Event Title

Session B4 - Differences in frequency and range of trout movement through culverts in headwater streams

Location

UMass Amherst

Event Website

http://fishpassage.ecs.umass.edu/Conference2012/

Start Date

6-6-2012 10:50 AM

End Date

6-6-2012 11:10 AM

Description

There are nearly 10,000 registered dams in New England that block fish passage in larger rivers, but there are over 25 times as many culverts affecting passage in smaller streams and tributaries. Even in non-anadromous fish, free movement through streams necessary for a variety of life history functions, upstream migration for spawning in particular. However, different types and shapes of culverts can have a significant impact on fish movement. A network of three proximate tributaries in the West Brook watershed (Whately, MA) show the marked difference culverts have on population and individual movement of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). This study tracked fish movement using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags in trout, stationary antennas at each culvert, and portable backpack antennas during the years of 2002 to 2010. After 2004 additional antenna were added to account for direction movement through culverts. One culvert in the study area was classified by The Nature Conservancy as passable, the second culvert was classified as severe, while a third tributary was impassible due to a natural barrier. Trout movement was analyzed for frequency of movement through the culverts, number of unique individuals moving through the culverts, attempts and successes of movement, and overall patterns of distances moved in and between these streams. Overall frequency of movement through the two culverts was significantly different; the passable culvert was used for a large number of both short and long distance movement. The severe culvert was not completely impassable, but was often a vector for downstream movement from the tributary to the main stem of the river, or less often longer distance movements into the headwater stream. There were also significant differences in movement between species; brook trout attempted and succeeded in passing through the severe culvert significantly more than brown trout, while there was little difference in species' ability to move through the passable culvert. The differences between the culverts have interesting implications for larger patterns in trout movement once above the culverts.

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Jun 6th, 10:50 AM Jun 6th, 11:10 AM

Session B4 - Differences in frequency and range of trout movement through culverts in headwater streams

UMass Amherst

There are nearly 10,000 registered dams in New England that block fish passage in larger rivers, but there are over 25 times as many culverts affecting passage in smaller streams and tributaries. Even in non-anadromous fish, free movement through streams necessary for a variety of life history functions, upstream migration for spawning in particular. However, different types and shapes of culverts can have a significant impact on fish movement. A network of three proximate tributaries in the West Brook watershed (Whately, MA) show the marked difference culverts have on population and individual movement of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). This study tracked fish movement using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags in trout, stationary antennas at each culvert, and portable backpack antennas during the years of 2002 to 2010. After 2004 additional antenna were added to account for direction movement through culverts. One culvert in the study area was classified by The Nature Conservancy as passable, the second culvert was classified as severe, while a third tributary was impassible due to a natural barrier. Trout movement was analyzed for frequency of movement through the culverts, number of unique individuals moving through the culverts, attempts and successes of movement, and overall patterns of distances moved in and between these streams. Overall frequency of movement through the two culverts was significantly different; the passable culvert was used for a large number of both short and long distance movement. The severe culvert was not completely impassable, but was often a vector for downstream movement from the tributary to the main stem of the river, or less often longer distance movements into the headwater stream. There were also significant differences in movement between species; brook trout attempted and succeeded in passing through the severe culvert significantly more than brown trout, while there was little difference in species' ability to move through the passable culvert. The differences between the culverts have interesting implications for larger patterns in trout movement once above the culverts.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2012/June6/8