Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Fish Populations ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Water Quality And Quantity ◽  
Water Uses ◽  
Chattahoochee River

<em>Abstract</em>.—The Upper Chattahoochee River (UCR) basin is typical of many river systems in the southeastern United States. A warmwater system with high biodiversity, the creation of impoundments for human water use has altered water quality and quantity and, in some reaches, converted it into a coldwater system. To recover lost fishing opportunities, nonnative trout (Salmonidae) were introduced into the system and a popular fishery developed. Recent drought, human population growth, and increased water use has resulted in changes in the fish populations and fisheries management objectives in the UCR basin. As water allocation discussions continue among the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, the future of the fishery in the UCR basin is unknown. This paper describes the changes in fisheries management in the UCR basin during the last century in relation to impoundment and increased water use in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Reservoir Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Interstate Disputes ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Litigation regarding reservoir management is increasingly common. I used a range of examples in the United States to show that such litigation is generally ineffective and that most stakeholders can achieve better results through negotiated solutions. This article provides a brief introduction to this type of litigation and illustrates some of its basic limitations. Examples are drawn from several recent interstate disputes of the United States.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Public Pressure ◽  
Rearing Techniques ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Thirteen United States fishery agencies utilized routine supplemental stocking as a means to manage largemouth bass <em>Micropterus salmoides </em>populations in large (>405-ha) reservoirs. State agencies stocking largemouth bass used two strains (i.e., northern and Florida) as well as intergrades. Largemouth bass for stocking were raised in hatcheries, lakeside nursery ponds, or both. Among states, methods used to monitor fish in hatchery ponds and lakeside nursery ponds, the date ponds were drained, and methods to enumerate fish from the ponds varied. Although most states cited bolstering weak year-classes as their main reason for routine stocking, others noted increasing genetic variability within populations and public pressure as reasons that their agencies stocked large reservoirs with largemouth bass. As agencies continue to respond to public pressures for larger fish, they should consider the possible consequences of mixing stocks of largemouth bass. With continued development of agency rearing techniques, especially in lakeside nursery ponds, methods to enumerate fish should be considered to aid in future stocking evaluations. Improved rearing and stocking techniques will allow fisheries managers to utilize resource dollars in a way that provides benefit to anglers while ensuring the sustainability of largemouth bass populations.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Fishery Management ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
The Public ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Flexible Management ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Effective means to directly engage the public in determining reservoir fishery management objectives and strategies is a common challenge to managers. This paper examines the experiences and lessons acquired from three separate situations in which citizen advisory committees were used to assist fishery management biologists in resolving conflicts and setting management objectives for three lakes in Arkansas. Benefits included a better understanding on both the part of anglers and agency biologists of their respective motivations and preferences, a greater sense of shared ownership of solutions, and a well-defined but flexible management plan. The effectiveness of citizen advisory committees was challenged by dissent and mistrust among advisory committee members, failure of committee members to communicate management plans outside the committee proper, political intervention, and the threat to agency credibility if the agreed plans fail to be implemented. Citizen advisory committees can be an effective tool for crafting reservoir fishery management plans.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Economic Tradeoffs ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—In most times and places, reservoir-related ecosystems cannot satisfy all the demands for goods and services, which results in competition for the resources. An appropriately structured description of the competition provides a useful framework for understanding an economic tradeoffs associated with different water allocations.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Plant Management ◽  
Stakeholder Interests ◽  
Aquatic Plant Management ◽  
Tennessee Valley ◽  
Water Level Management ◽  
Fish Harvest ◽  
Sport Fish ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Conflict over recreational uses of water, land, wildlife, and fish in the Tennessee Valley is as old as the impoundments within. Public stakeholders are varied and represent valley residents and visitors and many interrelated levels on societal, business, and political scales. Fishery conflicts have been prevalent in recent decades as angler expectations are often not met or in conflict with agency objectives and other stakeholder interests. Controversy in the past has arisen from water level management, aquatic plant management, stocking programs, and sport fish harvest limitations. Conflicts of this sort are expected to increase in the future as demand for power, water, and riparian lands rise in response to projected increases in the valley’s human population. The Tennessee Valley Authority and state regulating agencies like the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency have been most successful in thwarting or resolving conflicts when putting forth strong efforts for public education on issues and inviting a broad segment of reservoir interests into the decision-making process.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Fish Passage ◽  
Surface Flow ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Juvenile Salmonids ◽  
Highly Effective ◽  
Passage Efficiency ◽  
High Fish ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—We analyzed 5 years of route-specific fish passage data acquired by fixed-aspect hydroacoustic sampling of juvenile salmonids passing downstream through Bonneville Dam. High fish-passage effectiveness of surface-flow outlets (SFOs) relative to the spillway and turbines suggested that juvenile salmonids preferentially selected surface outlets over adjacent turbines. Seasonal estimates showed that median combined effectiveness of SFOs (7.8) was 7.1 times higher than that of the spillway (1.1) and 9.8 times higher than that of turbines (0.8). Islands prevented the spillway from attracting fish from either powerhouse forebay, something that does not occur at most hydropower projects. Regression analyses indicated that percent flow passing a specific route explained from 50% to 97% of fish-passage variation, and relations were useful for evaluating fish-passage alternatives. Fitted curves for surface-passage routes, including the sluiceway at Powerhouse 1 (B1) and Powerhouse 2 (B2) were much steeper at low percent flow (2–15%) than were curves for the spillway or turbines. Regressions indicate that increasing surface-flow percentages of B1 flow from 1% to 10% could increase B1 sluiceway-passage efficiency from 40% to 83%. Increasing B2 flow to the B2 sluiceway from 4% to 15% could increase B2 sluiceway passage efficiency from 31% to 62%. Without spill, about 50% of fish passed by nonturbine routes. We recommend increasing percent flow to the B1-and B2-sluiceways because those surface-flow outlets are highly effective, adjacent to turbines, and capable of attracting smolts away from turbines.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Habitat Conservation ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Total Length ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Catch Per Effort ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—The propensity of adult crappies <em>Pomoxis </em>spp. to use similar locations during and among spawning seasons in reservoirs is unknown. This study proposed to determine adult crappie abundance, fidelity, and the substrate consistency in five coves at Sherman Reservoir, Nebraska, which historically displays a quality crappie fishery. Adult crappies (≥150 mm total length) were collected with trap nets from each cove during May 2004 to 2006 and tagged with a visible implant elastomer tag that was color coded for each cove. A total of 7,041 crappies were tagged in 2004, 5,868 in 2005, and 3,967 in 2006. The mean catch per effort in coves ranged from 40 to 75 fish/net-night in this study. Cove fidelity, defined as percent of tagged crappie recaptured in the same cove, within a year ranged from 74% to 88% in 2004, 84–88% in 2005, and 65–89% in 2006. Cove fidelity between spawning seasons was 62–81% for 2004 and 2005, 56–90% for 2005 and 2006, and 47–92% for 2004 and 2006. All five coves had a loam substrate with similar firmness. These data indicate a tendency by crappie to visit the same cove during successive spawning seasons, even when comparable substrates are available, which demonstrates the need for habitat conservation efforts for specific coves used during spawning seasons.

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