Kenneth Tiffan
Snake River fall Chinook salmon were listed as “threatened” under the ESA in 1992. My entire career has focused conducting applied research to provide information that would increase our understanding of this unique stock and facilitate recovery efforts.
The work of myself and colleagues from other agencies have produced most of the contemporary information on Snake River fall Chinook salmon.
Research Interests:
The main focus of my work is understanding Snake River fall Chinook salmon life history and ecology to support recovery of this listed stock. Over the years research topics have included migratory behavior, habitat use and quantification, physiology, and feeding ecology of juvenile fish in the Snake and Columbia rivers. Other research areas have included understanding the effects of elevated flows on chum salmon spawning behavior, and investigating recent food web changes to lower Snake River reservoirs.
Professional Experience
1992 to Present – Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
Education and Certifications
M.S. 1992. Fishery Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
B.S. 1987. Fishery Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Science and Products
Diel behavior of rearing fall Chinook salmon
Snake River fall Chinook salmon life history investigation, annual report 2007
A spatial model to assess the effects of hydropower operations on Columbia River fall Chinook Salmon spawning habitat
Application of the SHOALS survey system to fisheries investigations in the Columbia River
Water velocity, turbulence, and migration rate of subyearling fall Chinook salmon in the free-flowing and impounded Snake River
Behavioural thermoregulation by subyearling fall (autumn) Chinook salmon oncorhynchus tshawytscha in a reservoir
Investigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated
Investigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated. 2006 Annual Report
Investigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated. Annual report 2006
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Diel behavior of rearing fall Chinook salmon
In fisheries science, habitat use is often inferred when fish are sampled or observed in a particular location. Physical habitat is typically measured where fish are found, and thus deemed important to habitat use. Although less common, a more informative approach is to measure or observe fish behavior within given habitats to more thoroughly assess their use of those locations. While this approacAuthorsKenneth F. Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, Joseph J. SkalickySnake River fall Chinook salmon life history investigation, annual report 2007
In 2007, we used radio and acoustic telemetry to evaluate the migratory behavior, survival, mortality, and delay of subyearling fall Chinook salmon in the Clearwater River and Lower Granite Reservoir. Monthly releases of radio-tagged fish (~95/month) were made from May through October and releases of 122-149/month acoustic-tagged fish per month were made from August through October. We compared thAuthorsKenneth F. Tiffan, William P. Connor, Geoffrey A. McMichael, Rebecca A. BuchananA spatial model to assess the effects of hydropower operations on Columbia River fall Chinook Salmon spawning habitat
Priest Rapids Dam on the Columbia River produces large daily and hourly streamflow fluctuations throughout the Hanford Reach during the period when fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha are selecting spawning habitat, constructing redds, and actively engaged in spawning. Concern over the detrimental effects of these fluctuations prompted us to quantify the effects of variable flows on the aAuthorsJames R. Hatten, Kenneth F. Tiffan, Donald R. Anglin, Steven L. Haeseker, Joseph J. Skalicky, Howard SchallerApplication of the SHOALS survey system to fisheries investigations in the Columbia River
We used a Scanning Hydrographic Operational Airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Survey (SHOALS) system to collect high-resolution bathymetry for 33 km of the Hanford Reach. Data were used in conjunction with hydrodynamic and predictive habitat models within a GIS (Geographical Information System) framework to evaluate the effects of a varying hydrograph on juvenile fall Chinook salmon reaAuthorsKenneth F. Tiffan, Paul G. Wagner, Keith S. Wolf, Paul A. HoffarthWater velocity, turbulence, and migration rate of subyearling fall Chinook salmon in the free-flowing and impounded Snake River
We studied the migratory behavior of subyearling fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in free-flowing and impounded reaches of the Snake River to evaluate the hypothesis that velocity and turbulence are the primary causal mechanisms of downstream migration. The hypothesis states that impoundment reduces velocity and turbulence and alters the migratory behavior of juvenile Chinook salmon asAuthorsKenneth F. Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, Craig A. Haskell, William P. Connor, R. Kirk SteinhorstBehavioural thermoregulation by subyearling fall (autumn) Chinook salmon oncorhynchus tshawytscha in a reservoir
This study investigated behavioural thermoregulation by subyearling fall (autumn) Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in a reservoir on the Snake River, Washington, U.S.A. During the summer, temperatures in the reservoir varied from 23?? C on the surface to 11?? C at 14 m depth. Subyearlings implanted with temperature-sensing radio transmitters were released at the surface at temperatures >20?AuthorsK.F. Tiffan, T.J. Kock, W.P. Connor, R.K. Steinhorst, D.W. RondorfInvestigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated
During the winter of 2006-07, we radio and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagged, and released 99 juvenile fall Chinook salmon to evaluate over-wintering behavior and dam passage in the lower Snake River, Washington. All fish were released 10 km upstream of Lower Granite Dam at Granite Point in early November, 2006. Fixed radio telemetry detection sites located in the forebay and tailrace arAuthorsTobias J. Kock, Kenneth F. Tiffan, William P. ConnorInvestigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated. 2006 Annual Report
During the winter of 2005-06, we radio and PIT tagged and released 48 juvenile fall Chinook salmon to evaluate over-wintering behavior and dam passage in the lower Snake River, Washington. Fish were released at the upstream end of the Lower Granite Dam forebay in November and December 2005. Fixed radio telemetry detection sites located in forebay and tailrace areas of Lower Granite, Little Goose,AuthorsKenneth F. Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, William P. ConnorInvestigating passage of ESA-listed juvenile fall Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam during winter when the fish bypass system is not operated. Annual report 2006
n/aAuthorsT.J. Kock, K.F. Tiffan, W.P. Connor - News