Migration Patterns of John Day River Adult Steelhead with ODFW East Region Fish Research

Tributary “overshoot”, when returning adult steelhead swim past their birth river, is a concern for John Day River summer steelhead. This video explains the issue and its importance to fishery management. We highlight the research tools that ODFW staff are using to improve understanding of John Day steelhead tributary overshoot so that we can find ways to ameliorate its impact on steelhead populations and the fisheries they support.

[@AlbertMyrna-o3l]

Martin Anthony Walker Edward Rodriguez Paul

[@B_Pizzle_4_Shizzle]

A needed study, and good to see Tattam and Faber out on the water putting good research on the ground with excellent technology.

[@GarciaTheresa-t1o]

Rodriguez Edward Robinson Amy Jones Steven

[@YvonneThelenPoalmzvayao]

Lee Joseph Williams Brenda Lewis Steven

[@frankrich-iw6oy]

Lopez Maria Walker Larry Williams Joseph

[@frankrich-iw6oy]

Taylor Carol Walker Linda Wilson Carol

[@FedericoOliphant-i2n]

Williams Maria Johnson Maria Hall Mark

[@joshthomas6702]

Are you still working on collecting the needed data, or is the data now available and you just need funding to process it?

[@fredthegamerschrarder7716]

Thanks for making the vid very informative

[@NorthweSteelheadJunkies]

Is the likely cause the skills on there way down take a detour migrate upstream above McNary Dam m then the adults just follow that route in reverse?

[@chuckerickson6721]

remove the Johnday dam

[@henrymasters8319]

Is there any data on hatchery strays introgressing into the john day population? Obviously it happens it is just a question of how much and what is the affect. Clearly something in the genes/expression leads to these sorts of major changes as seen in the lyons ferry hatchery stocks feeding the tucannon- where the run used to be earlier than the wild stock but is now actually later. Similarly, lots of straying of wild walla walla/yakima/umatilla fish into the tucannon as well. Seems like the hatchery effects should be researched instead of avoided.

[@victorguillen7186]

Gran equipo amigo y muy buena ayuda para el ecosistema

[@calleyfreedom5513]

Excellent information, thank you for sharing about these wonderful fish!!

[@MyODFW]

No problem 👍

[@decoydavesmith]

There's WAY too much water extraction from the John Day; it gets down to intermittent pools at times. Zero accountability. Also, my friend who has a ranch tells me about the number of people who fish like crazy and would never consider releasing a wild steelhead. We can ruin anything, and in a super short time. Of course these fish are gonna overshoot when their instincts are expecting actual current instead of a bass and carp lake. All these studies take a decade, then another decade to implement a solution, then another decade in courts with ranchers, then I'll be dead

[@AlejandroBalza-t9p]

Excelente video

[@yennifergabrielapintoochoa8329]

Que belleza

[@slackline9841]

I've spent a lot of time on the JD in the fall. The precipitous decline in returns has been a very sad situation. Interesting to know where these fish go before they enter the JD. It'd be great if the dams were gone, but that's not going to happen, so it's great someone is looking for answers to what's going on. I'd be great if they could solve the ocean problems as well.

[@lizalvares6776]

Cómo

[@JA-ds2cc]

Great info but questions still. If steelhead over shoot JD, how do adult fish get back downstream through screens to turbines?

[@MyODFW]

Adult steelhead have 3 primary routes that they can pass downstream over a Columbia or Snake River dam-1) the juvenile bypass system- which uses screens to divert fish from the turbine intakes into a pipe over and around the dam, 2) via a standard or raised spillway weir, 3) through turbines. Routes 1 and 2 have the highest survival for downstream migrating adults, but are not available during much of November to March.

[@philabowl8073]

Remove McNary dam.

[@michaelteel4917]

No dam removal. Build access.

[@JerrodPotter]

I'd be very curious to know more about the findings of "why" steelhead overshoot. They're supposed to have the memory of an elephant, allowing them to return to the area where they were born.

[@larryvollintine292]

Could an explanation why the water temp difference between the Main Columbia and the JD in the fall doesn't seem to affect overshoot much be that both the small flow of the JD compared to the Columbia plus the colder water goes to the bottom of the flooded JD reach and so the migrating steelhead don't sense it at all? And also, the flooded reach doesn't generate much current so they can't find the river? Just asking.

[@MyODFW]

Good question-yes, it is possible that a thermal wedge (vertical stratification) of temperature occurs in the impounded section of the John Day and the Columbia confluence. This may extend to the Phillippi Park area as water temperatures there (as noted in the figure shown in the video) are often intermediate between further up the John Day and in the Columbia proper. This and other active tagging studies of steelhead in the Columbia River reservoirs has demonstrated that adult steelhead typically travel in the top 1-3 meters of the river, even when the river may be 20-30 meters deep. Hence it is possible that the cool water signal is underneath migrating steelhead. Surface current and thermal stratification may also be influenced by the routing of water at John Day Dam-when water is discharged solely through bottom draw turbines, with no surface or near surface spill (which is the normal system operation from September 1 through early April), surface currents are reduced and thermal stratification may increase.

[@ScottJLake1]

I seem to see on overshoot issue on rivers in the Columbia and Snake systems that have a large impoundment at their mouths. It seems like where the mouth has become part of the reservoir is the issue.

[@ScottJLake1]

Those rivers with smaller impoundments would likely be more scented for fish to find their way. My unscientific opinion.

[@MyODFW]

Correct, streams with impounded river mouths have the highest level of tributary overshoot. For instance, overshoot of Umatilla River steelhead to McNary Dam is about half that of the John Day, even though the Umatilla River is much closer to McNary Dam. The impounded Tucannon River mouth in SE Washington also has high levels of tributary overshoot by both steelhead and spring Chinook.

[@MyODFW]

Adult salmon and steelhead use both geomagnetic and olfactory homing mechanisms when returning to their natal rivers. Dilution of olfactory homing cues in large impoundments certainly could be contributing to tributary overshoot.

[@BigBritchesProductions]

It’s really not surprising to anyone who knows the river, and the way steelhead migrate. The JD is drawn down until what, October 7?, when irrigation is stopped. That low warm flow is a pittance in the impoundment until then. ODFW, you know this. Also, Steelhead stray. It just happens. The dams are a part of life in our area, with no possibility of parole. Unfortunately we’re locked in to both situations. You can study all you want, but unless irrigation stops and the dams come out this is the reality. The money for the study could be spent on restoration and other projects. I’m sure this is common knowledge amongst some ODFW staff. Keep fighting the fight. No easy solutions that the general public will like. 🙏🏻

[@joebrenner4428]

I wonder if they are running up into the Umatilla river and how far.

[@MyODFW]

Yes, John Day origin steelhead have been documented crossing over Threemile Falls Dam on the Lower Umatilla. Once upstream of that point, we don’t know how far up the river they travel.