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
Filter Total Items: 68
Review of a model to assess stranding of juvenile salmon by ship wakes along the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington
Long period wake waves from deep draft vessels have been shown to strand small fish, particularly juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tschawytcha, in the lower Columbia River (LCR). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the shipping channel in the LCR and recently conducted dredging operations to deepen the shipping channel from an authorized depth of 40 feet...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, John Plumb, Noah S. Adams
Snake River fall Chinook salmon life history investigations: Annual report 2011 (April 2011 - March 2012)
Executive Summary Chapter One – This chapter was published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society in 2012. We conducted a three-year radiotelemetry study in the lower Snake River to answer the questions: do fall Chinook salmon juveniles pass dams during winter when bypass systems and structures designed to prevent mortality are not operated; does downstream movement rate...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, William P. Connor, Brian J. Bellgraph, Tobias J. Kock, Frank L. Mullins, R.K. Steinhorst, Helena E. Christiansen, Stephen D. McCormick, Lori A. Ortega, Kathleen M. Carter, Evan V. Arntzen, Katherine J.C. Klett, Z. Daniel Deng, Tylor K. Abel, Timothy J. Linley, Valerie I. Cullinan, Scott J. St John, John Erhardt, Brad Bickford, Amanda H. Schmidt, Tobyn N. Rhodes
Behavior and movement of adult summer steelhead following collection and release, lower Cowlitz River, Washington, 2012--2013
Executive SummaryHistorically, adult summer steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss returning to hatcheries on the lower Cowlitz River were sometimes transported and released in the river (recycled) to provide additional angling opportunity for the popular sport fishery in the basin. However, this practice has not been used in recent years because of concerns associated with interactions between...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Theresa Liedtke, Brian K. Ekstrom, Dennis W. Rondorf, Chris Gleizes, Wolf Dammers, Scott E. Gibson, Jamie Murphy
Downstream movement of fall Chinook salmon juveniles in the lower Snake River reservoirs during winter and early spring
We conducted a 3-year radiotelemetry study in the lower Snake River to (1) determine whether juvenile fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha pass dams during winter, when bypass systems and structures designed to prevent mortality are not operated; (2) determine whether downstream movement rate varies annually, seasonally, and from reservoir to reservoir; and (3) identify some of...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, William P. Connor, Frank L. Mullins, R.K. Steinhorst
Evaluation of stream flow effects on smolt survival in the Yakima River basin, Washington
Study Summary The influence of stream flow on salmon smolt emigration survival is a topic of widespread management interest. We collected smolt survival data to inform flow management decisions in the Yakima Basin. The Yakima River watershed drains the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range in central Washington State. The upper basin is comprised of two major tributaries–the...
Authors
Ian I Courter, Tommy Garrison, Tobias J. Kock, Russell Perry
Elevated streamflows increase dam passage by juvenile coho salmon during winter: Implications of climate change in the Pacific Northwest
A 4-year evaluation was conducted to determine the proportion of juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch passing Cowlitz Falls Dam, on the Cowlitz River, Washington, during winter. River and reservoir populations of coho salmon parr were monitored using radiotelemetry to determine if streamflow increases resulted in increased downstream movement and dam passage. This was of interest...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Theresa Liedtke, Dennis W. Rondorf, John D. Serl, Mike Kohn, Karen Bumbaco
Behavior and passage of juvenile salmonids during the evaluation of a behavioral guidance structure at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, 2011
Executive Summary A radiotelemetry evaluation was conducted during April–October 2011 to describe movement patterns, forebay behavior, and passage of juvenile steelhead, coho salmon, and Chinook salmon at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington. The primary focus of the study was to describe fish behavior near a behavioral guidance structure (BGS) and floating surface collector (FSC) deployed...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Theresa Liedtke, Brian K. Ekstrom, Ryan G. Tomka, Dennis W. Rondorf
Evaluation of angler effort and harvest of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Lake Scanewa, Washington, 2010
A creel evaluation was conducted in Lake Scanewa, a reservoir on the Cowlitz River, to monitor catch rates of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and determine if the trout fishery was having negative impacts on juvenile anadromous salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the system. The trout fishery, which is supported by releases of 20,000 fish (2 fish per pound) per year from June to August...
Authors
Theresa Liedtke, Tobias J. Kock, Brian K. Ekstrom, Ryan G. Tomka, Dennis W. Rondorf
Analysis of dam-passage survival of yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead at The Dalles Dam, Oregon, 2010
We performed a series of analyses of mark-recapture data from a study at The Dalles Dam during 2010 to determine if model assumptions for estimation of juvenile salmonid dam-passage survival were met and if results were similar to those using the University of Washington's newly developed ATLAS software. The study was conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and used...
Authors
John W. Beeman, Tobias J. Kock, Russell Perry, Steven M. Smith
Behavior and movement of formerly landlocked juvenile coho salmon after release into the free-flowing Cowlitz River, Washington
Formerly landlocked Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) juveniles (age 2) were monitored following release into the free-flowing Cowlitz River to determine if they remained in the river or resumed seaward migration. Juvenile Coho Salmon were tagged with a radio transmitter (30 fish) or Floy tag (1050 fish) and their behavior was monitored in the lower Cowlitz River. We found that 97% of...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Julie A. Henning, Theresa Liedtke, Ida M. Royer, Brian K. Ekstrom, Dennis W. Rondorf
Diel behavior of rearing fall Chinook salmon
In fisheries science, habitat use is often inferred when fish are sampled or observed in a particular location. Physical habitat is typically measured where fish are found, and thus deemed important to habitat use. Although less common, a more informative approach is to measure or observe fish behavior within given habitats to more thoroughly assess their use of those locations. While...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, Joseph J. Skalicky
Quantifying the behavioral response of spawning chum salmon to elevated discharges from Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, USA
Chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta that spawn in main-stem habitats below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, USA, are periodically subjected to elevated discharges that may alter spawning behaviour. We investigated behavioural responses of spawning chum salmon to increased water velocities associated with experimental increases in tailwater elevation using acoustic telemetry and a dual...
Authors
K.F. Tiffan, C. Richard Haskell, T.J. Kock
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 68
Review of a model to assess stranding of juvenile salmon by ship wakes along the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington
Long period wake waves from deep draft vessels have been shown to strand small fish, particularly juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tschawytcha, in the lower Columbia River (LCR). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the shipping channel in the LCR and recently conducted dredging operations to deepen the shipping channel from an authorized depth of 40 feet...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, John Plumb, Noah S. Adams
Snake River fall Chinook salmon life history investigations: Annual report 2011 (April 2011 - March 2012)
Executive Summary Chapter One – This chapter was published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society in 2012. We conducted a three-year radiotelemetry study in the lower Snake River to answer the questions: do fall Chinook salmon juveniles pass dams during winter when bypass systems and structures designed to prevent mortality are not operated; does downstream movement rate...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, William P. Connor, Brian J. Bellgraph, Tobias J. Kock, Frank L. Mullins, R.K. Steinhorst, Helena E. Christiansen, Stephen D. McCormick, Lori A. Ortega, Kathleen M. Carter, Evan V. Arntzen, Katherine J.C. Klett, Z. Daniel Deng, Tylor K. Abel, Timothy J. Linley, Valerie I. Cullinan, Scott J. St John, John Erhardt, Brad Bickford, Amanda H. Schmidt, Tobyn N. Rhodes
Behavior and movement of adult summer steelhead following collection and release, lower Cowlitz River, Washington, 2012--2013
Executive SummaryHistorically, adult summer steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss returning to hatcheries on the lower Cowlitz River were sometimes transported and released in the river (recycled) to provide additional angling opportunity for the popular sport fishery in the basin. However, this practice has not been used in recent years because of concerns associated with interactions between...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Theresa Liedtke, Brian K. Ekstrom, Dennis W. Rondorf, Chris Gleizes, Wolf Dammers, Scott E. Gibson, Jamie Murphy
Downstream movement of fall Chinook salmon juveniles in the lower Snake River reservoirs during winter and early spring
We conducted a 3-year radiotelemetry study in the lower Snake River to (1) determine whether juvenile fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha pass dams during winter, when bypass systems and structures designed to prevent mortality are not operated; (2) determine whether downstream movement rate varies annually, seasonally, and from reservoir to reservoir; and (3) identify some of...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, William P. Connor, Frank L. Mullins, R.K. Steinhorst
Evaluation of stream flow effects on smolt survival in the Yakima River basin, Washington
Study Summary The influence of stream flow on salmon smolt emigration survival is a topic of widespread management interest. We collected smolt survival data to inform flow management decisions in the Yakima Basin. The Yakima River watershed drains the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range in central Washington State. The upper basin is comprised of two major tributaries–the...
Authors
Ian I Courter, Tommy Garrison, Tobias J. Kock, Russell Perry
Elevated streamflows increase dam passage by juvenile coho salmon during winter: Implications of climate change in the Pacific Northwest
A 4-year evaluation was conducted to determine the proportion of juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch passing Cowlitz Falls Dam, on the Cowlitz River, Washington, during winter. River and reservoir populations of coho salmon parr were monitored using radiotelemetry to determine if streamflow increases resulted in increased downstream movement and dam passage. This was of interest...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Theresa Liedtke, Dennis W. Rondorf, John D. Serl, Mike Kohn, Karen Bumbaco
Behavior and passage of juvenile salmonids during the evaluation of a behavioral guidance structure at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, 2011
Executive Summary A radiotelemetry evaluation was conducted during April–October 2011 to describe movement patterns, forebay behavior, and passage of juvenile steelhead, coho salmon, and Chinook salmon at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington. The primary focus of the study was to describe fish behavior near a behavioral guidance structure (BGS) and floating surface collector (FSC) deployed...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Theresa Liedtke, Brian K. Ekstrom, Ryan G. Tomka, Dennis W. Rondorf
Evaluation of angler effort and harvest of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Lake Scanewa, Washington, 2010
A creel evaluation was conducted in Lake Scanewa, a reservoir on the Cowlitz River, to monitor catch rates of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and determine if the trout fishery was having negative impacts on juvenile anadromous salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the system. The trout fishery, which is supported by releases of 20,000 fish (2 fish per pound) per year from June to August...
Authors
Theresa Liedtke, Tobias J. Kock, Brian K. Ekstrom, Ryan G. Tomka, Dennis W. Rondorf
Analysis of dam-passage survival of yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead at The Dalles Dam, Oregon, 2010
We performed a series of analyses of mark-recapture data from a study at The Dalles Dam during 2010 to determine if model assumptions for estimation of juvenile salmonid dam-passage survival were met and if results were similar to those using the University of Washington's newly developed ATLAS software. The study was conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and used...
Authors
John W. Beeman, Tobias J. Kock, Russell Perry, Steven M. Smith
Behavior and movement of formerly landlocked juvenile coho salmon after release into the free-flowing Cowlitz River, Washington
Formerly landlocked Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) juveniles (age 2) were monitored following release into the free-flowing Cowlitz River to determine if they remained in the river or resumed seaward migration. Juvenile Coho Salmon were tagged with a radio transmitter (30 fish) or Floy tag (1050 fish) and their behavior was monitored in the lower Cowlitz River. We found that 97% of...
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Julie A. Henning, Theresa Liedtke, Ida M. Royer, Brian K. Ekstrom, Dennis W. Rondorf
Diel behavior of rearing fall Chinook salmon
In fisheries science, habitat use is often inferred when fish are sampled or observed in a particular location. Physical habitat is typically measured where fish are found, and thus deemed important to habitat use. Although less common, a more informative approach is to measure or observe fish behavior within given habitats to more thoroughly assess their use of those locations. While...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, Tobias J. Kock, Joseph J. Skalicky
Quantifying the behavioral response of spawning chum salmon to elevated discharges from Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, USA
Chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta that spawn in main-stem habitats below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, USA, are periodically subjected to elevated discharges that may alter spawning behaviour. We investigated behavioural responses of spawning chum salmon to increased water velocities associated with experimental increases in tailwater elevation using acoustic telemetry and a dual...
Authors
K.F. Tiffan, C. Richard Haskell, T.J. Kock
*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