Effects of Floods on Trout in Sagehen Creek, California

Abstract
Effects of winter and spring floods on rainbow (Salmo gairdneri) and brook (Salvelinus fontinalis) trout were evaluated over a 10‐year period in Sagehen Creek, California. Winter floods decimated developing eggs of fall‐spawning brook trout. Because of reduced competition by young brook trout, survival of spring‐spawned rainbow fry increased in years following winter floods. Conversely, spring floods destroyed rainbow eggs, thereby enhancing survival of young brook trout. Floods changed the species composition markedly and these changes endured for several years. Adult trout were adversely affected by the worst flood studied, but were unaffected by other floods of lesser magnitude. Effects of floods were not nearly as pronounced or predictable on adult trout as they were on young trout.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: