Brian Bellgraph

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
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Biography
Brian Bellgraph is a freshwater fisheries ecologist specializing in the impacts of human energy development on fishes and has conducted extensive research in hydropower-dominated basins in the U.S. and abroad. In particular, Brian’s research has focused on the effects of hydropower operations on adult and juvenile fish migration behavior, fish growth, mitigation or remediation of impacts, and driving development of technologies to improve fisheries evaluation and management. The primary species he has studied over the years include Chinook salmon, steelhead, bull trout, white sturgeon, sauger, and walleye. Recent projects include evaluating impacts of dissolved gases and temperature on fish physiology and migration; developing computer models to simulate the life history of fall Chinook salmon and white sturgeon; development and application of a real-time, internet-integrated radio telemetry system to evaluate survival of juvenile fishes through hydropower dams; fostering miniaturization of telemetry transmitter technologies; quantifying the fine-scale movements of bull trout in a hydropower tailrace for biological inputs to fish passage design; and promoting the development of innovative fish passage technologies to reduce the cost and improve the safety and efficacy of fish passage.
Research Interests
- Ecology of large-river fishes
- Resource use and competition
- Native vs. non-native interactions
- Fish migration behavior
- Impacts of energy development on fish
Education and Credentials
- M.S., Fish and Wildlife Management, Montana State University, 2006
- B.S., Fisheries and Wildlife Management, Michigan State University, 2003
Affiliations and Professional Service
- American Fisheries Society
- Fisheries Society of the British Isle
PNNL Patents
- U.S. Patent No. 10,236,920, March 19, 2019, "Signal Transmitter and Methods for Transmitting Signals from Animals ".
PNNL Publications
2019
- Garavelli L., T.J. Linley, B.J. Bellgraph, B.M. Rhode, J.M. Janak, and A. Colotelo. 2019. "Evaluation of Passage and sorting of Adult Pacific Salmonids through a Novel Fish Passage Technology." Fisheries Research 212. PNNL-SA-136651. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2018.12.010
2017
- McIntyre J.I., C.E. Aalseth, T.R. Alexander, H.O. Back, B.J. Bellgraph, T.W. Bowyer, and V.D. Chipman, et al. 2017. "Measurements of Argon-39 at theU20az Underground Nuclear Explosion Site." Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 178-179. PNNL-26326. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.07.013
2016
- Bellgraph B.J., W.A. Perkins, M.C. Richmond, J.A. Serkowski, S.F. Harding, and R.A. Harnish. 2016. Lake Roosevelt White Sturgeon Modeling Support. PNNL-26056. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Lake Roosevelt White Sturgeon Modeling Support
2015
- Bellgraph B.J., D. Holecek, F.A. Goetz, J.S. Hughes, R.A. Harnish, J.A. Vazquez, and E.D. Green. 2015. Study Plan Alternatives to Evaluate Fish Entrainment at Albeni Falls Dam. PNNL-23950. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Study Plan Alternatives to Evaluate Fish Entrainment at Albeni Falls Dam
2014
- Amezcua-Martinez F., and B.J. Bellgraph. 2014. Fisheries Management of Mexican and Central American Estuaries. Dordrecht:Springer Science+Business Media. PNNL-SA-100725.
- Bellgraph B.J., K.M. Carter, M.A. Chamness, T.K. Abel, T.J. Linley, and V.I. Cullinan. 2014. "Predation Susceptibility of Juvenile Fall Chinook Salmon Exposed to Sudden Temperature Changes and Slightly Supersaturated Dissolved Gas." In Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Life History Investigations, 1/1/2012 - 12/31/2012 Annual Report, edited by KF Tiffan, et al. 61-90. Pasco, Washington:Bonneville Power Administration. PNNL-SA-96230.
- Hayes D.B., B.J. Bellgraph, B.M. Roth, D.D. Dauble, and R.P. Mueller. 2014. "Timing of Redd Construction by Fall Chinook Salmon in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River." River Research and Applications 30, no. 9:1110-1119. PNWD-SA-10098. doi:10.1002/rra.2719
- Rodriguez-Preciado J.A., F. Amezcua-Martinez, B.J. Bellgraph, and J. Madrid-Vera. 2014. "Feeding habits and trophic level of the Panama grunt Pomadasys panamensis, an important bycatch species from the shrimp trawl fishery in the Gulf of California." Scientific World Journal 2014. PNNL-SA-88847. doi:10.1155/2014/864241
2012
- Gingerich A.J., B.J. Bellgraph, R.S. Brown, N.T. Tavan, Z. Deng, and J. Brown. 2012. "Quantifying reception strength and omnidirectionality of underwater radio telemetry antennas: advances and applications for fisheries research." Fisheries Research 121-122. PNWD-SA-9571. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2012.01.003
2010
- Bellgraph B.J., G.A. McMichael, R.P. Mueller, and J.L. Monroe. 2010. "Behavioural response of juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha during a sudden temperature increase and implications for survival." Journal of Thermal Biology 35, no. 1:6-10. PNNL-SA-65005.
- McMichael G.A., R.A. Harnish, B.J. Bellgraph, J.A. Carter, K.D. Ham, P.S. Titzler, and M.S. Hughes. 2010. Migratory Behavior and Survival of Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary in 2009. PNNL-19545. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Migratory Behavior and Survival of Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary in 2009
- Perkins W.A., P.S. Titzler, M.C. Richmond, J.A. Serkowski, S.E. Kallio, and B.J. Bellgraph. 2010. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Surveys of Velocity Downstream of Albeni Falls Dam. PNNL-19816. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Surveys of Velocity Downstream of Albeni Falls Dam
2009
- Carter J.A., G.A. McMichael, I.D. Welch, R.A. Harnish, and B.J. Bellgraph. 2009. Seasonal Juvenile Salmonid Presence and Migratory Behavior in the Lower Columbia River. PNNL-18246. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Seasonal Juvenile Salmonid Presence and Migratory Behavior in the Lower Columbia River
2008
- Bellgraph B.J., C.S. Guy, W.M. Gardner, and S.A. Leathe. 2008. "Competition potential between saugers and walleyes in nonnative sympatry." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 137, no. 3:790-800. PNNL-SA-60895. doi:10.1577/T07-102.1
- Bellgraph B.J., R.S. Brown, J.R. Stephenson, A.E. Welch, K.A. Deters, and T.J. Carlson. 2008. "Healing Rate of Swim Bladders in Rainbow Trout." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 137, no. 6:1791-1794. PNNL-SA-62735. doi:10.1577/T07-167.1
- Oldenburg E.W., T.P. Hanrahan, R.A. Harnish, B.J. Bellgraph, J.P. Duncan, and C.H. Allwardt. 2008. 2005 Annual Synthesis Report, Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program and Associated Fish Community Monitoring for the Missouri River. PNNL-17539. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 2005 Annual Synthesis Report, Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program and Associated Fish Community Monitoring for the Missouri River
- Oldenburg E.W., T.P. Hanrahan, R.A. Harnish, B.J. Bellgraph, J.P. Duncan, and C.H. Allwardt. 2008. 2006 Annual Synthesis Report, Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program and Associated Fish Community Monitoring for the Missouri River. PNNL-17583. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 2006 Annual Synthesis Report, Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program and Associated Fish Community Monitoring for the Missouri River
- Oldenburg E.W., T.P. Hanrahan, R.A. Harnish, B.J. Bellgraph, J.P. Duncan, and C.H. Allwardt. 2008. Summary of the 2006 Annual Synthesis Report, Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program and Associated Fish Community Monitoring for the Missouri River. PNNL-17582. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Summary of the 2006 Annual Synthesis Report, Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program and Associated Fish Community Monitoring for the Missouri River
2006
- Bellgraph B.J., B.E. Thompson, D.B. Hayes, and T.S. Riley. 2006. "Growth of age-0 steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the Pine River watershed, Alcona County, Michigan." Journal of Freshwater Ecology 21, no. 4:687-692. PNNL-SA-53627.