The Big Blackfoot River Fisheries restoration report for 2004 and 2005

Pierce, Ron.; Podner, Craig.

doi:10.5962/bhl.title.24324

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Kleinschmidt Spring Creek, a spring creek tributary to the lower North Fork of the Blackfoot River, is located on the floor of the Blackfoot River valley in west-central Montana (Figure 1). Discharge in Kleinschmidt Creek ranges from a low of 0.26 m 3 /s during winter and spring to a high of about 0.42 m 3 /s during midsummer months (Pierce and Podner 2006). Although Kleinschmidt Creek receives basin-fed runoff upstream of stream kilometer (skm) 3.2, approximately 90% of summer stream flows are generated by groundwater inflows from an alluvial aquifer, most of which surfaces between skm 1.6 and 3.2 Pierce and Podner 2006).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Discharge in Kleinschmidt Creek ranges from a low of 0.26 m 3 /s during winter and spring to a high of about 0.42 m 3 /s during midsummer months (Pierce and Podner 2006). Although Kleinschmidt Creek receives basin-fed runoff upstream of stream kilometer (skm) 3.2, approximately 90% of summer stream flows are generated by groundwater inflows from an alluvial aquifer, most of which surfaces between skm 1.6 and 3.2 Pierce and Podner 2006). To examine stream temperature reduction, we monitored stream temperatures in the North Fork of the Blackfoot River at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge station 12338300 and treated this as a control site in the study (Figure 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Instream Habitat Restoration and Stream Temperature Reduction in a Whirling Disease‐Positive Spring Creek in the Blackfoot River Basin, Montana

et al. 2014

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Anthropogenic warming of stream temperature and the presence of exotic diseases such as whirling disease are both contemporary threats to coldwater salmonids across western North America. We examined stream temperature reduction over a 15-year prerestoration and postrestoration period and the severity of Myxobolus cerebralis infection (agent of whirling disease) over a 7-year prerestoration and postrestoration period in Kleinschmidt Creek, a fully reconstructed spring creek in the Blackfoot River basin of western Montana. Stream restoration increased channel length by 36% and reduced the wetted surface area by 69% by narrowing and renaturalizing the channel. Following channel restoration, average maximum daily summer stream temperatures decreased from 15.7 C to 12.5 C, average daily temperature decreased from 11.2 C to 10.0 C, and the range of daily temperatures narrowed by 3.3 C. Despite large changes in channel morphology and reductions in summer stream temperature, the prevalence and severity of M. cerebralis infection for hatchery Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss remained high (98-100% test fish with grade > 3 infection) versus minimal for hatchery Brown Trout Salmo trutta (2% of test fish with grade-1 infection). This study shows channel renaturalization can reduce summer stream temperatures in small low-elevation, groundwater-dominated streams in the Blackfoot basin to levels more suitable to native trout. However, because of continuous high infections associated with groundwater-dominated systems, the restoration of Kleinschmidt Creek favors brown trout Salmo trutta given their innate resistance to the parasite and the higher relative susceptibility of other salmonids.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Instream Habitat Restoration and Stream Temperature Reduction in a Whirling Disease‐Positive Spring Creek in the Blackfoot River Basin, Montana

et al. 2014

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Long‐Term Increases in Trout Abundance following Channel Reconstruction, Instream Wood Placement, and Livestock Removal from a Spring Creek in the Blackfoot Basin, Montana

2015

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To restore habitat for wild trout, Kleinschmidt Creek, a low‐gradient, groundwater‐dominated stream in the Blackfoot Basin, Montana, was reconstructed using natural channel design principles. Reconstruction increased stream sinuosity from a ratio of 1.1 to 1.6, decreased mean channel width from 14.5 to 2.8 m, and increased sediment transport capacity to reduce accumulations of fine instream sediment. To further improve trout habitat, coarse woody debris (CWD) was variably placed within the new channel and livestock were excluded to promote the vegetative recovery of the riparian area. To evaluate the response of wild trout (92% Brown Trout Salmo trutta) to channel restoration, the abundance (number of trout per linear meter) and biomass (g/linear m) of age 1+ trout were monitored for 15 years (1998–2012) in a reach with low density CWD (1.3 stems/100 m) and compared with regional (reference) trends. Posttreatment (2002–2012) trout numbers in the low‐density CWD reach were also compared with those in a reach with high‐density CWD (18.2 stems/100 m). Long‐term trends for the reference reaches showed a significant negative trend in trout abundance and no significant trend for biomass. Long‐term trends for the low‐density CWD reach showed a significant positive trend in abundance, as well as a significant trend in biomass. Trout abundance and biomass increased over the posttreatment period in the low‐density CWD reach. However, in the high density CWD reach, while posttreatment abundance increased significantly, there was no significant trend in biomass. These results demonstrated that channel restoration increased wild trout populations in a deep, narrow, vegetated stream and that instream wood provided primarily short‐term benefits during the early phase of habitat recovery. Received November 26, 2013; accepted October 18, 2014

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Does Whirling Disease Mediate Hybridization between a Native and Nonnative Trout?

Carim

Eby

Pierce

2015

N American J Fish Manag

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The spread of nonnative species over the last century has profoundly altered freshwater ecosystems, resulting in novel species assemblages. Interactions between nonnative species may alter their impacts on native species, yet few studies have addressed multispecies interactions. The spread of whirling disease, caused by the nonnative parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, has generated declines in wild trout populations across western North America. Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi in the northern Rocky Mountains are threatened by hybridization with introduced Rainbow Trout O. mykiss. Rainbow Trout are more susceptible to whirling disease than Cutthroat Trout and may be more vulnerable due to differences in spawning location. We hypothesized that the presence of whirling disease in a stream would (1) reduce levels of introgressive hybridization at the site scale and (2) limit the size of the hybrid zone at the whole‐stream scale. We measured levels of introgression and the spatial extent of hybridization between Rainbow Trout and Westslope Cutthroat Trout in four disease‐positive streams and six disease‐negative streams within the Blackfoot River basin of Montana. In addition to disease status, we considered habitat quality, stream slope, distance from the confluence, temperature, and elevation. Whirling disease presence was not associated with either the level of introgression at a site or the size of the hybrid zone. Temperature, elevation, and stream slope were all influential in determining levels of introgression at the site scale. Stream slope was the most influential factor determining the size of the hybrid zone, as longer, steeper streams contained smaller hybrid zones. Stream slope is a driver of many habitat characteristics that may provide refuge from invasive species in the coming decades. Although the multispecies interactions examined in this study did not alter the impacts of invasion on native species, community assemblages will continue to change with the spread of nonnative species, requiring continued assessment to determine their impacts on native species.Received May 15, 2014; accepted January 7, 2015

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The Big Blackfoot River Fisheries restoration report for 2004 and 2005

Abstract: Exhibit I: Westslope cutthroat trout genetic sampling sites and results.

Cited by 4 publications

References 16 publications

Instream Habitat Restoration and Stream Temperature Reduction in a Whirling Disease‐Positive Spring Creek in the Blackfoot River Basin, Montana

Instream Habitat Restoration and Stream Temperature Reduction in a Whirling Disease‐Positive Spring Creek in the Blackfoot River Basin, Montana

Long‐Term Increases in Trout Abundance following Channel Reconstruction, Instream Wood Placement, and Livestock Removal from a Spring Creek in the Blackfoot Basin, Montana

Does Whirling Disease Mediate Hybridization between a Native and Nonnative Trout?

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