Open AccessEvaluation of protected, threatened, and endangered fish species in Upper Bear Creek watershed
Author(s) -
M.G. Ryon
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/676929
Subject(s) - threatened species , endangered species , tributary , habitat , streams , geography , fishery , watershed , ecology , environmental science , biology , machine learning , computer science , computer network , cartography
The East Bear Creek Site for the proposed centralized waste facility on the US Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge Reservation was evaluated for potential rare, threatened or endangered (T and E) fish species in the six primary tributaries and the main stem of Bear Creek that are within or adjacent to the facility footprint. These tributaries and portion of Bear Creek comprise the upper Bear Creek watershed. One T and E fish species, the Tennessee dace (Phoxinus tennesseensis), was located in these streams. The Tennessee dace is listed by the State of Tennessee as being in need of management, and as such its habitat is afforded some protection. Surveys indicated that Tennessee dace occupy the northern tributaries NT-1, NT-4, and NT-5, as well as Bear Creek. Several specimens of the dace were gravid females, indicating that the streams may function as reproductive habitat for the species. The implications of impacts on the species are discussed and mitigation objectives are included