Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2019

AUTHORS. James Beaubien, US Geological Survey; Jason Fischer, University of Toledo, Department of Environmental Sciences ; Robin DeBruyne, University of Toledo, Department of Environmental Sciences; Rose Ellison, US Environmental Protection Agency; Hal Harrington, US Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District; Edward Roseman, US Geological Survey

ABSTRACT. The River Rouge is located in southeastern Michigan and is a tributary to the Detroit River. The river and its watershed have been severely degraded resulting in a Great Lakes Area of Concern designation with beneficial use impairments for all biota and habitat. The lower reach contains 6.4 km of concrete river channel that is unsuitable habitat for game fish, sensitive macroinvertebrates, and other native fauna. The removal of this concrete channel will mitigate some beneficial use impairments (e.g., degradation of fish and wildlife populations, degradation of aesthetics, degradation of benthos, loss of fish and wildlife habitat) in the system, however establishment of baseline environmental conditions is needed prior to habitat restoration to measure the effectiveness of restoration efforts. We sampled fish and macroinvertebrate communities at 12 sample sites; 3 sites upriver of the concrete channel, 6 sites within the concrete channel, and 3 sites below the concrete channel. Boat electrofishing surveys across all sites indicated diversity among fish assemblages was low, dominated by emerald shiners (63% numerically) and only 16% game fish (e.g. Centrarchidae, northern pike, white bass). Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages were sampled with colonization samplers (3 Hester-Dendy and 3 rock bags per site). Colonization samplers were set in June and September and allowed to soak for 30 days before being retrieved. Macroinvertebrates were identified to the lowest taxonomic classification and enumerated. Preliminary results indicate that the macroinvertebrate community composition was dominated by Chironomidae and Oligochaeta across all sites. These results provide baseline information on aquatic community structure to measure post-restoration community response to replacement of the concrete channel with natural river morphology.

AUTHORS. Colby G. Gainer, Ethan A. Rutledge, Hae H. Kim, Quinton E. Phelps – West Virginia University Division of Forestry and Natural Resources

ABSTRACT. Smallmouth bass are an economically important sportfish across the United States. Yet smallmouth bass have received little interest in the Upper Mississippi River. Understanding habitat needs of smallmouth bass could lead to improved management practices. Data from the United States Army Corps of Engineer’s Long-Term Resource Management Program was evaluated to assess the smallmouth bass habitat use. From 1993 to 2017, a total of 10,941 smallmouth bass were caught using day electrofishing in pool 4 (Lake City, Minnesota) and pool 8 (LaCrosse Wisconsin). Macrohabitat and mesohabitat use were assessed.  In regard to macrohabitat, main channel borders had the highest catch rates of smallmouth bass; this includes unstructured channel borders and wing dams. Smallmouth bass exhibited intermediate use in side channel borders, while backwaters were infrequently occupied. More specifically smallmouth bass tend to concentrate in areas with large substrate, moderate velocities across a range of depths. Information provided in this project can promote a better understanding of the smallmouth bass habitat use, ultimately enhancing management of the fish.

AUTHORS. Makayla Kelso, US Geological Survey; Nicole King, University of Toledo Lake Erie Center, Patrick Kocovsky, US Geological Survey, Christine Mayer, University of Toledo Lake Erie Center, Song Qian, University of Toledo Lake Erie Center.

ABSTRACT. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) supports many important ecological services including critical habitats for a variety of aquatic species and stabilizing shorelines, and act as indicators of water quality in coastal ecosystems. Physical factors such as light penetration and wave energy affect SAV distribution, diversity, and abundance, but biological activity from herbivores may also affect the community. There is concern that invasive herbivores in the Great Lakes, such as Grass Carp and Red Swamp Crayfish, may cause a decline in SAV communities. Data were collected as part of a larger ongoing investigation of SAV communities throughout Lake Erie to establish a baseline of vegetation conditions in all three of the lake’s basins in an effort to track changes in SAV communities. Data collection involved a 3-tier assessment process, which utilized object-based image analysis (OBIA), hydroacoustics, and in situ vegetation collection to assess SAV species composition and relative abundances in Presque Isle Bay, Pennsylvania and Dunkirk Harbor, New York. These two sampling locations were chosen to expand the assessment of SAV into previously un-sampled Central and Eastern Basins, and used the OBIA maps to determine areas of likely SAV coverage. Here we compare the three tiers of methodology to assess the accuracy of OBIA imagery, characterize the SAV communities in these two locations, and to determine areas potentially at risk for invasive species herbivory.

AUTHORS. Coty Prunest, Quinton Phelps, Melissa O'Neal – West Virginia University

ABSTRACT. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the cause of rainwater flooding into abandoned mines, absorbing dangerous metals and other acidic materials. Acid mine drainage increases pH and may pose deleterious effects on stream biota. States that relied on coal mining have had major issues with AMD, given loose laws surrounding disposal and storage of waste. West Virginia has suffered major AMD impacts in its streams, and therefore invertebrates and native fishes have been influenced. This project was designed to test the utility of remediation below passive AMD treatment sites. Prior data, while limited, demonstrates that passive AMD treatment sites can be an effective remediation effort. However, a more extensive formal evaluation of these treatment sites are needed. As such, five streams will be sampled (Smooth Rock Lick, Herod’s Run, West Run, Lambert’s Run, and Swamp Run). Sampling will include kick-netting for macroinvertebrates, and backpack electrofishing for fishes. Macroinvertebrates will be identified, and fish will be identified, weighed, and measured in the field. Multiple passes will be sampled in each stream; with equal sampling effort above and below the treatment site. Information gained during this study will provide direct evidence of the utility of passive AMD treatment on macroinvertebrates and fishes in West Virginia.