Images

Nucleospora (Enterocytozoon) salmonis infected fingerling steelhead kidney imprint. Note parasitized lymphoblasts containing spherical, light colored, nondescript, nuclear inclusions (arrows). L-G stain. X1000. (Courtesy of B. MacConnell)

Aerial photograph of the mouth of the Elwha River showing sediment deposits from dam removal. Aerial assistance by LightHawk and plane piloted by Dr. Milton Bennett.

Aerial photograph of the Elwha River flowing through the remains of the Glines Canyon Dam during the 3rd year of the dam removal project. Aerial assistance by LightHawk and plane piloted by Dr. Milton Bennett.

Connie McKibben and Carla Conway (USGS) taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon for detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) in the fish, while Joy Evered observes.  Dr. Evered is a USFWS Veterinary Medical Officer and the USFWS Project Officer for this research project.

Staff at the Klamath Falls Field Station evaluate Lost River and shortnose sucker habitat relative to the presence, abundance, and health of the fish.  Sucker distribution among habitats is evaluated using occupancy models that account for imperfect detection.

Dr. Wendy Olson, USFWS biologist (orange rain pants) records data for female spring Chinook salmon being spawned at the hatchery. Among the data recorded are fin clips designating treatment groups for the research project (erythromycin treatment, tulathromycin treatment, or no treatment).

Installation of two 20' PIT tag antennas.  Antennas are used to monitor movements of Lost River and shortnose suckers and Redband trout through the Klamath Basin.

Close-up image of Nisqually Delta eelgrass.

Graduate student Daniel Hernandez, from the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, measures virus for a Chinook salmon infection experiment in the WFRC wet lab.  Doug McKenney, USGS volunteer is assisting.

Graduate student Daniel Hernandez, measures virus for a Chinook salmon infection experiment in the WFRC wetlab.

Series of daily sample bottles containing integrated water samples from the Elwha River, October 17, 2012 to November 9, 2012.

Series of daily sample bottles containing integrated water samples from the Elwha River, October 17, 2012 to November 9, 2012. Graphical overlay is the measured suspended sediment concentration in each sample bottle, showing the variability in sediment concentration during the time period shown.

Antennas deployed in the Wind River to monitor movements of fish that have been tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags.  The need to track fish movements in large streams over extensive areas has extended this current technology to new levels.

Aerial photograph of the mouth of the Elwha River where it meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca during the removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams, Washington State, USA. Aerial assistance by LightHawk and plane piloted by Dr. Hunter Handsfield.

Aerial photograph of the former Lake Aldwell reservoir and the Elwha River 16 months following the removal of the Elwha Dam, Washington State, USA. Aerial assistance by LightHawk and plane piloted by Dr. Hunter Handsfield.

Aerial photograph of the former Lake Aldwell reservoir and the Elwha River 16 months following the removal of the Elwha Dam, Washington State, USA. Aerial assistance by LightHawk and plane piloted by Dr. Hunter Handsfield.

Aerial photograph showing the mouth of the Elwha River, Washington State, USA. Aerial assistance by LightHawk and plane piloted by Dr. Hunter Handsfield.

Pale gills of a herring with VEN (top) compared to those of an uninfected, healthy herring (bottom).

Juvenile Steelhead to be tagged with a Passive Integrated Transponder tag for life-history research in the Wind River, WA.

USGS scientists, Steve Rubin and Karl Stenberg, collecting samples to determine the distribution of benthic invertebrates in the Skagit River delta during an extreme low-tide. Information on the distribution and abundance of invertebrates will help resource managers better understand how fish, such as Chinook salmon use the delta.

Sample bottle carousel from automated ISCO pump sampler deployed on the Elwha River, Washington to obtain suspended sediment samples.