Thursday, November 20, 7:00 p.m.

Presentation by Alison O'Dowd:

Food web responses to Klamath Dam removal:

an examination of salmonid food resources downstream of Iron Gate Dam.

The removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River was the largest dam removal in U.S. history.  Klamath dam removal has improved water quality and salmonid access to habitat, but sediment fluxes associated with dam removal were predicted to have short-term negative impacts on habitat and water quality downstream of former dam sites.

This talk will explore food web responses to Klamath dam removal downstream of Iron Gate Dam during a critical period of juvenile salmonid growth and outmigration in the late spring. Results from this study are intended to inform future dam removals that may impact sensitive life stages of anadromous fish and their invertebrate prey.

Alison O'Dowd is a Professor at Cal Poly Humboldt in the Environmental Science & Management department. Her research focuses on benthic macroinvertebrates as a way to assess river health and food resources for salmonids.

The tropical island of New Guinea is one of the biologically and culturally richest areas on the planet and also one of the least developed, and thus it ranks high on many travelers’ bucket lists. Yet it also has a reputation for being among the world’s most challenging and dangerous travel destinations, so relatively few tourists actually get it off their lists.

Ken recently ventured to Papua New Guinea with two friends and lived to tell us about it! He’ll share photos, videos, and audio recordings of some of the wildlife, people, and scenery they encountered, including representatives of the island’s seven endemic bird families.

This program was recorded. We will have a link for you soon!