Importance of Temperature and Flow for Fish in Connecticut Streams Chris Bellucci, CT DEEP Water Monitoring and Assessment Program Climate Change Conference, Litchfield, CT September 23, 2016
Today s Talk
Water Temperature Matters Temperatures changes <3C are important to river fish in CT Brook Trout and Slimy Sculpin cold water indicator species Cutlip Minnow, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead warm water indicator species Coolwater transition zone lacked significant indicator species and this appears to be the dominant habitat in CT
Bottom Line Up Front
Data Review Fish Community Samples
Data Review 2002-2011 Fish Community Samples
160 Sites Fish community/water temperature Fish Community Samples
Sites by Major River Basin 160 Sites 212 pairs of fish/water temperature Fish Community Samples
Results-26 Fish Species Most Common Species by Percent Occurrence Bluegill 41% Blacknose Dace 84% Brook Trout 39% Common Shiner 38% Brown Trout 36% White Sucker 80% Fallfish 36% Pumpkinseed 35% Largemouth bass 34% Redbreast 32% American Eel 64% Creek chub 32% Smallmouth bass 19% Cutlip minnow 17% Rock bass 14% Tessellated Darter 63% Brown bullhead 11% Slimy sculpin 11% Redfin pickerel 11% Connecticut Longnose Department Dace of Energy 58% and Environmental Yellow Protection bullhead 11% Golden shiner 10%
Fish/100 M Cold Water Species June-August Mean Water Temperature (Celsius)
Fish/100 M Tweeners June-August Mean Water Temperature (Celsius)
Fish/100 M Warm Water Species June-August Mean Water Temperature (Celsius)
Fish/100 M Ubiquitous Species June-August Mean Water Temperature (Celsius)
Temperature Categories for CT Category Maximum Daily Temp o C July Mean Temp o C June-Aug Temp o C Cold < 22.40 < 18.45 < 18.29 Indicator Fish Slimy sculpin, Brook trout Cool 22.40-26.30 18.45-22.30 18.29-21.70 None Cutlip minnow, Smallmouth bass, Rock bass, Brown bullhead, Redbreast sunfish, Yellow Warm >26.30 >22.30 >21.70 bullhead
Summer Months are Key
Stream Temperature Distribution 160 Sites 212 pairs of fish/water temperature Fish Community Samples
Tools for Making Sense of Temperature Data
SHEDS Database
Catchment Explorer http://ice.ecosheds.org/sheds/
Brook Trout Occurrence Probability Current Conditions
Brook Trout Occurrence Probability 4 0 C Increase Summer
Brook Trout Occurrence Probability 6 0 C Increase Summer
Added Flow Impairment to 26 Streams
Added Flow Impairment to 26 Streams Beaver Brook Billings Avery Brook Birch Mountain Brook Bride Brook Burton Brook Chidsey Brook Comstock Brook Coppermine Brook Copps Brook Crooked Brook Furnace Brook Gulf Brook Harbor Brook Hop Brook Latimer Brook Little River Lydall Brook Mad River Noroton River Oxoboxo Brook Patagansett River Porter Brook Quinnipiac River Seth Williams Brook Sodom Brook Transylvania Brook
Stream Flows are much below normal
Pictures are Data! Example of L- Bracket
Picture Standardization Other Methods
Hop Brook June 13, 2016
Hop Brook June 24, 2016
Hop Brook June 28, 2016
Hop Brook July 1, 2016
Hop Brook July 8, 2016
Hop Brook July 22, 2016
Hop Brook August 5, 2016
Hop Brook August 12, 2016
Hop Brook August 19, 2016
Hop Brook August 26, 2016
What s next? Continue photo loops through summer Write Guidance for Volunteer Helpers Start recruiting volunteers (next summer) Photo App in development for smartphones
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/11 4 pm
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/12 4 pm
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/13 4 pm
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/13 855 pm Rain Shower
8/13 1013 pm
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/14 4 pm
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/15 4 pm
Trail Cameras for Flow Monitoring 8/16 4 pm
Questions? Chris Bellucci christopher.bellucci@ct.gov 860-424-3735