Lack of reproduction has been hypothesized to be a factor in the decline of the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) through much of its range. Spawning habitat and behavior have only recently been documented on the Lower Missouri River, which comprises over 1,300 river kilometers of undammed river. This data consists of present habitat measurements for ten pallid sturgeon spawning events from 2008-2013 that occurred in discrete reaches dispersed over hundreds of kilometers on the Lower Missouri River.

The data was collected at two lower Mississippi River sites and consists of year round pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus capture attributes (including habitat type at capture location) from 116 telemetry-tagged fish and habitat area estimation for the sites.

The data was collected at two lower Mississippi River sites and consists of year round pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus capture attributes (including habitat type at capture location) from 116 telemetry-tagged fish and habitat area estimation for the sites.

The data set contains sampling data, catch data, and biological data associated with a broad-scale experiment to examine free embryo dispersal and larval settlement of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. On 20190701, two age groups of pallid sturgeon including 771,707 1-day post-hatch (dph) free embryos and 200,786 5-dph free embryos were released in the Missouri River where dispersal in the water column was assessed through 150 miles. Following dispersal, beam trawl sampling of benthic habitats was conducted to verify settlement and quantify the spatial extent of settlement. Trawling was conducted for nine consecutive weeks from 20190716 to 20190911 in eight river bends positioned between river miles 1552.0 and 1591.8. A tissue sample was obtained from captured larval Scaphirhynchus. The tissue sample was used in genetic analysis to identify species and identify parentage. The data set includes sampling location information, benthic trawl catch data for Scaphirhynchus species and other species, genetic results distinguishing Scaphirhynchus species as shovelnose sturgeon or pallid sturgeon, parentage for the pallid sturgeon, and biological data for all species.

The data set contains sampling data, catch data, and biological data associated with a broad-scale experiment to examine free embryo dispersal and larval settlement of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. On 20190701, two age groups of pallid sturgeon including 771,707 1-day post-hatch (dph) free embryos and 200,786 5-dph free embryos were released in the Missouri River where dispersal in the water column was assessed through 150 miles. Following dispersal, beam trawl sampling of benthic habitats was conducted to verify settlement and quantify the spatial extent of settlement. Trawling was conducted for nine consecutive weeks from 20190716 to 20190911 in eight river bends positioned between river miles 1552.0 and 1591.8. A tissue sample was obtained from captured larval Scaphirhynchus. The tissue sample was used in genetic analysis to identify species and identify parentage. The data set includes sampling location information, benthic trawl catch data for Scaphirhynchus species and other species, genetic results distinguishing Scaphirhynchus species as shovelnose sturgeon or pallid sturgeon, parentage for the pallid sturgeon, and biological data for all species.

The data set contains sampling data, catch data, and biological data associated with a broad-scale experiment to examine free embryo dispersal and larval settlement of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. On 20190701, two age groups of pallid sturgeon including 771,707 1-day post-hatch (dph) free embryos and 200,786 5-dph free embryos were released in the Missouri River where dispersal in the water column was assessed through 150 miles. Following dispersal, beam trawl sampling of benthic habitats was conducted to verify settlement and quantify the spatial extent of settlement. Trawling was conducted for nine consecutive weeks from 20190716 to 20190911 in eight river bends positioned between river miles 1552.0 and 1591.8. A tissue sample was obtained from captured larval Scaphirhynchus. The tissue sample was used in genetic analysis to identify species and identify parentage. The data set includes sampling location information, benthic trawl catch data for Scaphirhynchus species and other species, genetic results distinguishing Scaphirhynchus species as shovelnose sturgeon or pallid sturgeon, parentage for the pallid sturgeon, and biological data for all species.

The data set contains sampling and catch data associated with an experiment to examine dispersal and short-term survival of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) free embryos in the Missouri River of eastern Montana. The experiment was conducted as part of a flow test from Fort Peck Dam, when warm surface water from Fort Peck reservoir was released over the spillway to improve environmental conditions for pallid sturgeon. On 20240626, an estimated 354,000 1-day post-hatch (dph) pallid sturgeon free embryos produced from hatchery broodstock were released in the warm plume of the spillway, and recaptured at sites 3.9- and 8.4-miles downstream. The free embryos were sampled using multiple boats and crews at the sites, where sampling for the free embryos was conducted adjacent to the riverbed (bottom samples) and in the middle of the water column (mid-water samples). The data set includes sample site location information; site-, boat-, and time-specific catches for the released pallid sturgeon free embryos; length estimates for the free embryos; and parental crosses used to produce the free embryos.

Endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) spawning habitats were mapped on the Tongue River near Miles, City Montana June in 2023 and 2024. Data quantify the physical characteristics of the river channel and flow; depth, velocity and habitat assessments using single-beam sonar, acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) in 2023 and single-beam sonar in 2024. Real-time kinematic Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) through a base station were used for positioning in 2023 and a Real-time GNSS correction network was used in 2024. In 2023 depths and velocities were mapped in a 1.6 kilometer long reach used by pallid sturgeon with transects that had a 15-meter spacing. In 2024 we surveyed a longitudinal profile of depth, water surface elevation, and bed elevation for 30.3 kilometers from just below Twelve Mile Dam to just upstream from the confluence with the Yellowstone River. Elevation control in 2024 used a real time virtual reference station correction subscription that utilized satellite-based elevation corrections.This dataset includes: Maps of depth and velocity for a 1.6 km long reach in 2023, raw ADCP points used to generate depth and velocity maps, raw ASCII ADCP data from transects used to generate depth and velocity maps, and a longitudinal bed and water surface profile of a 30.3 km long reach surveyed on 6/29/2024.

The data set contains sampling data, catch data, and biological data associated with a broad-scale experiment to examine free embryo dispersal and larval settlement of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. On 20190701, two age groups of pallid sturgeon including 771,707 1-day post-hatch (dph) free embryos and 200,786 5-dph free embryos were released in the Missouri River where dispersal in the water column was assessed through 150 miles. Following dispersal, beam trawl sampling of benthic habitats was conducted to verify settlement and quantify the spatial extent of settlement. Trawling was conducted for nine consecutive weeks from 20190716 to 20190911 in eight river bends positioned between river miles 1552.0 and 1591.8. A tissue sample was obtained from captured larval Scaphirhynchus. The tissue sample was used in genetic analysis to identify species and identify parentage. The data set includes sampling location information, benthic trawl catch data for Scaphirhynchus species and other species, genetic results distinguishing Scaphirhynchus species as shovelnose sturgeon or pallid sturgeon, parentage for the pallid sturgeon, and biological data for all species.

The data set contains sampling data, catch data, and biological data associated with a broad-scale experiment to examine free embryo dispersal and larval settlement of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. On 20190701, two age groups of pallid sturgeon including 771,707 1-day post-hatch (dph) free embryos and 200,786 5-dph free embryos were released in the Missouri River where dispersal in the water column was assessed through 150 miles. Following dispersal, beam trawl sampling of benthic habitats was conducted to verify settlement and quantify the spatial extent of settlement. Trawling was conducted for nine consecutive weeks from 20190716 to 20190911 in eight river bends positioned between river miles 1552.0 and 1591.8. A tissue sample was obtained from captured larval Scaphirhynchus. The tissue sample was used in genetic analysis to identify species and identify parentage. The data set includes sampling location information, benthic trawl catch data for Scaphirhynchus species and other species, genetic results distinguishing Scaphirhynchus species as shovelnose sturgeon or pallid sturgeon, parentage for the pallid sturgeon, and biological data for all species.