnal
is F
low
(cf
s)
FN Flow = sum of Stan, Tuol, Mer, and San Joaquin FN flow (CDEC) converted from acre-ft to cfs.Vernalis Flow = Monthly flow (CDEC, VNS station)
Fu
ll N
atu
ral F
low
(a
cre
-fe
et)
San Joaquin Flow at Vernalis
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Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
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2002 FNF
2002 Flow
Ve
rnal
is F
low
(cf
s)
FN Flow = sum of Stan, Tuol, Mer, and San Joaquin FN flow (CDEC) converted from acre-ft to cfs.Vernalis Flow = Monthly flow (CDEC, VNS station)
Fu
ll N
atu
ral F
low
(a
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et)
Baker and Morhardt. 2001. Survival of Chinook salmon smolts in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Pacific Ocean.
Baker and Morhardt. 2001. Survival of Chinook salmon adults in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Pacific Ocean.
Summary
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
AttractionRearing/mig. Smolt mig.
Chinook
Smolt migration Smolt mig.
O. mykiss
Attraction Adult migration
VNS standard
NMFS recommends the Vernalis flow standard remain unchanged at a minimum
NMFS does not recommend incorporating flexibility into the Vernalis standard
NMFS RecommendationsIt is clear Chinook salmon and O. mykiss populations in the San Joaquin Basin are not showing signs of improvement and continue to require the protection of the Vernalis flow standard to ensure protection of all life stages.
NMFS is concerned that the existing Vernalis standard may be too low and recommends the Board consider increasing the current standard
NMFS recommends an independent scientific peer review panel be established to address potential changes to Vernalis standards
NMFS Recommendations