The suggested citation for this analytic report is:
Thorley, J.L. and Hogan, P.M. (2016) Lower Columbia River Rainbow Trout Spawning Analysis 2016. A Poisson Consulting Analysis Report. URL: https://www.poissonconsulting.ca/f/1385788078.
Each spring in the Lower Columbia River (LCR) below the Hugh L. Keenleyside Dam (HLK) and in the Lower Kootenay River (LKR) below the Brilliant Dam, thousands of Rainbow Trout spawn. Since 1992, BC Hydro has stabilized the spring discharge releases from HLK to protect Rainbow Trout redds from dewatering.
The primary goal of the current analysis to answer the following management questions:
Does the implementation of Rainbow Trout Spawning Protection Flows over the course of the monitoring period lead to an increase in the relative abundance of Rainbow Trout spawning in the LCR downstream of the HLK dam?
Does the implementation of RTSPF over the course of the monitoring period lead to an increase in the spatial distribution of locations (and associated habitat area) that Rainbow Trout use for spawning in the LCR downstream of HLK?
Does the implementation of RTSPF over the course of the monitoring period protect the majority of Rainbow Trout redds (as estimated from spawning timing) from being dewatered in the LCR downstream of HLK?