Seasonal streamflow effects on salmonid habitat, and observations of fish movement in Beaver Creek, Idaho-Utah.


Category:  Fisheries and Wildlife
Linked Publication
Language: English
Author(s): Shanda S. Fallau
Description: Changes in physical parameters used to characterize fish habitat occur with seasonal flow fluctuations, such as spring runoff. Because fish habitat inventories are usually conducted at base flows, limiting factors occurring at high flows can remain undetected. In Beaver Creek, physical variables such as water velocity, area, depth, and cover differed significantly between high flows and base flows. Slow-water habitat was lacking in the spring but did not appear to limit cutthroat trout or brook trout populations. Few correlations were found between densities of either species and physical variables. It .is possible these fish move greater distances than the limited home ranges resident fish are thought to have. They appeared to move within and beyond the study area. Fish-habitat relationship models and population monitoring strategies are often based on the restricted fish movement paradigm; therefore, some management implications of resident fish movement over large areas are discussed.