Patrick Connolly, Ph.D.
Biography
Education:
Ph.D. 1996. Fisheries Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
M.S. 1983. Zoology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
B.S. 1977. Biology, Center College of Kentucky, Danville, KY
Research Interests:
Projects investigating life history diversity of fish and effectiveness of habitat restoration.
Experience:
1997 to Present - Lead Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
1990-1996 - Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1988-1991 - Fish Biologist--Sub basin Planner, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Corvallis, OR
1987-1988 - Fish Biologist--Research, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Columbia River Research, Clackamas, OR
1985-1987 - Fish Biologist, Beak Consultants Inc., Portland, OR
1984-1985 - Fishery Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Field Station, Cook, WA
1983 - Fish Habitat Surveyor, Idaho Transportation Department, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Science and Products
Dam removal: synthesis of ecological and physical responses
Dam decommissioning is rapidly emerging as an important river restoration strategy in the U.S., with several major removals recently completed or in progress. But few studies have evaluated the far-reaching consequences of these significant environmental perturbations, especially those resulting from removals of large (>10-15 m tall) structures during the last decade. In particular,...
Climate Change Threats to Fish Habitat Connectivity
Many fish species, including mountain whitefish and bull trout, need a variety of habitat types throughout their different life stages that include appropriate water temperatures, flows, refugia from predators, and adequate food. Key to a fish finding and using these different habitats is the connectivity between them. Changing conditions in the future, including increased air and water...
Dam removal: Listening in
Dam removal is widely used as an approach for river restoration in the United States. The increase in dam removals—particularly large dams—and associated dam-removal studies over the last few decades motivated a working group at the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis to review and synthesize available studies of dam removals...
Foley, Melissa M.; Bellmore, James; O'Connor, James E.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; East, Amy E.; Grant, Gordon G.; Anderson, Chauncey W.; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Collins, Mathias J.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Craig, Laura S.; Evans, James E.; Greene, Samantha; Magilligan, Francis J.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Major, Jon J.; Pess, George R.; Randle, Timothy J.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Torgersen, Christian E.; Tullos, Desiree D.; Wilcox, Andrew C. Synthesis of common management concerns associated with dam removal
Managers make decisions regarding if and how to remove dams in spite of uncertainty surrounding physical and ecological responses, and stakeholders often raise concerns about certain negative effects, regardless of whether or not these concerns are warranted at a particular site. We used a dam-removal science database supplemented with other...
Tullos, Desiree D.; Collins, Mathias J.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Wilcox, Andrew C. Salmon and steelhead in the White Salmon River after the removal of Condit Dam–Planning efforts and recolonization results
Condit Dam, at river kilometer 5.3 on the White Salmon River, Washington, was breached in 2011 and completely removed in 2012. This action opened habitat to migratory fish for the first time in 100 years. The White Salmon Working Group was formed to create plans for fish salvage in preparation for fish recolonization and to prescribe the actions...
Allen, Brady; Engle, Rod O; Zendt, Joseph S; Shrier, Frank C; Wilson, Jeremy T; Connolly, Patrick J. Wind River subbasin restoration: Annual report of U.S. Geological Survey activities January 2014 through December 2014
Executive Summary The Wind River subbasin in southwest Washington State provides habitat for a population of wild Lower Columbia River steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. No hatchery steelhead have been planted in the Wind River subbasin since 1994, and hatchery adults are estimated to be...
Jezorek, Ian G.; Connolly, Patrick J. Biotic and abiotic influences on abundance and distribution of nonnative Chinook salmon and native ESA-listed steelhead in the Wind River, Washington
Biotic and abiotic factors influence fish populations and distributions. Concerns have been raised about the influence of hatchery fish on wild populations. Carson National Fish Hatchery produces spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Wind River, Washington, and some spawn in the river. Managers were concerned that Chinook salmon...
Jezorek, Ian G.; Connolly, Patrick J. Spatial complexity reduces interaction strengths in the meta-food web of a river floodplain mosaic
Theory states that both the spatial complexity of landscapes and the strength of interactions between consumers and their resources are important for maintaining biodiversity and the 'balance of nature.' Spatial complexity is hypothesized to promote biodiversity by reducing potential for competitive exclusion; whereas, models show weak trophic...
Bellmore, James Ryan; Baxter, Colden Vance; Connolly, Patrick J.
Methow River Studies, Washington: abundance estimates from Beaver Creek and the Chewuch River screw trap, methodology testing in the Whitefish Island side channel, and survival and detection estimates from hatchery fish releases, 2013
Salmon and steelhead populations have been severely depleted in the Columbia River from factors such as the presence of tributary dams, unscreened irrigation diversions, and habitat degradation from logging, mining, grazing, and others (Raymond, 1988). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been funded by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to...
Martens, Kyle D.; Fish, Teresa M.; Watson, Grace A.; Connolly, Patrick J. Juvenile anadromous salmonid production in upper Columbia River side channels with different levels of hydrological connection
We examined the contribution of three types of side channels based on their hydrologic connectivity (seasonally disconnected, partially connected, and connected) to production of juvenile anadromous salmonids. Juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha were found in all three of these side channel...
Martens, Kyle D.; Connolly, Patrick J. Wind River subbasin restoration: U.S. Geological Survey annual report November 2012 through December 2013
Executive Summary The Wind River subbasin in southwest Washington State provides habitat for a population of wild Lower Columbia River steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss. There have been no hatchery steelhead planted in the Wind River subbasin since 1994, and hatchery adults are estimated to be less than one percent of adults in any year (pers comm....
Jezorek, Ian G.; Connolly, Patrick J.
Methow and Columbia Rivers studies: summary of data collection, comparison of database structure and habitat protocols, and impact of additional PIT tag interrogation systems to survival estimates, 2008-2012
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) received funding from the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to provide monitoring and evaluation on the effectiveness of stream restoration efforts by Reclamation in the Methow River watershed. This monitoring and evaluation program is designed to partially fulfill Reclamation’s part of the 2008 Biological...
Martens, Kyle D.; Tibbits, Wesley T.; Watson, Grace A.; Newsom, Michael A.; Connolly, Patrick J. Modeling effects of climate change on Yakima River salmonid habitats
We evaluated the potential effects of two climate change scenarios on salmonid habitats in the Yakima River by linking the outputs from a watershed model, a river operations model, a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model, and a geographic information system (GIS). The watershed model produced a discharge time series (hydrograph) in two study...
Hatten, James R.; Batt, Thomas R.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Maule, Alec G. Fluvial rainbow trout contribute to the colonization of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a small stream
Life history polymorphisms provide ecological and genetic diversity important to the long term persistence of species responding to stochastic environments. Oncorhynchus mykiss have complex and overlapping life history strategies that are also sympatric with hatchery populations. Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and parentage...
Weigel, Dana E.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Powell, Madison S.
Western Fisheries Science News, September 2015 | Issue 3.9
Using Challenges and Prizes to Find Innovative Solutions
Western Fisheries Science News, January 2014 | Issue 2.1
The Secret Lives of Mountain Whitefish