Abstract
Freshwater systems are progressively becoming more stressed with increased human demands combined with expected trends in climate, which can threaten native biota and potentially destabilize the ecosystem. Numerical models allow water managers to evaluate the combined effects of climate and water management on the biogeochemical processes thereby identifying opportunities to optimize water management to protect ecosystem function, biodiversity and associated services. We used a 3D hydrodynamic model (ELCOM) coupled with an aquatic ecosystem dynamic model (CAEDYM) to compare two scenarios across three climatic and hydrologic conditions (extreme wet, extreme dry and average) for Deadwood Reservoir (USA). Additionally, we collected water temperature, water chemistry and biological data from the reservoir and inflowing tributaries to validate the model, as well as migration and growth data from Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) the top predator of the food web. Modeled scenarios identified that reducing minimum outflows from 1.4 to 0.06 m3 s−1 during the fall and winter months resulted in higher reservoir elevations and cooler water temperatures the following year, which extended reservoir rearing during the summer and fall seasons. The scenarios with reduced stream flow during the fall and winter seasons indicate benefits to the reservoir ecosystem, particularly during dry years, and could reduce the effects of climatic warming.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Chokhachy R, Budy P (2008) Demographic characteristics, population structure, and vital rates of a fluvial population of Bull Trout in Oregon. Trans Am Fish Soc 137:1709–1722
Beauchamp DA, VanTassell JJ (2001) Modeling seasonal trophic interactions of adfluvial Bull Trout in Lake Billy Chinook, Oregon. Trans Am Fish Soc 130:204–216
Chow VT, Maidment DR, Mays LW (1988) Applied hydrology. McGraw Hill, New York
Cline TJ, Bennington A, Kitchell JF (2013) Climate change expands the spatial extent and duration of preferred thermal habitat for Lake Superior fishes. Plos One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062279
Coutant CC (1977) Compilation of temperature preference data. J Fish Res Board Can 35:739–745
Devries DR, Frie RV (1996) Determination of age and growth. In: Murphy BR, Willis DW (eds) Fisheries techniques, 2nd edn. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, pp. 483–512
Dunham J, Rieman B, Chandler G (2003) Influences of temperature and environmental variables on the distribution of Bull Trout within streams at the southern margin of its range. N Am J Fish Manag 23:894–904
Fang X, Alam SR, Stefan HG, Jiang L, Jacobson PC, Pereira DL (2012) Simulations of water quality and oxythermal cisco habitat in Minnesota lakes under past a future climatic scenarios. Water Qual Res J Can 47(3–4):375–388
Fraley JJ, Shepard BB (1989) Life history, ecology and population status of migratory Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Flathead Lake and River system, Montana. Northwest Sci 63:133–143
Guy CS, McMahon TE, Fredenberg WA, Smith CJ, Garfield DW, Cox BS (2011) Diet overlap of top level predators in recent sympatry: Bull Trout and non-native Lake Trout. J Fish Wildl Manag 2:183–189
Hodges BR, Imberger J, Saggio A, Winters KB (2000) Modelling basin-scale internal waves in a stratified lake. Limnol Oceanogr 45:1603–1620
Hogen DM, Scarnecchia DL (2006) Distinct fluvial and adfluvial migration patterns of a relict charr, Salvelinus confluentus, stock in a mountainous watershed, Idaho, USA. Ecol Freshw Fish 15:376–387
Hondzo M, Stefan HG (1996) Dependence of water quality and fish habitat on lake morphometry and meteorology. J Water Resour Plann Manage 122:364–373
Howell PJ, Dunham JB, Sankovich PM (2010) Relationships between water temperatures and upstream migration, cold water refuge use, and spawning of adult Bull Trout from the Lostine River, Oregon, USA. Ecol Freshw Fish 19:96–106
Hudson JM, Johnson JR, Kynard B (2011) A portable electronarcosis system for anesthetizing salmonids and other fish. North Am J Fish Manag 31:335–339
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) (2010) Water Quality Standards Idaho Department of Procedures Act. vol IDAPA 58.01.02
Imberger J (1994) Transport processes in lakes: a review article. In: Margalef R (ed) Limnology now: a paradigm of planetary problems. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp 99–193
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2007) In: Parry ML, Canzian OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Jeppesen E, Meerhoff M, Holmgren KI, Gonzalez-Bergonzoni I, Teixeira-de Mello F, Declerck SAJ, Meester LD, Sondergaard M, Lauridsen TIL, Bjerring R, Conde-Porcuna JM, Mazzeo N, Iglesias C, Reizenstein M, Malmquist HJ, Liu Z, Balayla D, Lazzaro X (2010) Impacts of climate warming on lake fish community structure and potential effects on ecosystem function. Hydrobiologia 646:73–90
Jeppesen E, Brucet S, Naselli-Flores L, Papastergiadou E, Stefanidis K, Noges T, Noges P, Attayde JL, Zohary T, Coppens J, Bucak T, Menezes RF, Freitas FRS, Kernan M, Sondergaard M, Beklioglu M (2015) Ecological impacts of global warming and water abstraction on lakes and reservoirs due to changes in water level and related changes in salinity. Hydrobiologia 750:201–227
Milly PCD, Betancourt J, Falkenmark M, Hirsch RM, Kundzewicz ZW, Lettenmaier DP, Stouffer R (2008) Stationarity is dead: whither water management? Science 319:573–574
Muhlfeld CC, Marotz BL (2005) Seasonal movement and habitat use by subadult Bull Trout in the upper Flathead River system, Montana. North Am J Fish Manag 25:797–810
Muhlfeld CC, Jones L, Kotter D, Miller WJ, Geise D, Tohtz J, Marotz B (2011) Assessing the impacts of river regulation on native Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) habitats in the upper Flathead River, Montana, USA. River Research Applications 2011. (wileyonlinelibrary.com). doi:10.1002/rra.1494
Oveisy A, Boegman L, Imberger J (2012) Three-dimensional simulation of lake and ice dynamics during winter. Limnol Oceanogr 57:43–57
Paragamian VL, Walters JP (2011) Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) movement in a transboundary river. J Freshw Ecol 26:65–76
R Development Corps Team (2010) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. http://www.R-project.org. Accessed 28 Sept 2014
Rieman BE, McIntyre JD (1995) Occurrence of bull trout in naturally fragmented habitat patches of varied size. Trans Am Fish Soc 124:285–296
Rieman BE, Isaak D, Adams S, Horan D, Nagel D, Luce C, Myers D (2007) Anticipated climate warming effects on Bull Trout habitats and populations across the interior Columbia River Basin. Trans Am Fish Soc 136:1552–1565
Romero JR, Antenucci JP, Imberger J (2004) One- and three-dimensional biogeochemical simulations of two differing reservoirs. Ecol Modell 174(1–2):143–160
Ross MJ, Kleiner CF (1982) Shielded-needle technique for surgically implanting radio-frequency transmitters in fish. Progress Fish Cultur 44:41–43
Sellers TJ, Parker BR, Schindler DW, Tonn WM (1998) Pelagic distribution of Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in small Canadian shield lakes with respect to temperature, dissolved oxygen and light. Can J Fish Aquatic Sci 55:170–179
Selong JH, McMahon TE, Zale AV, Barrows FT (2001) Effect of temperature on growth and survival of Bull Trout, with application of an improved method for determining thermal tolerance in fishes. Trans Am Fish Soc 130:1026–1037
Stefan HG, Hondzo M, Fang X, Eaton JG, McCormick JH (1996) Simulated long-term temperature and dissolved oxygen characteristics of lakes in the north-central United States and associated fish habitat limits. Limnol Oceanogr 41(5):1124–1135
Swanberg TR, Schmetterling DA, McEvoy DR (1999) Comparison of surgical staples and silk sutures for closing incision in Rainbow Trout. North Am J Fish Manag 19:215–218
Trolle D, Hamilton DP, Hipsey MR, Bolding K, Bruggeman J, Mooij WM, Janse JH, Nielsen A, Jeppesen E, Elliott JA, Makler-Pick V, Petzoldt T, Rinke K, Flindt MR, Arhonditsis GB, Gal G, Bjerring R, Tominaga K, Hoen J, Downing AS, Marques DM, Fragoso CR Jr, Søndergaard M, Hanson PC (2012) A community-based framework for aquatic ecosystem models. Hydrobiologia 683(1):25–34. doi:10.1007/s10750-011-0957-0
U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, (Reclamation) (2016) Final Deadwood Reservoir Operations Flexibility Evaluation, Boise Project, Idaho. Pacific Northwest Region, Snake River Area Office, Boise, Idaho. p 692. http://riverbendeco.com. Accessed 22 May 2017
Wallace RL, Zoroban DW (2013) Native fishes of Idaho. American Fisheries Society, Bathesda
Watry CB, Scarnecchia DL (2008) Adfluvial and fluvial life history variations and migratory patterns of a relict charr, Salvelinus confluentus, stock in west central Idaho, USA. Ecol Freshw Fish 17:231–243
Williamson CE, Saros JE, Vincent WF, Smol JP (2009) Lakes and reservoirs as sentinels, integrators, and regulators of climate change. Limnol Oceanogr 54(6, part 2):2272–2282
Zohary T, Ostrovsky I (2011) Ecological impacts of excessive water level fluctuations in stratified freshwater lakes. Inland Waters 1:47–59
Acknowledgements
Funding and materials were provided by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Snake River Area Office, Boise, Idaho. G. A. Meuleman provided scientific direction and coordination throughout the study. The Reclamation Pacific Northwest Dive Team assisted in the placement and removal of the LDS system and the Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region Water Quality Lab performed analyses of water samples. Other employees who assisted in data collection and entry include: A. Prisciandaro, D. Vidergar, S. Castle, T. Watson and A. Harbison. R. Dillinger assisted with data collection and experimental design of portions of the study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical approval
All applicable federal guidelines for the care and use of Bull Trout in this study were followed in compliance with the Endangered Species Act permit.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weigel, D.E., Vilhena, L.C., Woods, P. et al. Aquatic habitat response to climate-driven hydrologic regimes and water operations in a montane reservoir in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Aquat Sci 79, 953–966 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-017-0544-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-017-0544-1