John Plumb, Ph.D.
A member of the Quantitative Fisheries Ecology Section, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA. My career started in 1994 snorkeling for fishes in Idaho headwater streams. Shortly after, I became involved in telemetry projects assessing the effects of Snake and Columbia river dams on juvenile salmon.
In graduate school, I focused on the effects of lake conditions on native lake trout reproduction potential in Canada, and my doctoral research focused on the movement and growth of Snake River fall Chinook salmon over a period of population recovery. Today, I am involved a variety of fisheries topics including fish passage and survival at dams, environmental effects on fish fitness, and factors affecting natural and hatchery fish production over their life cycle. My goal is to provide useful information to resource managers for the wise use of our fisheries.
Research interests:
My work focuses on the quantitative aspect of fisheries. I specialize in the estimation of fish survival, movement, and growth from data obtained from passive and active telemetry and tagging technologies. I tailor statistical and mechanistic models to answer specific research and management questions related to environmental and human-induced effects on fish populations. For example, several of my current projects are (1) quantifying the life cycle production of naturally-produced Snake River fall Chinook salmon, (2) development and application of the S3 fish production model to assess the effects of flow management scenarios on juvenile Chinook and coho salmon in the Klamath and Trinity rivers, CA, and (3) assess the feasibility of reintroducing winter-run Chinook salmon above Shasta Dam, CA.
Professional Experience
2012 to Present - Fishery Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA
2009-2012 - Doctoral student, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
2007-2009 - Fishery Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA
2005-2007 - Graduate student, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
02/97 - 2005 - Fishery Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2012. Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
M.Sc. 2007. Zoology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
B.Sc. 1994. Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Science and Products
Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) survival in Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon, 2018
Research, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon ESU
Evaluation of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fry survival at Lookout Point Reservoir, western Oregon, 2017
Fish behavior and abundance monitoring near a floating surface collector in North Fork Reservoir, Clackamas River, Oregon, using multi-beam acoustic imaging sonar
Application of the Stream Salmonid Simulator (S3) to the restoration reach of the Trinity River, California—Parameterization and calibration
Emigration and transportation stress of juvenile Chinook salmon relative to their reintroduction upriver of Shasta Dam, California, 2017–18
A bioenergetics evaluation of temperature‐dependent selection for the spawning phenology by Snake River fall Chinook salmon
Research, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River fall Chinook salmon ESU
Model structure of the stream salmonid simulator (S3)—A dynamic model for simulating growth, movement, and survival of juvenile salmonids
A laboratory-calibrated model of coho salmon growth with utility for ecological analyses
Research, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon ESU, 1/1/2016 - 12/31/2016
Building a state-space life cycle model for naturally produced Snake River fall Chinook salmon
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 56
Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) survival in Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon, 2018
A field study was conducted to estimate survival of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon, during 2018. The study consisted of releasing three groups of genetically-marked fish into the reservoir, and sampling them monthly. Juveniles were released during April 10–13 (116,708 fish), May 15–18 (31,911 fish), and June 19–20 (11,758 fish). Reservoir sampAuthorsTobias J. Kock, Russell W. Perry, Gabriel S. Hansen, Philip V. Haner, Adam C. Pope, John M. Plumb, Karen M. Cogliati, Amy C. HansenResearch, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon ESU
The portion of the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ESU that spawns upstream of Lower Granite Dam transitioned from low to high abundance during 1992–2018 in association with U.S. Endangered Species Act recovery efforts and other federally mandated actions. This annual report focuses on (1) numeric and habitat use responses by natural- and hatchery-origin spawners, (2) phenAuthorsKenneth Tiffan, Russell Perry, John Plumb, Dalton Hance, Brad Bickford, Tobyn RhodesEvaluation of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fry survival at Lookout Point Reservoir, western Oregon, 2017
A field study was conducted to estimate survival of fry-sized juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Lookout Point Reservoir, western Oregon, during 2017. The field study consisted of releasing three groups of genetically marked fish in the reservoir and monthly fish sampling. Fish were released during April 18–19 (43,950 fish), May 30–June 2 (44,145 fish), and on June 28, 2017 (3,9AuthorsTobias J. Kock, Russell W. Perry, Gabriel S. Hansen, Philip V. Haner, Adam C. Pope, John M. Plumb, Karen M. Cogliati, Amy C. HansenFish behavior and abundance monitoring near a floating surface collector in North Fork Reservoir, Clackamas River, Oregon, using multi-beam acoustic imaging sonar
An imaging sonar was used to assess the behavior and abundance of fish sized the same as salmonid smolt and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) at the entrance to the juvenile fish floating surface collector (FSC) at North Fork Reservoir, Oregon. The purpose of the FSC is to collect downriver migrating juvenile salmonids (Chinook salmon [Oncorhynchus tshawytscha], Coho salmon [Oncorhynchus kisutchAuthorsCollin D. Smith, John M. Plumb, Noah S. AdamsApplication of the Stream Salmonid Simulator (S3) to the restoration reach of the Trinity River, California—Parameterization and calibration
Executive SummaryIn this report, we constructed and parameterized the Stream Salmonid Simulator (S3) for the 64-kilometer “Restoration Reach” of the Trinity River, just downstream of Lewiston Dam in northern California. S3 is a deterministic life-stage-structured population model that tracks daily growth, movement, and survival of juvenile salmon. A key theme of the model is that river flow affectAuthorsRussell W. Perry, Edward C. Jones, John M. Plumb, Nicholas A. Som, Nicholas J. Hetrick, Thomas B. Hardy, Joseph C Polos, Aaron C. Martin, Justin S. Alvarez, Kyle P. De JuilioEmigration and transportation stress of juvenile Chinook salmon relative to their reintroduction upriver of Shasta Dam, California, 2017–18
The Bureau of Reclamation supports the Shasta Dam Fish Passage Evaluation (SDFPE; Yip, 2015) program, and in 2016 set out to determine the feasibility of reintroducing winter-run and spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) to tributaries upstream of Shasta Dam. Ideally, reintroduction strategy includes trapping naturally produced downstream-migrating juvenileAuthorsNoah S. Adams, Theresa L. Liedtke, John M. Plumb, Lisa K. Weiland, Amy C. Hansen, Scott D. EvansA bioenergetics evaluation of temperature‐dependent selection for the spawning phenology by Snake River fall Chinook salmon
High water temperatures can increase the energetic cost for salmon to migrate and spawn, which can be important for Snake River fall‐run Chinook salmon because they migrate great distances (>500 km) at a time when river temperatures (18–24°C) can be above their optimum temperatures (16.5°C). Average river temperatures and random combinations of migration and spawning dates were used to simulate fiAuthorsJohn M. PlumbResearch, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River fall Chinook salmon ESU
The portion of the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ESU that spawns upstream of Lower Granite Dam transitioned from low to high abundance during 1992–2017 in association with U.S. Endangered Species Act recovery efforts and other federally mandated actions. This annual report focuses on (1) numeric and habitat use responses by natural- and hatchery-origin spawners, (2) phenAuthorsKenneth Tiffan, John M. Plumb, Russell W. Perry, John Erhardt, Rulon J. Hemingway, Brad Bickford, Tobyn N. Rhodes, William P. Connor, Frank L. MullinsModel structure of the stream salmonid simulator (S3)—A dynamic model for simulating growth, movement, and survival of juvenile salmonids
Fisheries and water managers often use population models to aid in understanding the effect of alternative water management or restoration actions on anadromous fish populations. We developed the Stream Salmonid Simulator (S3) to help resource managers evaluate the effect of management alternatives on juvenile salmonid populations. S3 is a deterministic stage-structured population model that trackAuthorsRussell W. Perry, John M. Plumb, Edward C. Jones, Nicholas A. Som, Nicholas J. Hetrick, Thomas B. HardyA laboratory-calibrated model of coho salmon growth with utility for ecological analyses
We conducted a meta-analysis of laboratory- and hatchery-based growth data to estimate broadly applicable parameters of mass- and temperature-dependent growth of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Following studies of other salmonid species, we incorporated the Ratkowsky growth model into an allometric model and fit this model to growth observations from eight studies spanning ten differAuthorsChristopher V. Manhard, Nicholas A. Som, Russell W. Perry, John M. PlumbResearch, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon ESU, 1/1/2016 - 12/31/2016
The portion of the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ESU that spawns upstream of Lower Granite Dam transitioned from low to high abundance during 1992–2016 in association with U.S. Endangered Species Act recovery efforts and other federally mandated actions. This annual report focuses on (1) numeric and habitat use responses by natural- and hatchery-origin spawners, (2) phenAuthorsWilliam P. Connor, Frank L. Mullins, Kenneth F. Tiffan, John M. Plumb, Russell W. Perry, John M. Erhardt, Rulon J. Hemingway, Brad K. Bickford, Tobyn N. RhodesBuilding a state-space life cycle model for naturally produced Snake River fall Chinook salmon
In 1992, Snake River basin fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were listed for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (NMFS 1992) and the population remained below 1000 individuals until 2000. Since then, returns from natural production has rebounded to over 20,000 spawners owing to a host of factors including reduced harvest (Peters et al. 2001), stable minimum spawning flowsAuthorsRussell Perry, John Plumb, Kenneth Tiffan, William P. Connor, Thomas D. Cooney, William Young