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Responses of Fish Populations to Mitigation Structures in Two Small Channelized Streams in Ohio
Author(s) -
Carline Robert F.,
Klosiewski Steven P.
Publication year - 1985
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(1985)5<1:rofptm>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - channelized , streams , habitat , fish <actinopterygii> , environmental science , fish habitat , fauna , bank , fishing , fishery , hydrology (agriculture) , perennial stream , ecology , geology , biology , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , computer network , telecommunications , computer science
Responses of fish populations to mitigation structures (rock deflectors and artificial riffles) were compared in two small channelized streams in Ohio to determine potential recreational benefits of such structures. In Chippewa Creek, we compared fish populations 1 and 3 years after construction in sections with and without rock deflectors. In River Styx, previously altered around 1950, we compared fish fauna 1 year before and 1 year after channelization in sections with and without mitigation devices. Sections with rock deflectors in Chippewa Creek supported significantly more species and higher numbers and biomass of fish than did sections without structures. In River Styx, fish populations before construction and 1 year afterwards were similar; low flows prior to channelization and above‐average flows afterwards probably had more influence on fish populations than the habitat changes. Stations with deflectors or artificial riffles tended to support greater densities of fish than stations without mitigation structures, although differences were not statistically significant. Deflectors created apparently favorable habitat for centrarchid species, yet their small sizes (primarily juveniles) and low densities in both streams provided limited sport fishing opportunities. We hypothesized that the primary limiting factor for the centrarchids was reproductive failure due to erratic flows rather than inadequate habitat.