Reach specific use of spawning habitat by adult green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) under different operation schedules at Red Bluff Diversion Dam

Abstract

Mature green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, enter rivers along the western coast of North America in late winter to late spring and migrate upriver to spawning sites. After spawning, they may leave the river or spend the summer and autumn holding in deep pools before departing from the river with the onset of winter rains. Evidence exists that the seasonal Red Bluff Diversion Dam (RBDD) was an obstacle to the upriver migration of green sturgeon in the Sacramento River in Central California. We compared the migratory movements of green sturgeon under three different dam operation schedules, including post-decommissioning, to assess the impact of this management action. The proportion of green sturgeon carrying acoustic transmitters that moved above the RBDD was higher when the gates were closed on June 15, one month later than the historical closure date of May 15, and increased again after the dam was decommissioned. The application of statistical analyses (generalized linear and additive mixed models) to the detection records of green sturgeon highlighted an improvement in connectivity after dam decommissioning. The data also indicate that interannual variation in river condition is an important driver of sturgeon presence on the spawning grounds.