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Sand Sediment in a Michigan Trout Stream, Part II. Effects of Reducing Sand, Bedload on a Trout Population
Author(s) -
Alexander Gaylord R.,
Hansen Edward A.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1983)3<365:ssiamt>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - salmo , trout , brown trout , rainbow trout , bed load , sediment , fishery , population , environmental science , catch and release , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , sediment transport , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , demography , sociology , recreational fishing
Abstract This is the second of a two‐part sedimentation study. A sediment basin excavated in a Michigan trout stream reduced the sandy bedload sediment by 86% (from 56 ppm down to 8 ppm). Following the reduction in bedload, trout numbers increased significantly during the next 6 years. Small or young trout increased about 40% throughout the treated area. Larger and older trout increased in that part of the treated area that had an erodible sand bed. Although trout production increased 28%, growth rate of the trout changed but little. Both brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) populations responded similarly to the bedload reduction. However, statistical tests were more conclusive for brown trout than for rainbow trout because of the lower year‐to‐year variation of the brown trout population. The results suggested that in‐stream sediment basins are an effective means for removing sand bedload and that even small amounts of moving‐sand bedload sediments can have a major impact on a trout population.