VICKSBURG, Miss. – Researchers from eight U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Districts have been selected for the 2024 session of the Engineer Research and Development Center University (ERDC-U).
Dr. Christopher Peery, a Senior Fish Biologist with the USACE Walla Walla District, has been chosen as a participant for this detail program, now in its ninth year.
ERDC-U Program Lead Antisa Webb, who also serves as Chief of the Office of Research and Technology Transfer (ORTT), Technology, Knowledge and Outreach (TKO) Division and program co-sponsor, announced the 2024 selectees.
“ERDC-U facilitates collaborations between participants from USACE Divisions and Districts and mentors from relevant laboratories, engaging in six-month research projects aimed at developing technical solutions that benefit their workplaces, the Corps and the nation,” Webb said.
ShaiLin KingSlack, who serves as Peery’s Lieutenant Colonel at the Walla Walla District, endorsed his selection for ERDC-U.
“Chris is a dedicated scientist who adds value on each project and program in which he leads and/or participates. If selected for participation in ERDC-U, I am confident that he will be a highly valued member of an interdisciplinary team and work in a cooperative approach where he can assist in and strengthen technical knowledge bases for both ERDC and USACE in relation to fish passage.”
While working with subject-matter experts from ERDC’s seven laboratories, participants will focus on real-world solutions and develop leadership skills to take back to their home organizations.
Peery is eager to join the 2024 ERDC University program to strengthen his connection with R&D and enhance his effectiveness as a subject matter expert for USACE. His extensive experience with fisheries in the Columbia River basin and current focus on managing ESA-listed salmon populations make this opportunity vital for addressing ongoing challenges.
He is particularly excited about contributing to projects that directly benefit the Walla Walla District and advancing better understanding of fish passage, habitat management, and invasive species control.
Peery is a highly experienced Senior Fish Biologist with three decades of expertise in managing and investigating fishery resources in the Pacific Northwest. Currently, he serves in the Operations Branch of the Walla Walla District, where he supports operations and maintenance activities related to fish management.
His responsibilities include providing regional technical expertise on anadromous and resident salmonids, Pacific lamprey management, and fish passage operations. Peery also manages contracting services for adult fish counts and avian predator hazing programs, ensures compliance with the Endangered Species Act, and represents the Operations Division in various regional and district forums.
He joined fellow selectees during their orientation session February 27-29, 2024, on the Vicksburg, Mississippi, campus, where they met their mentors and discussed planned projects.
Peery was mentored by Dr. David Smith, a research ecologist from the Environmental Laboratory (EL) and Toby Koch, a research scientist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The EL, one of the four laboratories on the Vicksburg campus, was highlighted during the orientation tours.
The project focuses on evaluating the impact of removing the Causeway on fish passage in the Yakima River Delta, which is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The Yakima River, historically a significant producer of salmon and steelhead, now faces challenges with ESA-listed Chinook salmon and steelhead populations.
The Causeway, a land bridge connecting Bateman Island to the river’s south end, impairs water flow and fish passage, prompting requests from local fisheries managers, including the Yakima Nation Tribe, for its removal.
The purpose of this project is to model fish behavior in the Delta to assess the potential benefits of removing the Causeway. Previous analyses have modeled flows and water temperatures, but this study aims to stimulate fish behavior using telemetry data for juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead.
By calibrating a 2-D hydraulic model with observed travel times and iteratively adjusting model parameters, the project will compare fish travel metrics with and without the Causeway. The outcomes will help estimate the effectiveness of habitat restoration projects and operational changes at dams. Results will be shared with regional fisheries managers and USACE Planning staff, and will contribute to a manuscript for publication.
The program is co-sponsored by ERDC’s Directorate of Human Capital (DHC) through an application process for the March through August session. Program funding is split between the selectees’ Division or District for choice of labor costs or travel with the other funded by ERDC.
Upon completion of ERDC-U, Peery, along with the seven other selectees, will attend a graduation ceremony on September 10 at the Vicksburg, Mississippi, campus. During the ceremony, Peery will present his extensive research efforts and results from his project titled “Modeling Juvenile Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Migration Behavior Through the Yakima River Delta”.
Applications will open in October for the 2025 ERDC-U session. For information on ERDC-U and applications, visit: https://wiki.erdc.dren.mil/ERDC_University