Stanislaus River Weir Update #16
April 25 , 2007
 

April 9 through April 22, 2007

Zero Chinook salmon and zero O. mykiss passed through the weir between April 9th and April 22nd. Many different fish species passed through the Vaki RiverWatcher during the sampling period. Other fish species recorded by the RiverWatcher during this sampling period included 651 Sacramento suckers, 49 Sacramento pikeminnow, 18 striped bass, 18 Sacramento blackfish, 6 common carp, 4 black bass, 4 catfish, and 1 goldfish (Figure 1, 2, & 3). 

Figure 1.  Left: A group of Sacramento suckers (Catostomus occidentalis); and Right: A largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).
 
Figure 2.  Left: A common carp passing through the RiverWatcher during the day (Cyprinus carpio); and Right: A pair of common carp passing the weir after dark.
 
Figure 3.  Left: A single striped bass passing through the RiverWatcher (Morone saxatilis); and Right: A group of three striped bass passing the RiverWatcher during the flow increase from Goodwin Dam.

Flow from Goodwin Dam (GDW) increased to 1,500 cfs on April 19th following the initiation of the VAMP - Vernalis Adaptive Management Program - water quality and fisheries management project.  This increase in flow brought with it two large trees that became stuck on top of the weir on April 21st.  Three technicians and our jet boat were needed to remove the trees from the weir (Figure 4).  Woody debris was heavy with the initial increase in flow; however, now that flows have stabilized debris has decreased and the weir is functioning well.  

Figure 4.  Left: Technician Joe Deppen cleaning the weir at 1,500 cfs; Right: Technician Will Clayton and biologist Ryan Cuthbert removing a large tree from the weir on April 19th (click on the image for an enlarged view).

Environmental conditions at the weir site varied during the sampling period. Flow at Orange Blossom Bridge (OBB) ranged from 424 cfs to 1,199 cfs while flow at Ripon (RIP) ranged from 513 cfs to 1,364 cfs. Goodwin Dam (GDW) outflows ranged between 503 cfs and 1,507 cfs (data source: CDEC). Turbidity at the weir ranged between 0.96 NTU and 2.40 NTU; and dissolved oxygen (DO) ranged between 10.09 mg/L and 11.93 mg/L. At Rough 'n Ready Island (RRI) in the San Joaquin River's Deep Water Ship Channel, DO ranged between 5.70 mg/L to 7.91 mg/L. Daily instantaneous water temperature at the Stanislaus River Weir ranged between 52.1ºF to 57.7ºF.

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The Stanislaus River Weir project is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Anadromous Fish Restoration Program and is supported by the USBR, CDFG, and other local agencies and interests.

   

 

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