U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 2012–1009

Prepared in cooperation with the Missouri River Recovery—Integrated 

Science Program U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Yankton, South Dakota

Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction 

and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual 

Report 2010
Cover background photograph. Approaching spring storm on the Lower Missouri River 

near Boonville, Missouri during spring sampling efforts for pallid sturgeon.
Ecological Requirements for Pallid 

Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment 

in the Lower Missouri River: Annual 

Report 2010

By Aaron J. DeLonay, Robert B. Jacobson, Diana M. Papoulias, Mark L. 

Wildhaber, Kimberly A. Chojnacki, Emily K. Pherigo, Justin D. Haas, and Gerald E. 

Mestl

Prepared in cooperation with the Missouri River Recovery—Integrated 

Science Program U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Yankton, South Dakota

Open-File Report 2012–1009

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012

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Government.

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

DeLonay, A.J., Jacobson, R. B., Papoulias, D.M., Wildhaber M.L., Chojnacki, K.A., Pherigo, E.K., Haas, J.D., and 

Mestl, G.E., 2012, Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Lower Missouri 

River: Annual report 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012–1009, 51 p. 
iii

Contents

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................iii

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Scope of Work................................................................................................................................................2

Hydroclimatic Conditions During 2010 Field Work ...................................................................................2

Accomplishments and Products .................................................................................................................5

Future Research into Reproductive Ecology of Missouri River Pallid Sturgeon...............................11

Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress ...................................................................................11

Task 1. Movement, Habitat Use, and Reproductive Behavior of Shovelnose Sturgeon and 

Pallid Sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River....................................................................11

Background.................................................................................................................................11

Scope and Objectives ...............................................................................................................12

Methods.......................................................................................................................................12

Results .........................................................................................................................................13

Task 2 Reproductive Physiology to Support Assessment of the Importance of Spring Flows, 

Temperature, and Photoperiod to Successful Pallid Sturgeon Spawning in the 

Missouri River........................................................................................................................26

Background.................................................................................................................................26

Scope and Objectives ...............................................................................................................27

Methods.......................................................................................................................................27

Results .........................................................................................................................................28

Task 3. Quantify Pallid Sturgeon Migration and Spawning Habitat...........................................34

Background.................................................................................................................................34

Scope and Objectives ...............................................................................................................34

Methods.......................................................................................................................................34

Results .........................................................................................................................................35

Task 4. Provide Database Integration, GIS Support, and Report Coordination........................41

Background.................................................................................................................................41

Scope and Objectives ...............................................................................................................41

Methods.......................................................................................................................................42

Results .........................................................................................................................................42

Incremental Progress in Understanding Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Survival.....................47

Reproductive Movements and Spawning Cues ............................................................................47

Potential Habitat Limitations.............................................................................................................48

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................48

Figures

1. Map showing Missouri River Basin and major tributary rivers (A) with the Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project study areas and 2010 probable spawning sites (B) ......3

2. Graphs showing hydrograph and temperature 2005–2010 for Lower Missouri River.......4

3. Graph showing 2010 Lower Missouri River hydrograph with water temperature highlighting temperature anomaly.....................................................................................................5
iv

4. Graphs showing interactions among discharge, weather patterns, and water temperature in two sections of the Lower Missouri River ...................................................................6

5. Graphs showing length-weight relation of hatchery-released, unknown and wild pallid 

sturgeon collected during 2007–2010 spring sampling efforts in the upper and lower 

study sections .............................................................................................................................14

6. Map and graph showing movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS10-013 ...........15

7. Map and graph showing movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 ...........17

8. Map and graph showing movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS10-023 ...........18

9. Graph showing comparison of telemetry locations of pallid sturgeon PLS08-014 in 

2008 and 2010...............................................................................................................................19

10. Map and graph showing movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS08-014 ...........20

11. Graphs showing telemetry locations of reproductive male pallid sturgeons PLS08-019 

and PLS10-014 as well as male PLS08-031 indicating possible aggregations with gravid 

female PLS08-014 in the upper study section. Discharge and temperature from the 

nearest upstream streamgage at Decatur, Nebraska..........................................................21

12. Map showing spawning locations of pallid sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River ........24

13. Graph showing comparison of egg diameter and body mass lost at spawning of 

telemetry tracked pallid sturgeon in the upper and lower study sections .......................25

14. Graph showing telemetry locations for implanted pallid male sturgeon PLS07-020 

in the Lower Missouri River......................................................................................................25

15. Map showing telemetry locations recorded July through September 2008 and 2009 

for implanted pallid male sturgeon PLS07-020 in the Lower Missouri River ....................26

16. Photograph showing water columns (4.0 meters) used to determine vertical distribution of free embryos and their ability to fill their swim bladders ........................................28

17. Photograph showing water columns (2.4 meters) containing turbid water used to 

evaluate egg adhesion...............................................................................................................28

18. Graph showing depth distribution of free embryos observed during 5-minute periods at 

various times for a 50-hour time span after the initiation of hatch ....................................33

19. Map showing multibeam bathymetric map of reproductive female pallid sturgeon 

PLS10-006 spawning site. Mapped May 1, 2010....................................................................36

20. Map showing acoustic Doppler current profiler velocity map of reproductive female 

pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 spawning site. Mapped May 1, 2010 ........................................37

21. Map showing multibeam bathymetric map of reproductive female pallid sturgeon 

PLS10-013 spawning site. Mapped May 5, 2010....................................................................38

22. Map showing acoustic Doppler current profiler velocity map of reproductive female 

pallid sturgeon PLS10-013 spawning site. Mapped May 5, 2010 ........................................39

23. Map showing PLS10-023 migration pathway between river mile 651 and river 

mile 656, May 3 through May 6, 2010.......................................................................................40

24. Perspective view of reproductive female pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 traversing flow 

velocity field through a bend-crossover-bend reach between river mile 198.7 and 

river mile 199................................................................................................................................41

25. Screen capture showing an example of the Individual Fish Summary page generated 

by the user interface ..................................................................................................................43

26. Screen capture showing the Individual fish Summary Report links to a preformatted 

map ready for export..................................................................................................................44

27. Screen capture showing the Individual Fish Summary Page provides access to DST 

data graphed and formatted for USGS publications.............................................................45

28. Screen capture showing the temperature logger data from approximately 32 different 

locations for the last 8 years was added to SIMS for storage and exploration...............46
v

Tables

1. Missouri River Sturgeon Project Products, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia 

Environmental Research Center, 2010.......................................................................................7

2. Probable spawning locations of telemetry tracked reproductive female pallid 

sturgeon, 2007–10 .......................................................................................................................22

3. Mean polarization index (PI) of gravid female pallid sturgeon collected during 2010....29

4. Plasma hormone values for female pallid sturgeon collected in 2010. Upper limits of 

detection are estradiol=734, testosterone=686, 11-ketotestosterone=496. Lower limits 

of detection are estradiol=5, testosterone=4, 11-ketotestosterone=3...............................30

5. Plasma hormone values for male pallid sturgeon collected 2010. Upper limits of detection are estradiol=734, testosterone=686, and 11-ketotestosterone=496. Lower limits of 

detection are estradiol=5, testosterone=4, 11-ketotestosterone=3 ...................................32

6. Test results for the fall rate of freshly fertilized pallid sturgeon eggs in four turbid conditions ...........................................................................................................................................33

7. Tissues collected from pallid sturgeon in 2010 for genomics analysis..............................33

8. List of fish used in the genomics experiments.......................................................................33

9. Summary data for habitat assessment efforts in 2010. Habitat Surveyed denotes 

habitat type. River Mile Location gives the upstream and downstream extent of each 

survey. Discharge is reported as the mean discharge through the course of the survey 

at the streamgage given in the Nearest Streamgage column. Survey Type denotes the 

methods used for each survey as described in the Task 3 methods section...................35
vi

Conversion Factors

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

Length

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

SI to Inch/Pound

Multiply By To obtain

Length

micrometer (μm) 0.0000397 inch (in.)

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in.)

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

meter (m) 1.094 yard (yd) 

Area

square meter (m2

) 10.76 square foot (ft2) 

hectare (ha) 0.003861 square mile (mi2

) 

square kilometer (km2

) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)

Volume

cubic meter (m3

) 264.2 gallon (gal) 

cubic meter (m3

) 35.31 cubic foot (ft3)

cubic meter (m3

) 1.308 cubic yard (yd3) 

Flow rate

meter per second (m/s) 3.281 foot per second (ft/s) 

cubic meter per second (m3

/s) 35.31 cubic foot per second (ft3/s)

Mass

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

kilogram (kg) 2.205 pound, avoirdupois (lb)

To communicate effectively with stakeholders, managers, and other scientists working on the 

Lower Missouri River, this report uses a mix of U.S. customary units and International System 

of Units (SI) units of measure. Distances along the Missouri River are given in river miles 

upstream from the junction with the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri, as measured by 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1960. Discharges are provided in the customary units of 

cubic feet per second. Reach-scale hydraulic variables depth and velocity are in SI units of 

meters and meters per second.

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: 

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88)

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the World Geodetic System of 1984 

(WGS 84)
vii

Acknowledgments

This report benefitted from technical reviews by Clayton Ridenour and Craig Paukert. Funding 

for this research was provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri River Recovery—

Integrated Science Program and the USGS. The authors gratefully acknowledge the collaboration and cooperation in the capture, handling, culture and transport of pallid sturgeon for this 

study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office; U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, Gavins Point and Neosho National Fish Hatcheries; Nebraska Game 

and Parks Commission; South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks; and the Missouri Department of 

Conservation.

Abstract

The Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multiyear, multiagency collaborative research framework developed 

to provide information to support pallid sturgeon recovery and 

Missouri River management decisions. The project strategy 

integrates field and laboratory studies of sturgeon reproductive 

ecology, early life history, habitat requirements, and physiology. The project scope of work is developed annually with 

cooperating research partners and in collaboration with the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri River Recovery—

Integrated Science Program. The research consists of several 

interdependent and complementary tasks that engage multiple 

disciplines. The research tasks in the 2010 scope of work 

primarily address spawning as a probable factor limiting pallid 

sturgeon survival and recovery, although limited pilot studies 

also have been initiated to examine the requirements of early 

life stages. The research is designed to inform management 

decisions affecting channel re-engineering, flow modification, 

and pallid sturgeon population augmentation on the Missouri 

River, and throughout the range of the species. Research and 

progress made through this project are reported to the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers annually. This annual report details 

the research effort and progress made by the Comprehensive 

Sturgeon Research Project during 2010.

Introduction 

This report documents research activities under the Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project (CSRP) for calendar 

year 2010, January1 through December 31. CSRP is an interagency collaboration of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC), U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers’ (USACE) Missouri River Recovery—Integrated 

Science Program. The goal of CSRP is to improve the fundamental understanding of the reproductive ecology of the pallid 

sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) to better inform river and 

species management decisions. Specific objectives include:

• Determine movement, habitat use, and reproductive 

behavior of pallid sturgeon;

• Understand reproductive physiology of pallid sturgeon 

and relations to environmental conditions;

• Determine origin, transport, and fate of drifting pallid 

sturgeon larvae and evaluate bottlenecks for recruitment of early life stages;

• Quantify availability and dynamics of aquatic habitats 

needed by pallid sturgeon for all life stages; and

• Manage databases, integrate understanding, and publish relevant information into the public domain. 

Management actions to increase reproductive success 

and survival of pallid sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River 

have been focused on flow regime, channel morphology, and 

propagation (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2003). Since 

2005, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) have engaged in interdisciplinary sturgeon research initiated at the request of the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers. CSRP was designed to assess how 

different life stages and essential activities of sturgeon respond 

to a range of ecological factors. CSRP has evolved over time 

into an interagency collaboration of the U.S. Geological 

Survey, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 

Missouri River Recovery—Integrated Science Program with 

numerous agency and university partners. CSRP research is 

intended to provide managers with improved understanding of 

linkages among flow regime, re-engineered channel morphology, and pallid sturgeon movement, habitat use, reproduction 

and survival. 

Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction 

and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual 

Report 2010

By Aaron J. DeLonay1, Robert B. Jacobson1, Diana M. Papoulias1, Mark L. Wildhaber1, Kimberly A. Chojnacki1, 

Emily K. Pherigo2

, Justin D. Haas3, and Gerald E. Mestl3

1

U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 

Columbia, Missouri 65201

2

 ASRC Management Services, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 

4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, Missouri 65201

3

 Nebraska Parks and Game Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503
2 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

CSRP direction has been guided by results of sturgeon 

research workshops convened in 2004 (Quist and others, 

2004) and 2007 (Bergman and others, 2008), by hypotheses 

that emerged about the role of a naturalized flow regime in 

pallid sturgeon reproduction during a series of workshops in 

2005 (Jacobson and Galat, 2008), and by feedback from an 

independent science review (Sustainable Ecosystems Institute, 

2008). Research objectives also have emphasized science 

information gaps related to priority management issues, 

including understanding the role of pulsed flow releases from 

Gavins Point Dam and Fort Peck Dam (fig. 1), and understanding of the functions of constructed shallow-water habitat 

in the sturgeon life cycle.

The CSRP research approach integrates opportunistic 

field studies, field-based experiments, and controlled laboratory studies. The field study plan is designed primarily to 

explore the role of flow regime and associated environmental cues in sturgeon reproduction and survival. The project 

uses an upstream-downstream experimental design. The 

design compares sturgeon reproductive behavior between an 

upstream section of the Lower Missouri River (fig. 1) with 

a highly altered flow regime and a downstream section that 

maintains much of its pre-regulation flow variability (Galat 

and Lipkin, 2000). The upstream section also has the potential 

for experimental flow treatments that can be used for more 

controlled comparisons of reproductive behavior in years with 

pulsed flow modifications (“spring rises”) to years without 

pulsed flow modifications.

Scope of Work

The 2010 CSRP approved scope of work included four 

interrelated tasks. Division of CSRP research into tasks was 

for convenience in understanding the relations among scientific efforts and for budgeting internal to the CSRP; the 

four tasks presented in 2010 were highly interdependent and 

designed to provide the maximum information for understanding reproductive ecology of the pallid sturgeon. Tasks for 2010 

included:

1. In collaboration with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, we proposed to track over 70 pallid sturgeon in 

the Lower Missouri River to determine behavior during spawning and nonspawning life stages. In addition, 

we proposed to do high-frequency intensive tracking 

on 2 to 8 reproductive pallid sturgeon in each of two 

river segments during the spawning season, depending on availability of reproductive fish. We proposed to 

increase emphasis, relative to previous years, on spawning verification through dual-frequency identification 

sonar (DIDSON®, Sound Metrics, Inc., Lake Forest Park, 

Wash.) acoustic camera deployment, and larval and egg 

sampling. The experimental design continues to characterize fish movement in relation to discharge characteristics, 

temperature, and turbidity and in using upstream and 

downstream sections of the river for comparison.

2. We proposed to continue coordinated physiological 

studies on tracked fish to develop critical links between 

environment (for example, flow pulses, turbidity, and temperature) and reproductive readiness. The nature of these 

linkages will ultimately indicate the extent to which flow 

management can affect reproduction of pallid sturgeon. 

The proposed research included developing understanding 

of (a) how environmental variability may act as a reproductive cue or as a source of stress that inhibits reproduction, and (b) multiyear processes that may act to set up a 

fish’s reproductive physiology and success. 

3. In coordinated habitat studies we proposed to employ a 

new, high-resolution mapping protocol to assess demonstrated spawning patches as well as other habitats 

that may be limiting to reproduction and survival of the 

pallid sturgeon. This research was intended to provide a 

uniquely detailed understanding of spawning habitat in 

the river and address how migration pathways may energetically limit pallid sturgeon reproduction.

4. We proposed to continue integrated database management 

aspects for all tasks, outreach efforts, and report production as critical aspects of the Comprehensive Sturgeon 

Research Project. 

The 2010 scope of work was followed with only minor deviations, as documented in the following sections. The number 

of reproductive pallid sturgeon available for high-frequency 

intensive telemetry studies was four reproductive females and 

five reproductive males. Because of staffing shortages, some 

tagged, reproductive fish could not be intensively tracked. 

Opportunities to characterize habitats during spawning and 

migration were limited to the number of intensively tracked 

fish. Efforts to capture eggs and larval fish downstream from 

spawning patches were limited by high water and unsafe boating conditions. 

Hydroclimatic Conditions During 2010 

Field Work

Runoff during water year 2010 upstream from Gavins 

Point Dam (October 2009–September 2010) was 142 percent 

of average. During the March—June sturgeon migration and 

spawning period, daily mean discharges recorded by USGS 

streamgages were 127 percent of average at Sioux City, Iowa 

and 174 percent of average at Boonville, Missouri (Mo.). 

Discharges continued high through late fall upstream from 

Nebraska City, Nebraska because of reservoir evacuation 

(figs. 2, 3). Discharge and temperature data for Lower Missouri River streamgages are from the U.S. Geological Survey 
Hydroclimatic Conditions During 2010 Field Work 3

Yellowstone River

Missouri River

Platte River

James River

Vermillion River Big Sioux River

Osage River

Gasconade River

Kansas River

400

300 200 100

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

2,300 1,300

2,200 1,900

1,400

1,800

2,000

2,300

2,200

1,700 1,600

1,500

Missouri River

115° 110° 105° 100° 95° 90°

45°

40°

Base data from the National Atlas, 2006

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

Base data from the National Atlas, 2006

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

Chariton River

Grand River

ALBERTA

NORTH 

DAKOTA

SASKATCHEWAN

SOUTH 

DAKOTA

WYOMING

COLORADO

NEBRASKA

KANSAS

IOWA

MINNESOTA

MISSOURI

Kansas 

City

Nebraska City

Glasgow

Boonville

Omaha

Decatur

Saint 

Louis

Fort Peck Lake

Lake Sakakawea

Lake Oahe

Lake Sharpe

Lake Francis Case

Lewis and Clark Lake

Yankton

GAVINS

POINT 

DAM

0 100 150 50 200 KILOMETERS

0 100 200 50 150 MILES

MONTANA

EXPLANATION

200 River-mile marker—

 Number is distance 

 upstream from the 

 junction with the 

 Mississippi River, 

 in miles

Dam

Boundary of 

Missouri River 

Basin

A

B 98° 96° 94° 92°

42°

40°

38°

EXPLANATION

Lower study section

Upper study section

Probable spawning location

IOWA

MISSOURI

KANSAS

NEBRASKA

0 50 100 KILOMETERS

0 50 100 MILES

FORT

PECK

DAM

Lowe r Missouri River

Gavins

Point 

Dam

Lower Missouri River

Sioux City

Mississippi River

Figure 1. Missouri River Basin and major tributary rivers (A) with the Comprehensive Sturgeon Research 

Project study areas and 2010 probable spawning sites (B).
4 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

National Water Information System (NWIS), available at 

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis.

Although reservoir levels met technical criteria for pulsed 

flow release from Gavins Point Dam, neither March nor May 

flow pulses were executed in 2010 because of excessive 

downstream flooding. Moreover, temperature criteria [at least 

2 days when water temperature exceeds 16°Celsius (°C)] were 

not met because of a substantial cold snap in mid-May 

(figs. 2, 3). Substantial non-intentional discharge pulses 

occurred during 2010 including pulses in mid-March from 

the Vermillion and Big Sioux rivers that caused a greater 

than 55,000 cubic feet per second (ft3

/s) pulse in the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa (increase from 17,000 ft3

/s to 

75,000 ft3

/s; figs. 2, 3). Downstream from the Kansas River, 

2010 pulses were high and numerous, including six summer 

peaks in excess of a 2-year recurrence flood and two peaks at 

or slightly above a 5-year recurrence flood (figs. 2, 3). A pulse 

that peaked on March 14 at Boonville, Mo. was 195,000 ft3/s 

greater than the 45,000 ft3/s that preceded the event; a pulse 

that peaked May 15 at Boonville was 200,000 ft3

/s greater than 

the 95,000 ft3/s that preceded the event. 

The relations between pulsed flows and water-temperature fluctuations have been of particular interest on the Missouri River because of the hypothesis that discharge and water 

temperature may contribute to environmental cues involved 

with spawning (Papoulias and others, 2011; DeLonay and 

others, 2009; Jacobson and Galat, 2008). In addition, watertemperature decreases of as little as 2°C have been implicated in disrupted sturgeon migration patterns (DeLonay and 

others, 2009). Discharge and water-temperature conditions 

during 2010 provided some insight into possible interactions 

among discharge, weather patterns, and water temperature. 

March–June discharge and water temperature at a downstream 

streamgage (Glasgow, Missouri, where discharge and water 

temperature were recorded in 2010) are inversely related 

(fig. 4A). Pulses of cool runoff from upstream or from tributaries appear to cool the main-stem water temperature during 

spring months. In contrast, variations in water temperatures 

in the upper river (shown at Yankton, South Dakota and 

Figure 2. Hydrograph and temperature 2005–2010 for Lower Missouri River. Gavins Point Dam release data are from the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers. Discharge and temperature data at all other locations were recorded by USGS streamgages and data 

are available from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS), at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis.

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

0

50,000

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

2009 2010

2008

2006

2007

2005

Daily discharge, in cubic feet per second

Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Gavins Point Dam releases

Sioux City, Iowa

Nebraska City, Nebraska

Boonville, Missouri

River discharges

Sioux City, Iowa

Kansas City, Missouri

Water temperatures

EXPLANATION

Flow pulses from Gavins Point Dam
Accomplishments and Products 5

Decatur, Nebraska) did not relate to river discharge (fig. 4B). 

The 4–5°C water temperature drops in mid-May is coincident 

with a sudden and substantial drop in air temperature. Similar 

relations recorded during 2009 (DeLonay and others, 2010) 

indicate that spring water temperatures in the Missouri River 

between Gavins Point Dam and the Platte or Kansas river, may 

be sensitive to weather events independent of discharge. 

Accomplishments and Products

A CSRP report published in 2009 synthesized 4 years of 

field and experimental information on sturgeon reproductive 

ecology (DeLonay and others, 2009). The annual report for 

the 2009 season provided additional information to support 

the 2009 synthesis (DeLonay and others, 2010). Converging 

lines of evidence support the hypothesis that maturation and 

readiness to spawn in female sturgeon is set up many months 

before spawning (Papoulias and others, 2011). Moreover, data 

collected during 2005–2009 indicated that among suspected 

short-term cues for ovulation—water temperature, water 

discharge, and day of year—only water temperature had a consistent relation to reproductive indicators and spawning behaviors. This support is based on tracking records, reproductive 

physiology data, and habitat-use information for hundreds of 

reproductive shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus), but only nine gravid pallid sturgeon that were tracked 

2007–2009. Moreover, it is important to note that field studies 

were conducted for 5 years with extremely variable hydrology that precluded well-controlled field experiments (fig. 2). 

Results of reproductive pallid sturgeon tracked in 2010 tend 

to support the 2005–2009 results, but numbers of fish studied 

are relatively small, and are unlikely to be considered scientifically definitive. A combination of additional replications of 

detailed field studies, well-controlled field experiments (for 

example, pulsed flow modifications from Gavins Point Dam), 

and focused laboratory studies will provide increased certainty 

in understanding the environmental factors that support reproduction of pallid sturgeon.

These reports and our 2010 data indicate consistent 

patterns of upstream spawning migrations in which sturgeon 

appear to be spawning at many locations and over a period of 

1 to 2 months. Movement patterns vary between sexes. Female 

sturgeon generally move upstream and spawn at the apex of 

their migration, whereas males choose to migrate upstream to 

one or several spawning locations, or remain relatively sedentary. Environmental changes such as temperature fluctuations 

or extreme flow events may slow or disrupt spawning migrations or inhibit spawning. Limited information indicates that 

patterns of migratory behavior of pallid sturgeon are similar to 

shovelnose sturgeon. Although information collected for 2010 

is consistent with the 2005–2009 data, additional information will allow the time period, spatial extent, and range of 

environmental conditions associated with successful spawning 

to be narrowed.

Spawning habitats documented in 2010 were similar to 

those documented during 2005–2009. The spawning habitat patches documented in the downstream and upstream 

sections were on the outside of a revetted bend, with deep, 

relatively fast, and turbulent flow. Both patches were adjacent 

to a confluence channel, either from a river or from a chute. 

Figure 3. 2010 Lower Missouri River hydrograph with water temperature highlighting 

temperature anomaly. Gavins Point Dam release data are from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Discharge and temperature data at all other locations were recorded by USGS streamgages and 

data are available from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS), 

at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis. Daily discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Gavins Point Dam releases

Sioux City, Iowa

Nebraska City, Nebraska

Boonville, Missouri

River discharges

Sioux City, Iowa

Kansas City, Missouri

Water temperatures

EXPLANATION

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Temperature anomaly
6 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

March April May June July 

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Yankton, South Dakota

Decatur, Nebraska

Gavins Point dam releases

(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

River discharges Water temperatures

Sioux City, Iowa

Air temperature

B

EXPLANATION

U.S. Geological Survey

streamflow gage 06906500

at Glasgow, Missouri

River discharge Water temperature

EXPLANATION

March April May June July 

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

A

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

U.S. Geological Survey streamflow 

gage 0648600 at Sioux City, Iowa

Glasgow, Missouri

Figure 4. Interactions among discharge, weather patterns, and water temperature in two sections of the Lower 

Missouri River.
Accomplishments and Products 7

Table 1. Missouri River Sturgeon Project Products, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 2010. 

Publications (alphabetical order by author last name)

Braaten, P.J., Fuller, D.B., Lott, R.D., 

Ruggles, M.P., Holm, R.J., 2010.

Spatial distribution of drifting pallid sturgeon 

larvae in the Missouri River inferred from 

two net designs and multiple sampling 

locations.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:1062–1074.

Bryan, J.L., Wildhaber M.L., and Gladish, 

D.W., 2010

Power to detect trends in Missouri River fish 

populations within the Habitat Assessment 

Monitoring Program

U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 

2010–1011, 42 p., http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/

usgspubs/ofr/ofr20101011.

Bryan, J.L., Wildhaber M.L., Gladish, D.W., 

Holan, S., and Ellerseick, M., 2010

The power to detect trends in Missouri River 

fish populations within the Pallid Sturgeon 

Population Assessment Program

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

2010–1020, 414 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/

of/2010/1020/.

Caitlin, D., Jacobson, R.B., Sherfy, M.H., 

Anteau, M.J., Felio, J., Fraser, J.D., Lott, 

C., Shaffer, T.L., and Stucker, J., 2010.

Discussion of “Natural hydrograph of the 

Missouri River near Sioux City and the 

least tern and piping plover” by Donald 

Jorgensen

Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, v. 15, 

no. 12, p. 1076–1078.

Candrl, J., Papoulias, D.M., Tillitt, D.E., 

2010

A minimally invasive method for extraction of 

sturgeon oocytes.

North American Journal of Aquaculture. 72: 

184–187.

DeLonay, A.J., 2010 The pallid sturgeon: scientific investigations 

help understand recovery needs

U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 

2010–3024, 4 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/

fs/2010/3024.

DeLonay, A., Jacobson, R., Papoulias, D., 

Wildhaber, M., Chojnacki, K.A., Pherigo, 

E.K., Bergthold, C.L., and Mestl, G.E., 

2010

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon 

reproduction and recruitment in the Lower 

Missouri River: Annual Report 2009. 

U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 

2010–1215, 64 p., http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/

publication/ofr20101215.

Jacobson, R.B., 2010 River-corridor habitat dynamics U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 

2010–3022, 2 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/

fs/2010/3022.

Jacobson, R.B., Elliott, C.M., and Huhmann, 

B.L., 2010.

Development of a channel classification to 

evaluate potential for cottonwood restoration, lower segments of the Middle Missouri 

River, South Dakota and Nebraska

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5208, 38 p. http://pubs.

usgs.gov/sir/2010/5208/.

Wildhaber, M.L., 2010 Modeling climate change and sturgeon populations in the Missouri RiverU.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 

2010–3019, 2 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/

fs/2010/3019.

Presentations (ordered by date with oldest first)

DeLonay, A.J., Papoulias, D.M., Wildhaber, 

M.L., Jacobson, R.B., Chojnacki, K.A., 

Mestl, G.E., and Bergthold, C.L.

Comprehensive sturgeon research program: 

spawning, habitat use, and behavior of pallid sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River 

– update

January 26–27, 2010, Middle Basin Pallid 

Sturgeon Workgroup Meeting, Blue 

Springs, Missouri.

DeLonay, A.J., Braaten, P.J., Papoulias, 

D.M., Wildhaber, M.L., Jacobson, R.B., 

and Mestl, G.E.

Risk and uncertainty in recovery science for 

rare species in highly altered systems: Understanding the biology and ecology of the 

pallid sturgeon

February 3–5, 2010, Missouri Natural 

Resources Conference, Osage Beach, 

Missouri.

Bryan, J.L. and Wildhaber, M.L. Use of ultrasound and endoscopic techniques 

in culture of sturgeon and madtoms

February 8–10, 2010, Midcontinent Warm 

Water Fish Culture Workshop, Independence, Missouri.

Ruskamp, R.L., Bergthold, C.L., Chojnacki, 

K.A., Mestl, G.E., and DeLonay, A.J.

Seasonal movements and habitat use of adult 

pallid sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River, 

USA.

February 20, 2010, Nebraska Chapter, 

American Fisheries Society, Ponca State 

Park, Ponca, Nebraska.

Papoulias, D.M. Widespread occurrence of intersex in fishes. March 16, 2010, Upper Mississippi River 

Conference, Dubuque, Iowa.

Bazzetta, L.A., Jacobson, R.B., Braaten, P.J., 

Elliott, C.M.

Linking river morphology to larval drift of an 

endangered sturgeon

March 16–19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska.
8 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Presentations (ordered by date with oldest first)—Continued

Braaten, P., Fuller, D., Lott, R., Wilson, R., 

Haddix, T., Jaeger, M., Holte, L., Bartron, 

M., Kalie, J., DeHaan, P., Ardren, W. 

Recaptures and growth of pallid sturgeon early 

life stages in the upper Missouri River, 

Montana and North Dakota

March 16–19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Chojnacki, K.A., Vishy,C.J., Pherigo, E.K., 

and DeLonay, A.J.

Generating information from large volumes of 

data: Development of a sturgeon information management system (SIMS)

March 16-19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska.

DeLonay, A.J., Jacobson, R.B., Papoulias, 

D.M., Wildhaber, M.L., Chojnacki, K.A., 

Bergthold, C.L., and Mestl, G.E.

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon 

(Scaphirhynchus albus) reproduction and 

recruitment in the Lower Missouri River

March 16–19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Haas, J.D., Mestl, G.E., Bergthold, C.L., 

Chojnacki, K.A., DeLonay, A.J., Bryan, 

J.L., Wildhaber, M.L., Bonnot, T.W., and 

Millspaugh, J.J.

Resource selection by adult pallid sturgeon, 

Scaphirhynchus albus, in the channelized 

Missouri River, USA with implications for 

current and planned habitat creation projects

March 16–19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Jacobson, R.B., Janke, T.P., Skold, J. Hydrologic and geomorphic considerations in 

restoration of river-floodplain connectivity, 

Lower Missouri River

March 16–19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Papoulias, D.M., DeLonay, A.J., Annis, 

M.L., Nye, N., Doyle, W.J., Hill, T.D., 

Labay, S.

Geographic differences in reproductive synchrony of Scaphirhynchus: An interpretation of the data relative to genetics, cues, 

and reproductive behavior.

March 16–19, 2010, 2010 MRNRC/BIOP 

meeting, Nebraska City, Nebraska (invited).

Braaten, P.J., Fuller, D.B., Lott, R.D., and 

Ruggles, M.P. 

Drift dynamics of larval pallid sturgeon in 

the mainstem Missouri River: inferences 

for lack of recruitment in fragmented river 

reaches.

May 30–June 3, 2010, 34th Annual Larval 

Fish Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Fuller, D.B., Lott, R.D., and Braaten, P.J. Larval paddlefish and shovelnose sturgeon in 

the upper Missouri River basin including 

the flow-regulated Missouri River below 

Fort Peck Dam, Milk River, and Yellowstone River.

May 30–June 3, 2010, 34th Annual Larval 

Fish Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Papoulias, D.M., Tillitt, D.E., Annis, M.L., 

Nicks, D.K., and Schwarz, M.

Laboratory evaluation of effects of early 

life-stage exposure to selenium on pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and 

shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus 

platorynchus)

May 30–June 3, 2010, 34th Annual Larval 

Fish Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Anderson, C.J., Wildhaber, M.L., Wikle, 

C.K., Franz, K.J., and Holan, S.H.

Downscaling from global climate models to 

regional climate models for use in multiscale modeling of riverine ecosystems and 

responses of fish populations

June 7–11, 2010, 3rd USGS Modeling Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Franz, K.J., Wildhaber, M.L., Wikle, C.K., 

Anderson, C.J., and Holan, S.H.

Downscaling from regional climate models 

to river hydrodynamics for use in multiscale modeling of riverine ecosystems and 

responses of fish populations

June 7–11, 2010, 3rd USGS Modeling Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Holan, S.H., Wildhaber, M.L., Wikle, C.K., 

Anderson, C.J., and Franz, K.J.

Bayesian mark-recapture models for fish survival and population estimation for use in 

multi-scale modeling of riverine ecosystems 

and responses of fish populations

June 7–11, 2010, 3rd USGS Modeling Conference Denver, Colorado.

Wikle, C.K., Wildhaber, M.L., Anderson, 

C.J., Franz, K.J., and Holan, S.H.

A hierachical approach to quantify uncertainty 

in multi-scale modeling of riverine ecosystems and responses of fish populations

June 7–11, 2010, 3rd USGS Modeling Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Wildhaber, M.L., Wikle, C.K., Anderson, 

C.J., Franz, K.J., and Holan, S.H.

Multi-scale modeling of riverine ecosystems 

and responses of fish populations in the context of global climate change and predictive 

uncertainty: introduction and overview

June 7–11, 2010, 3rd USGS Modeling Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Table 1. Missouri River Sturgeon Project Products, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 2010. 

—Continued
Accomplishments and Products 9

Table 1. Missouri River Sturgeon Project Products, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 2010. 

—Continued

Presentations (ordered by date with oldest first)—Continued

Wildhaber, M.L., Wikle, C.K., Anderson, 

C.J., Franz, K.J., and Holan, S.H.

Translating river hydrodynamics in to fish 

population responses for use in multi-scale 

modeling of riverine ecosystems

June 7–11, 2010, 3rd USGS Modeling Conference, Denver, Colorado.

DeLonay, A.J., Jacobson, R.B., Papoulias, 

D.M., Braaten, P.J., Wildhaber, M.L., 

Chojnacki, K.A., and Mestl, G.E.

Comprehensive sturgeon research program: 

Update to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Integrated Science Program

July 7, 2010, USGS Webinar, Columbia 

Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri.

Chojnacki, K.A. and DeLonay, A.J. Mobile mapping of fish movements in the 

Lower Missouri River

July 12–16, 2010, ESRI International Users 

Conference, San Diego, California.

Arab, A., Holan, S.H., Wildhaber, M.L. and 

Wikle, C.K.

A hierarchical Bayesian model for environmental correlated count processes with 

application to fisheries habitat management

July 31– August 5, 2010, Joint Statistical 

Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, 

Canada.

Jacobson, R.B. Re-engineering the Missouri River for ecosystem recoveryAugust 6, 2010, Watershed Committee of 

the Ozarks, Springfield, Missouri.

Braaten, P.J., Lott, R.D., and Fuller, D.B. Factors influencing recruitment of shovelnose 

sturgeon in the upper Missouri River basin.

September 12–16, 2010, American Fisheries 

Society 140th annual meeting, Pittsburgh, 

Pennsylvania.

DeLonay, A.J., Jacobson, R.B., Papoulias, 

D.M., Wildhaber, M.L., Chojnacki, K.A., 

Haas, J.D., and Mestl, G.E.

Progress in understanding pallid sturgeon 

reproductive and recruitment in the Lower 

Missouri River

September 20–24, 2010, Third International 

Symposium on Ecology and Biodiversity 

in Large Rivers of Northeast Asia and 

North America, Memphis, Tennessee.

McElroy, B.J., Jacobson, R.B., DeLonay, 

A.J., Vishy, C.J., Elliot, C.M., Thorsby, 

R., Chojnacki, K.A., and Reuter, J.M.

Multi-scale hydroacoustic remote sensing of 

endangered pallid sturgeon and their habitats in the Lower Missouri River

September 20–24, 2010, Third International 

Symposium on Ecology and Biodiversity 

in Large Rivers of Northeast Asia and 

North America, Memphis, Tennessee.

DeLonay, A.J., Jacobson, R.J., Papoulias, 

D.M., Wildhaber, M.L., Chojnacki, K.A., 

Haas, J.D, Mestl, G.E.

Progress in understanding pallid sturgeon 

reproduction in the Lower Missouri River

September 27–30, 2010, Pallid Sturgeon 

Recovery Team Meeting, Alton, Illinois.

Jacobson, R.B. Geologic, hydrologic, and geomorphic 

processes and the restoration of large-river 

ecosystems

October 26–29, 2010, 37th Natural Areas 

Conference, Osage Beach, Missouri.

Jacobson, R.B. Hydrogeomorphology and riverine habitat 

dynamics

October 31–November 3, 2010, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, 

Denver, Colorado.

Haas, J.D., Adams, J.D., Bergthold, C.L., 

Chojnacki, K.A., DeLonay, A.J., and 

Mestl, G.E.

Use distribution of adult pallid sturgeon, 

Scaphirhynchus albus, in the Missouri River 

below Gavins Point Dam

December 12–15, 2010, 71st Midwest Fish 

and Wildlife Conference, Minneapolis, 

Minnesota.

Posters (ordered by date with oldest first)

Adams, J.D., Ruskamp, R.L., Bergthold, 

C.L., Chojnacki, K.A., DeLonay, A.J., and 

Mestl, G.E.

Use distribution of adult pallid sturgeon, 

Scaphirhynchus albus, in the Missouri River 

below Gavins Point Dam

March 16–19, 2010, Missouri River Natural 

Resources Conference and BiOP Forum, 

Nebraska City, Nebraska.

McElroy, B., Elliott, C., Thorsby, M., and 

Jacobson, R.

Morphodynamic progress towards restoration 

of shallow water habitats in minimally engineered side-channel chutes of the Lower 

Missouri River: Jameson Island and North 

Overton Bottoms

March 16–19, 2010, Missouri River Natural 

Resources Conference and BiOP Forum, 

Nebraska City, Nebraska.

George, A.E. and Simpkins, D.G. Spatiotemporal variation in diversity and density of larval fish in the Missouri National 

Recreational River, Nebraska and South 

Dakota.

May 30–June 3, 2010, 34th Annual Larval 

Fish Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Chojnacki, K.A., Vishy, C.J., Pherigo, E.K., 

and DeLonay, A.J.

Generating information from large volumes of 

data: Development of a sturgeon information management system (SIMS)

September 12–16, 2010, American Fisheries 

Society 140th annual meeting, Pittsburgh, 

Pennsylvania.
10 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

If revetted outside bends are confirmed as habitats conducive to successful spawning, it would follow that spawning 

substrate is not a limiting factor in pallid sturgeon reproduction in the Lower Missouri River. Habitat studies in 2010 also 

characterized conditions during upstream fish migration. In 

contrast to spawning sturgeon, these data support the hypothesis that migrating sturgeon use lower velocity habitats on 

inside bends, presumably to minimize energy expenditure 

(Reuter and others, 2009). Calculations confirm that the fish 

use the minimum energy-expenditure path available to them. 

Increased energy expenditure during upstream migration may 

reduce a fish’s reproductive capacity. Additional coordinated 

tracking, habitat assessments, and physiological studies would 

increase our understanding of how changes in flow regime 

or channel re-engineering of the Lower Missouri River could 

serve to increase low-energy migration pathways and increase 

reproductive success.

During 2010, project scientists published 10 articles and 

reports, and provided 40 presentations at regional, national, 

and international scientific meetings. Project scientists also 

provided input into Missouri River science discussions at the 

request of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, other Federal 

and State agencies, and stakeholders. Products delivered or 

published during 2010 are in table 1.

Posters (ordered by date with oldest first)—Continued

DeLonay, A.J., Jacobson, R.J., Papoulias, 

D.M., Wildhaber, M.L., Chojnacki, K.A., 

Bergthold, CL., Mestl, G.E.

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon 

reproduction and recruitment in the Lower 

Missouri River 

September 12–16, 2010, American Fisheries 

Society 140th annual meeting, Pittsburgh, 

Pennsylvania.

Jacobson, R.B., Janke, T.P., Skold, J., and 

Chojnacki, K.A.

Hydrologic and geomorphic considerations in 

restoration of river-floodplain connectivity, 

Lower Missouri River

September 20–24, 2010, Third International 

Symposium on Ecology and Biodiversity 

in Large Rivers of Northeast Asia and 

North America, Memphis, Tennessee.

Chojnacki, K.A., Vishy, C.J., Pherigo, E.K., 

and DeLonay, A.J.

Development of a sturgeon information management system (SIMS) to support science 

for the recovery and management of an 

endangered large river species

September 20–24, 2010, Third International 

Symposium on Ecology and Biodiversity 

in Large Rivers of Northeast Asia and 

North America, Memphis, Tennessee.

Jacobson, R.B., Janke, T., Skold, J., and 

Chojnacki, K.A.

Hydrologic and geomorphic considerations in 

restoration of river-floodplain connectivity, 

Lower Missouri River

September 20–24, 2010, Third International 

Symposium on Ecology and Biodiversity 

in Large Rivers of Northeast Asia and 

North America, Memphis, Tennessee.

News (ordered by date with oldest first)

Helming, J., Pherigo, E.K., and Welly, R.J. Team busy tagging sturgeon at hatchery August 4, 2010, Neosho Daily News 

http://www.neoshodailynews.com/news/

x1137372188/Team-busy-tagging-sturgeon-at-hatchery.

DeLonay, A.J., Papoulias, D.P., Tillitt, D., 

Welly, R., Davenport, S.A.

Columbia researchers study intersex sturgeon 

in Missouri River

December 6, 2010, Columbia Missourian 

Newspaper http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/12/06/columbiaresearchers-find-intersex-sturgeon-missouri-river/.

Special Events (ordered by date with oldest first)

Chojnacki, K.A., McLeod, R.H., and 

Pherigo, E.K.

USGS research on the Missouri River – a 

comprehensive display of research being 

conducted by the USGS on the Missouri 

River

March 16–19, 2010, Missouri River Natural 

Resources Conference and BiOP Forum, 

Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Pherigo, E.K. USGS - CERC research on the Missouri River 

Display

April 24, 2010, Missouri River Festival, 

Washington, Missouri.

Bryan, J.L. Ultrasound techniques to determine gender 

and reproductive stage in Scaphirhynchus 

sturgeon

April 28, 2010, Personalized instruction 

to Mark Matsche, Fish Health Biologist 

from the Maryland DNR provided at 

USGS CERC, Columbia, Missouri.

Jacobson, R.B. Introduction to the River Studies Branch at 

USGS–CERC

July 19, 2010, International Association of 

Astacology (IAA) 18th Symposium tour 

of USGS-CERC, Columbia, Missouri.

 

Table 1. Missouri River Sturgeon Project Products, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 2010. 

—Continued
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 11

Future Research Into Reproductive 

Ecology of Missouri River Pallid 

Sturgeon

During 2010, the CSRP was successful in adding replicates and greater detail to existing understanding of pallid 

sturgeon reproductive ecology, especially related to spawning 

behavior and spawning habitat. Information on environmental 

conditions, migrations, and reproductive physiology added 

additional data points to our understanding of reproductive 

cues and the potential role of pulsed flow modifications to 

enhance reproductive success. Whereas 2010 supported the 

growing set of information on links between potential management actions and prospects for reproduction and survival 

of the species, additional information gaps have become more 

apparent. These information gaps could be addressed by:

• Replicating controlled and opportunistic field experiments on spawning cues to achieve credibility within 

the scientific community. Credibility probably will 

require several additional years of field studies at the 

current (2011) level of effort (4–8 reproductive pallid 

sturgeon per year) assuming good representation of 

years with and without flow pulses. Alternatively, 

fewer years would be necessary with greater numbers 

of tagged fish and the resources to track them. Coordinated physiological and habitat studies are needed 

to understand the causal links between environmental 

conditions and reproductive success.

• Increasing efforts in addressing spawning success criteria. In addition to demonstrating that eggs have been 

released, indicators of spawning success are a presence 

of males, observations of fish interactions, observations or sampling of fertile eggs, sampling of larvae 

downstream from demonstrated spawning patches, and 

sampling of larvae of a developmental stage consistent 

with the observed spawning event or linked by genetic 

analysis. 

• Understanding where pallid sturgeon go and what 

habitats they use between reproductive seasons. Pallid 

sturgeon females become reproductive once every 2–5 

years, and environmental conditions—food availability, water temperature, physical habitat quality and 

quantity, biotic interactions—between spawning events 

may be critical to spawning success (Wildhaber and 

others, 2011a). Understanding the role of nonspawning years will require additional year-round tracking 

and may require expansion of telemetry efforts into the 

Mississippi River. Such efforts also will help define the 

extent of habitat used by these fish and may provide 

insight into genetic structure of the population.

• Understanding the roles of intersex and reproductive 

tumors (DeLonay and others, 2009) in pallid sturgeon 

to determine whether contaminants in the environment 

contribute to lack of reproduction or recruitment, in 

whole or in part. 

• Quantifying habitat selection during nonreproductive 

seasons and for juvenile fish to determine if various 

habitats (for example, migration, over-wintering, or 

young-of-the-year feeding habitats) may be bottlenecks to reproduction and recruitment. This can be 

approached through a combination of detailed field 

studies and controlled laboratory experiments on 

young fish.

• Understanding transport and fate of pallid sturgeon 

larvae to determine if they successfully drift into supportive habitats. Previously presented calculations have 

indicated that mean velocities in the Lower Missouri 

River are sufficient to transport larvae hatched over 

much of its length into the Middle Mississippi River 

(DeLonay and others, 2009). Improved understanding 

of drift dynamics will document whether channel reengineering that decreases mean velocity and increases 

drift retention would be effective in increasing recruitment.

Detailed Research Task Activities and 

Progress 

Task 1. Movement, Habitat Use, and 

Reproductive Behavior of Shovelnose Sturgeon 

and Pallid Sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River 

Background

Adult pallid sturgeon in reproductive condition are rare 

on the Lower Missouri River and evidence of successful 

reproduction and survival of young suggest that any reproduction that may be occurring is insufficient to sustain a viable 

population (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007). Although 

harvest and habitat fragmentation by reservoirs may limit pallid sturgeon populations in parts of its range, limited numbers 

of adults and poor reproduction have been recognized among 

the greatest threats to pallid sturgeon in the Lower Missouri 

River. Management agencies consistently have identified 

the need to (1) characterize and quantify spawning habitats; 

(2) develop a better understanding of environmental factors 

that affect maturation and spawning movements, including 

homing; and (3) quantify spawning success and failure based 

on collections of eggs, larvae and young-of-year, and relate 

reproductive success to environmental conditions as priority 

information necessary to recover the species (U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 2007; Bergman and others, 2008). Many 

studies have examined habitat use and movement by adult 

Scaphirhynchus sturgeon (Hurley and others, 1987; Latka 
12 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

and others, 1995; Quist and others, 1999; DeLonay and others, 2000; Bramblett and White, 2001; Snook and Peters, 

2002; Hurley and others, 2004; Garvey and others, 2009). 

Few studies have attempted to study reproductive migrations, 

characterize spawning behavior and habitat, assess spawning 

success, or examine long-term reproductive cycles or patterns 

of habitat use by pallid sturgeon. Before this study, none have 

precisely documented where pallid sturgeon spawn or provided information necessary to link pallid sturgeon migration, 

spawning, or reproductive success to large river management. 

Until recently (2004) none have specifically focused on reproductively mature fish before and during the spawning season.

During 2004–2009, CSRP employed telemetry to relocate 

individual sturgeon for long periods to collect information on 

movement, habitat use, behavior, and response to environmental cues or habitat manipulations (DeLonay and others, 

2007b; DeLonay and others, 2009). Previous experience with 

telemetry provided opportunities to recollect, reassess, and 

re-implant individual sturgeon to monitor changes in growth, 

condition, and reproductive status through multiple years. This 

information is not available using traditional fisheries sampling techniques, especially in large systems where all habitats 

cannot be sampled or sampled throughout all time periods. 

Telemetry data provides a means for defining characteristic 

migration patterns of reproductive fish and identifying spawning locations (DeLonay and others, 2009). Deployment of 

environmental data collection tags in telemetered fish provides 

unprecedented direct and quantitative understanding of a fish’s 

environment (DeLonay and others 2007a; Holan and others 

2009). CSRP has used telemetry as part of a unique multidisciplinary approach in which telemetry is coordinated with 

physiological assessments of reproductive behavior (Task 2) 

and hydroacoustic habitat assessments (Task 3) (DeLonay and 

others, 2007b; DeLonay and others, 2009; Papoulias and others, 2011). The physiologic context provides an understanding 

of the reproductive state of a tagged fish, and thereby provides 

interpretation of why the fish behaves as it does (Wildhaber 

and others, 2007). Similarly, detailed habitat mapping around 

tagged fish places the behavior of individuals within a larger 

spatial context that allows researchers to characterize habitat 

availability and selection, and thereby understand how channel 

morphology and flow regime can be managed to maximize 

reproduction and survival (Reuter and others, 2008; DeLonay 

and others, 2009; Jacobson and others, 2009; Reuter and others, 2009; Bonnot and others, 2011).

CSRP has emphasized tagging male and female sturgeon 

in reproductive condition in order to focus on spawning cues, 

behaviors, and habitat. Although CSRP has gained useful 

information from shovelnose and pallid sturgeon, tagging for 

the last 3 years has emphasized pallid sturgeon. Generally, 

fish have been captured in the spring, assessed for reproductive condition, and if reproductive, they have been implanted 

and tracked throughout the spring and summer. After a 

spawning migration or at the end of the season, the fish are 

targeted for recapture to extract data storage tags (DST) and 

re-implant with long-lived telemetry tags. For the last 4 years 

the approach has resulted in an at-large population of about 

80 adult, male and female pallid sturgeon at various reproductive stages. This at-large population is an investment with 

the potential to yield an important understanding of pallid 

sturgeon reproductive cycles.

Scope and Objectives

This task is a continuation of work initiated in 2005 in 

collaboration with NGPC. The objectives of this work are to 

(1) identify pre-spawning habitat; (2) determine the direction 

and magnitude of spawning movements, (3) characterize patterns of habitat use during spawning migrations, (4) determine 

where and under what conditions sturgeon spawn, (5) verify 

and validate spawning behavior, (6) assess the relative success of spawning related to status and environmental conditions, including natural and augmented spring flows, and (7) 

determine and characterize post-spawn and nonreproductive 

habitat. 

Methods

Task 1 focused exclusively on pallid sturgeon in 2010. 

The work was again conducted within two geographically and 

hydrologically distinct reaches of the Lower Missouri River 

to take advantage of the longitudinal variability in the system 

for comparative purposes. The lower, downstream section is 

located on the Lower Missouri River between the Osage River 

and Grand River (river miles 130–250, fig. 1). The upstream 

section is located between the Platte River in Nebraska and the 

Big Sioux River (river miles 595–734). The general approach 

entailed capturing pallid sturgeon from the Missouri River, 

intensively evaluating the reproductive status of individuals, implanting each with transmitters and data storage tags 

(DST), tracking their movements, and characterizing habitat 

use through migration and spawning (DeLonay and others, 

2007b). Tagged pallid sturgeon were tracked to their spawning 

locations and recaptured as soon as possible after spawning to 

evaluate their reproductive success and recover the implanted 

DST. The assessment of reproductive status and spawning success is coordinated with Task 2.

In 2010, USGS and NGPC planned to implant and track 

female and male pallid sturgeon meeting established implantation criteria (appropriate size and reproductive status) in each 

of the two study sections with 2-year acoustic transmitters and 

DSTs recording depth and temperature at 30-minute intervals. At least one, but no more than four gravid females were 

targeted for implantation within each study section. At least 

one, but no more than three ripe males also were targeted for 

implantation within each study section. Throughout the study 

concerted efforts were made to re-collect, re-evaluate, and 

re-implant pallid sturgeon tagged in previous years. Sturgeon 

collected by other agencies for use as broodstock in the pallid 

sturgeon hatchery propagation program also were implanted 

opportunistically with transmitters before release back into the 
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 13

Missouri River near the site of capture. The long-term goal of 

the study is to retain more than 80 adult sturgeon with active 

transmitters and with known reproductive histories for longterm analyses of patterns of migration, spawning site selection 

and fidelity, and reproductive frequency and success.

Following implantation, USGS and NGPC crews located 

and tracked individual telemetered fish to record habitat use 

and seasonal movements (DeLonay and others, 2007b). Fish 

were tracked extensively (located every few days) during preand post-spawn periods. Fish in reproductive condition were 

tracked intensively (located daily or several times daily) from 

April through June, or until re-collection indicated that spawning was complete. Sturgeon in reproductive condition were 

prioritized for tracking to better allocate crew resources and 

to increase the likelihood of documenting spawning events. 

Gravid females were given priority over males, and migrating gravid females with low polarity indices (PI) were given 

the highest priority. The goal for reproductive female pallid 

sturgeon was to determine their location daily in early spring 

and more frequently when water temperatures reach 16°C or 

when the movement or behavior of the females indicated that 

spawning was imminent. During high-frequency intensive 

tracking, sturgeon are located several times daily to determine 

direction and rate of movement. Migrating females that pause 

or stop for more than 6 hours are targeted for continuous 

monitoring and habitat characterization. Continuous tracking 

of rapidly migrating sturgeon is not possible during hours of 

darkness in the lower study section because of safety concerns, 

but continuous tracking of stationary sturgeon or sturgeon at 

spawning locations is possible. The goal for nonreproductive 

pallid sturgeon was to determine their location one to three 

times monthly.

Measurements of water conditions (for example, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity) and 

habitat characteristics (for example, depth and substrate) 

were recorded at each location to qualitatively and quantitatively describe habitat used by sturgeon during nonspawning, prespawning, and spawning periods. Detailed mapping 

of migration pathways and spawning habitat locations were 

coordinated with Task 3. Suspected spawning sites of tagged 

sturgeon were assessed through a combination of sampling for 

eggs or larvae, capture of adult pallid sturgeon in reproductive 

condition, or dual-frequency identification sonar (DIDSON®) 

imagery. Not all assessment methods were employed at each 

spawning site. Assessment methods used at each site were 

determined by resource availability, river conditions, and 

safety considerations. 

Results

USGS and NGPC began recollecting and re-implanting 

tagged pallid sturgeon in September 2009 in anticipation of 

2010 studies. Tagged pallid sturgeon females and males were 

identified as candidates for recapture using the Sturgeon Information Management System (SIMS) (see Task 4) based upon 

sex, reproductive history, and recent movement. All sturgeon 

used in the tracking studies are given a unique database 

identifier, implanted with a transmitter with a unique acoustic 

code, and tagged with a passive integrated transponder (PIT). 

Candidate sturgeon were located and re-collected using drifted 

trammel nets as described by DeLonay and others (2007b). 

Re-collection efforts continued from September through 

November of 2009 and from February through November of 

2010. Trotline and gill net sampling for new, untagged reproductive adults began in February and continued through April 

2010.

Winter and spring capture efforts were hampered by 

cold weather, ice and high water. The combination of adverse 

environmental conditions made sampling for adult pallid 

sturgeon difficult to nearly impossible for a substantial portion of the spring sampling season. The composition of pallid 

sturgeon captured was similar to that reported in previous 

years though numbers of sturgeon captured declined (fig. 5). 

Likewise tracking efforts and recapture efforts were hampered 

by extreme high water in the lower study section. Sampling 

crews adjusted to adverse environmental conditions by relying less on the collection of new fish and actively seeking 

and recapturing previously tracked fish for re-evaluation and 

re-implantation. 

In 2010, 57 adult pallid sturgeon were captured, assessed, 

implanted and released as part of the telemetry tracking 

program. Of those, 20 were previously tracked fish that were 

recaptured using targeted recapture methods and re-implanted 

for long-term monitoring, including one gravid female and 

four ripe males. Spring sampling with gill nets and trotlines 

yielded only one additional male and one female in reproductive condition. The program also opportunistically took 

advantage of fish collected by the propagation and broodstock 

collection program. Fish released by the propagation program 

for telemetry included 2 reproductive females, 5 reproductive 

males, as well as 4 spent females, 3 probable atretic females, 

and 1 intersex reproductive male. As a result the average size 

and age of adults, as well as the number of fish in the research 

portfolio that are known to have spawned or previously been 

reproductive has increased substantially.

Four gravid females were intensively tracked during 

spring 2010 to determine spawning location and success. One 

gravid female was tracked in the lower section, and three were 

intensively tracked in the upstream section. During intensive 

pallid sturgeon tracking in spring 2010, two of four female 

pallid sturgeon were tracked to their likely spawning locations, 

subsequently recaptured and determined to have spawned. 

This triggered larval sampling at two locations. One spawning 

site was located for a female pallid sturgeon in the upper study 

section and one in the lower.

Female pallid sturgeon PLS10-013 in the upper study 

section was captured on April 12, 2010, and sent to Blind 

Pony State Fish Hatchery in Sweet Springs, Mo (not shown). 

Genetic analyses indicated a probability that PLS10-013 may 

be the progeny of the hatchery program and therefore unsuitable for broodstock. PLS10-013 was released to CSRP on 

April 21, 2010, implanted with a transmitter, and released 
14 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

upstream from its original capture location. The upstream 

release was designed to account for migration that could have 

occurred during the 9 days the fish was held in captivity. After 

release PLS10-013 moved rapidly upstream and is presumed 

to have spawned in the main-stem Missouri River on April 

28–29, 2010, on an outside revetted bend between river mile 

633.7–634.2 adjacent to the Boyer Chute National Wildlife 

Refuge (fig. 6). Crews sampled for larvae during the time 

when eggs were likely to hatch based upon calculated developmental times at ambient river temperatures. No Scaphirhynchus larvae were collected at the probable spawning site 

of PLS10-013, though paddlefish larvae of various ages were 

collected.

The intensively tracked reproductive female pallid sturgeon in the lower study section (PLS10-006) moved upstream 

and is presumed to have spawned on April 30–May 1, 2010, 

in the main-stem Missouri River between river miles 

202.0–202.4 on an outside revetted bend immediately 

downstream from the confluence with the Lamine River 

(not shown); a small tributary (fig. 7). The upstream spawning movement was interrupted briefly by a discharge event 

exceeding 195,000 ft3

/s and a temperature drop of greater 

than 3°C. Migration resumed as discharge declined and 

temperatures increased. Spawning occurred at the apex of 

migration on the descending limb of the hydrograph as water 

temperatures warmed from 15 to 17°C. This female sturgeon possessed a coded wire tag and was therefore of known 

hatchery-origin. DIDSON® was deployed at the spawning site 

in an attempt to observe spawning aggregations and behavior. 

A minimal number of active large sturgeon were observed at 

the site. The amount and quality of the imagery was limited because of deep water, fast current and the presence of 

bedrock. Crews sampled for larvae during the time when eggs 

were likely to hatch based on calculated developmental times 

at ambient river temperatures. Water temperatures following spawning suggested a 6–8 day incubation period. Two 

early stage Scaphirhynchus larvae and one egg were collected 

immediately downstream from the probable spawning site of 

PLS10-006 on May 7, 2010. The larvae were early protolarvae 

collected soon after hatch. Subsequent genetic analyses by 

Dr. Edward Heist indicated that the larvae were shovelnose 

2008

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

2009 2010

200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200

Length, in millimeters

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

2007

Weight, in grams

Unknown

Hatchery

Wild

EXPLANATION

Figure 5. Length-weight relation of hatchery-released, unknown and wild pallid sturgeon collected during 2007–2010 

spring sampling efforts in the upper and lower study sections. Pallid sturgeon of unknown origin did not bear hatchery 

marks and samples have not been tested to determine genetic parentage. Pallid sturgeon are presumed wild if genetic 

testing did not assign them to known broodstock parents. Not all parents used in the propagation program are present in the 

genetic database; therefore, sturgeon presumed to be wild may be over-represented in the actual totals.
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 15

Figure 6. Movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS10-013. Depth and temperature recorded 

from data storage tag (DST), discharge from the nearest streamgage at Decatur, Nebraska, and 

telemetry locations for implanted gravid pallid sturgeon PLS10-013. Fish was implanted in reproductive 

condition, later recaptured, and determined to have spawned. 

Fish depth from DST

Water temperature from DST

Discharge—U.S. Geological Survey

 streamflow gage 06601200 at Decatur,

 Nebraska, river mile 691 

Telemetry location

Tag implantation and release

Recapture, evaluation, and release

Capture and transport to hatchery

EXPLANATION

2010

Depth, in meters

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

 Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

Location, in Missouri River river mile

525

550

575

600

625

650

NEBRASKA

PLS10-013

Reproductive female

April 12 April 17 April 22 April 27 May 2 May 7 May 9

IOWA

Platte River

650

600

610

620

630

640

Omaha

96°15' 96° 95°45' 95°30'

41°30'

41°15'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, digital data, 1999, 1:2,000,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1960)

Movement range of pallid sturgeon PLS10-013

EXPLANATION

Initial release

Recapture

Telemetry location

River mile marker— 

 Number is distance upstream 

 from the junction with the 

 Mississippi River, in miles

Movement range

700

0 105 KILOMETERS

0 5 10 MILES

NEBRASKA

Missouri

River
16 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

sturgeon (Heist and others, University of Illinois, Carbondale, 

Ill., written commun., 2010). 

The two remaining females, both tracked in the upper 

study section, exhibited complex migratory patterns; either 

not spawning at the apex of their migration (PLS10-023), 

or demonstrating multiple upstream and downstream movements (PLS08-014). PLS10-23 was captured on April 14, 

2010, and sent to Blind Pony State Fish Hatchery as potential 

broodstock. Subsequent genetic analyses rejected this sturgeon 

as parental broodstock based on results of NEWHYBRIDS 

analysis that suggest the possibility of some shovelnose 

sturgeon introgression one or more generations removed from 

this female’s parents (0.871 pallid sturgeon) (Heist and others, University of Illinois, Carbondale, Ill., written commun., 

2010). The NEWHYBRIDS analysis is a probability model 

that calculates the likelihood that an individual may be identified as either one of two parental species, in this case a pallid 

sturgeon or a shovelnose sturgeon, or one of various classes 

of hybrids (F1s, F2s, or various backcrosses) (Anderson and 

Thompson, 2002). The model suggests that PLS10-23 was 

the product of a pure pallid sturgeon backcrossing (spawning) with a shovelnose x pallid sturgeon hybrid. PLS10-023 

was released to CSRP on April 28, 2010, implanted with a 

transmitter and released upstream from its capture location. 

The upstream release was to account for migration that could 

have occurred during the 14 days the fish was held in captivity. PLS10-023 moved upstream and reached its migration 

apex on May 6, 2010, at river mile 659.9 (fig 8). Within hours 

PLS10-023 began to move back downstream and was targeted 

for recapture. It was recaptured on May 13, 2010, at river 

mile 642.7. Reproductive evaluation in the field revealed that 

it had not spawned and still possessed viable ova. Because of 

limited crews, intensive tracking of PLS10-023 was abandoned in favor of PLS08-014, which had begun to move 

rapidly upstream. Extensive tracking efforts later located the 

stationary PLS10-023 more than 147 miles downstream at the 

confluence with the Big Nemaha River (not shown) at river 

mile 495.1. It was recaptured on June 9, 2010. Field evaluations revealed that the female had spawned completely.

PLS08-14 was first captured as a presumed-wild, gravid 

female on April 11, 2008. She was implanted with a transmitter and DST and intensively tracked though the spawning 

period. Its movement patterns in 2008 were highly irregular 

and disjointed (fig. 9). Disrupted migration movement by 

PLS08-014 in 2008 appeared to be related to sudden drops in 

water temperature that caused it to pause its upstream migration or to move downstream (DeLonay and others, 2009). 

PLS08-014 was recaptured in early June 2008 and field evaluations indicated that the female had spawned, although the 

location of spawning could not be determined from movement 

or behavior. PLS08-014 was targeted for recapture in the fall 

of 2009. Evaluations of reproductive readiness on October 27, 

2009, and again on March 9, 2010, indicated that PLS08-014 

would be ready to spawn in the spring of 2010, 2 years after its 

last spawning event. Examination of movement among years 

indicates strikingly similar patterns (figs. 9, 10). PLS08-014 

began its spring migration from almost exactly the same location and at nearly the same time in 2008 and 2010. In each 

year the upstream migration pattern is complex and disrupted. 

PLS08-014 was recaptured on May 26, 2010, after multiple 

upstream and downstream movements. At recapture it had not 

yet spawned and field biopsies of ovaries determined that the 

ova were still viable (fig. 10). On June 4, 2010, it was again 

recaptured after a pronounced downstream movement and 

the ova had gone atretic. In contrast to 2008, PLS08-014 was 

unable to spawn in 2010.

Five pallid sturgeon males known to be in reproductive 

condition were available for intensive tracking at the start of 

the season. Two were captured and evaluated in the lower 

section and three in the upper section. Midway into the spawning season, the hatchery propagation program released five 

additional males to CSRP for telemetry that originally were 

captured in the upper section, transported to the hatchery, and 

used as broodstock. The males were implanted with transmitters and released in the upper study section to increase the 

likelihood of documenting spawning aggregations with tagged 

females. Although the males had been artificially induced to 

release sperm in the hatchery for propagation, inspection of 

the testes during implantation on April 29, 2010, indicated that 

these males were still ripe and likely capable of spawning in 

the Missouri River.

Because of the disparate locations of the males and 

females in the lower section intensive tracking of males 

logistically was not possible with the crew resources available. 

No aggregations of tagged males and females were observed 

in the lower section. Males were not tracked intensively in 

the upper section because of the numbers of prioritized gravid 

females available. Gravid female pallid sturgeon PLS08-014 

was found in close association with three males on several 

occasions during her upstream migration (fig. 11). Male pallid 

sturgeon PLS08-019 and PLS10-014 were known to be in 

reproductive condition and each briefly encountered PLS08-

014. Male pallid sturgeon PLS08-031 closely tracked the 

upstream migration of PLS08-014 for nearly a week in midMay, but its reproductive status was not evaluated.

Intensive and extensive tracking of pallid sturgeon 

between 2007 and 2010 has resulted in the documentation 

of spawning by 12 individual females in the Lower Missouri 

River (table 2). The precision with which it is possible to 

estimate when and where spawning has taken place varies. 

Descriptions of spawning events by some intensively tracked 

and recaptured females has defined spawning as occurring 

over a few hundred meters of an outside bend of the river in 

a 24–36 hour period. Estimates of the timing and location 

of spawning of other tagged females may be more broadly 

defined, especially if the migration pattern of intensively 

tracked females was complex and disrupted without any clear 

observation of spawning behavior, or if only the females 

were tracked extensively and had only a few observations 

between the initial reproductive evaluation and the post-spawn 

recapture.
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 17

Figure 7. Movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS10-006. Depth and temperature 

recorded from data storage tag (DST), discharge from the nearest streamgage at Boonville, 

Missouri, and telemetry locations for implanted gravid pallid sturgeon PLS010-006. Fish was 

implanted in reproductive condition, later recaptured, and determined to have spawned.

MISSOURI

Missouri River

190

180

170

210

200

160

Boonville

92°45' 92°30'

39°

38°45'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, digital data, 1999, 1:2,000,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1960)

Movement range of pallid sturgeon PLS10-006

EXPLANATION

Initial release

Recapture

Telemetry location

River mile marker — 

 Number is distance upstream 

 from the junction with the 

 Mississippi River, in miles

Movement range

700

0 5 10 KILOMETERS

0 5 10 MILES

** PLS10-006 is of hatchery progeny, indicated by the presence of a coded wire tag.

2010

Depth, in meters

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

Discharge, in cubic meters per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Location, in Missouri River river mile

170

175

180

185

190

195

200

205

PLS10- Reproductive fe l

EXPLANATION

PLS10-006

Reproductive female

April 19 April 26 May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31

Fish depth from DST

Water temperature from DST

Discharge—U.S. Geological Survey

 streamflow gage 06909000 at Boonville, 

 Missouri, river mile 199 

Telemetry location

Tag implantation and release

Recapture, evaluation, and release
18 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Figure 8. Movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS10-023. Depth and temperature recorded from data 

storage tag (DST), discharges from the nearest streamgages, and telemetry locations for implanted gravid 

pallid sturgeon PLS10-023. Fish was implanted in reproductive condition, later recaptured, and determined to 

have spawned. 

IOWA

NEBRASKA

KANSAS

MISSOURI

Platte River

Grand River

Platte River

650

550

600

700

500

450

Omaha

97° 96° 95° 94°

42°

41°

40°

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, digital data, 1999, 1:2,000,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1960)

Movement range of pallid sturgeon PLS10-023

EXPLANATION

Initial release

Recapture

Telemetry location

River mile marker—

 Number is distance upstream 

 from the junction with the 

 Mississippi River, in miles

Movement range

700

0 30 60 KILOMETERS

0 30 60 MILES

Missouri River

2010

April 13 April 27 May 11 May 25 June 8 

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Depth, in meters

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Location, in Missouri River river mile

480

520

560

600

640

680

PLS10-023

female

Discharge—U.S. Geological Survey

 streamflow gage 06813500 at Rulo, 

 Nebraska, river mile 497

Fish depth from DST

Water temperature from DST

 Discharge—U.S. Geological Survey

 streamflow gage 06601200 at Decatur,

 Nebraska, river mile 691 

Initial capture and transport to hatchery

Tag implantation and release

Confluence with Big Nemaha River Missouri River telemetry location

Recapture, evaluation, and release

EXPLANATION

PLS10-023

Female
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 19

Figure 9. Comparison of telemetry locations of pallid sturgeon PLS08-014 in 2008 and 2010. Depth and 

temperature recorded from data storage tags (DST), discharge from the Decatur, Nebraska, streamgage, and 

telemetry locations for implanted gravid pallid sturgeon PLS08-014. Fish was implanted in reproductive condition, 

later recaptured, and determined to have spawned in 2008, but not to have spawned in 2010. 

2010

Depth, in meters

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Location, in Missouri River river mile 

630

640

650

660

670

680

690

April 10 April 24 May 8 May 22 June 5

Fish depth from DST

Water temperature from DST

Discharge—U.S. Geological Survey

 streamflow gage 06601200 at Decatur,

 Nebraska, river mile 691 

Telemetry location

Initial capture, tag implantation,

 and release

Recapture, evaluation, and release

EXPLANATION

2008

Depth, in meters

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Location, in Missouri River river mile

630

640

650

660

670

680

690

April 10 April 24 May 8 May 22 June 5
20 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Figure 10. Movement range of female pallid sturgeon PLS08-014. Depth and temperature recorded from 

data storage tag (DST), discharge from the nearest streamgage at Decatur, Nebraska, and telemetry 

locations for implanted gravid pallid sturgeon PLS08-014. Fish was implanted in reproductive condition, 

later recaptured, and determined not to have spawned. 

IOWA

NEBRASKA

650

700

Omaha

96°30' 96° 95°30'

42°

41°30'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, digital data, 1999, 1:2,000,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1960)

Movement range of pallid sturgeon PLS08-014

EXPLANATION

Initial release

Recapture

Telemetry location

Movement range

700

NEBRASKA

River mile marker — 

 Number is distance upstream 

 from the junction with the 

 Mississippi River, in miles

0 5 10 KILOMETERS

0 5 10 MILES

Fish depth from DST

Water temperature from DST

Telemetry location

Recapture, evaluation, 

 and release

2010

Depth, in meters

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

3

6

9

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Location, in Missouri River river mile

630

640

650

660

670

680

EXPLANATION

Discharge—U.S. Geological Survey

 streamflow gage 06601200 at Decatur,

 Nebraska, river mile 691 

March 7 March 21 April 4 April 18 May 2 May 16 May 30 June 13

PLS08-014

Reproductive female

Missouri River
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 21

Despite the relatively low number of documented spawning events, a number of trends are evident (table 2). Pallid 

sturgeon are capable of spawning in most reaches of the 

main-stem Missouri River under a wide variety of conditions 

(fig. 12). Compared to shovelnose sturgeon, which may spawn 

from mid-April to July, pallid sturgeon females in the Lower 

Missouri River are spawning from the end of April through 

May. Female sturgeon that have complex or disrupted patterns 

of upstream migration spawn later than females that exhibit 

the more typical characteristic rapid upstream movement pattern with spawning occurring at the most-upstream location, or 

apex of the spawning migration. Female pallid sturgeon with 

the typical single-apex pattern spawn from the end of April 

through the first two weeks of May. Sturgeon with complex, 

disrupted patterns and sturgeon nearer the dam typically 

spawn later; from the middle to the end of May.

Spawning success for sturgeon may be measured by the 

number of fertilized eggs that hatch, or the documentation of 

free-swimming embryos that disperse from the spawning location to larval rearing habitat. Whereas this study has yet to collect fertilized pallid sturgeon eggs or dispersing free-embryos 

at documented spawning sites, the numbers of eggs deposited 

by each female at the spawning sites can be estimated and 

compared among study sections. Comparisons of the amount 

Figure 11. Telemetry locations of reproductive male pallid sturgeons PLS08-019 and PLS10-

014 as well as male PLS08-031 indicating possible aggregations with gravid female PLS08-014 in 

the upper study section. Discharge and temperature from the nearest upstream streamgage at 

Decatur, Nebraska. 

2010

May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 May 29 June 5 

2010

May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 May 29 June 5 

Location, in Missouri River mile

630

640

650

660

670

680

PLS08-014

PLS08-019

PLS08-031

PLS10-014

EXPLANATION

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

Discharge, in cubic feet per second

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

Water temperature

Discharge 

EXPLANATION

U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gage 

06601200 at Decatur, Nebraska, river mile 691
22 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010 Table 2. Probable spawning locations of telemetry tracked reproductive female pallid sturgeon, 2007–10. [Fish ID, Fish identification code; >, greater than; <, less than; NA, not available] Spawn- ing site confidence score1 Fish ID Spawning period2 Boundary of probable spawn- ing extent3 Tracking details4 Notes Spawn- ing year Spawning begin date (month/day/ year) Spawning end date (month/day/ year) Up- stream extent Down- stream extent Center of spawn- ing site Pre- spawn evalua- tion Tracking Spawning confirmed

3 PLS07-004 2007 5/17/2007 5/23/2007 >768.7 756.3 NA Yes Intensive Yes Spawning occurred in unchannelized 

river. Tracking boats could not follow fish at night and lost contact. Complete migration and spawning not observed.

3 PLS07-007 2007 4/29/2007 5/8/2007 >694.9 681.1 NA Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking interupted by lethal 

tornado. Complete migration and spawning not documented.

1 PLS08-004 2008 5/4/2008 5/5/2008 230.7 230.0 230.4 Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking to spawning location. Complete migration and spawning behavior documented.1 PLS08-008 2008 5/8/2008 5/9/2008 366.8 366.1 366.4 Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking to spawning location. Complete migration and spawning behavior documented.1 PLS08-009 2008 5/7/2008 5/8/2008 369.7 369.3 369.5 Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking to spawning location. Complete migration and spawning behavior documented.3 PLS08-014 2008 5/22/2008 5/31/2008 688.4 670.7 NA Yes Intensive Yes Intensviely tracked female showed 

complex distrupted pattern. Complete migration pattern documented, but spawning behavior difficult to discern.

3 PLS07-001 2008 NA 6/3/2008 811.0 790.7 NA No Extensive Yes Female not intensively tracked. Recovered in July after spawning season 

with spent ovaries indicating she had spawned that spring, most likely prior to downstream movement. What few observations exist suggest that this fish most likely spawned in the unchannelized reach above 790.

1 PLS09-007 2009 4/25/2009 4/26/2009 206.1 206.5 206.3 Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking to spawning location. Complete migration and spawning behavior documented.
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 23

2 PLS09-009 2009 5/7/2009 5/11/2009 659.8 650.3 NA Yes Intensive No Female intensively tracked and aggregations with males documented, 

but female not recovered. Spawning not verified.

1 PLS10-006 2010 4/30/2010 5/1/2010 202.4 202.0 202.2 Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking to spawning location. Complete migration and spawning behavior documented.1 PLS10-013 2010 4/28/2010 4/29/2010 634.2 633.7 633.9 Yes Intensive Yes Intensive tracking to spawning location. Complete migration and spawning behavior documented.5 PLS10-023 2010 5/13/2010 5/26/2010 642.7 494.9 NA Yes Intensive Yes Translocated fish from propagation 

program. Intially intensively tracked as it moved upstream to spawn. It reached its upstream apex and began moving downstream. It was recovered on May 13 after its intial downstream movement and it had not yet spawned. It was recovered again June 9 more than nearly 150 miles downstream and it had spawned.

11=Probable spawning site located within < 1 rivermiles; 2=Probable Spawning site located within 1–10 miles; 3=Probable spawning site located within 10–25 miles; 4=Probable spawning site located 

within 25–100 miles; 5=Probable spawning site located within >100 miles.

2The act of spawning by a female sturgeon may take from 8 to 24 hours. The spawning begin and end dates indicate the time during which spawning may have occurred for an individual fish. The time 

period reported reflects the uncertainty surrounding the actual timing of the spawning event, not the actual time spent spawning by an individual.

3The spawning of an individual sturgeon occurs over a fairly limited area. As we understand it, spawning by pallid sturgeon may occur over a patch of spawning habitat ranging from 0.3 to 0.7 rivermiles 

in length. The upstream and downstream extents reported reflect the uncertainty surrounding where the patch of spawning habitat is located, not the extent over which the individual actually deposited eggs. It some instances the female sturgeon was tracked to the probable spawning site and spawning behavior was documented. In this case a river mile for the center of the spawning habitat patch is reported.

4The tracking details indicate whether the female sturgeon was evaluated for reproductive condition in the months just prior to spawning, if the sturgeon was targetted for intensive tracking (daily) or extenTable 2.

sively tracked as resources allowed, and if the female sturgeon was recaptured following spawning to confirm that eggs had been released successfully.

Probable spawning locations of telemetry tracked reproductive female pallid sturgeon, 2007–10.—Continued

[Fish ID, fish identification code; >, greater than; <, less than; NA, not available]

Spawning site 

confidence 

score1

Fish ID

Spawning period2 Boundary of probable spawning extent3 Tracking details4

Notes

Spawning year

Spawning 

begin date 

(month/day/

year)

Spawning 

end date 

(month/day/

year)

Upstream 

extent

Downstream 

extent

Center of 

spawning site

Prespawn 

evaluation Tracking Spawning confirmed
24 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

of body mass lost through spawning measured as the difference in weight at implantation just before spawning and 

at recapture immediately following spawning indicate large 

differences between study sections (fig. 13). Female pallid 

sturgeon in the lower study section lost on average 21.2 percent of their body weight through spawning, whereas females 

in the upper study section lost less than 9.3 percent. Mean 

egg diameters among sites did not differ and ranged from 2.4 

to 3.2 millimeters. Therefore, based on the limited data from 

spawning studies it appears that pallid sturgeon females nearest the dam are on average 56 percent less fecund than pallid 

sturgeon females tracked in the lower study section. Although 

the age of females tracked in the study is unknown, all females 

in the lower study section were hatchery progeny and could 

not be older than 10–18 years old at the time of spawning. The 

age at first spawning for female pallid sturgeon in the lower 

Missouri River is approximately 10–12 years (DeLonay and 

others, 2009). 

The number of pallid sturgeon tracked by CSRP has 

grown steadily since 2007. As more of tagged sturgeon with 

known reproductive histories are recaptured, re-implanted and 

tracked for three or more years, more instances of complex or 

repeated behavior are documented. PLS07-020, for example, 

is a male pallid sturgeon that was captured in reproductive 

condition and sent to the hatchery on April 3, 2007, for use as 

hatchery broodstock (fig. 14). It was implanted with a transmitter and released near its capture location. PLS07-020 has 

since been recaptured and its reproductive status reevaluated 

twice. For more than 3 years it has made repeated upstream 

movements in the fall and in the spring during the spawning season. After spawning is complete, PLS07-20 returns 

downstream to nearly the same location it occupied the 

previous summer, river mile 566 (fig. 15). Long-term repeated 

patterns and instances of site fidelity have been documented 

with increasing regularity for males and females in this study 

(DeLonay and others, 2010).

Figure 12. Spawning locations of pallid sturgeon in the lower Missouri River.

0

600

700

500

800

300

400

200

100

96° 93° 90°

43°

42°

41°

40°

39°

EXPLANATION

Approximate spawning location by year

River mile marker—Number

 is distance upstream from the 

 junction with the Missouri River, 

 in miles

GAVINS

POINT

DAM 2007

2008

2009

2010

200

KANSAS

MISSOURI

IOWA

NEBRASKA

0 50 100 MILES

0 50 100 KILOMETERS

Gavins Point Dam

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, digital data, 1999, 1:2,000,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1960)

Missouri River

Missouri River
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 25

Figure 13. Comparison of egg diameter and body mass lost at spawning of telemetry 

tracked pallid sturgeon in the upper and lower study sections.

Pallid Sturgeon identification

PLS07-004

PLS07-007

PLS08-014

PLS10-013

PLS10-023

PLS08-004

PLS08-008

PLS08-009

PLS09-007

PLS10-006

Body mass lost, in percent

0

5

10

15

20

25

Egg diameter, in micrometers

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

Body mass lost

Egg diameter

Body mass lost

Egg diameter

EXPLANATION

Upper study section

Lower study section

Figure 14. Telemetry locations for implanted pallid male sturgeon PLS07-020 in the 

lower Missouri River.

January

2007

October

2007

July

2008

April

2009

January

2010

Location, in Missouri River river mile

400

500

600

700

800

Spawn

Capture and transport to Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery

Tag implantation and release

Telemetry location

Recapture, evaluation, and release 

EXPLANATION

Fall pre-spawn migration/staging

Post-spawn migration Post-spawn
26 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Task 2. Reproductive Physiology to Support 

Assessment of the Importance of Spring Flows, 

Temperature, and Photoperiod to Successful 

Pallid Sturgeon Spawning in the Missouri River

Background

An important contributor to fish reproductive success 

is synchronization of the reproductive cycle with seasonal 

environmental conditions. Photoperiod, water temperature, 

and in some environments, discharge are the primary factors 

thought to cue the reproductive physiology of most fishes to 

provide this seasonal synchronization and the greatest chance 

for offspring survival (Lam, 1983; Ims, 1990). Physiological 

and morphological measurements allow scientists to evaluate 

the direct biological responses of sturgeon to such environmental conditions. Responses may be general, such as stress, 

or may be specific, such as indicating how close a sturgeon is 

to ovulation. For the last several years, we have demonstrated 

that we can assess the reproductive condition of shovelnose 

sturgeon before their spawning migration, regularly during 

their migration, and then again upon recapture (as soon after 

spawning as possible) and relate the readiness to spawn and 

success in spawning to location, discharge, water temperature, 

and day length (DeLonay and others, 2009). During the last 

few years, this approach has been successfully applied to pallid sturgeon. 

CERC cumulative research indicates that the physiological data collected during telemetry studies provide an 

understanding of the motivational biology behind observed 

sturgeon behaviors during the reproductive cycle. Determining 

physiological readiness provides information for determining 

approximately ‘when’ an individual sturgeon should spawn. 

This information can be combined with tracking and capture 

information (location, speed, pattern and direction of movement) to determine ‘where’ the sturgeon spawn. Physiological 

measurements on fish captured through time in a specific location can reveal whether a group of fish are synchronized and, 

Figure 15. Telemetry locations recorded July through September 2008 and 2009 for implanted pallid male 

sturgeon PLS07-020 in the lower Missouri River.

!.

!.

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

!(

!(

566

565

")

EXPLANATION

!( 2008 telemetry location

!(

500!. 2009 telemetry location

MISSOURI

KANSAS

IOWA

NEBRASKA

0 0.2 0.4 MILES

0 0.2 0.4 KILOMETER

EXPLANATION

2008 telemetry location

2009 telemetry location

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, digital data, 1999, 1:2,000,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1960)

40°43’

95°53’ 95°52’

River mile marker—Number 

is disance upstream from the 

junction with the Mississippi 

River, in miles
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 27

therefore, are likely responding to the same environmental 

cues, or if they are aggregating at a particular site to spawn. 

A complete understanding of the relations between environmental conditions and reproductive physiology of pallid 

sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon in the Missouri River has 

been hampered by the difficulties of working in a large river 

system. For this reason, and because of iterative improvements 

to tracking study designs in the past 5 years, the question of 

when sturgeon spawn has been fairly well answered, and an 

initial understanding of where sturgeon spawn has been made, 

but only modest progress has been made in trying to answer 

the question ‘what combination of environmental conditions is 

necessary or sufficient for successful pallid sturgeon spawning?’. Sound data are available to make predictions about 

pallid behaviors, but additional observations on many more 

individuals are needed to create a scientifically robust dataset with which to identify the controlling biotic and abiotic 

factors for the various stages of the reproductive cycle. The 

reproductive cycle in sturgeon begins months before spawning at a time when the fish may be hundreds of miles from the 

spawning location. Therefore, in order to fully understand the 

effect of the cues at spawning, it is important to understand 

the relative importance of environmental conditions in the 

months before spawning. In addition to collection of field data, 

experimental manipulations of sturgeon under controlled and 

semi-controlled situations may provide additional insights 

for answering these questions. Moreover, new techniques are 

now available that allow quick assessments of hundreds of 

biochemical pathways in order to identify those that are key 

for the appropriate physiological and behavioral responses to 

occur. For example, collaborative work between CERC and 

the University of Florida has resulted in the development of a 

Scaphirhynchus microarray, or gene chip, that can be used to 

evaluate the change in gene expression of 25,000 genes in a 

single experiment. 

Scope and Objectives

This task provides the necessary supporting data and 

analyses to evaluate the biological response of pallid sturgeon 

to spring pulsed flows in the Missouri River. This task also 

continues to develop tools and acquire multiyear geographic 

and condition-specific data from the field and the laboratory to 

answer questions about when, where, and what environmental 

conditions are necessary for pallid sturgeon to spawn. In 2010, 

there were three specific objectives: 

Objective 1. Use physiological measurements to provide 

sex identification, assess reproductive readiness, and evaluate 

success of spawning for tracked sturgeon.

Objective 2. Expand dataset of pallid sturgeon physiological endpoints coincident with environmental data through 

the addition of observations during the 2010 spring-rise period 

in order to increase sample size for identification of likely 

environmental cues associated with key stages in the reproductive cycle.

Objective 3. Support development of tools and assays 

to measure and analyze specific pallid reproductive hormones 

important in cueing migration, gamete maturation and release, 

and spawning success. 

Methods

For the first objective, field crews were supplied with 

tissue collection materials in support of Task 1 to determine 

readiness to spawn. Blood plasma was collected at implantation of transmitters and upon each recapture for measurement 

of sex hormones. Eggs were collected into formalin for measurement of polarization index (PI) or into Ringers solution for 

progesterone assay to determine germinal vesicle breakdown 

(GVBD). All tissues were returned to the CERC laboratory 

for analyses. Spawning success was evaluated based on visual 

inspection of gonads and blood reproductive hormones. 

Research was conducted to better define the environmental factors (including natural spring pulses and pulsed-flow 

releases) necessary for completion of the reproductive cycle 

and successful spawning in the Lower Missouri River. The 

approach for this second objective was to assess the reproductive condition of sturgeon before spawning migration, during 

the migration, as soon after spawning as possible, and to relate 

the readiness to spawn and success in spawning to discharge 

characteristics, temperature, and day length. Data were collected from fish used in telemetry Task 1 and on pallid sturgeon used in the propagation program with funding through 

a U.S. Geological Survey–U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(USGS–USFWS) grants program. Temperature and flow data 

were obtained from streamgages, deployed data loggers, and 

data collected by field crews. 

The third objective extends ongoing work conducted at 

USGS to develop tools and assays to measure gonadotropin II 

(GtH II) and maturation-inducing hormone (MIH). For the last 

few years, several approaches (biochemical and molecular) 

were attempted to isolate the Scaphirhynchus GtH II protein 

in order to develop GtH II-specific antibody or probe that is 

necessary to measure GtH II in blood plasma of the sturgeon. 

Protein was obtained during fall 2010 and an antibody was 

produced. Activity this year was to develop an appropriate 

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); this work is 

on-going. Chromatographic methods were used in past years 

to identify the composition of the Scaphirhynchus MIH. 

Validation that the putative MIH is the Scaphirhynchus MIH 

is necessary before a radioimmunoassay (RIA) can be developed to measure MIH in plasma of wild sturgeon. Validation 

requires use of fresh oocytes from a gravid female in spring 

for the necessary bioassay. Validation was accomplished for 

two individuals previously and a third was attempted in 2010. 

Genomics and molecular techniques are additional tools 

that are being developed for use with sturgeon to identify indicators diagnostic of the sturgeon’s response to environmental 

stimuli during the spawning period. A Scaphirhynchus-specific 

15,000-gene microarray developed by CERC is being used 

with tissue samples collected during the 2010 field season. 
28 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Fin, barbel, and gonad tissue were collected from various 

individuals and frozen at -80°C. Two experiments will be 

conducted in December 2010 to include (1) a time course of 

gene expression in an ovary for a reproductive season, and (2) 

sex and reproductive stage differences in gene expression in a 

barbel. 

Laboratory studies used pallid sturgeon eggs from a captive population. Two experiments were conducted in the laboratory to attempt to deduce the depth at which pallid sturgeon 

are spawning. In the first experiment, examination of whether 

there was a limit to the depth at which embryos could hatch 

and still swim to the surface to fill the swim bladder. On the 

median hatch date, 24 embryos were placed in the bottom of a 

column of water just prior to hatch. The water column was initially 2.4 meters (m) deep and subsequently extended to 4.0 m 

deep (fig. 16). Hatch and free embryo behavior was monitored 

at intervals for 2 days. Water in the column was periodically 

replaced to maintain temperature and the column was kept in 

the dark to simulate low-light river conditions. There was no 

flow in the column. Positions of the free embryos were noted 

during 5-minute observation periods conducted periodically 

throughout the course of 2 days. In the second experiment, 

the effect of varying turbidities on adhesion of pallid eggs to 

surfaces and the rate at which they fell through a column of 

water was investigated. Freshly fertilized pallid sturgeon eggs 

were released at the top of a 2.4 m column of water of varying 

turbidities and a recording was made of the time it took to 

reach the bottom of the column (fig. 17). Turbidity was created 

by mixing creek mud into well water and measured using a 

Hach 2100P turbidimeter. Four turbid (100, 200, 400, and 

800 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU)) and one clear 

water conditions were tested in triplicate. 

Results

Physiological data were collected for 58 fish in 2010. 

Blood only was collected for 46 fish (17 females and 29 males, 

including 4 intensively tracked males) that were captured and 

released. Blood and an ovarian biopsy were collected for 

12 females, including 7 females that were tracked for all or 

part of the reproductive season. 

In 2010 seven females were tracked. PLS10-012, a 

hybrid gravid female implanted with a transmitter on April 20, 

2010 (water temperature 17.3°C), had a PI of 0.13 and oocytes 

completed GVBD in the progesterone assay. Estradiol (E2) 

and testosterone (T) were slightly elevated for a fish at this 

stage of readiness (tables 2 and 3). After 7 days of tracking 

Figure 16. Water columns (4.0 meters) used to determine 

vertical distribution of free embryos and their ability to fill their 

swim bladders. 

Figure 17. Water columns (2.4 meters) containing turbid water 

used to evaluate egg adhesion.
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 29

upstream about 20 miles, PLS10-012 disappeared and was 

not seen again. PLS08-014, a wild gravid female evaluated on 

March 3, 2010 (water temperature 2.7°C), at which time she 

had a PI of 0.24 and elevated E2, T, and 11-ketotestosterone 

(11KT) compared to what would be expected for a reproductive female a couple of months before spawning (tables 3 and 

4). On May 26, 2010, she was recaptured with a PI of 0.05; 

her E2 had decreased but T was still elevated, indicating that 

she would spawn soon. On June 10, 2010, PLS08-014 was 

again captured but had not spawned; her eggs were breaking 

down and all hormones had decreased. It is unknown why 

PLS08-014 did not spawn. 

Gravid female PLS10-006 was implanted with a transmitter on April 15, 2010, at which time water temperature 

was 15.8°C and her PI was 0.12, oocytes completed GVBD 

in the progesterone assay, and hormones were as expected for 

a prespawn female a month or less before spawning (tables 3 

and 4). Upon recapture May 11, 2010, she had spawned and 

hormone levels had decreased appropriately to less than 10 

percent of pre-spawn levels. PLS10-013, was collected on 

April 14, 2010, with a PI of 0.16 and originally brought to 

the hatchery, but then released when it was determined she 

was hatchery progeny. When released to the river on April 

21, 2010, her PI had decreased to 0.08 (table 3). Estradiol 

was low, but T was similar to PLS10-006 pre-spawn (table 4). 

On May 5, 2010, she was recaptured and determined to have 

spawned; her testosterone level had decreased to 10 percent of 

prespawn level. 

Gravid female PLS10-019 was captured on April 8, 2010, 

and delivered to the hatchery for broodstock. On April 14, 

2010, her PI was 0.12; a week later the PI had not changed 

(0.13; table 3). She was induced to spawn in the hatchery, but 

never ovulated. On April 29, 2010, her PI was still elevated 

(0.10). Estradiol had decreased, probably in response to induction, but T remained higher than expected for a prespawn 

female presumably ready to spawn (table 4). She was released 

in the Missouri River and although not recaptured, her hormone levels and PI suggest that her eggs became atretic. It is 

not known why PLS10-019 did not ovulate. A progesterone 

assay was not conducted on her eggs. 

Female PLS10-023 was captured for broodstock on April 

14, 2010, however, genetic tests identified her as a pallid 

Table 3. Mean polarization index of gravid female pallid sturgeon collected during 2010. 

[Fish ID, fish identification code; PI, polarization index; Std, standard deviation; GVBD, germinal vesicle 

breakdown; --, no data]

Fish ID Date

(month/day/year) Mean PI Std GVBD? Disposition

PLS08-014 3/9/2010 0.24 0.07 -- Tracked.

PLS08-014 5/26/2010 .05 - - -- Tracked.

PLS10-006 4/15/2010 .12 .02 Yes Tracked.

PLS10-012 4/20/2010 .13 .03 Yes Tracked.

PLS10-013 4/14/2010 .16 .02 -- Tracked.

PLS10-013 4/21/2010 .08 .01 -- Tracked.

PLS10-015 4/14/2010 .13 .05 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-015 4/22/2010 .12 .01 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-016 4/14/2010 .17 .02 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-016 4/22/2010 .11 .02 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-017 4/14/2010 .15 .02 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-017 4/22/2010 .11 .03 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-018 4/22/2010 .11 .02 -- Tracked.

PLS10-018 4/14/2010 .15 .02 -- Tracked.

PLS10-019 4/14/2010 .12 .02 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-019 4/22/2010 .13 .04 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-019 4/29/2010 .10 .03 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-023 4/22/2010 .10 .01 -- Tracked.

PLS10-023 4/28/2010 .15 .03 -- Tracked.

PLS10-023 5/13/2010 .10 .02 Yes Tracked.

PLS10-029 5/7/2010 .11 .03 -- Hatchery.

PLS10-031 3/15/2010 .17 - - No Tracked.

PLS10-031 4/7/2010 .17 - - No Tracked.
30 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Table 4. Plasma hormone values for female pallid sturgeon collected in 2010. Upper 

limits of detection are estradiol=734, testosterone=686, 11-ketotestosterone=496. 

Lower limits of detection are estradiol=5, testosterone=4, 11-ketotestosterone=3.

[Fish ID, fish identification code; pg/mL, picograms per milliliter; --, no data; <, less than; >, greater 

than; LOD, limit of detection]

Fish ID

Date

(month/day/

year)

Estradiol 

(pg/mL)

Testosterone 

(pg/mL)

11-Ketotestosterone (pg/mL)

PLS06-003 3/4/2010 36 722 --

PLS06-003 9/8/2010 25 215 --

PLS07-001 9/21/2010 2,971 10,317 --

PLS07-007 4/7/2010 <LOD 1239 --

PLS07-007 10/14/2010 28 202 --

PLS08-006 10/13/2010 84 10,516 --

PLS08-014 3/9/2010 1,304 7,290 --

PLS08-014 5/26/2010 229 10,122 --

PLS08-014 6/10/2010 26 323 --

PLS08-027 9/3/2010 64 177 --

PLS08-035 9/8/2010 48 1,048 --

PLS08-058 9/3/2010 41 195 --

PLS10-002 3/2/2010 60 1,641 --

PLS10-003 3/9/2010 114 1,841 --

PLS10-003 9/14/2010 38 1,474 --

PLS10-004 4/14/2010 61 501 --

PLS10-006 4/15/2010 864 3,044 --

PLS10-006 5/11/2010 35 117 --

PLS10-010 4/8/2010 55 2,216 --

PLS10-010 10/14/2010 66 682 --

PLS10-011 4/14/2010 43 4,135 --

PLS10-012 4/20/2010 4,711 14,801 --

PLS10-013 4/21/2010 <LOD 3,361 --

PLS10-013 5/5/2010 14 218 --

PLS10-015 4/29/2010 27 3,571 --

PLS10-016 4/29/2010 37 >LOD --

PLS10-017 4/22/2010 5 2,878 --

PLS10-018 4/29/2010 <LOD 1,177 --

PLS10-019 4/29/2010 78 12,102 --

PLS10-023 4/28/2010 172 7,014 --

PLS10-023 5/13/2010 166 12,941 --

PLS10-023 6/9/2010 28 978 --

PLS10-025 4/30/2010 30 1,568 --

PLS10-026 4/30/2010 <LOD 1,043 --

PLS10-029 5/7/2010 9 1,800 --

PLS10-031 3/15/2010 285 19,182 1,413

PLS10-031 4/7/2010 246 15,925 --
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 31

sturgeon, but further analyses eliminated her from consideration as broodstock because of the possibility of genetic introgression with shovelnose sturgeon one or more generations 

removed. Her PI on April 22, 2010, was 0.10 and it increased 

to 0.15 a week later when she was returned to the Missouri 

River (table 3). At that time, hormone levels were appropriate 

for a prespawn female with this PI (table 4). On May 13, 2010, 

she was recaptured with a PI again of 0.10 and the oocytes 

completed GVBD in the progesterone assay. Estradiol was the 

same, but testosterone had increased slightly as was observed 

for PLS08-014. However, unlike PLS08-014, when PLS10-

023 was recaptured for a third time on June 9, 2010, she had 

spawned and all hormones had decreased approximately 

10-fold. 

PLS10-031 had been held at the Neosho National Fish 

Hatchery in Neosho, Mo. (not shown), for broodstock since 

fall 2008. In October 2009, endoscopy and an egg biopsy 

indicated she had black eggs with PI of 0.14 and hormones 

were elevated to levels greater than values measured in 

springtime prespawn females. On March 15, 2010, her PI had 

increased to 0.17, but no GVBD could be induced in vitro; 

her E2 had decreased and both androgens were elevated. On 

April 7, 2010, her PI was still 0.17 and there was no GVBD 

in the progesterone assay (tables 3 and 4). She was induced to 

spawn, but did not ovulate and was returned to the Missouri 

River on May 7, 2010. She was not recaptured; therefore, it is 

not known whether or not she spawned.

Of the remaining females for which blood plasma was 

analyzed, all but two had low hormone levels consistent with 

a nonreproductive state (table 4). Female PLS07-001 was 

evaluated on September 21, 2010, when water temperature 

was 19.7°C and found to have black eggs. No sample was 

obtained for PI, however, hormone levels were similar to those 

measured for pallid female PLS10-031 in the fall of 2009 and 

believed to be normal for this reproductive condition and date. 

Based on this profile PLS10-031 would be expected to spawn 

in spring 2011. The hormone and reproductive stage profile for 

female PLS08-006 is inconsistent because it was assessed as 

non-reproductive yet movement patterns and locations from 

2007 to 2008, 2008 to 2009, and from 2009 to 2010 were identical and reminiscent of spawning pattern. Blood collected on 

October 13, 2010, also was uncharacteristic of a nonreproductive female, with low E2 and high T. Hormones and behavior 

appear more consistent with this fish being a male. 

Six males provided to the broodstock program and successfully induced for milt collection were implanted with 

transmitters before their return to the Missouri River. Plasma 

hormone analysis of these individuals upon release from the 

hatchery in late April and early May indicated all had low E2 

and elevated androgens consistent with their reproductive state 

(spermiating; table 5). Five males were tracked through the 

spawning period. PLS08-002, PLS08-019, and PLS09-013 

in late March and early April had high androgen levels with 

low E2 and when recaptured in the fall androgens had greatly 

decreased indicating the fish had cycled and likely spawned. 

Similarly, PLS08-039 and PLS10-005 had low E2 and high 

androgen levels early to mid-April. Although not recaptured 

in the fall, their hormonal indicators in spring suggested they 

could have cycled and could have spawned. At this time, there 

is insufficient information on male hormonal and reproductive 

status throughout its cycle to fully interpret these reproductive 

indicators.

Of the remaining 18 fish, only two individuals collected 

between March and early June may have been reproductive 

based on hormone levels (table 5). Plasma hormones for an 

intersex pallid, PLS10-028, which was induced to spawn, were 

analyzed on May 6, 2010. These hormones had low E2 and 

moderate levels of androgens. Whereas induced male brood 

fish at about the same time of year (PLS08-042, PLS10-014, 

PLS10-020, PLS10-021, PLS10-022, PLS10-030) had higher 

levels of T or 11KT. All other fish had low E2 and low androgens and were non-reproductive. Hormone levels of three 

males captured and evaluated only in the fall (PLS08-015, 

PLS08-053, PLS09-005) suggest they may have spawned in 

spring 2010. 

Objective 2: Identification of likely environmental cues 

associated with key stages in the reproductive cycle. 

In the experiment to characterize the ability of free 

embryos to fill the swim bladder, hatching began at 0900 hours 

on Day 1 of the observations. Hatching was complete after 

3900 hours. Because of the length of the water columns temperature control was difficult to maintain, and mortality was 

observed between hours 4000 and 5000. Within 1.5 hours of 

the initiation of hatch three free embryos had swum to the top 

of the 2.4-meter section of pipe, therefore, another 1.6-meter 

section was added. During the 2 days, some free embryos were 

always observed near the top of the 4.0-meter column and, in 

general, the free embryos used the upper one-half of the column (fig. 18). However after 50 hours, all free embryos were 

found in the lower one-half of the column. The experiment 

was ended at that time; therefore, it is not known how long 

the free embryos remained in this position. One conclusion 

from this experiment is that the free embryos are able to get 

to the water surface, at least under conditions similar to those 

provided in the experiment, to fill the swim bladder. Therefore, 

pallid sturgeon likely do not have to deposit eggs at shallow 

depths (less than 4 meters) to ensure that free embryos are able 

to access the water surface to fill their swim bladders. 

In the second experiment, the effect of varying turbidities 

on adhesion of pallid eggs to surfaces and the rate they fell 

through a 2.4 m column of water (fig. 17) was investigated. 

Eggs tested at all turbidities failed to adhere to rocks at the 

bottom of the column. However, eggs that passed through 

clear water did adhere to the rocks at the bottom of the 2.4 m 

column. Limited numbers of eggs prevented testing egg adherence at different turbidities and depths. Qualitative observations during the present studies suggest that eggs lose their 

adherence within 0.3 to 0.6 m below the surface after release 

into the turbid water. Fall rate of the eggs increased slightly 

at greater than or equal to 200 NTU (nominal) to an average 

of 1.98 m/sec (table 6). This information together with water 
32 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

velocity can be used to estimate where eggs ovulated at a 

given depth could be deposited.

Studies at CERC in previous years (DeLonay and others, 

2010) have tentatively identified the MIH (maturation inducing hormone) for Scaphirhynchus sturgeon; however, validation testing is incomplete. Therefore, in 2010 eggs were collected from a shovelnose sturgeon to perform a bioassay with 

extracts of ovarian tissues believed to contain MIH that were 

collected and prepared in spring 2009. Unfortunately, the only 

available eggs were of poor quality and the bioassay failed. 

The bioassay will be repeated again in 2011. 

Tissues from 53 fish were collected for future analysis 

of gene expression using the sturgeon microarray (table 7). 

The experiment to assess the genes expressed in the ovary for 

the reproductive season will include two time points before 

spawning and one time point post spawn (March, April, and 

May) and use four replicate females for each time point. The 

second experiment to identify sex and reproductive stage 

differences in gene expression in the barbel will use four 

replicate individuals of males and females in reproductive and 

nonreproductive condition. Fish used in these experiments can 

be found in table 8.

Table 5. Plasma hormone values for male pallid sturgeon collected 2010. Upper 

limits of detection are estradiol=734, testosterone=686, and 11-Ketotestosterone=496. 

Lower limits of detection are estradiol=5, testosterone=4, 11-ketotestosterone=3. 

[Fish ID, fish identification code; pg/mL, picograms per milliliter; >, greater than; <, less than; LOD, 

limit of detection]

Fish ID

Date

(month/day/

year)

Estradiol 

(pg/mL)

Testosterone 

(pg/mL)

11-Ketotestosterone 

(pg/mL)

PLS07-020 3/10/2010 45 1,087 43

PLS08-002 4/1/2010 55 14,731 >LOD

PLS08-002 9/22/2010 25 4,152 443

PLS08-015 10/15/2010 84 11,952 7,171

PLS08-019 3/31/2010 22 13,323 >LOD

PLS08-019 9/20/2010 93 5,744 2,371

PLS08-039 4/2/2010 90 >LOD >LOD

PLS08-042 4/29/2010 33 >LOD 3,673

PLS08-043 6/8/2010 <LOD 306 27

PLS08-053 9/15/2010 88 5,639 1,356

PLS09-002 3/5/2010 19 2,117 88

PLS09-005 9/22/2010 69 5,240 610

PLS09-013 4/15/2010 <LOD >LOD 2,399

PLS09-013 9/8/2010 <LOD 4,424 422

PLS10-001 3/2/2010 86 1,092 33

PLS10-005 4/15/2010 3 >LOD >LOD

PLS10-009 4/8/2010 83 3,039 93

PLS10-014 4/29/2010 <LOD 6,730 >LOD

PLS10-020 4/29/2010 <LOD 5,075 >LOD

PLS10-021 4/29/2010 <LOD 10,600 >LOD

PLS10-022 4/29/2010 52 >LOD >LOD

PLS10-024 4/28/2010 88 1,657 91

PLS10-027 5/5/2010 7 1,103 107

PLS10-028 5/6/2010 26 7,917 1,976

PLS10-030 5/7/2010 <LOD 11,389 8,425
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 33

Figure 18. Depth distribution of free embryos observed during 5-minute periods at various times for a 50-hour time 

span after the initiation of hatch. Observations began at hatch (at 0900 hours on the first day) and continued until 

1100 hours on the third day of the experiment. Blue bars indicate the depth of the water column at that time during the 

experiment. Numbers in bold indicate the number of free embryos observed at that depth strata during an observation. 

 

12–13

11–12

10–11

9–10

8–9 

7–8

6–7

5–6

4–5

3–4

2–3

1–2

0–1

Depth, in feet

0 1.5 6 7 8 10 23.5 30.5 48.5 50

Time, in hours after initiation of hatch

Depth, in meters

3 2 3 4 3 

1 2 

3 8 

1 7 5 

1 

3 

4 

5 6 3 

1 2 4 

2 4 12 

2 

3.7–4.0

3.4–3.7

3.0–3.4

2.7–3.0

2.4–2.7

2.1–2.4

1.8–2.1

1.5–1.8

1.2–1.5

0.9–1.2

0.6–0.9

0.3–0.6

0–0.3

Table 6. Test results for the fall rate of freshly 

fertilized pallid sturgeon eggs in four turbid 

conditions.

[NTU, nephelometric units; m/sec, meters per second] 

Nominal 

(NTU)

Actual 

(NTU)

Average 

(m/sec)

0 1 1.90

100 97 1.91

200 280 1.95

400 355 2.04

800 689 1.95

Table 7. Tissues collected from pallid sturgeon in 2010 for 

genomics analysis.

Sex Reproductive 

status

Tissue

Barbel Gonad Fin

Female Non-reproductive 16 0 16

Female Reproductive 6 18 6

Male Non-reproductive 7 0 7

Male Reproductive 11 0 11

Intersex Reproductive 1 1 1

Table 8. List of fish used in the 

genomics experiments.

[Fish ID, fish identification code]

Fish ID Experiment

PLS08-014 2

PLS10-006 1

PLS10-007 2

PLS10-012 1 and 2

PLS10-013 1 and 2

PLS10-014 1 and 2

PLS10-015 2

PLS10-016 2

PLS10-017 2

PLS10-018 2

PLS10-019 2

PLS10-020 2

PLS10-021 2

PLS10-022 2

PLS10-023 2

PLS10-024 2

PLS10-029 1

PLS10-031 1

PLS08-042 2

PLS11-007 1
34 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Task 3. Quantify Pallid Sturgeon Migration and 

Spawning Habitat

Background

In 2010 as in previous years, hydroacoustic assessments 

were used to quantify habitat used by pallid sturgeon and 

habitat that were available but not used in order to understand 

habitat selection. By coordinating with studies of reproductive 

movements and physiology, patterns of habitat selection can 

indicate whether specific habitats are limiting in the reproduction and survival of pallid sturgeon. Because of the fundamental role of spawning in population dynamics (Quist and others, 

2004; Bajer and Wildhaber, 2007; Wildhaber and others, 

2007), definition and quantification of spawning habitat was 

emphasized in 2010 as in previous years. Recognizing that 

previous information supports the hypothesis that spawning 

substrate itself may not be limiting for pallid sturgeon on the 

Lower Missouri River (DeLonay and others, 2009; DeLonay 

and others, 2010), assessments also were conducted of habitats 

used by upstream migrating reproductive sturgeon. 

Scope and Objectives

The first project objective for Task 3 was to survey 

spawning habitats in order to replicate assessments conducted 

in previous years and to continue increasing understanding of 

the role of habitat that has been a subject of previous reports 

(Reuter and others, 2008; Elliott and others, 2009; Jacobson 

and others, 2009; Reuter and others, 2009). The goal of this 

objective is to distinguish those environments that pallid 

sturgeon occupy during spawning from those that they avoid. 

For these assessments, an enhanced, high-resolution habitatmapping protocol was deployed as described below (and as 

used in previous years) around fish locations identified by 

telemetry crews. 

The second objective was to survey habitats associated 

with upstream-migrating reproductive pallid sturgeon. These 

surveys were designed to test the hypothesis that migrating 

fish take paths that minimize the energetic expenditure necessary to arrive at spawning sites. Understanding of migration 

paths, and the energetic costs involved in navigating them, 

may lead to channel re-engineering designs that increase 

fecundity of reproductive fish. This work began in 2010 and 

will help provide an understanding of the effects of spawning 

migrations on reproductive success.

Methods

Habitat survey methods employed in 2010 replicated 

those used in 2008 and 2009; detailed documentation of 

methods are on file at USGS-CERC. For spawning habitat 

objective, fish locations were selected based on their likelihood as spawning sites as documented by telemetric data. 

The R/V Brush hydroacoustic survey boat was deployed to a 

fish location for high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and 

acoustic Doppler current profiler surveys within 10 percent of 

the discharge that existed when the fish was located. An additional goal was to survey the reach within 24 hours of when 

the fish was located, but this was not always possible. For 

the second objective of mapping migration habitats, the R/V 

Brush carried out hydroacoustic surveys over fish locations as 

it followed the upstream movements of tagged fish. Some of 

these surveys occurred in near real-time with the survey vessel 

following as closely as 15 minutes behind the fish. All surveys 

were completed within 10 percent of discharge that existed 

when the fish were located.

The R/V Brush is equipped with a dual-receiver Global 

positioning system (GPS) and inertial motion-sensing system, 

a multibeam echosounder for detailed mapping of the riverbed, and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) for 

mapping current-velocity fields. GPS base-stations were 

used to obtain real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning 

with nominal positioning errors of +/- 0.02 m horizontal 

and +/- 0.1 m vertical. The multibeam system is a RESON 

SeaBat® 7125 (RESON, Inc., Slangerup, Denmark) operating at 455 kilohertz (kHz). The transducer and receiver arrays 

are mounted on the front of the survey vessel on a tilt-up 

mount. The multibeam system collects data from 512 beams 

at 0.25 degree spacing and is capable of mapping depths of 

approximately 1–200 m. The geometry allows a 128° swath 

covering a width of approximately four times the water depth. 

Positioning and motion sensing data were acquired using an 

Applanix POS-MV Wavemaster® system receiving broadcast 

RTK corrections from the base station. This unit also provides 

corrections for vessel heading, pitch, roll, and heave that are 

used to calculate sounding locations in conjunction with the 

multibeam sonar.

The multibeam system and boat mount were calibrated 

with a “patch” test that corrects for internal geometry of the 

boat, transducer/receiver, and GPS receiver. Patch test results 

were used to update geometry files used by the data acquisition software. In addition, sound-velocity profiles were 

collected to assess stratification of sound-velocity with depth. 

HYPACK/HYSWEEP® software (Hypack, Inc., Middletown, 

Conn.) was used to acquire, compile, correct, and edit GPS 

and multibeam data. Hypack and RESON provide real-time 

quality-control displays that are monitored to ensure quality 

data are collected. Total propagated vertical errors have been 

estimated at 0.06–0.15 m (Huizinga and others, 2010).

For high-resolution surveys, longitudinal survey lines 

were laid out in Hypack at intervals to assure at least 50-percent overlap in multibeam coverage. The lines were parallel to 

the flow of the river and centered over the chosen fish location. 

A helm display showed the boat pilot the boat position and the 

quality and extent of incoming data.

Multibeam files were edited in the office to remove 

erroneous data. These data were subsequently exported from 

the Hypack environment and imported into ArcMap (ESRI, 

Redlands, Calif.) where the data were gridded for analysis and 

display.
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 35

Current velocity fields were mapped using either a 

600 kHz or a 1,200 kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler 

(Teledyne RD Instruments, Poway, Calif.). During high water 

discharge and high turbidity conditions, the lower frequency 

unit was required to achieve acoustic penetration to full river 

depth. When possible, the higher frequency unit was used 

because its measurements are made at a finer vertical resolution. ADCP data were logged simultaneously with GPS data 

on a laptop computer running WinRiver® (version 10.06, 

Teledyne RD Instruments, Poway, Calif.). Magnetic variation 

was set for each reach mapped by using GeoMagix® software 

(Interpex, Ltd., Golden, Colo.). Mapping crews performed 

the “Method 3” compass calibration procedure at each site by 

rotating the boat in a tight circle (RD Instruments, 2003). This 

procedure corrects for one-cycle compass errors. The procedure was repeated until the total error reading was less than 

1 degree. Configuration settings for ADCP data have a vertical 

resolution of 0.25 m (1,200 kHz) or 0.50 m (600 kHz) and a 

blanking distance of 0.50 m below the transducer head. ADCP 

data were collected using water mode 1 with six water pings 

and bottom mode 5 with one bottom ping.

For spawning habitat surveys (objective one), channel 

cross-section lines for the ADCP survey were laid out in a grid 

with 20 m spacing in the direction of water flow over an area 

that equally covered the multibeam survey, approximately 

twice the width of the river. For migration habitat surveys 

(objective two), channel cross-section lines were laid out 

orthogonally to the local flow direction through the points 

where the fish was located. The spacing of these lines was 

determined by the rate of movement of the fish upstream and 

the rate at which a single cross-section could be surveyed or 

the fish could be relocated. 

Velocity data were edited in the office and exported from 

WinRiver into generic text files. These data were subsequently 

imported into ArcMap or MATLAB (The Mathworks, Natick, 

Mass.) for further processing and gridding.

Results

Four locations (two spawning locations and two migration locations) were mapped (table 9) using the high-resolution 

multibeam habitat protocol. This totals approximately 3 miles 

of channel. One spawning reach was located in the upstream 

segment near the outlet of the Boyer Chute (not shown) 

(PLS10-013, fig.19, 20), and one spawning reach was located 

in the downstream segment near the confluence of the Lamine 

(not shown) and Missouri Rivers (PLS10-006, fig. 21, 22). The 

number of spawning sites mapped was limited by the number 

of sites documented by tracking crews; tracking crews were 

not able to track all tagged, reproductive fish intensively to 

spawning sites because of a shortage of crews when fish were 

spawning simultaneously, at multiple sites. Seven independent 

migration pathways were surveyed 

(table 9) covering approximately 50 miles of the paths of four 

fish (males, PLS09-013 and PLS10-023, and females, PLS10-

006 and PLS08-014). Four of the pathways were located in the 

lower river segments and three were located in the upper river 

segments (fig.1).

Spawning by sturgeon PLS10-006 was confirmed to have 

occurred between river mile 202.0 and river mile 202.4 

(fig. 19, 20). Spawning by sturgeon PLS10-013 was confirmed 

to have occurred between river mile 633.7 and river mile 

634.2 (fig. 21, 22). Habitat surveys at both of these locations indicate spawning could have occurred in a variety of 

Table 9. Summary data for habitat assessment efforts in 2010. Habitat Surveyed denotes habitat type. River mile location gives the 

upstream and downstream extent of each survey. Discharge is reported as the mean discharge through the course of the survey at 

the streamgage given in the nearest streamgage column. Survey Type denotes the methods used for each survey as described in the 

Task 3 methods section.

[Fish ID, fish identification code; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; ADCP, acoustic doppler current profiler]

Habitat

surveyed Fish ID Date(month/day/year)

River mile

location

Nearest streamgage 

(fig. 1)

Discharge 

ft.3

/s Survey type

Migration PLS09-013 4/21/2010 266.3–269.3 Waverly, Missouri 73,100 ADCP.

Migration PLS10-006 4/22/2010 185.1–186.6 Boonville, Missouri 77,300 ADCP.

Migration PLS10-006 4/28/2010 198.6–199.6 Boonville, Missouri 191,000 ADCP.

Migration PLS10-006 4/29/2010 201.5–201.7 Boonville, Missouri. 168,000 ADCP.

Spawning PLS10-006 5/1/2010 201.8–202.5 Boonville, Missouri 112,000 ADCP & Multibeam.

Spawning PLS10-013 5/5/2010 633.3–633.8 Omaha, Nebraska. 40,500 ADCP & Multibeam.

Migration PLS10-023 5/19/2010–5/20/2010 632.6–660.0 Omaha, Nebraska 44,600 ADCP.

Migration PLS08-014 5/24/2010–5/26/2010 663.6–675.5 Decatur, Nebraska 36,700 ADCP & Multibeam.

Migration PLS08-014 5/26/2010–5/27/2010 658.1–662.4 Decatur, Nebraska 36,300 ADCP & Multibeam.

Migration PLS10-006 7/23/2010 198.7–199.7 Boonville, Missouri 192,000 Multibeam.

Migration PLS09-013 8/31/2010–9/1/2010 231.9–232.5 Glasgow, Missouri 91,500 Multibeam.
36 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

202

202.5

92°51' 92°50'45" 92°50'30" 92°50'15"

38°59'

38°58'45"

EXPLANATION

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1960

River chart from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1994

Discharge on the date of survey, 

May 1, 2010, at the U.S. Geological

Survey streamgage 06909000

at Boonville, Missouri was 112,000

cubic feet per second 

Base from U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Imagery Program, digital data, 2010

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

0 75 150 METERS

0 300 600 FEET

River-mile marker—Number is 

 distance upstream from the 

 junction with the Mississippi 

 River, in miles

230

Elevation in meters above World

Geodetic System of 1984

Elevation,

in meters

Depth, 

in meters

175.7

164.7

1.0

12.0

Sturgeon location—Locations 

 of pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 

 (acoustictag 1053) on April 29

 to 30, 2010

Figure 19. Multibeam bathymetric map of reproductive female pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 spawning site. Mapped May 1, 2010.
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 37

Figure 20. Acoustic Doppler current profiler velocity map of reproductive female pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 spawning site. 

Mapped May 1, 2010.

92°50'45" 92°50'30"

38°59'

38°58'45"

EXPLANATION

River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1960

River chart from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1994

Discharge on the date of survey, May 1, 2010, 

at U.S. Geological Survey streamgage 06909000 

at Boonville, Missouri was 112,000 cubic feet 

per second 

Base from U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Imagery Program, digital data, 2010

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

0 75 150 METERS

0 300 600 FEET

River-mile marker—Number is 

 distance upstream from the 

 junction with the Mississippi 

 River, in miles

230

0 to 0.2

Greater than 0.2 to 0.4

Greater than 0.4 to 0.6

Greater than 0.6 to 0.8

Greater than 0.8 to 0.9

Greater than 0.9 to 1.0

Greater than 1.0 to 1.1

Greater than 1.1 to 1.2

Greater than 1.2 to 1.3

Greater than 1.3 to 1.4

Greater than 1.4 to 1.5

Greater than 1.5 to 1.6

Greater than 1.6 to 1.8

Greater than 1.8 to 2.0

Depth-averaged velocity, in meters per second Sturgeon location—Locations of 

 pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 (acoustic

 tag 1053) on April 29 to 30, 2010

202

202.5
38 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Figure 21. Multibeam bathymetric map of reproductive female pallid sturgeon PLS10-013 spawning site. Mapped 

May 5, 2010.

633.5

95°56' 95°55'45"

41°26'

41°25'45"

EXPLANATION

0 30 60 METERS

0 150 300 FEET

Discharge on the date of survey, 

May 5, 2010, at the U.S. Geological 

Survey streamflow gage 06610000 

at Omaha, Nebraska was 40,500 

cubic feet per second 

Number is distance

upstream from the 

junction with the 

Mississippi River, 

in miles

River-mile marker—

230

Elevation in meters above World

Geodetic System of 1984

Locations of pallid 

sturgeonPLS10-013 

(acoustic tag 1062) 

from April 28 to 29, 2010

Sturgeon location—

Elevation,

in meters Depth,

in meters

299.2

288.3

1.0

12.0

Base from U.S. Department of Agriculture National River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1960

Agriculture Imagery Program, digital data, 2010

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 39

Figure 22. Acoustic Doppler current profiler velocity map of reproductive female pallid sturgeon PLS10-013 

spawning site. Mapped May 5, 2010.

633.5

95°56' 95°55'45"

41°26'

41°25'45"

EXPLANATION

Number is distance

upstream from the 

junction with the 

Mississippi River, 

in miles

230 River-mile marker—

0 to 0.2

Greater than 0.2 to 0.4

Greater than 0.4 to 0.6

Greater than 0.6 to 0.8

Greater than 0.8 to 0.9

Greater than 0.9 to 1.0

Greater than 1.0 to 1.1

Greater than 1.1 to 1.2

Greater than 1.2 to 1.3

Greater than 1.3 to 1.4

Greater than 1.4 to 1.5

Greater than 1.5 to 1.6

Greater than 1.6 to 1.8

Greater than 1.8 to 2

Depth-averaged velocity,

in meters per second

Locations of pallid 

sturgeonPLS10-013 

(acoustic tag 1062) 

from April 28 to 29, 2010

Sturgeon location—

Discharge on the date of survey, 

May 5, 2010, at the U.S. Geological 

Survey streamflow gage 06610000 

at Omaha, Nebraska was 40,500 

cubic feet per second 

0 30 60 METERS

0 150 300 FEET

Base from U.S. Department of Agriculture National River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1960

Agriculture Imagery Program, digital data, 2010

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15
40 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Figure 23. PLS10-023 migration pathway between river mile 651 and river mile 656, May 3 through May 6, 2010.

96°07'30" 96°05' 96°02'30"

41°40'

41°37'30"

41°35'

EXPLANATION

0 640 1,280 METERS

0 2,400 4,800 FEET

Mean discharge on survey dates 

May 19 through May 20, 2010, at the 

U.S. Geological Survey streamflow 

gage 06610000 at Omaha, Nebraska 

was 44,600 cubic feet per second 

Locations of pallid 

sturgeon PLS10-023 

(acoustic tag 1066) 

from May 3, 2010

to May 6, 2010

Sturgeon location—

05/03/10

05/04/10

05/05/10

05/06/10

05/06/10

649

653

650

652

654

655

656

657

658

659

660 Survey cross section

Number is distance

upstream from the 

junction with the 

Mississippi River, 

in miles

230 River-mile marker—

Base from U.S. Department of Agriculture National River miles from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1960

Agriculture Imagery Program, digital data, 2010

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 41

substrates along the outer banks of channel bends in some of 

the deepest and fastest waters locally available.

During upstream migration all tracked fish were observed 

to follow a general path that follows the inside bank of a 

channel bend, crosses the river where the navigation channel 

crosses in the opposite direction, and continues up the inside 

bank of the subsequent channel bend (fig. 23). Combining 

DST depth estimates from individual fish with ADCP survey 

channel depths indicates that the tracked sturgeon generally 

migrate upstream maintaining vertical positions near the bottom of the water column (fig. 24). The pathways selected are 

distinguished from the multitude of unselected pathways by 

relatively slower flow velocities.

Spawning was observed to occur near the outer banks or 

generally within deep, fast-moving water. Hence, near the end 

of their migrations, sturgeon must move away from the inner 

bends of the channel (relatively slower, shallower waters) to 

the fast, deep spawning habitat. This was observed to occur 

in close proximity to both spawning locations (for example, 

fig. 19, 21). 

Task 4. Provide Database Integration, GIS 

Support, and Report Coordination

Background

The research activities of CSRP generate large volumes 

of data about the physiology, ecology, and habitat requirements of pallid and shovelnose sturgeons. These data may be 

useful in addressing management needs if they are properly 

organized, effectively displayed, carefully interpreted, and 

expeditiously published. In recognition of the critical role of 

information management CSRP has developed a robust platform for data collection, integration, maintenance, analysis, 

visualization, and distribution of project data.

Scope and Objectives

The general objectives of Task 4 have been to (1) develop 

and maintain a standardized mobile mapping and electronic 

Figure 24. Perspective view of reproductive female pallid sturgeon PLS10-006 traversing flow velocity field 

through a bend-crossover-bend reach between river mile 198.7 and river mile 199.

5 192

3.0 

 

+

9

5192

x

0

1.5

+

Flow

Fish

5.19

0 t

0

1,600

5.182

5.184

5.186

+

D

5

1 0 800

1,200

5.178

5.18

4 3139 4.3139

4.314

+

0

15

0

100

400

5.174

5.176

100

200

300

400

500

0

Flow depth, in meters

Horizontal distance, in meters

Horizontal distance, in meters

Upstream pallid sturgeon migration pathway PLS10-006 4/28/2010

Dike tip

Thalweg crossover

Outer bend of channel

EXPLANATION

Velocity, in meters 

per second
42 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

data-collection framework to support simultaneous data collection from multiple field crews, (2) compile and maintain 

data collected for CSRP, and (3) develop and maintain near 

real-time data reporting. 

Methods

The Sturgeon Information Management System (SIMS) 

was developed as a central platform for data collection, 

maintenance, and exploration of the large volumes of data 

generated by CSRP. SIMS was developed using a variety of 

products to accommodate the types of data and the demand 

for near real-time updates. ArcPad® and ArcGIS® (ESRI, 

Redlands, Calif.) have been used to collect and manage the 

geospatial data (such as telemetry locations for all individual 

sturgeon). SQL Server 2008® (Microsoft Inc., Seattle, Wash.) 

is used to manage tabular data (including gender, length, and 

weight for example). In addition, a custom SIMS user interface has been developed in Microsoft Access® (Microsoft Inc., 

Seattle, Wash.) to allow quick access to near real-time reports 

that incorporate information from spatial and tabular data 

(DeLonay and others, 2010).

Results 

The SIMS platform continued to record and maintains 

geospatial data detailing all sturgeon telemetry locations and 

search-effort location data from the CSRP tracking efforts 

during 2010. Since 2004, more than 12,500 pallid and shovelnose sturgeon locations have been recorded and archived 

using SIMS. During 2010, USGS and NGPC field crews 

recorded more than 1,875 pallid sturgeon locations during 

more than 450 search efforts. Additionally, SIMS has recorded 

and archived 32 initial telemetry device implantations and 

35 evaluations and re-implantations of pallid sturgeon during 

2010. These data are linked to other morphological, physiological, and environmental data within the SIMS database 

framework, making it possible to maintain data and reports in 

a near real-time environment (DeLonay and others, 2010). 

During 2010 the SIMS relational database was converted 

to a 64-bit server and SQL Server 2008® (64-bit compatible) to provide a faster and more stable platform. During 

this upgrade, the near real-time linkages between the geospatial telemetry data and the database were upgraded to 

virtual tables, which provide increased user performance. The 

Microsoft Access® based SIMS user interface also required 

additional programming to meet SQL Server 2008® standards. 

The reprogramming of numerous reports and data entry forms 

to ensure 64-bit compliance also allowed further streamlining 

of the user interface and improved functionality. For example, 

the Individual Fish Summary page illustrates many of the 

improvements made possible by transitioning to a 64-bit platform (fig. 25). In addition, a mapping functionality was added 

to the Individual Fish Summary page allowing a user to obtain 

a near real-time ArcGIS map of all the telemetry locations for 

an individual fish. This functionality opens an ArcGIS map, 

which allows a user to interact with the data and is preformatted to USGS standards for export to a document or presentation (fig. 26). Other additions to the Individual Fish Summary 

page allow a user to obtain DST data within a formatted chart 

in SigmaPlot® (Systat, Inc., Chicago, Ill.), view any DIDSON®

video footage that may exist for an individual fish and export 

pertinent information about particular fish directly to a crew 

member in the field by way of SMS (Short Message Service) 

text message (fig. 27). The improved Individual Fish Summary 

Report allows scientists to access all available information 

quickly and easily, compressing decision cycles. 

The existing SIMS framework was used to incorporate 

and leverage an increasing amount of ancillary data. In 2010, 

additional tables were created to maintain data storage tag 

(DST) records, hatchery and broodstock information, temperature logger data, and a digital chain of custody for tissue 

samples. More than 1.7 million records obtained from DST 

devices recovered from 62 telemetered pallid sturgeon have 

been imported into the SIMS database framework. The SIMS 

user interface also allows a user to quickly filter and display 

these records graphically, within the SIMS user interface or 

by opening preformatted charts within SigmaPlot®. Information regarding the capture, reproductive condition, and use of 

the nearly 80 fish received from the broodstock propagation 

program and implanted with transmitters was added to SIMS. 

This information is included on the Individual Fish Summary 

page. Additionally, more than 300,000 temperature logger data 

records at 28 locations from 2002 to 2010 have been incorporated into the SIMS database. The SIMS user interface allows 

a user to interactively select and chart the temperature data at 

any number of these stations (fig. 28). Tables and reports also 

have been developed within SIMS to provide a digital chain of 

custody detailing the location and status of genetics and physiology tissue samples collected by field crews and analyzed by 

laboratory staff or partnering agencies. 

During 2010, reporting process for Federal and several 

State endangered species collectors permits were streamlined 

substantially by automating the compilation of information 

necessary to reapply for multiple permits, each with various 

data reporting requirements. The resulting automated reports 

provide more efficient data reporting to permit-granting agencies. Reports also were developed to increase efficiency of the 

data-verification process. These verification reports highlight 

possible inconsistencies within the database, thereby enabling 

the data reviewer to quickly discover discrepancies within the 

data. 
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 43 Figure 25. Example of the Individual Fish Summary page generated by the user interface.
44 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010 Figure 26. The Individual fish Summary Report links to a preformatted map ready for export. 
Detailed Research Task Activities and Progress 45 Figure 27. The Individual Fish Summary Page provides access to DST data graphed and formatted for USGS publications. 
46 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010 Figure 28. Temperature logger data from approximately 32 different locations for the last 8 years was added to SIMS for storage and exploration.
Incremental Progress in Understanding Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Survival 47

Incremental Progress in Understanding 

Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and 

Survival

CSRP accomplishments in 2010 added a substantial 

amount of knowledge about pallid sturgeon reproductive biology by increasing documented migration and spawning events, 

increasing understanding of how environmental conditions 

might “cue” reproduction, and adding information on habitats 

used by reproductive pallid sturgeon in upstream migrations 

and spawning. This information contributes to the growing 

knowledge available to decision makers and serves to generate additional hypotheses about constraints on pallid sturgeon 

reproduction and survival. 

Reproductive Movements and Spawning Cues

Migration patterns of reproductive pallid sturgeon documented on the Lower Missouri River in 2010 were similar to 

those documented in previous years. Females tend to migrate 

rapidly upstream in mid-April, pause to spawn at an upstream 

apex, and then drift slowly downstream for weeks to months. 

Male patterns are less regular and frequently include upstream 

and downstream movements, giving the impression that they 

are using multiple strategies to actively search for mates. 

Spawning locations documented in 2010 confirm that pallid sturgeon are spawning in multiple places along the Lower 

Missouri River (fig. 12), similar to previous results from 

reproductive shovelnose sturgeon (DeLonay and others, 2009). 

Because this study’s sampling design is based on an upstream 

sample and a downstream sample, the gap in spawning locations between Kansas City and Omaha is to some extent an 

artifact. The distribution of spawning sites indicates that 

sturgeon are not limited to spawning at a few specific reaches 

or patches for spawning. This observation supports a hypothesis that multiple locations exist within the Lower Missouri 

River with suitable combinations of environmental conditions, 

including, but not limited to: depth, velocity, substrate, water 

temperature, and presence of mates. Selection of a location 

may not indicate that the location is optimal for spawning success, only that it represents a combination of conditions that 

the fish perceives to be reasonably suitable for spawning at a 

time when the fish’s reproductive system has advanced to a 

state when gametes need to be released.

Spawning migrations during 2010 indicated no clear, 

consistent linkages to discharge conditions or flow pulses. 

Lack of clear linkages does not mean that discharge is not 

an important variable in sturgeon reproduction, but it does 

indicate that discharge in the regulated Lower Missouri River 

does not exert an overwhelming control or may interact with 

other variables in complex ways. Migration patterns did 

show relations to water temperature fluctuations, similar to 

previously documented effects (DeLonay and others, 2009). 

Temperature effects seem to fall into two categories. The first 

is a temperature threshold for spawning at 16–18 ̊C. Water 

temperatures above this threshold seem to be necessary for 

spawning, but temperature alone is not sufficient to insure 

successful spawning because other conditions (presence of 

mates, substrate, local flow conditions, for example) may not 

be appropriate. The other effect is a notable relation between 

changes in water temperature and migration direction or 

speed. In 2010 documentation was collected of repeat episodes of cold water that were associated with stopping (fig. 7, 

PLS10-006) or reversing (fig. 9, PLS08-14 in 2008) upstream 

migration. 

Relations between water discharge and water temperature 

are complex and variable along the Lower Missouri River. 

The episode of low water temperature during late April 2010 

that stopped upstream migration of PLS10-006 was associated with a discharge pulse originating in local tributaries. 

Similarly, episodes of low water temperature in early April 

and mid-May were associated with local discharge pulses in 

the lower section of the river (fig. 4A), suggesting an inverse 

relation between discharge and water temperature in the lower 

section during spring. In contrast, water temperature variation 

in the upper section of the river occurred without association 

with discharge pulses (figs. 6, 8, 9, and 10). Comparison to air 

temperatures indicates that water temperatures in the upper 

section of the river may be controlled directly by air temperature (fig. 4B). Importantly, these data indicate that water 

temperatures can vary substantially, and within a range that is 

effective in affecting sturgeon migrations, independent of discharge pulses. Understanding the different relations between 

the upstream and downstream sections will require additional 

analysis of historical temperature records, which may provide 

important information on the predictability of water temperature and discharge cues in pallid sturgeon reproduction.

Shorter, less-systematic migration patterns also have been 

observed for upper-section shovelnose sturgeon compared 

to lower section shovelnose sturgeon on the Lower Missouri 

River (Wildhaber and others, 2011b). This study was carried 

out 2004–2007, a period characterized by high upstream to 

downstream and within-year hydrologic variability. Despite 

variability in flow the authors did not detect differences in 

migration pattern by year. The causes for differences in migration pattern remain unknown, but may relate to as-yet unidentified environmental conditions that differ from upstream 

to downstream. Such conditions may include variation of 

discharge, availability of tributaries, temperature, turbidity, or 

other water-quality properties.

Fecundity data developed during 2010 also contributed to 

hypotheses for an upstream/downstream variation in reproductive potential of pallid sturgeon. This study documents that 

reproductive females in the upstream section lose substantially 

less body mass between pre-spawn and post-spawn evaluations compared to downstream females (fig. 13). Lower fecundity of upstream females could relate to lowered reproductive 

success and may be attributed to various causes including 

insufficient diet, non-optimal water temperatures, habitat 

availability, or genetic differentiation among metapopulations.
48 Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010

Multiyear tracking of individual fish has documented 

examples of geographic fidelity within the Lower Missouri 

River. PLS07-020, for example, apparently has migrated 

upstream to spawn twice within a reach of about 10 miles 

and has returned after spawning to nearly the same location 

at river mile 566 (fig. 14). If geographic fidelity like this can 

be confirmed for substantial portions of the pallid sturgeon 

population, it may be possible to focus channel re-engineering 

for specific habitats in specific reaches, or to tailor propagation 

approaches to address specific metapopulations.

Blood hormone profiles of female pallid sturgeon documented in 2010 and in previous years show consistent patterns 

through time in relation to reproductive cycles, similar to 

those documented for shovelnose sturgeon (Papoulias and others, 2011). Recognition of these cycles and their timeframes 

provides a basis for evaluating links to external conditions 

(or “cues”) responsible for initiating or continuing reproductive cycles. In particular, estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone 

are associated with oocyte growth weeks to months before 

spawning, whereas gonadotrophic and maturation inducing hormones peak within hours of ovulation and spawning 

(DeLonay and others, 2009). Hence, blood hormone levels 

assessed during 2010 helped quantify reproductive readiness 

of pallid sturgeon, their susceptibility to environmental cues, 

and their reproductive behaviors.

Potential Habitat Limitations

Migration paths mapped during 2010 confirm that the 

path followed by the observed migrating sturgeon is, in general, the geographically shortest path to upstream destinations 

and the least-cost path from an energetic perspective. Because 

the distance along the inner banks of channel bends is shorter 

than that along the outer banks, traversal of each bend occurs 

approximately through the shortest geographic path for that 

bend. As a fish migrates from bend to bend and upstream their 

path is less sinuous than the overall path of the channel, and 

the result is a path that is shorter in distance than the path of 

the channel centerline (fig. 23). These observations support 

the previous findings of Reuter and others (2008 and 2009), 

DeLonay and others (2009). Energetic expenditure during 

migration is a function of the velocities available to sturgeon 

along their upstream directed paths. Combining the ADCP surveyed velocities with the DST fish depths and locations during 

telemetry, the tracked sturgeon were observed to select paths 

that minimize the energy necessary to arrive at their upstream 

destination (fig. 24). This hypothesis is not yet supported by 

enough independent observations to be statistically significant. 

Because migration difficulty is demonstrated to be related 

to fecundity in a number of large river fishes (Kinnison and 

others, 2001; Kinnison and others, 2003; Crossin and others, 

2004; Jonsson and Jonsson, 2006), this could have implications for managing fecundity through flow or channel modifications. Similarly, Ridenour and others (2009) found that adult 

Macrhybopsis spp. chubs (makes up 79 percent of juvenile 

pallid sturgeon diet) were most associated with habitats 

consistent with the minimal energy expenditure pathway identified in this study, suggesting that pallid sturgeon foraging 

behavior also may be affected by energetic considerations.

As in previous years, flow and channel morphology data 

were collected at spawning sites. Results from 2010 support 

previous interpretations that sturgeon select deep (greater 

than 3 meters), fast (greater than 1 meter per second), and 

turbulent flow on the revetted outer banks of channel bends 

(DeLonay and others, 2010). However, this contrasts slightly 

with the spawning sites surveyed in the upper river section in 

2009. At those sites the sturgeon were spread over a broader 

area, whereas fish locations within the 2010 site in the upper 

management unit were concentrated between 10 meters and 

12 meters water depth. Additionally, both spawning sites 

surveyed in 2010 are located adjacent to confluences (Boyer 

Chute at river mile 633.5; Lamine River at river mile 202.5). 

The form of channel bottom topography at both spawning 

sites indicates that revetted rock banks or exposed bedrock or 

both was readily available for the deposition of eggs as well as 

large sandy bed forms (that is greater than 30 meters in length) 

as adjacent flow refugia. These observations also corroborate 

previous characterization of spawning areas (DeLonay and 

others, 2009; DeLonay and others, 2010). 

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DeLonay and others—Ecological Requirements for Pallid Sturgeon Reproduction and Recruitment in the Lower Missouri River: Annual Report 2010—Open-File Report 2012–1009 DeLonay and others Open-File Report 2012–1009