Warming of the Willamette River

For a class group project, we decided to look at the risk of elevating temperatures in the Willamette River and how it affects pacific salmon populations and habitat. Three major stressors that we focused on were the removal of riparian vegetation, alterations of flow and channel structure, and discharge from point sources.

Please visit again soon to see the posted results! In the mean time, here’s a few tables to digest.

Effects of River Regulation on Steelhead

 

Populations of salmon have significantly declined over the years due to culverts and damming for hydroelectric power, irrigation, and flood control. Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are an anadromous variant of rainbow trout. They are commonly seen in rivers and streams all along western North America from southern California to southeast Alaska. Habitat requirements for steelhead change as they go through different life phases. Steelhead spend most of their life in freshwater habitats and migrate to the ocean. Adults return to their natal streams to spawn in the upper reaches of tributaries where they need access to spawning gravel in areas free of heavy sedimentation with adequate flow, and cover. Studies have shown that river impoundment has created barriers that limit and restrict anadromous fish from reaching their rearing and spawning habitat and modify instream habitat.

A literature review will be posted soon! Check back in the next couple of weeks…