Biological Science Technician Tammy Knecht traveled to Kansas City ,on November 28, to assist Jason Dattilo and Patty Herman of the Missouri Department of Conservation with Pallid Sturgeon Assessment sampling on the Kansas River.

Knecht led the operation of the jet boat crew over a three day period.  Due to extremely low water levels on the Kansas River, the shallow draft jet propulsion boat operated by Columbia FRO was needed to safely navigate and avoid hidden danger. Sampling was a success despite adverse weather conditions.

The Population Assessment Crews sampled for endangered pallid sturgeon on 2,300 miles of the Missouri River and neighboring rivers. Many federal and state agencies work together for the common goal of conserving native sturgeon populations. These cooperative efforts have lead to increased knowledge of pallid sturgeon abundance, reproduction, recruitment, and distribution along the Missouri river.

This partnership with MDC will increase the amount of sampling that can be done when water levels are extremely low. This involvement follows the “Partnerships and Accountability” in the Fisheries Vision.