Disaggregating spatial mortality patterns for juvenile Chinook salmon in the interior Delta

Collaborators
Dave Ayers, Center for Watershed Sciences, UC Davis (Project Contact)
Jon Walter, Center for Watershed Sciences, UC Davis
Josh Israel, Bureau of Reclamation
Andrea Hamilton, Bureau of Reclamation
Project Description

The study aims to understand how physical and environmental factors, along with water export operations, influence the survival outcomes of juvenile salmon in this region. Of particular interest is how spatial (channel features) and temporal (flow variation) factors interact and influence predation risk on emigrating salmon. These insights will be gleaned from archival acoustic telemetry and other relevant datasets generated in recent years. Ultimately, we seek to help align flow management actions with fish behavioral tendencies in a manner that enhances juvenile salmon survival and facilitates continued water extraction in this region.

This project is a part of the Multidisciplinary Water Training and Operations Program.

Image credit: Juvenile salmon illustration generated using OpenAI ChatGPT (2026).

Project Status
Active

Partners