Relation of water quality to striped bass mortalities in the Corquinez Strait of California

<em>Abstract</em>.—A CE-QUAL-W2 water quality model was used to characterize the availability of striped bass <em>Morone saxatilis</em> habitat in Lake Greenwood, South Carolina, during 2004 and 2005. Although the lake has a productive fishery, water quality and aquatic habitat are affected by nutrient loading, algal blooms, and extensive oxygen depletion in the bottom waters. The main objectives were to characterize habitat availability and predict the implications of a change in phosphorus loading from the Saluda and Reedy rivers. The baseline scenario of the model showed that habitat was most critical during July and August, when as little of 5% of the reservoir contained tolerable habitat (temperature <28°C and dissolved oxygen >2 mg/L). Favorable habitat (temperature <25°C and dissolved oxygen >2 mg/L) was usually absent for most of July and August. Pulses of higher inflow or freshets produced short-term increases in tolerable habitat, especially in the upper end of the reservoir. Phosphorus-loading scenarios predicted that large reductions (50% or more) would be required to improve habitat substantially during midsummer. For the manager of a striped bass fishery, water quality models can be useful tools for evaluating habitat, especially under marginal conditions, and for predicting the impact of altered water management practices.

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Influence of Water Quality and Season on Habitat Use by Striped Bass in a Large Southwestern Reservoir

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society ◽

10.1577/1548-8659(1989)118<0243:iowqas>2.3.co;2 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 118 (3) ◽

pp. 243-250 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

William J. Matthews ◽

Loren G. Hill ◽

David R. Edds ◽

Frances P. Gelwick

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Striped Bass ◽

Influence Of Water

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The influence of contaminant and water quality conditions on larval striped bass in the Potomac River and upper Chesapeake Bay in 1990: Anin situ study

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology ◽

10.1007/bf01061082 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lenwood W. Hall ◽

Michael C. Ziegenfuss ◽

Steven A. Fischer ◽

John A. Sullivan ◽

Deborah M. Palmer

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Chesapeake Bay ◽

Striped Bass ◽

Potomac River

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Habitat Use by Striped Bass in Relation to Seasonal Changes in Water Quality in a Southern Reservoir

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society ◽

10.1577/1548-8659(2002)131<0817:hubsbi>2.0.co;2 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 131 (5) ◽

pp. 817-827 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jason J. Schaffler ◽

J. Jeffery Isely ◽

Willard E. Hayes

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Striped Bass ◽

Seasonal Changes

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Multidecadal trends for three declining fish species: habitat patterns and mechanisms in the San Francisco Estuary, California, USA

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f07-048 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 64 (4) ◽

pp. 723-734 ◽

Cited By ~ 107

Author(s):

Frederick Feyrer ◽

Matthew L Nobriga ◽

Ted R Sommer

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

San Francisco ◽

Striped Bass ◽

Fish Species ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Specific Conductance ◽

San Francisco Estuary ◽

Delta Smelt ◽

Threadfin Shad

We examined a 36-year record of concurrent midwater trawl and water quality sampling conducted during fall to evaluate habitat trends for three declining fish species in the San Francisco Estuary, California, USA: delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), and threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). Generalized additive modeling revealed that Secchi depth and specific conductance were important predictors of occurrence for delta smelt and striped bass, while specific conductance and water temperature were important for threadfin shad. Habitat suitability derived from model predictions exhibited significant long-term declines for each species; the southeastern and western regions of the estuary exhibited the most dramatic changes. Declines in habitat suitability were associated with anthropogenic modifications to the ecosystem. For delta smelt, an imperiled annual species endemic to the estuary, the combined effects of fall stock abundance and water quality predicted recruit abundance during recent years of chronically low food supply. Our results are consistent with existing evidence of a long-term decline in carrying capacity for delta smelt and striped bass and demonstrate the utility of long-term data sets for evaluating relationships between fish and their habitat.

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