Theresa "Marty" Liedtke
Marty Liedtke is a Project Leader at the Columbia River Research Laboratory with 25+ years of experience focused on movement, behavior, and performance of fishes in both freshwater and marine systems.
My research is currently focused on Pacific Lamprey and other native lampreys in the Columbia River Basin and forage fishes in Puget Sound. My team evaluates juvenile and larval lamprey performance under controlled laboratory conditions to address management needs such as dewatering of lamprey habitat, interactions with screens at water diversions, and dredging impacts. A newly developed, prototype acoustic telemetry transmitter, designed for use in lamprey and eels allowed us to conduct one of the first acoustic telemetry studies of juvenile Pacific lamprey migration movements. Prior to the development of this transmitter such studies were not possible due to the small size of these fish. In Puget Sound we have focused on Pacific sand lance and surf smelt and have evaluated spawning site selection, responses to climate change, food habits, and rearing habitats. Most recently we are investigating linkages between forage fishes and legacy and current use contaminants in both field and laboratory settings.
Historically my team has conducted radio and acoustic telemetry studies to evaluate juvenile salmon passage and survival at hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin. We have used telemetry to monitor the behavior and movements of many fishes, including adult salmonids using transmitters with sensors (temperature, motion). I have developed standard operating procedures for surgical implantation of transmitters and regularly train others to design tagging operations and conduct tagging for telemetry studies. I am interested in the performance of fish equipped with telemetry transmitters, specifically comparing the stress response, swimming performance, buoyancy compensation, and predator avoidance ability of tagged fish to untagged fish.
Professional Experience
1994 to Present - Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
Education and Certifications
M.S. Zoology/Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
B.S. Biology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Science and Products
2011 Georgiana Slough non-physical barrier performance evaluation project report
Techniques for telemetry transmitter attachment and evaluation of transmitter effects on fish performance: Chapter 4
Western Fisheries Research Center--Forage fish studies in Puget Sound
Behavior and passage of juvenile salmonids during the evaluation of a behavioral guidance structure at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, 2011
Hydrography of and biogeochemical inputs to Liberty Bay, a small urban embayment in Puget Sound, Washington
Evaluation of angler effort and harvest of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Lake Scanewa, Washington, 2010
Behavior and movement of formerly landlocked juvenile coho salmon after release into the free-flowing Cowlitz River, Washington
Juvenile salmonid collection efforts in the Upper Cowlitz River Basin
Juvenile Salmonid survival, passage, and egress at McNary Dam during tests of temporary spillway weirs, 2009
Evaluation of strobe lights to reduce turbine entrainment of juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington
Tailrace egress and hydraulic conditions during tests of a top spillway weir (TSW) at John Day Dam, 2008
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
2011 Georgiana Slough non-physical barrier performance evaluation project report
Techniques for telemetry transmitter attachment and evaluation of transmitter effects on fish performance: Chapter 4
Western Fisheries Research Center--Forage fish studies in Puget Sound
Behavior and passage of juvenile salmonids during the evaluation of a behavioral guidance structure at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, 2011
Hydrography of and biogeochemical inputs to Liberty Bay, a small urban embayment in Puget Sound, Washington
Evaluation of angler effort and harvest of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Lake Scanewa, Washington, 2010
Behavior and movement of formerly landlocked juvenile coho salmon after release into the free-flowing Cowlitz River, Washington
Juvenile salmonid collection efforts in the Upper Cowlitz River Basin
Juvenile Salmonid survival, passage, and egress at McNary Dam during tests of temporary spillway weirs, 2009
Evaluation of strobe lights to reduce turbine entrainment of juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington
Tailrace egress and hydraulic conditions during tests of a top spillway weir (TSW) at John Day Dam, 2008
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.