Description
Native fishes face imperilment due to habitat loss and fragmentation, megadrought, invasive species, and synergies amongst threats. These threats coalesce at Glen Canyon Dam (GCD), which impounds the Colorado River to create Lake Powell, a reservoir inhabited by a suite of nonnative fishes. Water level in Lake Powell has declined precipitously due to water overallocation and megadrought, increasing the risk of nonnative fish entrainment through the dam, as the penstocks draw water from the epilimnion. Our goal was to characterize the distribution and abundance of nonnative fishes in the vicinity of GCD and identify environmental conditions that may increase entrainment. We used active and passive sampling, hydroacoustics, and acoustic telemetry to assess the distribution and abundance of fishes. When the reservoir was stratified fish remained in the epilimnion, were present near the GCD penstocks, and thus at high risk of entrainment. When the reservoir was mixed, fish generally occupied shallower, warmer areas further from GCD, but this varied among species. The distribution of nonnative fish and accompanying risk of entrainment varies by season and epilimnion depth. Retaining more water in Lake Powell to draw water from below the thermocline would reduce the risk of nonnative fish entrainment into Grand Canyon.
Author ORCID Identifier
Phaedra Budy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9918-1678
Casey Pennock https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3547-6477
Document Type
Dataset
DCMI Type
Dataset
File Format
.txt, .xls, .xlsx, .pdf, .HEIC
Viewing Instructions
Some files may require the following software to open: Acoustic telemetry processing software from Sonotronics, Inc.: DPCsa application, https://www.sonotronics.com/ Sensor Fish processing software from ATS, Inc.: https://atstrack.com/tracking-products/transmitters/ARC800-Sensor-Fish.aspx
Publication Date
2-3-2025
Funder
United States Bureau of Reclamation
Publisher
Utah State University
Award Number
Cooperative Agreement Number R19AC00153
Methodology
Catch data from fish sampling via gillnets, minnow traps, larval traps, and ichthyoplankton tows. Temperature and dissolved oxygen limnological profiles, temperature string data (daily average), hydroacoustic scans (processed to target level), acoustic telemetry records, sensor fish data files, sampling locations, original data sheets.
Acoustic telemetry: Submersible ultrasonic receiver model SUR-3BT, Sonotronics, Inc., Tucson, AZ, no units associated with raw data files. Sensor Fish: model ARC800 Advanced Telemetry Systems, Inc., Isanti, MN. This instrument measures many things and has various units associated, of primary interest to us were acceleration (g) and pressure psia). Limnology: Dual temperature and dissolved oxygen meter, model YSI Pro20, Xylem, inc., Washington, DC. Degrees C for temp and mg/L for DO. Hydroacoustics: DTX split beam echosounder, BioSonics, Inc., Seattle, WA. Echo returns are in dB. Temperature string: Hobo pendant loggers, degrees C.
Referenced by
Friesen, Barrett T., "Invasion Potential of Nonnative Fishes Through a Large Western Dam Into a Prized and Vulnerable Ecosystem" (2024). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd2023/288
Start Date
3-2022
End Date
11-2023
Location
Within 7 km of 36.955430, -111.485227
Language
eng
Code Lists
See README.txt
Disciplines
Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Budy, Phaedra and Pennock, Casey, "Lake Powell Fish Sampling: Glen Canyon Dam Forebay Area, 2022 and 2023" (2025). Browse all Datasets. Paper 240.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/all_datasets/240
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons