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Effects of Floods on Trout in Sagehen Creek, California
Author(s) -
Seegrist Donald W.,
Gard Richard
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1972)101<478:eofoti>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - salvelinus , rainbow trout , salmo , trout , fontinalis , fishery , spring (device) , flood myth , brown trout , competition (biology) , biology , environmental science , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , geography , mechanical engineering , archaeology , engineering
Effects of winter and spring floods on rainbow (Salmo gairdneri) and brook (Salvelinus fontinalis) trout were evaluated over a 10‐year period in Sagehen Creek, California. Winter floods decimated developing eggs of fall‐spawning brook trout. Because of reduced competition by young brook trout, survival of spring‐spawned rainbow fry increased in years following winter floods. Conversely, spring floods destroyed rainbow eggs, thereby enhancing survival of young brook trout. Floods changed the species composition markedly and these changes endured for several years. Adult trout were adversely affected by the worst flood studied, but were unaffected by other floods of lesser magnitude. Effects of floods were not nearly as pronounced or predictable on adult trout as they were on young trout.