Tobias J Kock
Toby is a Supervisory Research Fish Biologist in the Western Fisheries Research Center who works out of the Columbia River Research Laboratory in Cook, Washington. His research is focused on Pacific salmon, dam passage and survival, ecology, and fish reintroductions throughout the western United States. His research is highly collaborative and includes State, Federal, Tribal and Private partners.
Toby’s research team conducts investigations focused on dam passage and survival for juvenile and adult Pacific salmon, assesses fish collection and passage devices, researches the ecological effects of high-head dams and reservoirs on anadromous fish, and evaluates various aspects of salmon and steelhead reintroductions upstream of impassable dams. He is currently working on studies that evaluate the effects of flow management on juvenile salmon survival, the responses of adult salmon and steelhead to trap-and-haul, assessment of dam-passage survival of juvenile salmon, and developing methods to estimate survival of salmon fry in reservoirs. His research is highly collaborative. Toby works closely with Tribal, State, Federal, and Private partners to provide unbiased science for use by a diverse group of partners in several watersheds across the western United States.
Professional Experience
2016-Present – Supervisory Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
2002 to 2016 - Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Science Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
2000-2002 - Graduate Student, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
1998-2000 - Biological Science Technician, University of Idaho and U.S. Geological Survey
Education and Certifications
M.S. 2004. Fisheries Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
B.A. 2000. Biology, Minor in Religion, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Fisheries Society
AFS-BES/ASCE-EWRI Joint Committee on Fisheries Engineering and Science (Webinar Task Group Member)
Science and Products
Monitoring the movements of juvenile Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Yakima River, Washington, using acoustic telemetry, 2019–20
Synthesis of habitat availability and carrying capacity research to support water management decisions and enhance conditions for Pacific salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon
Behavior and movement of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the forebay of Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, August–December 2020
Behavior and survival of hatchery rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2013 and 2017
Evaluation of movement and survival of juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Klickitat River, Washington, 2018–2019
Adult sockeye salmon responses to transplanting upstream of an impassable dam
Evaluation of factors affecting migration success of adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Yakima River, Washington, 2020
Review of trap-and-haul for managing Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in impounded river systems
Behavior and movement of adult winter steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18
Evaluation of water temperature effects on adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) behavior in the Yakima River, Washington, 2019
Using the STARS Model to evaluate the effects of two proposed projects for the long-term operation of State Water Project Incidental Take Permit Application and CEQA compliance
Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) survival in Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon, 2018
Science and Products
Monitoring the movements of juvenile Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Yakima River, Washington, using acoustic telemetry, 2019–20
Synthesis of habitat availability and carrying capacity research to support water management decisions and enhance conditions for Pacific salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon
Behavior and movement of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the forebay of Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, August–December 2020
Behavior and survival of hatchery rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2013 and 2017
Evaluation of movement and survival of juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Klickitat River, Washington, 2018–2019
Adult sockeye salmon responses to transplanting upstream of an impassable dam
Evaluation of factors affecting migration success of adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Yakima River, Washington, 2020
Review of trap-and-haul for managing Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in impounded river systems
Behavior and movement of adult winter steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18
Evaluation of water temperature effects on adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) behavior in the Yakima River, Washington, 2019
Using the STARS Model to evaluate the effects of two proposed projects for the long-term operation of State Water Project Incidental Take Permit Application and CEQA compliance
Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) survival in Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon, 2018
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government