Juvenile Coho Salmon Leaping Ability and Behavior in an Experimental Culvert Test Bed

Abstract As part of a research program aimed at identifying the culvert configurations and associated hydraulic conditions that foster the successful upstream movement of juvenile salmon, we investigated the ability of hatchery-raised juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch to leap into an experimental culvert under varying hydraulic conditions. Five outfall drops ranging from 0 to 32 cm were tested to represent differing degrees of culvert outfall drop. Trials were run at a culvert discharge of 0.028 m3/s and a tailwater pool depth of 30 cm. The median success rate was highest (85%) for the 0-cm drop, followed by 34% at 12 cm, 20% at 20 cm, 2% at 26 cm, and 0% at 32 cm. When overcoming the 0-cm (streaming flow) and 12-cm drops, fish predominantly used swimming behavior. For the outfall drops of 20 and 26 cm, leaping behavior predominated. In a typical leaping event, fish initiated the leap near the floor of the tailwater tank and used burst swimming to propel their bodies from near the standing wave (p...

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