GrowChinook Model

Description

This Web-based model estimates growth of juvenile Chinook salmon in reservoirs under differing water management and climate change scenarios. Juvenile Chinook salmon normally rear in streams, but reservoirs now create novel habitats along stream networks. By spending just one summer in a reservoir, juvenile Chinook grow 3 to 5 times larger than they would if rearing in a stream or river.

However, reservoirs create other challenges for juvenile Chinook salmon. Finding the outlet of a reservoir for continued downstream migration is a major problem. Reservoirs also contain introduced warmwater fish species that can compete with or prey on juvenile Chinook salmon. Managers are exploring new techniques to manage reservoirs, including draining reservoirs annually to help flush fish downstream. This modelling tool will help managers evaluate the effects of drawdown and other changes in reservoir water levels so as to create rearing habitat as optimal as possible for this endangered fish.

Purpose and Scope

GrowChinook is a linked foraging and bioenergetics model that allows managers to examine effects of different scenarios for optimizing growth potential. The model uses observed prey availability and environmental conditions, including water temperature and light penetration, to examine physiological and behavioral tradeoffs of scenarios.

Use

This model will help managers evaluate the effects of climate change, drought, and water drawdown on water temperature, changes in food resources, and juvenile salmonid growth and survival in reservoirs or lakes.

Partners: Oregon State University