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Influence of Stream Flow on Hydrogen Sulfide Concentrations and Distributions of Two Trout Species in a Rocky Mountains Tailwater
Author(s) -
Dare Matthew R.,
Hubert Wayne A.,
Meyer Joseph S.
Publication year - 2001
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 - 10.1577/1548-8675(2001)021<0971:iosfoh>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - tailwater , trout , salmo , environmental science , riffle , streams , plume , fishery , hydrogen sulfide , brown trout , oncorhynchus , hydrology (agriculture) , fish <actinopterygii> , chemistry , geology , biology , oceanography , geography , sulfur , computer network , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , meteorology , computer science
Abstract Geothermal springs in or adjacent to streams can contribute hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and affect distributions of fish. We assessed the effects of H 2 S, relative to discharge, on the locations and movements of cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki and brown trout Salmo trutta in a regulated river in northwestern Wyoming. Concentrations of H 2 S as low as 0.13 mg/L prevented upstream passage and habitation by trout over a 4.2‐km reach of the river. The location of the downstream terminus of the H 2 S plume was relatively stationary; it varied little when discharge was stable at moderate flows (13.7–14.8 m 3 /s) and moved within a 300‐m reach when flows were declining from 20.9 to 5.7 m 3 /s. Changes in water temperature and riffle area appeared to be the major mechanisms controlling the concentration and downstream influence of H 2 S.