SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Fishes”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources

USGS2015

Tropical insular fish assemblages are resilient to flood disturbance

Periods of stable environmental conditions, favoring development of ecological communities regulated by density-dependent processes, are interrupted by random periods of disturbance that may restructure communities. Disturbance may affect populations via habitat alteration, mortality, or displacement. We quantified fish habitat conditions, density, and movement before and after a major flood disturbance in a Caribbean island tropical river using habitat surveys, fish sampling and population estimates, radio telemetry, and passively monitored PIT tags. Native stream fish populations showed evidence of acute mortality and downstream displacement of surviving fish. All fish species were reduced in number at most life stages after the disturbance, but populations responded with recruitment and migration into vacated upstream habitats. Changes in density were uneven among size classes for most species, indicating altered size structures. Rapid recovery processes at the population level appeared to dampen effects at the assemblage level, as fish assemblage parameters (species richness and diversity) were unchanged by the flooding. The native fish assemblage appeared resilient to flood disturbance, rapidly compensating for mortality and displacement with increased recruitment and recolonization of upstream habitats.

Ecosphere↗

USGS2008

Small nonnative fishes as predators of larval razorback suckers

The razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), an endangered big-river fish of the Colorado River basin, has demonstrated no sustainable recruitment in 4 decades, despite presence of spawning adults and larvae. Lack of adequate recruitment has been attributed to several factors, including predation by nonnative fishes. Substantial funding and effort has been expended on mechanically removing nonnative game fishes, typically targeting large predators. As a result, abundance of larger predators has declined, but the abundance of small nonnative fishes has increased in some areas. We conducted laboratory experiments to determine if small nonnative fishes would consume larval razorback suckers. We tested adults of three small species (threadfin shad, Dorosoma petenense; red shiner, Cyprinella lutrensis; fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas) and juveniles of six larger species (common carp, Cyprinus carpio; yellow bullhead, Ameiurus natalis; channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus; rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss; green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus; bluegill, L. macrochirus). These nonnative fishes span a broad ecological range and are abundant within the historical range of the razorback sucker. All nine species fed on larval razorback suckers (total length, 9-16 mm). Our results suggest that predation by small nonnative fishes could be responsible for limiting recovery of this endangered species.

Southwestern Naturalist↗

USGS2005

Investigating hydrologic alteration as a mechanism of fish assemblage shifts in urbanizing streams

Stream biota in urban and suburban settings are thought to be impaired by altered hydrology; however, it is unknown what aspects of the hydrograph alter fish assemblage structure and which fishes are most vulnerable to hydrologic alterations in small streams. We quantified hydrologic variables and fish assemblages in 30 small streams and their subcatchments (area 8–20 km 2 ) in the Etowah River Catchment (Georgia, USA). We stratified streams and their subcatchments into 3 landcover categories based on imperviousness (<10%, 10–20%, >20% of subcatchment), and then estimated the degree of hydrologic alteration based on synoptic measurements of baseflow yield. We derived hydrologic variables from stage gauges at each study site for 1 y (January 2003–2004). Increased imperviousness was positively correlated with the frequency of storm events and rates of the rising and falling limb of the hydrograph (i.e., storm “flashiness”) during most seasons. Increased duration of low flows associated with imperviousness only occurred during the autumn low-flow period, and this measure corresponded with increased richness of lentic tolerant species. Altered storm flows in summer and autumn were related to decreased richness of endemic, cosmopolitan, and sensitive fish species, and decreased abundance of lentic tolerant species. Species predicted to be sensitive to urbanization, based on specific life-history or habitat requirements, also were related to stormflow variables and % fine bed sediment in riffles. Overall, hydrologic variables explained 22 to 66% of the variation in fish assemblage richness and abundance. Linkages between hydrologic alteration and fish assemblages were potentially complicated by contrasting effects of elevated flows on sediment delivery and scour, and mediating effects of high stream gradient on sediment delivery from elevated flows. However, stormwater management practices promoting natural hydrologic regimes are likely to reduce the impacts of catchment imperviousness on stream fish assemblages.

Journal of the North American Benthological Societ↗

USGS2011

Fish community and bioassessment responses to stream network position

If organisms move beyond the boundaries of local sampling units, regional metacommunity dynamics could undermine the ability of bioassessment studies to characterize local environmental quality. We tested the prediction that fish dispersal influences local fish community structure and bioassessment metrics as a function of site position within stream networks. We evaluated fish community data from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program in West Virginia, USA, to compare the influences of stream network position, ecoregion, basin, and stream size on local fish community composition. We assigned sites to 1 of 3 stream network positions: 1) main channels (MC, n = 12) encompassed streams with upstream catchment areas >200 km 2 , 2) mainstem tributaries (MT, n = 43) flowed into MC-sized confluences within 15 fluvial km, 3) headwater tributaries (HT, n = 31) lacked such riverine confluences within 15 fluvial km. MT and HT sites had similar upstream catchment sizes and landuse gradients, but species richness was greater in MT sites than HT sites, whereas MT and MC sites were not different in this regard. Three bioassessment metrics were greater in MT sites than HT sites (intolerant species richness, cyprinid species richness, benthic species richness), but a multimetric index of biotic integrity did not differ among stream network positions. Ordinations revealed that fish community composition was organized primarily by zoogeographic basin (Monongahela River basin, New River basin, Ohio River basin), ecoregion (Central Appalachian Plateau, Western Appalachian Plateau, Ridge and Valley), and stream size. Riverine specialists were more abundant in MT than HT sites and were more abundant in basins connected to the Ohio River than in basins isolated from the Ohio River by a large waterfall (New River). Our results suggest that contemporary dispersal among streams influences fish community composition over small spatial scales (10 1 km), historical dispersal constrained by zoogeographic barriers influences community structure over larger areas (10 2 km), and contemporary dispersal by fishes influences certain metrics commonly used in bioassessment programs.

Journal of the North American Benthological Societ↗

USGS2019

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units program—2018 year in review

The Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) program had an interesting and challenging year in 2018. We made significant strategic advances on many fronts and had setbacks in others. Our relationship with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency we belonged to from 1935 to the mid-1990s, was further reinforced through strategic efforts with the Service’s Science Applications senior staff. This is bearing fruit in terms of research collaborations and funding support. As part of a larger effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Ecosystems Mission Area and the Service’s endangered species program, we are also collaborating to address science needs for species in pre-listing status. Barry Grand, Unit Supervisor (South), has been instrumental in this effort. Tom Edwards of the Utah Unit has met with representatives of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to promote training of leaders and “hands dirty” biologists in species distribution modeling. The Association passed a unanimous resolution endorsing the training at their midyear meeting in March. Tom held a workshop at the annual meeting of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in September, and future workshops, supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will be held bringing State agency and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists together to work on species of common concern. Wyoming Unit Leader Matt Kauffman’s pioneering work in identifying and mapping big-game migration corridors has captured the attention of conservationists far and wide. In the spring, the Secretary of the Interior signed Secretarial Order No. 3362, "Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors" directing efforts of several U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) bureaus to collaborate with States in identifying and protecting big-game corridors in 11 States. Matt has conducted several workshops that directly support the Secretarial order, and more are planned. Corridor mapping efforts supported by the USGS and the DOI, based in the States and coordinated by Matt, are unfolding. Unit Administrative Officer Shana Coulby and her staff hosted a training program for university support staff at USGS National Headquarters in March. Shana’s team did a superb job, and the camaraderie among all was evident. We co-sponsored the third in a series of workshops at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in March on bridging the gap between science and management. The State Department requested that we coordinate a workshop that would bring CRU scientists and other U.S. representatives together with Brazilian, Colombian, and Peruvian scientists and decision makers to develop best practices to minimize environmental damage from infrastructure development in the Amazon and to collaborate on science needs. The workshop was held in Iquitos, Peru, in the heart of the Amazon during August. Our cooperator community, represented by the National Cooperators Coalition, was very active in response to the President’s budget proposal that would have redirected funding for the CRU program to other priorities. Their efforts are reflected in the House and Senate marks on the fiscal year 2019 budget that not only restored funding, but recommended increases. You will see in this report many other accomplishments of our individual scientists and students during 2018. It was an impressive and productive year! What you won’t see chronicled is the work of the CRU headquarters staff and University support staff. These folks are extraordinary in their dedication to working with cooperators and scientists to solve problems and ensure the important work gets accomplished with minimal interference. We are truly fortunate to have such skilled and dedicated folks in the trenches. I was fortunate to visit several units during 2018. For me, this is the most enriching part of my duties. I get to see firsthand the work our scientists do, the incredible students being mentored, and meet our cooperators on their turf. As we look forward towards the horizon, 2019 looks brighter for the CRU program. Efforts by our cooperators to generate support for filling our vacancies are materializing. Our cadre of scientists is second to none, and the breadth and depth of our work are nothing short of impressive. Thanks to all who are part of this cooperative endeavor—conservation is the ultimate winner in our efforts!

Circular↗

USGS2011

An experiment to control nonnative fish in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona

The humpback chub (Gila cypha) is an endangered native fish found only in the Colorado River Basin. In Grand Canyon, most humpback chub are found in the Little Colorado River and its confluence with the Colorado River. For decades, however, nonnative rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (Salmo trutta), which prey on and compete with native fish, have dominated the Grand Canyon fish community. Between 2003 and 2006, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and Arizona Game and Fish Department experimentally removed 23,266 nonnative fish from a 9.4-mile-long reach of the Colorado River near where it joins the Little Colorado River. During the experiment, rainbow trout were reduced by as much as 90% and native fish abundance apparently increased in the reach. Concurrent environmental changes and a decrease in rainbow trout throughout the river make it difficult to determine if the apparent increase in native fish was the result of the experiment.

Arizona↗

USGS2013

Water-quality and related aquatic biological characterization of Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, 2007-2011

Fish Creek, in western Wyoming near the town of Wilson, is a key feature in the area because it is used for irrigation, fishing, and other recreation, and adds scenic value to properties it runs through. Public concern about nuisance growths of aquatic plants in Fish Creek has been increasing since the early 2000s. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Teton Conservation District, began studying Fish Creek in 2004 to describe the hydrology of the stream and later (2007–11) to characterize the water quality and the biological communities. In particular, the study was designed to address three specific questions: •Is algal growth in Fish Creek typical for a stream of its size and geographic area? •Are nutrients entering Fish Creek from nearby land use? •What is the quality of the water in Fish Creek and the health of its biological communities?

Wyoming↗

USGS2012

Relative abundance and distribution of fishes and crayfish at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nye County, Nevada, 2010-11

Introduction Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR) was established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (with the assistance of The Nature Conservancy) in 1984 to protect one of the highest concentrations of endemic flora and fauna in North America (Pister, 1985; Sada, 1990). Prior to federal acquisition, Ash Meadows had been anthropogenically altered, and non-native species had been introduced to the detriment of native species; reports and published literature document the negative effects to the Ash Meadows flora and fauna (Deacon and others, 1964; U.S. Department of the Interior, 1971; Landye, 1973; Pister, 1974; Soltz and Naiman, 1978; Taylor, 1980; Williams and others, 1985; Williams and Sada, 1985; Baugh and others, 1986; Hershler and Sada, 1987; Knight and Clemmer, 1987; Sada, 1990; Deacon and Williams, 1991; Scoppettone and others, 2005; Kennedy and others, 2006). Such activities led to the extinction of the endemic Ash Meadows poolfish ( Empetrichthyes merriami ) (Miller, 1961; Soltz and Naiman, 1978), and subsequently the federal government listed three local endemic fish as endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1989)—Warm springs pupfish ( Cyprinodon nevadensis pectoralis ), Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish ( Cyprinodon nevadensis mionectes ), and Ash Meadows speckled dace ( Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis ). Public ownership of a large portion of Ash Meadows provided the opportunity to restore the landscape to some semblance of its historical condition. Elimination of invasive aquatic species may be more difficult than landscape restoration, and their persistence can cause additional native fish decline or extirpation (Taylor and others, 1984; Moyle and others, 1986; Miller and others, 1989; Minckley and Deacon, 1991; Olden and Poff, 2005). Chemical treatment to remove invasive fishes is often unsuccessful (Meffe, 1983; Rinne and Turner, 1991; Meronek and others, 1996). In Ash Meadows, there has been some success in chemical eradication of localized populations of largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) and black bullhead ( Ameiurus melas ) (St. George, 1998, 1999; Weissenfluh, 2008b), as well as convict cichlid (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus) and sailfin molly ( Poecilia latipinna ) (Weissenfluh,2008a). However, there has been less success in removing western mosquitofish ( Gambusia affinis ) from Ash Meadows’s larger spring systems, and sailfin molly maintains strongholds in several spring systems (Scoppettone and others, 2011b). Perhaps the more destructive invasive species are two invertebrates: red swamp crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) and red-rim melania ( Melanoides tuberculata ). Following the appearance of red swamp crayfish within the Warm Springs Complex, Warm Springs pupfish was believed to be extirpated from one spring system (St. George, 2000) and near extirpation in two others (Darrick Weissenfluh, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, oral commun., 2008, 2011). Crayfish also were demonstrated to greatly suppress the Bradford Springs population of Ash Meadows speckled dace population (McShane and others, 2004). Red-rim melania is known to displace native snail populations (Mitchell and others, 2007), and has been implicated as an agent of extinction of native Ash Meadows spring-snails (Donald Sada, Desert Research Institute, oral commun., 2011). Both invasive invertebrates are difficult to control or eradicate (Mitchell and others, 2007; Freeman and others, 2010). Habitat restoration that favors native species can help control non-native species (McShane and others, 2004; Scoppettone and others, 2005; Kennedy and others, 2006). Restoration of Carson Slough and its tributaries present an opportunity to promote habitat types that favor native species over non-natives. Historically, the majority of Ash Meadows spring systems were tributaries to Carson Slough. In 2007 and 2008, a survey of Ash Meadows spring systems was conducted to generate baseline information on the distribution of fishes throughout AMNWR (Scoppettone and others, 2011b). In this study, we conducted a follow-up survey with emphasis on upper Carson Slough. This permitted us to gauge the early effects of spring system restoration on fish populations and to generate further baseline data relevant to future restoration efforts.

Nevada↗

USGS2017

Synthesis of downstream fish passage information at projects owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) operates the Willamette Valley Project (Project) in northwestern Oregon, which includes a series of dams, reservoirs, revetments, and fish hatcheries. Project dams were constructed during the 1950s and 1960s on rivers that supported populations of spring Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ), winter steelhead ( O. mykiss ), and other anadromous fish species in the Willamette River Basin. These dams, and the reservoirs they created, negatively affected anadromous fish populations. Efforts are currently underway to improve passage conditions within the Project and enhance populations of anadromous fish species. Research on downstream fish passage within the Project has occurred since 1960 and these efforts are documented in numerous reports and publications. These studies are important resources to managers in the Project, so the USACE requested a synthesis of existing literature that could serve as a resource for future decision-making processes. In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted an extensive literature review on downstream fish passage studies within the Project. We identified 116 documents that described studies conducted during 1960–2016. Each of these documents were obtained, reviewed, and organized by their content to describe the state-of-knowledge within four subbasins in the Project, which include the North Santiam, South Santiam, McKenzie, and Middle Fork Willamette Rivers. In this document, we summarize key findings from various studies on downstream fish passage in the Willamette Project. Readers are advised to review specific reports of interest to insure that study methods, results, and additional considerations are fully understood.

Oregon↗

USGS2018

Mercury concentrations in water and mercury and selenium concentrations in fish from Brownlee Reservoir and selected sites in the Boise and Snake Rivers, Idaho and Oregon, 2013-17

Mercury (Hg) analyses were conducted on samples of water and sport fish collected from selected sampling sites in the Boise and Snake Rivers and Brownlee Reservoir, in Idaho and Oregon, to meet National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System permit requirements for the City of Boise, Idaho, from 2013 to 2017. City of Boise personnel collected water samples from six sites in October and November of 2013, 2015 and 2017, and sampled one site in 2014 and 2016. Total Hg concentrations in unfiltered water samples ranged from 0.41 to 8.78 nanograms per liter (ng/L), with the highest value (8.78 ng/L) observed in Brownlee Reservoir in 2013. All samples were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aquatic life criterion of 12 ng/L. Individual fillets of mountain whitefish ( Prosopium williamsoni ), rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ), and channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) were collected and analyzed for Hg. The tissue Hg concentrations were compared with regulatory or advisory values for wet-weight methylmercury in fish tissue. In this report, methylmercury concentrations in fish tissue are considered similar to total Hg in fish muscle tissue and are simply referred to as Hg. The 2013 average Hg concentration for smallmouth bass (0.32 mg/kg) collected at Brownlee Reservoir and for channel catfish (0.33 mg/kg) collected at the Boise River mouth, exceeded the Idaho water quality criterion (>0.3 mg/kg). The 2017 Hg concentrations in smallmouth bass from Brownlee Reservoir (geometric mean of 0.22 mg/kg) was at the Idaho Fish Consumption Advisory Program action level. Selenium (Se) interacts with Hg to reduce the health risks of Hg, such that tissues with Se-to-Hg molar ratios greater than 1 are considered to present less potential health risks for a given Hg concentration than are tissues with lower Se-to-Hg ratios. One composite fish tissue sample per site was analyzed for Se. Selenium-to-Hg molar ratios in the fish tissue samples ranged from 0.99 to 24.7.

Idaho, Oregon↗

USGS2009

Fish Communities and Habitat of Geomorphically Stable Reference Reaches in Streams of the Catskill Mountain Region, New York

In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, began a 5-year study to develop a database that documents the physical and biological characteristics of nine stable reference reaches from seven streams in the New York City West of Hudson Water Supply Watershed in the Catskill Mountain region of New York State. Primary objectives of this study were to (1) develop a reference-reach database of morphology, aquatic biology, and fluvial processes, and (2) summarize the relations between fish communities, aquatic habitat, and stable stream morphology in streams in the Catskill Mountain region. Secondary objectives included documenting year-to-year variability in fish populations and stream habitat in geomorphically stable streams and demonstrating how reliably Habitat Suitability Index models can be used to characterize habitat conditions and predict the presence and abundance of populations of trout species. Fish and habitat databases were developed, and several important relations were identified. Fish-community indices differed considerably among sites where trout were present and where they were either absent or present in very low numbers; these differences were reflected in higher Habitat Suitability Index scores at trout-dominated sites. Several fish- community and habitat variables were found to be strongly associated with indices of stability and, therefore, determined to be useful tools for evaluating stream condition. Lastly, preliminary results suggest Rosgen stream type data can help refine fish and habitat relations and assist in our ability to predict habitat potential and fish-community composition.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2009

Characterization of Interactions between Surface Water and Near-Stream Groundwater along Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, by Using Heat as a Tracer

Fish Creek, a tributary of the Snake River, is about 25 river kilometers long and is located in Teton County in western Wyoming near the town of Wilson. Local residents began observing an increase in the growth of algae and aquatic plants in the stream during the last decade. Due to the known importance of groundwater to surface water in the area, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Teton Conservation District, conducted a study to characterize the interactions between surface water and near-stream groundwater along Fish Creek. The study has two main objectives: (1) develop an improved spatial and temporal understanding of water flow (fluxes) between surface water and groundwater, and (2) use a two-dimensional groundwater-flow and heat-transport model to interpret observed temperature and hydraulic-head distributions and to describe groundwater flow near Fish Creek. The study is intended to augment hydrologic information derived from previously published results of a seepage investigation on Fish Creek. Seepage measurements provide spatially averaged gains and losses over an entire reach for one point in time, whereas continuous temperature and water-level measurements provide continuous estimates of gain and loss at a specific location. Stage, water-level, and temperature data were collected from surface water and from piezometers completed in an alluvial aquifer at three cross sections on Fish Creek at Teton Village, Resor's Bridge, and Wilson from October 2004 to October 2006. The flow and energy (heat) transport model VS2DH was used to simulate flow through the streambed of Fish Creek at the Teton Village cross section from April 15 to October 14, 2006, (183 recharge periods) and at the Resor's Bridge and Wilson cross sections from June 6, 2005, to October 14, 2006 (496 recharge periods). A trial-and-error technique was used to determine the best match between simulated and measured data. These results were then used to calibrate the cross-sectional models and determine horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivities. The fluxes of groundwater into the stream or fluxes of stream water into the alluvial aquifer were estimated by using the calibrated VS2DH model for each cross section. Results of the simulations indicated that surface water/groundwater interaction and hydraulic properties were different at the three cross sections. At the most upstream cross section, Teton Village, Fish Creek flowed intermittently and continually gained relatively large quantities of water from April through September. During other times of the year, the stream was dry near the cross section. Saturated hydraulic conductivity set at 1x10-4 m/s in both the horizontal and vertical directions resulted in the best match between simulated and measured temperatures. The Resor's Bridge cross section, about midway between the other two cross sections, was near the point where perennial flow begins. At this cross section, the stream gained water from groundwater during high flow in late spring and summer, was near equilibrium with groundwater during August and September, and lost water to groundwater during the remainder of the year. Horizontal hydraulic conductivity set at 5x10-5 m/s and vertical hydraulic conductivity set at 1x10-5 m/s resulted in the best match between simulated and measured temperatures. The Wilson cross section, the most downstream site, was at USGS streamflow-gaging station 13016450. This part of the stream is perennial and was almost always gaining a small volume of water from groundwater. Saturated hydraulic conductivity set at 1x10-4 m/s in the horizontal direction and at 5x10-6 m/s in the vertical direction resulted in the best match between simulated and measured temperatures. Quantitative values of the flux from groundwater into surface water were estimated by using VS2DH and ranged from 1.1 to 6.6 cubic meters per day (m3/d) at the Teton Village cross section, from -3.8 to 7.4 m3/d at t

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2010

Characterization of water quality and biological communities, Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, 2007-08

Fish Creek, a tributary to the Snake River, is about 25 river kilometers long and is located in Teton County in western Wyoming near the town of Wilson. Public concern about nuisance growths of aquatic plants in Fish Creek have been increasing in recent years. To address this concern, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study in cooperation with the Teton Conservation District to characterize the water quality and biological communities in Fish Creek. Water-quality samples were collected for analyses of physical properties and water chemistry (nutrients, nitrate isotopes, and wastewater chemicals) between March 2007 and October 2008 from seven surface-water sites and three groundwater wells. During this same period, aquatic plant and macroinvertebrate samples were collected and habitat characteristics were measured at the surface-water sites. The main objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate nutrient concentrations (that influence biological indicators of eutrophication) and potential sources of nutrients by using stable isotope analysis and other indicator chemicals (such as caffeine and disinfectants) that could provide evidence of anthropogenic sources, such as wastewater or septic tank contamination in Fish Creek and adjacent groundwater, and (2) characterize the algal, macrophyte, and macroinvertebrate communities and habitat of Fish Creek. Nitrate was the dominant species of dissolved nitrogen present in all samples and was the only bioavailable species detected at concentrations greater than the laboratory reporting level in all surface-water samples. Average concentrations of dissolved nitrate in surface water were largest in samples collected from the two sites with seasonal flow near Teton Village and decreased downstream; the smallest concentration was at downstream site A-Wck. Concentrations of dissolved nitrate in groundwater were consistently greater than concentrations in corresponding surface-water sites during the same sampling event. Orthophosphate was the primary dissolved species of phosphorus present in all surface-water and groundwater samples. The average concentration of dissolved orthophosphate in surface water was largest in samples collected from near Teton Village; samples from all other sites had similar average concentrations. Concentrations of dissolved orthophosphate in groundwater also were typically greater than concentrations in corresponding surface-water sites during the same sampling event. The aquatic plant communities in Fish Creek typically were composed of a mixture of macrophytes, macroalgae, microalgae, and moss. The composition of the aquatic plant community in Fish Creek appeared to shift in the downstream direction in 2007. On average, the proportion of macrophytes ranged from about 1 percent at site A-R1U, the most upstream site, to 54 percent of the plant community at site A-R6D, the farthest downstream site sampled during 2007. The downstream increase in macrophytes was accompanied by a downstream decrease in microalgae. The average proportion of microalgae ranged from 80 percent at site A-R1U to 24 percent at site A-R6D. The proportion of the macroalgae Cladophora in the aquatic plant community was relatively high at sites A-Wck and A-R3D in both 2007 and 2008.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2011

Assessment of nutrient enrichment by use of algal-, invertebrate-, and fish-community attributes in wadeable streams in ecoregions surrounding the Great Lakes

The algal, invertebrate, and fish taxa and community attributes that best reflect the effects of nutrients along a gradient of low to high nutrient concentrations in wadeable, primarily midwestern streams were determined as part of the U.S. Geological Suvey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Nutrient data collected from 64 sampling sites that reflected reference, agricultural, and urban influences between 1993 and 2006 were used to represent the nutrient gradient within Nutrient Ecoregion VI (Cornbelt and Northern Great Plains), VII (Mostly Glaciated Dairy Region), and VIII (Nutrient Poor Largely Glaciated Upper Midwest and Northeast). Nutrient Ecoregions VII and VIII comprise the Glacial North diatom ecoregion (GNE) and Nutrient Ecoregion VI represents the Central and Western Plains diatom ecoregion (CWPE). The diatom-ecoregion groupings were used chiefly for data analysis. The total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) data from 64 sites, where at least 6 nutrient samples were collected within a year at each site, were used to classify the sites into low-, medium-, and high-nutrient categories based upon the 10th and 75th percentiles of for sites within each Nutrient Ecoregion. In general, TN and TP concentrations were 3-5 times greater in Nutrient Ecoregion VI than in Nutrient Ecoregions VII and VIII. A subgroup of 54 of these 64 sites had algal-, invertebrate-, and fish-community data that were collected within the same year as the nutrients; these sites were used to assess the effects of nutrients on the biological communities. Multidimensional scaling was used to determine whether the entire region could be assessed together or whether there were regional differences between the algal, invertebrate, and fish communities. The biological communities were significantly different between the northern sites, primarily in the GNE and the southern sites, primarily in the CWPE. In the higher nutrient concentration gradient in the streams of the CWPE, algae exhibited greater differences than invertebrates and fish between all of the nutrient categories for both TN and TP; however, in the lower nutrient gradient in the streams of the GNE, invertebrates exhibited greater differences between the nutrient categories. Certain species of algae, invertebrates, and fish were more prevalent in low- and high-nutrient categories within each of the diatom ecoregions. Breakpoint analysis was used to identify the concentration at which the relations between the response variable (biological attribute) and the stressor variable (TN and TP) change. There were significant breakpoints for nutrients (TN and TP) and multiple attributes for algae, invertebrates, and fish communities within the CWPE and GNE diatom ecoregions. In general, more significant breakpoints, with lower concentrations, were found in the GNE than the more nutrient-rich CWPE. The breakpoints from all biological communities were generally about 3-5 times higher in the south (CWPE) than the north (GNE). In the north, breakpoints with similar lower concentrations were found for TN from all biological communities (around 0.60 milligram per liter) and for TP (between 0.02 and 0.03 milligram per liter) for the algae and invertebrate communities. The findings from our study suggest that the range in breakpoints for TN and TP from the GNE can be used as oligotrophic and eutrophic boundaries derived from biological response based on this ecoregion having (1) a gradient with sufficiently low to high nutrient concentrations, (2) distinctive differences in the biological communities in the low- to high-nutrient streams, (3) similarity of breakpoints within algal, invertebrate, and fish communities, (4) significant attributes with either direct relations to nutrients or traditional changes in community structure (that is, decreases in sensitive species or increases in tolerant species), and (5) similar breakpoints in other studies in this and other regions. In nutrie

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2017

Characterization of the quality of water, bed sediment, and fish in Mittry Lake, Arizona, 2014–15

Water, bed-sediment, and fish sampling was conducted in Mittry Lake, Arizona, in 2014–15 to establish current water-quality conditions of the lake. The parameters of temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, and alkalinity were measured in the field. Water samples were collected and analyzed for dissolved major ions, dissolved trace elements, dissolved nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved pesticides, bacteria, and suspended-sediment concentrations. Bed-sediment and fish samples were analyzed for trace elements, halogenated compounds, total mercury, and methylmercury. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant levels in drinking water were exceeded for sulfate, chloride, and manganese in the water samples. Trace-element concentrations were relatively similar between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Concentrations for nutrients in all water samples were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s water-quality standards for aquatic and wildlife uses, and all bacteria levels were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s recommended recreational water-quality criteria. Three out of 81 pesticides were detected in the water samples. Trace-element concentrations in bed sediment were relatively consistent between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc concentrations, however, decreased from the inlet to outlet locations. Concentrations for lead, nickel, and zinc in some bed-sediment samples exceeded consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentrations. Eleven out of 61 halogenated compounds were detected in bed sediment at the inlet location, whereas three were detected at the middle location, and five were detected at the outlet location. No methylmercury was detected in bed sediment. Total mercury was detected in bed sediment at concentrations below the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentration. Sixteen trace elements were detected in at least one of the fish-tissue samples, and trace-element concentrations were relatively consistent between the three fish-tissue samples. Seven halogenated compounds were detected in at least one of the whole-body fish samples; four to five compounds were detected in each fish. One fish-tissue sample exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency human health consumption criteria for methylmercury.

Texas↗

USGS2023

Developing fluvial fish species distribution models across the conterminous United States—A framework for management and conservation

This report explains the steps and specific methods used to predict fluvial fish occurrences in their native ranges for the conterminous United States. In this study, boosted regression tree models predict distributions of 271 ecologically important fluvial fish species using relations between fish presence/absence and 22 natural and anthropogenic landscape variables. Models developed for the freshwater portions of the ranges for species represented 28 families. Cyprinidae was the family with the most species (87 of 271) modeled for this study, followed by Percidae (34) and Ictaluridae (17). Model predictive performance was evaluated using four metrics: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, and True Skill Statistic, which are all from tenfold cross-validation results. The relative importance of the predictor variables in the boosted regression tree models was calculated and ranked for each species. The three strongest natural predictors of fish distributions were network catchment area, the mean annual air temperature of the local catchment, and the maximum elevation of the local catchment, while the three strongest anthropogenic predictors were downstream main stem dam density, distance to downstream main stem dam, and the percentage of pasture/hay land use area within network catchment boundaries. Study results showed 61 fish species were sensitive to climate variables, and 40 fish species were sensitive to anthropogenic stressors. The models developed in this study can be used to derive critical information regarding habitat protection priorities, anthropogenic threats, and potential effects of climate change on habitat suitability, aiding in efforts to conserve fluvial fishes now and into the future.

Conterminous United States↗

USGS1995

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin: Analysis of relations between fish-community structure and environmental conditions in the Fox, Des Plaines, and Du Page River basins in Illinois, 1982-84

Multivariate analyses of fish-community, water- quality, streambed-sediment-quality, and habitat data collected from 1982 through 1984 in the Fox, Des Plaines, and Du Page River Basins in northeastern Illinois indicate that fish-community structure was strongly related to water-quality gradients commonly associated with differences between agricultural and urban land uses. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and the Alternate Index of Biotic Integrity (AIBI) tended to group fish communities by river basin. Streams in the predominantly agricultural Fox River Basin tended to have similar DCA scores, the highest AIBI scores, and relatively diverse fish communities that usually included several intolerant species. Streams in the more heavily urbanized Chicago, Little Calumet, Des Plaines, and Du Page River Basins tended to have lower AIBI scores and fish communities dominated by fewer; more tolerant species. Correlative (Spearman's rho) and graphical analyses showed that DCA and AIBI scores for nonwadable sites were more strongly related to water qualiity and streambed- sediment quality than to habitat conditions. DCA and AIBI scores for wadable sites were most strongly related to water quality, were not related to streambed-sediment quality, and were moderately related to habitat variables indicative of stream size. Streams in the Fox River Basin had the smallest concentrations of chemical constituents commonly associated with anthropogenic sources. Streams in the heavily urbanized Des Plaines and Du Page River Basins had larger concentrations of chemical constituents associated with urban runoff and point-sourca discharges. Although fish-community structure was strongly related to the water quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acute and chronic criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life were exceeded at few stations. These fish communities may have been responding either to concentrations below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criteria or to cumulative or synergistic effects of overall water quality.

Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin↗

USGS1998

Fish communities and their relation to physical and chemical characteristics of streams from selected environmental settings in the Lower Susquehanna River basin, 1993-95

Studies of fish-community composition were conducted annually in selected reaches (from 100 to 303 meters in length) on seven streams from June 1993 to June 1995 within the Lower Susquehanna River Basin. In 1994, additional reaches were selected on three of the streams, resulting in a total of 28 samples. The study reaches were selected on the basis of type of bedrock and land use/land cover; the major emphasis was on agricultural land use or areas in transition from agricultural to commercial, industrial, and residential land uses. At each reach, environmental characteristics consisting of instream and riparian habitat conditions, hydrology, and water quality were determined. The relation of fish communities at these reaches to physical and chemical characteristics of streams was analyzed to determine if the fish communities differed temporally or spatially. Data were analyzed by parametric and multivariate techniques. During the course of the study, a total of 33,143 fish were collected, consisting of 39 species representing 8 families. Cyprinidae (minnows) were dominant with 17 species, followed by Centrarchidae (sunfishes) with 7 species and Percidae (perches and darters) with 4 species. Three species?blacknose dace ( Rhinichthys atratulus ), white sucker ( Catostomus commersoni ), and the sculpins ( Cottus spp)?accounted for 49 percent of the total fish collected. The environmental variables most closely related to the fish communities present at the reaches were mean channel width, mean water temperature, mean canopy angle, and suspended-sediment concentrations. These variables accounted for about 79 percent of the variation in the environmental-species relation. Channel width and mean water temperature are correlated with stream size variables. The stream size gradient is the most influential variable to the fish communities studied in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗