Timothy Counihan
Over the course of my career with the USGS I have worked on a variety of different topic areas that range from white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus embryology to the development of landscape level ecological classification schemes.
Research Interests:
My early-career work focused on assessing the early life history requirements of white sturgeon and assessing the effects of hydropower operations on the behavior and survival of juvenile pacific salmon and steelhead. My current research focus is on the analysis and development of long-term integrated monitoring programs. Towards this end I have been interacting with interdisciplinary teams to assess and develop aspects of monitoring programs on large river systems, focusing primarily on the mainstem Columbia River.
I have recently been working with an interdisciplinary team of USGS scientists to assess the effects of emerging and legacy contaminants on the Columbia River Estuary food web. My particular focus in this collaborative study was on using knowledge of sedimentation patterns to inform contaminant survey designs.
I am also working with scientists from around the U.S. to better understand the potential for conducting cross-basin comparisons of large river (e.g., Alabama, Colorado, Columbia, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers etc.) monitoring data. As part of this study, we are working to provide an understanding for the potential to provide assessments of trends in fish community characteristics over longitudinal gradients and through time and then to relate those trends to landscape level stressors.
Another focus area is the coordination and development of early detection monitoring programs for invasive species. As part of this research activity I am working with biologists from multiple states, universities, and Canadian provinces to develop a framework for the development of a regional early detection monitoring program for aquatic invasive species, and quagga and zebra mussels in particular.
In addition to the topics listed above I am also very interested and have conducted research involving aquatic plants, invertebrates (benthic macroinvertebrates, crayfish, and zooplankton), and multiple introduced and native fish species.
Professional Experience
1993 to Present - Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
Education and Certifications
M.S. 1991. Wildlife Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
B.S. 1989. Biological Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Science and Products
Development and Refinement of Methods for Early Detection of European Green Crab
Native and Invasive Bivalves in the Pacific Northwest: Co-occurrence, Habitat Associations and Potential Competition in the Face of Climate Change
Early Detection Monitoring May Not Be Sufficient for Invasive Mussels in the Columbia River Basin
Broadscale distribution, abundance and habitat associations of the invasive Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) in the lower Columbia River, USA
Identifying research in support of the management and control of dreissenid mussels in the western United States
Can big data inform invasive dreissenid mussel risk assessments of habitat suitability?
Invasion risk assessments of habitat suitability provide insight on early detection effort allocation; however, sufficient data are rarely available to inform assessments. We explored tradeoffs of leveraging big data from the National Water Quality Portal (WQP), a standardized water quality database in the United States, to inform calcium- and pH-based risk assessments of invasive mussel (Dreissen
Framework for the development of the Columbia River mainstem fish tissue and water quality monitoring program - Bonneville Dam to Canadian border
Identifying monitoring information needs that support the management of fish in large rivers
An experimental evaluation of the efficacy of imaging flow cytometry (FlowCam) for detecting invasive Dreissened and Corbiculid bivalve veligers
Calcium concentrations in the lower Columbia River, USA, are generally sufficient to support invasive bivalve spread
A round-robin evaluation of the repeatability and reproducibility of environmental DNA assays for dreissenid mussels
Columbia River Basin dreissenid mussel monitoring forum workshop
Relating river discharge and water temperature to the recruitment of age‐0 White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1836) in the Columbia River using over‐dispersed catch data
Can data from disparate long-term fish monitoring programs be used to increase our understanding of regional and continental trends in large river assemblages?
Veligers of the invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea in the Columbia River Basin: Broadscale distribution, abundance, and ecological associations
Science and Products
- Science
Development and Refinement of Methods for Early Detection of European Green Crab
European green crabs are one of the most widespread marine invasive species on the planet. Where they are abundant, green crabs compete with other crabs and disturb sediment which can lead to loss of eelgrass and associated habitat essential for commercial, cultural, and ecologically important fish and invertebrate species. Green crab also are a major predator of clams, mussels, and oysters.Native and Invasive Bivalves in the Pacific Northwest: Co-occurrence, Habitat Associations and Potential Competition in the Face of Climate Change
Native mussels are in precipitous decline across North America. As part of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR) First Foods management framework that places significant value on the cultural importance of traditional food resources, they have been identified as a top conservation priority in the Pacific Northwest. Freshwater mussels are a vital component of river ecEarly Detection Monitoring May Not Be Sufficient for Invasive Mussels in the Columbia River Basin
The ecological and economic costs of an invasive quagga or zebra mussel infestation in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. would be significant. The development of invasive mussel monitoring programs in the Pacific Northwest provides a unique opportunity to evaluate a regional invasive species detection effort early in its development. Although efforts are underway to monitor for the presence of... - Publications
Filter Total Items: 55
Broadscale distribution, abundance and habitat associations of the invasive Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) in the lower Columbia River, USA
The Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, is an invasive freshwater bivalve that has established populations across the globe and is known to have deleterious effects on natural and human systems. Yet, despite being present in the Columbia River (CR) for nearly a century, little is known about this invader's basic biology and ecology in this large river system. Thus, we undertook a field study to assessAuthorsSalvador B. Robb-Chavez, Stephen M. Bollens, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Timothy CounihanIdentifying research in support of the management and control of dreissenid mussels in the western United States
On February 9–10, 2022, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Washington State University hosted a workshop to establish research priorities that support the implementation of action items listed in a current invasive species management plan, the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Action Plan (QZAP) 2.0, that are intended to limit the estaAuthorsTimothy Counihan, Lisa DeBruyckere, Stephen M. Bollens, Stephen Phillips, Theresa Thom, Barak ShemaiCan big data inform invasive dreissenid mussel risk assessments of habitat suitability?
Invasion risk assessments of habitat suitability provide insight on early detection effort allocation; however, sufficient data are rarely available to inform assessments. We explored tradeoffs of leveraging big data from the National Water Quality Portal (WQP), a standardized water quality database in the United States, to inform calcium- and pH-based risk assessments of invasive mussel (Dreissen
AuthorsAdam J. Sepulveda, Joshua A. Gage, Timothy Counihan, Anthony F. PrisciandaroFramework for the development of the Columbia River mainstem fish tissue and water quality monitoring program - Bonneville Dam to Canadian border
The Columbia River provides important cultural, economic, and ecological services to a significant portion of the United States. Anadromous and resident fish species and other wildlife are integrated into the cultural traditions of all Tribes in the Columbia River Basin. Salmon, lamprey, sturgeon, and resident fish are an integral part of Tribal religion, culture, and physical sustenance. DespiteAuthorsTimothy Counihan, Patrick W. Moran, Ian R. Waite, Sherrie Duncan, Laura ShiraIdentifying monitoring information needs that support the management of fish in large rivers
Management actions intended to benefit fish in large rivers can directly or indirectly affect multiple ecosystem components. Without consideration of the effects of management on non-target ecosystem components, unintended consequences may limit management efficacy. Monitoring can help clarify the effects of management actions, including on non-target ecosystem components, but only if data are colAuthorsTimothy Counihan, Kristen L. Bouska, Shannon K. Brewer, R. B. Jacobson, Andrew F. Casper, Colin G. Chapman, Ian R. Waite, Kenneth R. Sheehan, Mark Pyron, Elise R. Irwin, Karen Riva-Murray, Alexa McKerrow, Jennifer M. BayerAn experimental evaluation of the efficacy of imaging flow cytometry (FlowCam) for detecting invasive Dreissened and Corbiculid bivalve veligers
Zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (D. bugensis) mussels, first introduced from central Asia into the Great Lakes of North America in the late 1980s, have crossed the continental divide and more recently spread across western North America. At the same time, several new technologies have been developed for the early detection of dreissenids, including the FlowCam, a digital imaging-in-flow inAuthorsWhitney Hassett, Julie Zimmerman, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephen M. Bollens, Timothy CounihanCalcium concentrations in the lower Columbia River, USA, are generally sufficient to support invasive bivalve spread
Dissolved calcium concentration [Ca2+] is thought to be a major factor limiting the establishment and thus the spread of invasive bivalves such as zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (Dreissena bugensis) mussels. We measured [Ca2+] in 168 water samples collected along ~100 river-km of the lower Columbia River, USA, between June 2018 and March 2020. We found [Ca2+] to range from 13 to 18 mg L−1AuthorsStephen M. Bollens, John A. Harrison, Marc G. Kramer, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Timothy Counihan, Salvador B. Robb-Chavez, Sean T. NolanA round-robin evaluation of the repeatability and reproducibility of environmental DNA assays for dreissenid mussels
Resource managers may be hesitant to make decisions based on environmental (e)DNA results alone since eDNA is an indirect method of species detection. One way to reduce the uncertainty of eDNA is to identify laboratory‐based protocols that ensure repeatable and reproducible results. We conducted a double‐blind round‐robin analysis of probe‐based assays for DNA of dreissenid (Dreissena spp.) musselAuthorsAdam J. Sepulveda, Patrick R. Hutchins, Craig Jackson, Carl Ostberg, Matthew Laramie, Jon Amberg, Timothy Counihan, Andrew B. Hoegh, David PilliodColumbia River Basin dreissenid mussel monitoring forum workshop
To address actions identified in the Department of Interior’s “Safeguarding the West” strategy, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) and US Geological Survey (USGS) convened 43 invasive species coordinators and scientific experts June 5-6, 2018 in Portland, Oregon to assess the status of dreissenid monitoring efforts in the Columbia River Basin (CRB); identify key strengths and wAuthorsLisa DeBruyckere, Timothy Counihan, Stephen PhillipsRelating river discharge and water temperature to the recruitment of age‐0 White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1836) in the Columbia River using over‐dispersed catch data
The goals were to (i) determine if river discharge and water temperature during various early life history stages were predictors of age‐0 White Sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, recruitment, and (ii) provide an example of how over‐dispersed catch data, including data with many zero observations, can be used to better understand the effects of regulated rivers on the productivity of depressed stuAuthorsTimothy D. Counihan, Colin G. ChapmanCan data from disparate long-term fish monitoring programs be used to increase our understanding of regional and continental trends in large river assemblages?
Understanding trends in the diverse resources provided by large rivers will help balance tradeoffs among stakeholders and inform strategies to mitigate the effects of landscape scale stressors such as climate change and invasive species. Absent a cohesive coordinated effort to assess trends in important large river resources, a logical starting point is to assess our ability to draw inferences froAuthorsTimothy D. Counihan, Ian R. Waite, Andrew F. Casper, David L. Ward, Jennifer S. Sauer, Elise R. Irwin, Colin G. Chapman, Brian Ickes, Craig P. Paukert, John J. Kosovich, Jennifer M. BayerByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Cooperative Research Units, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Species Management Research Program, Oregon Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory (CRRL)Veligers of the invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea in the Columbia River Basin: Broadscale distribution, abundance, and ecological associations
The invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea was introduced to North America in the 1930s and now inhabits most regions of the conterminous United States; however, the distribution and ecology of C. fluminea in the Columbia River Basin is poorly understood. During 2013 and 2014, 5 Columbia-Snake River reservoirs were sampled monthly from May through September, along with 23 additional lakes and reseAuthorsWhitney Hassett, Stephen M. Bollens, Timothy D. Counihan, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Julie Zimmerman, Joshua E. Emerson - News