Data From: Shallow-Water Habitat in the Lower Columbia River Estuary: A Highly Altered System
Document Type
Dataset
Publication Date
6-2023
Subjects
Salmonidae -- Conservation, Columbia River Estuary (Or. and Wash.), Watershed management -- Oregon, Fish habitat improvement -- Oregon
Abstract
This is the dataset to accompany the article, Shallow-Water Habitat in the Lower Columbia River Estuary: A Highly Altered System [Data set], accepted for publication in Estuaries and Coasts.
OVERVIEW OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL DATA FILES:
The files include water level data for 26 locations across varying time frames, as described below, and Columbia and Willamette River discharge measurements and estimates for observed, naturalized, and adjusted flows.
All water levels:
1. All water levels are reported as six-minute interpolated water level records derived from measured water levels. 2. The first column is date-time with date and time separated by a 'T'. 3. The second column is water level in CRD, m. 4. The timezone for all data is GMT. 5. Gaps in the data are filled with nans.
All flows:
1. All the flows are reported as daily average flows. 2. The first column is date-time with date and time separated by a 'T'. 3. The second column is discharge in 1000-cms. 4. The time zone for all data is GMT. 5. Gaps in the data are filled with nans.
This is the abstract for the article associated with this data:
Decreases in shallow-water habitat area (SWHA) in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary (LCRE) have adversely affected salmonid populations. We investigate the causes by hindcasting SWHA from 1928 to 2004, system-wide, based on daily higher high water (HHW) and system hypsometry. Physics-based regression models are used to represent HHW along the system as a function of river inflow, tides, and coastal processes, and hypsometry is used to estimate the associated SWHA. Scenario modeling is employed to attribute SWHA losses to levees, flow regulation, diversion, navigational development, and climate-induced hydrologic change, for subsidence scenarios of up to 2 m, and for 0.5 m fill. For zero subsidence, the system-wide annual-average loss of SWHA is 55 ± 5%, or 51 × 10 ha/year; levees have caused the largest decrease ( %, or ~ 50 × 10 ha/year). The loss in SWHA due to operation of the hydropower system is small, but spatially and seasonally variable. During the spring freshet critical to juvenile salmonids, the total SWHA loss was %, with the hydropower system causing losses of 5–16% (depending on subsidence). Climate change and navigation have caused SWHA losses of % and %, respectively, but with high spatial variability; irrigation impacts have been small. Uncertain subsidence causes most of the uncertainty in estimates; the sum of the individual factors exceeds the total loss, because factors interact. Any factor that reduces mean or peak flows (reservoirs, diversion, and climate change) or alters tides and along-channel slope (navigation) becomes more impactful as assumed historical elevations are increased to account for subsidence, while levees matter less.
DOI
10.15760/cee-data.08
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/40641
Recommended Citation
Templeton, W., Jay, D., Diefenderfer, H., & Talke, S. Data From: Shallow-Water Habitat in the Lower Columbia River Estuary: A Highly Altered System. Estuaries and Coasts (2023).
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