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
Guidelines for conducting Smolt survival studies in the Columbia River
Assessing survival for Mid-Columbia River released juvenile salmonids at McNary Dam in 2006 and 2007
Survival and migration behavior of subyearling Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam
Survival and migration behavior of juvenile salmonids at McNary Dam, 2007
Survival and migration behavior of juvenile salmonids at Lower Granite Dam, 2006
Passage, survival, and approach patterns of radio-tagged juvenile salmonids at Little Goose Dam, 2006
Survival estimates of migrant juvenile Salmonids through Bonneville Dam using radio telemetry, 2004
Survival estimates of migrant juvenile salmonids through Bonneville Dam using radio telemetry, 2005
Survival estimates of migrant juvenile salmonids through The Dalles Dam using radio telemetry, 2005
Aquatic invasive species
Survival estimates of migrant juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River through John Day Dam using radio-telemetry, 2003
A simulation study of factors controlling white sturgeon recruitment in the Snake River
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 55
Guidelines for conducting Smolt survival studies in the Columbia River
For more than a decade, investigators from different research groups in the Pacific Northwest have been using electronic tags to estimate survival of salmonid smolts as they migrate seaward past hydroelectric dams and through impoundments on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Over the years, they have refined both analytical and field methods associated with such studies. In this collaborative paper,AuthorsGiorgi, Skalski, Pevin, Langeslay, Smith, Timothy D. Counihan, Russell W. Perry, Shane BickfordAssessing survival for Mid-Columbia River released juvenile salmonids at McNary Dam in 2006 and 2007
n/aAuthorsJ.M. Hardiman, C. E. Walker, E.C. Jones, T.D. Counihan, N.S. AdamsSurvival and migration behavior of subyearling Chinook salmon at Lower Granite Dam
n/aAuthorsA.L. Puls, T.D. Counihan, C. E. Walker, J.M. Hardiman, I.N. DuranSurvival and migration behavior of juvenile salmonids at McNary Dam, 2007
n/aAuthorsN.S. Adams, T.D. CounihanSurvival and migration behavior of juvenile salmonids at Lower Granite Dam, 2006
We described behavior and estimated passage and survival parameters of juvenile salmonids during spring and summer migration periods at Lower Granite Dam in 2006. During the spring, the study was designed to examine the effects of the Behavioral Guidance Structure (BGS) by using a randomized-block BGS Stored / BGS Deployed treatment design. The summer study was designed to compare passage and survAuthorsJohn W. Beeman, Scott D. Fielding, Amy C. Braatz, Tamara S. Wilkerson, Adam C. Pope, Christopher E. Walker, Jill M. Hardiman, Russell W. Perry, Timothy D. CounihanPassage, survival, and approach patterns of radio-tagged juvenile salmonids at Little Goose Dam, 2006
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.W. Beeman, A.C. Braatz, S.D. Fielding, J.M. Hardiman, C. E. Walker, A.C. Pope, T.S. Wilkerson, D.J. Shurtleff, R.W. Perry, T.D. CounihanSurvival estimates of migrant juvenile Salmonids through Bonneville Dam using radio telemetry, 2004
During 2004, the USGS evaluated the survival of radio-tagged yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon and steelhead trout through the ice and trash sluiceway and the minimum gap runner (MGR) turbine unit at Bonneville Dam’s powerhouse 1. Survival was estimated using paired release-recapture models with paired releases made directly into these passage routes and in the tailrace of Bonneville Dam. FoAuthorsTimothy D. Counihan, Jill Hardiman, Chris Walker, Amy Puls, Glen HolmbergSurvival estimates of migrant juvenile salmonids through Bonneville Dam using radio telemetry, 2005
During 2005, we evaluated the survival of radio-tagged yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon and steelhead trout through the Bonneville Dam spillway, powerhouses 1 and 2, the corner collector and juvenile bypass system (JBS) at powerhouse 2, and through all routes collectively using the route-specific survival model. Radio-tagged fish were released at The Dalles Dam and in the tailrace of BonnevAuthorsTimothy D. Counihan, Jill M. Hardiman, Chris Walker, Amy Puls, Glen HolmbergSurvival estimates of migrant juvenile salmonids through The Dalles Dam using radio telemetry, 2005
No abstract availableAuthorsT. Counihan, A. Puls, C. Walker, G. HolmbergAquatic invasive species
Invasive species are plants or animals that are present in an ecosystem beyond their native range. They may have few natural controls in their new environment and proliferate. They can threaten native species and interfere with human activities. The Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) has been conducting research to understand how non-native species invade and affect ecosystems, thus aiding mAuthorsR. Rodriguez, T. Counihan, J. Petersen, D. Gadomski, D. BeckerSurvival estimates of migrant juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River through John Day Dam using radio-telemetry, 2003
Abstract not availableAuthorsT.D. Counihan, G.S. Holmberg, C. E. Walker, J.M. HardimanA simulation study of factors controlling white sturgeon recruitment in the Snake River
Five of the nine populations of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus, located between dams on the Middle Snake River, have declined from historical levels and are now at risk of extinction. One step towards more effectively protecting and managing these nine populations is ranking factors that influence recruitment in each of these river segments. We developed a model to suggest which of seven mAuthorsH.I. Jager, W. Van Winkle, James Angus Chandler, K.B. Lepla, P. Bates, T.D. Counihan - News