Science activity

Science activity #53386, updated 21 May 2024

White Sturgeon Telemetry Synthesis

Description / purpose

Acoustic telemetry studies are expensive and logistically demanding. A new study to tag and monitor 315 White Sturgeon would require a massive field effort by a large team, but by pooling and leveraging existing datasets, this sample size and analysis will be achieved at a fraction of the cost and effort. In recognition of the efficiencies gained by this approach, the Delta Stewardship Council’s Science Program lists the synthesis and analysis of existing telemetry datasets in Science Action Area (SAA) 2. This project directly addresses SAA 2 by capitalizing on existing White Sturgeon telemetry data through the synthesis of three existing large telemetry dataset to understand system-wide White Sturgeon movements. This contract will synthesize existing long-term acoustic telemetry datasets in order to address high priority research questions for the management of White Sturgeon in the San Francisco Estuary system. These questions include: 1. What is the periodicity of spawning migrations by tagged White Sturgeon, and how do these estimates compare to those from previous, single-basin studies? 2. What is the scope and variability of inter-basin movements exhibited by tagged adult White Sturgeon across years? 3. Is there individual fidelity to specific migration routes or sites within each river basin? 4. Do White Sturgeon migrating through the Yolo Bypass experience delays in reaching spawning grounds relative to fish using the mainstem Sacramento River or San Joaquin River routes? 5. Is the onset of upstream migration movement by individuals associated with a characteristic flow rate or event? This contract will serve as a model for future telemetry synthesis studies by adhering to best practices in scientific computing for reproducible, transparent research, and by making all parts of the data and analysis accessible to the broader Delta research community.

Linked science activities

None specified

Activity status

  • 1 Awarded / Initiating (2021)
  • 2 In progress / Ongoing
  • 3 Complete

Funding summary

Total allocated funding: $79,120

Label Value
Contract # or labor code 21013
Implementing organization Cramer Fish Sciences
Funding organization Delta Stewardship Council
Funding Source Not provided
Date of award 2021-11-30
Date of fiscal year-end Not provided
Total award amount $79,120
State type of obligation Not provided
Federal type of obligation Not provided
Reimbursability Not provided
Procurement mechanism Not provided

Location

Subbasins
Delta regions

Geographic tags

None specified

Products and outputs

Type Title Description Views
Link Johnston, M., Heironimus, L., Jackson, Z., & Miller, E. (2024). Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta White Sturgeon Acoustic Telemetry, 2010-2021 [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10443348 This dataset is the product of merging and QAQC'in 12
News White Sturgeon Synthesis Dataset Draft White Sturgeon Synthesis Data Announcement 38
Link White Sturgeon Telemetry Synthesis GitHub Repository Raw Data and QA/QC code. Reproduce the analysis fr 9