Fish loss and movement in irrigation diversions from the West Gallatin River, Montana
by William D Clothier
A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Science in Fish and Wildlife Management
Montana State University
© Copyright by William D Clothier (1952)
Abstract:
Fish loss and movement in irrigation diversions from the West Gallatin River, Montana, was
investigated during 1950 and 1951. Two-way fish weirs were employed to study fish movement in the
Keughen (70.3 cfs) and Low Line (147.5 cfs) Canals. Operation of the weirs was prevented during the
spring and fall segments of irrigation seasons by debris-laden water. The Keughen weir operated 6l
days in 1950 and 84 days in 1951. A total of 29 trout, 37 whitefish, and 758 non-game fish made up the
initial fish movement the first season. There were 55 trout, 77 whitefish, and 767 non-game fish in the
initial movement the second season. The Low Line weir operated 41 days in 1951 and had a total of 77
trout, 26 whitefish, and 94 non-game fish showing initial movement during this period. Random
movement was shown by all species of fish except cutthroat trout. The up-canal movement of 59 trout
was correlated with severe water reductions in the Low Line Canal. This was 88% of all up-canal
migrant trout during the 41 days of weir operation. Fish loss (or gain) through the weirs was
established by actual counts. Thirteen canals were sampled for fish loss. Game fish concentrations were
found near headgates, near creeks where they entered a canal, and in 1 spring-fed ditch. Brook trout
was the dominant trout species in the vicinity of creeks and springs. Fish loss did not seem to be
correlated with canal length or volume of flow. There was an estimated loss of 2,835 legal game fish (7
or more inches in length) weighing 1,186 pounds in 11 of the canals studied. r
FISH LOSS AND MOVEMENT IN IRRIGATION DIVERSIONS
FROM THE WEST GALLATIN RIVER, MONTANA
trjr
W illiam D« C lo th ie r
A THESIS
S u b m itted t o th e G raduate F a c u lty
in
p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e re q u ire m e n ts
f o r th e d e g re e o f
M aster o f S c ie n ce i n F is h and W ild lif e Management
at
Montana S ta te C o lle g e
A pproved:
C h ap m an , Examining Committee
\
JL
^ a n e G raduate ^ x v is io n
Bozeman, Montana
Ju n e, 1902
'
i f ,
2
T a b le o f C o n te n ts
Page
A b stra c t .
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3
I n t r o d u c t i o n .......................................................................................
4
A cknowledgm ents
...............................................................................................................
5
D e s c r ip tio n o f th e West G a l l a t i n R iv e r i n th e s tu d y a r e a ...................
5
F is h movement in i r r i g a t i o n c a n a ls .....................................................................
I n i t i a l movement
. ............................................................................................
Random movement ................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
Movement i n r e l a t i o n to te m p e ra tu re and w a te r l e v e l s
15
. . . .
F is h l o s s in i r r i g a t i o n c a n a l s ....................................................................
16
L oss d e te rm in e d by w e i r s ...............................................................................
19
L oss d e te rm in e d by sa m p lin g
th e c a n a l s ...............................................
21
E s tim a te d l e g a l game f i s h l o s s ....................................................... .... .
28
Summary
.................................................................................................................................
L i t e r a t u r e c i t e d ....................... .... ......................................................................... .... *
123664
32
3
A b stra c t
F is h l o s s and movement i n i r r i g a t i o n d iv e r s i o n s from th e West
G a l l a t i n R iv e r j M ontana, was i n v e s t i g a t e d d u rin g 1950 a n d '1 9 5 1 . Two-wayf i s h w e irs w ere em ployed to s tu d y f i s h movement i n t h e Keughen (7.0.3 c f s )
and Low L in e (1 4 7 .5 c f s ) C a n a ls . O p e ra tio n o f th e w e ir s was p re v e n te d
d u r in g th e s p r in g and f a l l seg m en ts o f i r r i g a t i o n s e a s o n s by d e b r i s ­
la d e n w a te r . The Keughen w e ir o p e r a te d 6 l d ay s i n 1950 and 84 d ay s i n
1 951. A t o t a l o f 29 t r o u t , 37 w h i t e f i s h , and 758 non-gam e f i s h made up
th e i n i t i a l f i s h movement th e f i r s t s e a s o n . T h ere w ere 55 t r o u t , 77
w h i t e f i s h , and 767 non-gam e f i s h i n th e i n i t i a l movement th e seco n d
s e a s o n . The Low L in e w e ir o p e r a te d 41 days i n 1954 and h ad a t o t a l o f
77 t r o u t , 26 w h i t e f i s h , and 94 non-gam e f i s h show ing i n i t i a l movement
d u r in g t h i s p e r i o d . Random movement was shown by a l l s p e c ie s o f f i s h
e x c e p t c u t t h r o a t t r o u t . The u p - c a n a l movement o f 59 t r o u t was c o r r e l a t e d
w ith s e v e re w a te r r e d u c t i o n s i n th e Low L in e C a n a l. T h is was 88^ o f a l l
u p - c a n a l m ig r a n t t r o u t d u rin g th e 41 days o f w e ir o p e r a t i o n . F is h l o s s
( o r g a in ) th ro u g h th e w e irs was e s t a b l i s h e d by a c t u a l c o u n ts . T h i r te e n
c a n a ls w ere sam p led f o r f i s h l o s s . Game f i s h c o n c e n tr a tio n s w ere fo u n d
n e a r h e a d g a te s , n e a r c re e k s w here th e y e n te r e d a c a n a l , and i n I s p r i n g fe d . d i t c h . B rook t r o u t was th e d o m in an t t r o u t s p e c ie s i n th e v i c i n i t y
o f c r e e k s and s p r i n g s . F is h l o s s d id n o t seem to b e c o r r e l a t e d w ith
c a n a l le n g th o r volum e o f flo w . T h e re was an e s tim a te d l o s s o f 2 ,8 3 5
l e g a l game f i s h (7 o r more in c h e s i n le n g th ) w e ig h in g 1 , 186' pounds i n 11
o f th e c a n a ls s t u d i e d .
4
In tro d u c tio n •
'
i
F is h l o s s i n i r r i g a t i o n d i v e r s i o n s i n M ontana was a management
i s s u e even "before th e t u r n o f th e c e n tu r y .
An a tte m p t was made to p r e v e n t
f i s h l o s s a s e a r l y a s 1893 when l e g i s l a t i o n was p a s s e d r e q u i r i n g s c r e e n s
to he p la c e d i n d i t c h e s from S ep tem b er I to M arch I , d u rin g th e p e r io d o f
little
o r no w a te r u s e . . The la w o b v io u s ly had no p r a c t i c a l v a lu e and was
r e p e a le d i n 1897«
No f u r t h e r l e g i s l a t i o n c o n c e rn in g s c r e e n s h a s b een
e n a c te d s in c e t h a t tim e .
An e a r l y t y p i c a l a c c o u n t p la c e d th e l o s s o f f i s h i n th e th o u s a n d s
f o r a s i n g l e c a n a l (M ontana F is h and Game D e p a rtm e n t, 1904) .
P e r io d i c
p l e a s f o r c o n t r o l m e asu re s s t i m u l a t e d i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o f s c r e e n in g d e v ic e s
b y th e S ta te F is h and Game D e p a rtm e n t.
A few o f th e e x p e r im e n ta l i n s t a l ­
l a t i o n s w ere c o n s id e r e d s u c c e s s f u l , b u t i n 1942 th e . D ep artm en t r e p o r te d
t h a t a n n u a l m a in te n a n c e f o r a s ta t e w id e s c r e e n in g program would c o s t
t h r e e tim e s a s much money a s was a v a i l a b l e f o r th e o p e r a tio n s o f th e
e n t i r e F i s h e r i e s D iv is io n (M ontana F is h and Game D e p artm en t, 1 9 4 2 ).
p a s t w ork i n M ontana was d i r e c t e d to w a rd c o n t r o l , l i t t l e
W hile
q u a n tita tiv e
in f o r m a tio n h a s b e e n s e c u re d ^n th e a c tu a l- l o s s o r th e f a c t o r s a f f e c t i n g
it.
Answers to i n q u i r i e s i n d i c a t e th e same u n s o lv e d problem e x i s t s i n
o t h e r w e s te rn s t a t e s and p ro v in c e s o f Canada h a v in g a s e r io u s l o s s o f
n o n -m ig ra to ry f i s h i n i r r i g a t i o n d i v e r s i o n s .
D ata f o r th e p r e s e n t s tu d y o f f i s h l o s s and movement i n i r r i g a t i o n
d i v e r s i o n s w ere c o l l e c t e d d u rin g th e 1950 and 1951 i r r i g a t i o n s e a s o n s
(J u n e to O c to b e r ) .
O b s e rv a tio n s w ere c o n fin e d to th e d iv e r s io n s o f th e
W est G a l l a t i n R iv e r , G a l l a t i n C o u n ty , M ontana,
5
Acknowledgm ents
The w r i t e r e x te n d s th a n k s t o D r. 0 . J . D. Brown who d i r e c t e d th e
p ro b lem and a s s i s t e d i n p r e p a r in g th e m a n u s c r ip t. 'The M ontana F is h and
Game D epartm ent f u r n is h e d c o n s id e r a b le tim e o f f i e l d p e r s o n n e l, gave
f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e and c o n t r i b u t e d w e ir m a t e r i a l s .
M r. Jo h n S p in d le r
and M r. George H o lto n gave v a lu a b le f i e l d a s s i s t a n c e .
The h e lp o f M r.
B i l l P a p k e , E i v e r C om m issioner, i n s e c u r in g in f o r m a tio n on th e v a r io u s
c a n a ls i s g r a t e f u l l y a p p r e c i a t e d .
Thanks a re a l s o due th e U n ite d S t a t e s
F is h and W ild lif e S e r v i c e , M is s o u ri E iv e r B a s in S t u d i e s , and th e fa rm e rs
and r a n c h e r s o f G a l l a t i n V a lle y f o r t h e i r c o o p e ra tio n ."
D e s c r ip tio n o f th e West G a l l a t i n E iv e r
i n th e s tu d y a r e a
The s e c t i o n o f th e West G a l l a t i n E iy e r u n d e r o b s e r v a tio n ( a p p ro x i­
m a te ly 20 m ile s ) e x te n d s from n e a r th e mouth o f G a l l a t i n Canyon t o 1300
f e e t dow nstream from I r w i n B rid g e .
The s tre a m em erges from th e canyon a t
a b o u t 5000 f e e t e l e v a t i o n and flo w s n o r t h th ro u g h th e w e st s id e o f
G a l l a t i n V a lle y ,
I t s g r a d i e n t i s a p p ro x im a te ly 34 f e e t p e r m ile .
c h a n n e l w id th i s I 50 f e e t , and th e a v e ra g e i s n e a r 70 f e e t .
Maximum
In se v e ra l
p la c e s th e s tre a m flo w i s d iv id e d i n t o two o r more c h a n n e ls a s i t p a s s e s
th ro u g h th e r e l a t i v e l y n a rro w f lo o d p l a i n (a p p ro x im a te ly 200 t o 500 y a r d s
w id e ) .
P o o ls a re s l i g h t l y l e s s ab u n d an t th a n r i f f l e s .
B ottom m a t e r i a l s
a re p re d o m in a n tly ru b b le and g r a v e l and s tre a m b anks a r e g e n e r o u s ly
c o v e re d by s h ru b s and cottonw o o d t r e e s .
T ro u t p r o d u c tio n i s good.
In ­
t e n s i v e c r e e l c e n su s i n th e s tu d y a r e a d i s c l o s e d an a v e ra g e r a t e o f c a tc h
p e r fis h e rm a n h o u r o f 0 .5 7 ( 0 .3 6 o f a pound) i n 1949 and 0 .5 1 ( 0 .3 5 o f a
6
pound) i n 1950 (M is s o u ri R iv e r B a s in S tu d i e s , 1 9 5 1 )•
A t o t a l o f 52 d i v e r s i o n c a n a ls o r i g i n a t e w ith in th e s tu d y s e c t i o n .
They ra n g e i n s i z e from I to 268 s e c o n d - f e e t ( d e c re e d r i g h t ) and i r r i g a t e
a p p ro x im a te ly 9 0 ,0 0 0 a c r e s ,
ETone o f th e d iv e r s io n s i s s c r e e n e d .
Each
y e a r some o f th e W est G a l l a t i n R iv e r "below Irw in B rid g e i s s u b j e c t to
v a r y in g d e g re e s o f d r y in g - u p from d e w a te rin g p r a c t i c e s ,
P o o ls become
warm and s ta g n a n t and i t i s n o t u n u s u a l f o r many f i s h to d i e .
I n 1950
a b o u t 2 m ile s o f th e West G a l l a t i n R iv e r i n t h i s a r e a was l o s t due t o d e­
w a te r in g .
The a v e r a g e ”d i v e r t e d flo w o f ,822 s e c o n d - f e e t ( d is c o u n tin g
r e t u r n flo w s) v a r i e d from 1620 on Ju n e 5 ? to 387 on S eptem ber 1 5 .
1930 to 1945 th e a v e ra g e a n n u a l r i v e r flo w was 682 s e c o n d - f e e t ,
From
A minimum
a n n u a l flo w o f 533 s e c o n d - f e e t was r e c o rd e d f o r th e w a te r y e a r (O c to b e r I
to S eptem ber 30) 1 9 4 0 -4 1 , and a maximum a n n u a l flo w o f 956 s e c o n d - f e e t
o c c u r r e d d u rin g th e w a te r y e a r 19 4 7 -4 8 (M is so u ri R iv e r B a sin S tu d i e s ,
1 9 5 1 ).
S p e c ie s o f f i s h fo u n d i n th e s tu d y a r e a w ere ra in b o w t r o u t ( Salmo
g a i r d n e r i i ) , brow n t r o u t ( Salmo t r u t t a ) , c u t t h r o a t t r o u t ( Salmo c l a r k i i ) ,
e a s t e r n b ro o k t r o u t ( S a lv e lin u s f o n t i n a l i s ) , m o u n ta in w h i t e f i s h
( R rosopium w i l l i a m s o n i ) , lo n g n o s e s u c k e r , (C ato sto m u s c a to s to m u s ) , w h ite
s u c k e r ( C atostom us co m m erso n n ii) , s o u lp in ( C o ttu s p u n c tu la tu s b a i r d i i ) , 1
and lo n g n o s e d ace ( R h in ic h th y s c a t a r a c t a e ) .
ETumerous ra in b o w -c u t t h r o a t
h y b r id s w ere p r e s e n t , b u t f o r p u rp o s e s o f t h i s s tu d y th e y w ere c l a s s i f i e d
a s ra in b o w o r c u t t h r o a t , d e p en d in g on w hich t r a i t was d o m in a n t,
7
F is h movement i n i r r i g a t i o n c a n a ls
A two-way f i s h w e ir , m o d ifie d from a d e s ig n d e s c r ib e d by S h e t t e r
(1 9 3 8 ) , was i n s t a l l e d i n th e Keughen C anal i n th e s p r i n g o f I 950 and
a n o th e r o f s i m i l a r d e s ig n was p la c e d i n th e Low L in e C anal i n th e s p r in g
o f 1951 f o r th e p u rp o s e o f s e c u r in g in f o r m a tio n on th e e f f e c t o f w a te r
te m p e r a tu r e and f l u c t u a t i o n on d a i l y and s e a s o n a l movement o f f i s h . , The
i n t a k e s o f th e s e two c a n a ls a r e a p p ro x im a te ly o n e - q u a r te r m ile a p a r t on
th e same s id e o f th e r i v e r ( F ig . l ) .
The Keughen C an al i s o f medium s i z e
(7 0 .3 c f s ) and th e Low L in e (147«5 c f s ) i s l a r g e i n co m p ariso n w ith o t h e r
c a n a ls o f th e a r e a .
many f i s h .
E ach o f th e s e d i t c h e s had a r e p u t a t i o n f o r ta k in g
An e f f o r t was made to p r e v e n t f i s h l o s s i n th e Keughen C anal
by l o c a l s p o rtsm e n i n 1935•
They i n s t a l l e d a s t a t i o n a r y - b a r ty p e s c r e e n
w ith a p a d d le w h eel s c r a p e r , b u t t h i s d e v ic e r e q u i r e d so much m a in te n a n c e
t h a t i t was rem oved i n 1936.
The Keughen C anal f i s h w e ir ( F ig , 2) was p la c e d 200 f e e t b e h in d th e
h e a d g a te i n o r d e r n o t to: r e t a r d th e flo w a t th e i n t a k e .
th e w e ir c o n s i s t e d o f a g r i d w ith -fr-inch o p e n in g s .
t a k i n g f i s h o v e r 5 in c h e s i n t o t a l l e n g t h .
The m ain arm o f
T h is was e f f e c t i v e i n
The Low L in e C anal f i s h w e ir
( F ig . 2) was p la c e d I 60 f e e t b e h in d th e h e a d g a te , and i t s g r i d had
o p e n in g s o f -g to 3 /4 in c h e s .
T h is s p a c in g s to p p e d m ost o f th e f i s h o v e r
7 in c h e s i n t o t a l l e n g t h .
The f i s h c a p tu r e d each day w ere w eighed to th e n e a r e s t 0 .0 1 o f a
pou n d , and t h e i r t o t a l le n g th s w ere ta k e n to th e n e a r e s t 0 .1 o f an in c h .
E ach f i s h was f i n c lip p e d and a llo w e d t o c o n tin u e i n th e d i r e c t i o n it-:w as
g o in g when c a u g h t.
8
A< I V
P ig . I .
A 2 0 -m ile s e c tio n o f th e West G a lla t in E iv e r showing
th e 13 c a n a ls s tu d ie d .
9
D e te rm in a tio n o f f i s h l o s s f o r w hole i r r i g a t i o n s e a s o n s was n o t p o s ­
s i b l e b e c a u se d e b r i s c a r r i e d by s p r i n g r u n - o f f d e la y e d w e ir o p e r a tio n s 4
to 7 w eeks, and o p e r a tio n s had to b e d is c o n tin u e d a b o u t 4 weeks e a r l y e ac h
f a l l because o f le a v e s .
The Keughen w e ir was o p e r a te d 6 l days i n 1950—
J u l y 27 to S eptem ber 26, and 84 d ay s i n 1951— Ju n e 28 t o Septem ber 1 9 .
The Low L in e i n s t a l l a t i o n was m a in ta in e d 41 days from J u l y 18 u n t i l th e
c a n a l was tu r n e d o f f A ugust 27, 1 9 5 1 . ..
D a ily maximum and minimum w a te r te m p e ra tu re s w ere ta k e n a t th e
K eughen f i s h w e i r .
The w a te r te m p e r a tu r e s a t t h i s s t a t i o n w ere i d e n t i c a l
w ith th o s e ta k e n a t th e Low L in e w e ir and i n th e r i v e r a t th e c a n a l i n ­
ta k e s ,
C anal w a te r l e v e l s w ere r e c o r d e d d a i l y ,
A gage was m a in ta in e d
d u r in g th e . 1951 s e a s o n i n th e W est G a l l a t i n E iv e r n e a r th e w e ir s i t e s .
I n i t i a l movement
Two g ro u p s o f f i s h a r e c o n s id e r e d i n r e l a t i o n to movement— th o s e
I
/
w h ich w ere a lr e a d y i n th e c a n a l when th e t r a p was i n s t a l l e d ( u p - c a n a l
m ig r a n ts ) and th o s e w hich came down th e c a n a l s u b s e q u e n t to i t s i n s t a l l a ­
tio n
(d o w n -can al m i g r a n t s ) .
The t o t a l number o f i n i t i a l d o w n -can al m i­
g r a n t s i n th e K eughen C anal d u r in g th e 6 l- d a y t r a p o p e r a tio n i n 1950 was
5 0 2 , and th e i n i t i a l number o f u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts was 3 2 2 ,
D u rin g th e 84'-'
d ay p e r io d o f 1 9 5 1 > 546 f i s h showed i n i t i a l d o w n -can al movement and 353
i n i t i a l u p - c a n a l movement ( t a b l e l ) .
T here w ere 24 d o w n -can al t r o u t
m ig r a n ts ta k e n th e f i r s t s e a s o n , and 14 o r 5 8 . 3$ o f t h e s e w ere c u t t h r o a t .
T h is was n o t to be e x p e c te d s in c e c u t t h r o a t c o m p rise d l e s s th a n 2$ o f a l l
t r o u t re c o rd e d i n th e 1950 c r e e l c e n s u s f o r th e a d ja c e n t s e c t i o n o f th e
10
Fig* 2 ,
A. Kerughen C anal f i s h w e ir.
B. Low L in e C anal f i s h w e ir
11
W est G a l l a t i n H iv e r (M is so u ri R iv e r B a s in S tu d i e s , 1 9 5 1 )•
I n th e sec o n d
s e a s o n 38 t r o u t moved down th e c a n a l w ith "brook t r o u t (13) and ra in b o w
t r o u t (12) p re d o m in a tin g .
T h ere w ere o n ly 5 u p - c a n a l t r o u t m ig r a n ts i n
1950 a s com pared to 17 i n 1951•
E v e ry t r o u t s p e c ie s was r e p r e s e n te d in
t h i s u p - c a n a l movement e x c e p t c u t t h r o a t ,
T ro u t c o m p rised 3 .5 $ o f th e 824
i n i t i a l m ig ra n ts th e f i r s t y e a r and 6 .1 $ o f 899 th e sec o n d y e a r ,
W h ite fis h w ere a l s o ta k e n more f r e q u e n t l y th e sec o n d y e a r .
They
num bered 77 o r 8 .6 $ o f th e t o t a l i n i t i a l movement i n 1951 a s com pared to
37 ( 4 .5 $ ) i n 1 9 5 0 .
S u ck ers showed a g r e a t e r movement th a n any o t h e r s p e c i e s , b u t t h e i r
t o t a l number d e c r e a s e d from 374 th e f i r s t se a s o n to 338 th e seco n d s e a s o n .
A bout 1$ o f t h e s e w ere w h ite s u c k e r s and th e r e s t w ere lo n g n o s e .
S c u lp in s made up a s u b s t a n t i a l number o f th e i n i t i a l f i s h m ovem ent.
T h e ir g r e a t e s t abundance was re a c h e d i n 1951 when 171 e n te r e d th e u p - c a n a l
tra p .
Dace w ere r e l a t i v e l y a b u n d an t b o th y e a r s .
They c o m p rised 1 4 .6 $ o f
th e t o t a l i n i t i a l movement i n 1950 com pared to 1 2 .9 $ i n 1 9 5 1.
O nly a few l a r g e f i s h w ere ta k e n i n th e Keughen C anal ( t a b l e l ) ,
One
brow n t r o u t i n 1950 and 2 i n 1951 w ere o v e r 17 in c h e s i n t o t a l l e n g t h .
S ix o f th e w h i t e f i s h c a p tu r e d e x c e e d e d 10 in c h e s i n t o t a l le n g t h .
w ere few s u c k e rs o f in te r m e d ia te s i z e (9 to 16 i n c h e s ) .
T h ere
Most o f th e
sp ec im e n s ta k e n w ere l e s s th a n 9 in c h e s i n l e n g t h .
I n i t i a l movement i n th e Low L in e C anal d u rin g th e 41 days o f o b s e rv a ­
t i o n i n 1951 c o n s i s t e d o f 65 down- and 132 u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts ( t a b l e 2 ) .
Of t h e s e 197 f i s h , 3 9 .1 $ w ere t r o u t , 1 3 .2 $ w ere w h i t e f i s h , and 3 1 .5 $ w ere
12
T a b le I .
I n i t i a l f i s h movement i n th e Keughen C anal
J u ly 27 to S eptem ber 2 6 , 1950
Movement
down
HE
0
5
0
14
3
■3
2
2
33
4
209
165
156
108
80
40
502
322
S p e c ie s
R ainbow
C u tth r o a t
B rook
Brown
W h ite f is h
S u c k e rs
S c u lp in s
Dace
T o ta l
P e rc e n ta g e movement
down
HE ' t o t a l
0 .0
1 .0
0 .6
0 .0
2.8
1 .7
0 .6
0 .9
0 .7
0 .6
0 .4
0 .5
6.6
1 .3
,4 .5
4 1 .6
5 1 .3
4 5 .4
3 2 .0
3 1 .1
3 3 .5
1 4 .6
1 5 .9
1 2 .4
1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
L en g th i n in c h e s
( t o t a l movement)
a v e ra g e
ra n g e
6.2
4 *6— 8 .4
5 .9 - 1 0 .0
7.8
7 .0
2 . 5 - 8 .4
2 .6 - 1 8 .7
4 .2
2 .6 - 1 3 .7
5 .3
2 .6 - 1 7 .7
2 .0 - 5.0
3 .1
3 .8
2 . 4 - 518
June 28 to S eptem ber 1 9 , 1951
R ainbow
C u tth r o a t
B rook
Brown
W h ite f is h
S u c k e rs
S c u lp in s
Dace
T o ta l
,
12
5
13
8
63
211
I 42
_22
7
0
5
5
14
127
171
-2 4
2 .2
0 .9
2 .4
1 .5
1 1 .5
3 8 .6
2 6 .0
1 6 .9
2.0
0 .0
1 .4
1 .4
4 .0
3 6 .0
48.4
6.8
546
353
1 0 0 .0
1 0 0 .0
2 .1
0 .6
2 .0
1 .4 .
8.6
3 7 .6
34.8
1 2 .9
5 .7
8 .5
5 .1
6 .5
3.8
5 .9
3 .3
. 3 .9
2 .4 - 1 4 .5
5 .9 -n .o
2 . 4 - 9 .6
2 . 7- 1 8 .3
2 . 5- 1 2 .3
2 .3 - 1 7 .4
2 . 0 - 5 .1
2 . 5 - 6 .2
1 0 0 .0
I n i t i a l f i s h movement i n th e Low L in e C a n a l, J u l y 18 to
A ugust 2 7 , 1951
L en g th i n in c h e s
Movement
P e rc e n ta g e movement
( t o t a l movement)
S p e c ie s
down
down
t
o
t
a
l
.
a
v
e ra g e
ra n g e
HE
HE
R ainbow
2
5
.O
I
7 .0 - 1 8 .5
33
1 7 .3
1 1 .3
1 .5
6 .2
0 .8
C u tth r o a t
I
5 . 1 - 8 .6
7 .3
4
2 .5
0
.0
5 .5 - 1 2 .9
B rook
0
6 .8
4 .6
9
9 .5
1
0
.2
6 . 9^ 2 0 .0
1 8 .2
Brown
24
7 .7
1 4 .7
5
1
2
.9
1
3
.2
1
0
.8
1
3
.8
W h ite f is h
9
17
4 .0 - 1 5 .9
5 .9 - 1 8 .2
S u c k e rs
1 8 .9
37
3 1 .5
7 -9
25
5 6 .9
1 0 .8
S c u lp in s
3 .6
9 .8
1 0 .1
3 . 0 - 4 .3
13
7
2
10
7 .6
6 .1
Dace
3 .1
5 .3
4 . 7 - 5 .7
1 0 0 .0 1 0 0 .0
T o ta l
132
1 0 0 .0
65
T a b le 2 .
13
su c k e rs.
Only IO t r o u t moved down th e c a n a l com pared to an i n i t i a l u p -
c a n a l movement o f 6 7 .
S u c k e rs a g a in showed more i n i t i a l movement th a n any
o th e r s p e c ie s .
The two l a r g e s t t r o u t ta k e n i n th e Low L in e C an al in c lu d e d a brown
t r o u t (20 in c h e s , 3 .5 3 pounds) and a ra in b o w t r o u t ( 1 8 .5 in c h e s , 2 .0 2
p o u n d s ).
An a d d i t i o n a l 6 t r o u t and 5 w h i t e f i s h e x ce e d e d I pound e a c h .
The l a r g e s t w h i t e f i s h was 1 .7 0 p o u n d s.
Only I s u c k e r l a r g e r th a n 9*7
in c h e s was ta k e n .
Random movement
I n 1950 a l l d o w n -can al m ig r a n t t r o u t i n th e Keughen C anal re m a in ed
down, and a l l b u t I (b ro o k t r o u t ) o f th e u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts re m a in e d u p .
Of th e t r o u t c a p tu r e d i n t h i s d i t c h th e seco n d y e a r , I d o w n -can al ra in b o w
m ig r a n t came b a ck up and r e t u r n e d down a seco n d tim e , and I u p - c a n a l m i­
g r a n t o f t h i s same s p e c ie s r e t u r n e d down.
The random movement f o r b ro o k
t r o u t was e x a c t l y th e same a s t h a t f o r ra in b o w .
Ebne o f th e 1951 down-
c a n a l brown t r o u t m ig r a n ts r e t u r n e d to th e r i v e r , b u t o f th e u p - c a n a l
m ig r a n ts , I w ent b a c k down and s t a y e d .
T here was no random w h i t e f i s h movement o b s e rv e d th e f i r s t y e a r , b u t
i n 1 9 5 1 ? 3 d o w n -can al w h i t e f i s h m ig r a n ts c i r c l e d b a ck and down th e c a n a l
a se c o n d tim e .
T h re e n o f th e u p - c a n a l w h i t e f i s h m ig r a n ts w ent b a ck down
and s ta y e d .
T h ere w ere 4 d o w n -c a n a l'm ig ra n t s u c k e rs i n 1950 t h a t c am e 'b ac k up and
th e n moved down a sec o n d tim e , w h ile 103 o f th e u p - c a n a l s u c k e r m ig r a n ts
w ent b a c k down.
S ix ' o f th e s e moved up th e c a n a l a sec o n d tim e b u t o n ly I
14
o f them s ta y e d .
A t o t a l o f 19 d o w n -can al s u c k e r m ig r a n ts i n 1951 moved
h a ck up o n ly t o r e t u r n down a seco n d tim e , and 2 o f th e s e came hack up
a g a in and r e tu r n e d down a t h i r d t i m e .
The num ber o f u p - c a n a l s u c k e r mi­
g r a n t s t h a t w ent h ack down th e seco n d y e a r was 10-5, and o f th e s e 3 came up
and r e tu r n e d down a g a i n .
O nly I d o w n -can al s c u lp i n m ig ra n t moved h a ck up and th e n down th e
c a n a l d u r in g th e f i r s t s e a s o n .
A t o t a l o f 21 u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts o f t h i s
s p e c ie s wfemt h a ck down, and 3 o f th e s e came h ack o u t and s ta y e d .
F iv e o f
th e d o w n -can al m ig r a n ts th e seco n d y e a r r e tu r n e d h ack o u t o f th e c a n a l .
T here w ere 28 u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts w hich r e t u r n e d down.
Two o f th e s e made a
seco n d ro u n d t r i p th ro u g h th e t r a p s .
Of th e dace t h a t w ere o b s e rv e d t o move down th e K eughen C anal i n
1950, 6 made a co m p lete c i r c l e h a c k th ro u g h th e t r a p s .
E ig h t o f th e u p -
c a n a l m ig r a n ts moved h a ck down, and I o f th e s e moved up and r e tu r n e d down
th e c a n a l a seco n d tim e .
T here w ere 17 d o w n -can al dace m ig r a n ts i n 1951
t h a t moved up and th e n r e tu r n e d down th e c a n a l.
a n o th e r ro u n d t r i p th ro u g h th e t r a p s .
F our o f th e s e made s t i l l
O nly 5 o f th e u p - c a n a l m ig ra n ts
showed random movement h a ck down th e c a n a l.
One o f th e s e moved up a
sec o n d tim e and s ta y e d .
Of a l l i n i t i a l d o w n -can al m ig r a n ts i n th e Low L in e C a n a l, I brown
t r o u t and 7 s u c k e rs came h a ck up and s ta y e d .
The u p - c a n a l m ig ra n ts w hich
r e t u r n e d h ack down th e c a n a l in c lu d e d one e a c h o f ra in b o w t r o u t , brown
t r o u t , and w h i t e f i s h .
s ta y e d .
The brown t r o u t came h ack up a sec o n d tim e and
15
Movement i n r e l a t i o n t o te m p e ra tu re and w a te r l e v e l s
The m ost c o n c e n tr a te d d o w n -can al movement o f t r o u t and w h i t e f i s h i n
th e Keughen C anal o c c u r re d b o th y e a r s d u r in g th e t h i r d week i n S ep tem b er.
Mean w eek ly w a te r te m p e r a tu r e s f o r th e s e p e r io d s ( 4 8 . 4 ° and 4 9 - I 0F) w ere
th e lo w e s t re a c h e d w h ile th e t r a p was i n o p e r a tio n .
The te m p e ra tu re
d e c li n e i n e a c h c ase was a s s o c i a t e d w ith r a i n y w e a th e r.
Huntsman (1 9 4 5 )
d e s c r ib e d f r e s h e t s a s a s tim u la n t t o th e movement o f c e r t a i n salm o n id s
and o t h e r f i s h .
D u rin g th e p e r io d A ugust 2 - 8 , 1951» tw ic e a s many t r o u t
and w h i t e f i s h ( 1 4 ) moved down th e Keughen C anal th a n w ere c a p tu r e d i n th e
p r e v io u s 5 w eeks.
T h is in c r e a s e d movement fo llo w e d a day o f h eav y p r e c i ­
p i t a t i o n ( P . 9 9 ' o f an i n c h ) .
H ow ever, th e r e was no m arked in c r e a s e i n
t r o u t o r w h i t e f i s h movement f o llo w in g 2 d ay s o f r a i n o f in te r m e d ia te i n ­
t e n s i t y ( 0 .5 4 and O.5 8 o f an in c h ) w hich o c c u r re d 3 w eeks l a t e r .
The 59 s u c k e rs t h a t moved u p th e Keughen C anal d u r in g th e f i r s t 5
weeks o f t r a p o p e r a tio n ( J u l y 27 t o A ugust 30) i n 1950 was ab o u t tw ic e th e
d o w n -can al num ber.
Doym-c a n a l s u c k e r m ig r a n ts f o r th e week A ugust 31 t o
S eptem ber ,6' t o t a l e d 9 5 5 w hich was 5 tim e s g r e a t e r th a n f o r any p re v io u s
w eek.
U p -c a n a l num bers i n c r e a s e d , b u t t o a l e s s e r d e g r e e .
The mean w a te r
te m p e ra tu re t h i s week ( 5 8 .7 °F ) was th e h ig h e s t re c o rd e d f o r th e e n t i r e
s tu d y p e r i o d .
S u c k e r movement i n th e seco n d y e a r c o u ld n o t be c o r r e l a t e d
w ith warm o r c o o l p e r i o d s .
More s u c k e rs moved.down th e c a n a l d u r in g th e day th a n a t n ig h t i n th e
week o f h ig h e s t mean w a te r te m p e r a t u r e .
T h ere were 50 d a y -tim e m ig r a n ts
a s com pared t o 23 n ig h t m ig r a n ts i n a 3 -d a y p e r io d .
movement o c c u r re d on th e s e d a y s .
Ho d a y -tim e u p - c a n a l
W ith t h e ' e x c e p tio n o f t h i s p e r i o d , o n ly
I
16
an o c c a s io n a l f i s h o f any s p e c ie s was ta k e n i n th e t r a p s d u r in g th e day­
tim e .
S c u lp in movement in c r e a s e d h o th s e a s o n s a f t e r th e en d o f A u g u st.
Minimum dace movement c o in c id e d w ith low w a te r te m p e r a tu r e s .
Those ta k e n
betw een Ju n e 28 and J u l y 21 c a r r i e d spaw ning c o lo r s and s e v e r a l were r i p e .
P is h movements i n th e Keughen C anal w ere h o t o b s e rv e d t o be a f f e c t e d
by w a te r r e d u c t i o n s , b u t i n th e Low L in e C anal a d i r e c t c o r r e l a t i o n
e x i s t e d betw een s e v e re w a te r f l u c t u a t i o n s and t r o u t movement u p s tre a m
(F ig . 3 ).
A t o t a l o f 43 t r o u t moved i n t o th e u p - c a n a l t r a p i n th e 3 d ay s
f o llo w in g a w a te r r e d u c tio n o f 41 c f s ( A ugust 2 ) .
The volume o f flo w was
d e c r e a s e d t o a b o u t o n e - q u a r te r o f th e c a n a l c a p a c ity a t t h i s tim e .
On
A ugust 16 th e flo w was re d u c e d by 39 c f s , and 13 more t r o u t moved up t h e .
c a n a l.
O nly 3 t r o u t moved up f o llo w in g th e l a s t r e d u c tio n (49 c f s ) on
A ugust 2 4 .
The 59 t r o u t w hich came o u t f o llo w in g th e s e r e d u c tio n s c o n s t i ­
t u t e d 88$ o f a l l u p - c a n a l m ig ra n t t r o u t f o r th e s e a s o n .
T ro u t s iz e a s
w e ll a s num bers d e c r e a s e d w ith e a c h s u c c e e d in g c u t i n w a te r volum e.
T h e ir
a v e ra g e w e ig h t f o r th e 3 r e d u c tio n s b e g in n in g w ith th e f i r s t was 0 .6 6 ,
0 .5 3 and 0 .1 9 p o u n d s.
The r i v e r w a te r l e v e l n e a r th e w e ir s i t e s u n d erw en t a n a t u r a l d ro p
o f 3 .5 in c h e s d u r in g th e 1951 o b s e r v a tio n p e r io d .
T h is s h rin k a g e d id n o t
c au se a m e a su ra b le f i s h movement o u t o f th e r i v e r i n t o th e c a n a ls .
F is h l o s s i n i r r i g a t i o n c a n a ls
F is h l o s s was i n v e s t i g a t e d i n 13 o f th e 52 i r r i g a t i o n c a n a ls i n th e
s tu d y a r e a ( F i g . l ) .
L oss th ro u g h th e Keughen and Low L in e w e irs was
--------- V O L U W
OF FLOW
-1 2 0
VOLUME OF FLO W
NUMBER OF Fl
-------- TROUT
-------- WMlTEFIRM
------- SUCKERS
:
JU LY
F ig . 3 .
\___
AUGUST
Movement o f t r o u t , w h ite f is h and su ck e rs up th e Low L ine C anal fo llo w in g w a ter reductions
18
e s t a b l i s h e d by a c t u a l c o u n ts .
S h o ck in g su p p lem en te d by p o is o n in g and
g e n e r a l o b s e r v a tio n s was em ployed i n s t a l l 13 c a n a l s , in c lu d in g th e 2 w ith ■
w e irs .
I n t e n s i v e sa m p lin g began i n m id - J u ly , 1951, a f t e r th e volume o f
flo w i n th e c a n a ls was re d u c e d t o d e c r e e d r i g h t .
T hese r e d u c tio n s
am ounted t o a b o u t o n e - h a lf o f th e c a n a l c a p a c ity i n some i n s t a n c e s .
It
was im p r a c t i c a l t o a tte m p t sa m p lin g e a r l i e r i n th e s e a s o n when th e c a n a l
b anks w ere f u l l .
The f i s h , t h e r e f o r e , h ad an o p p o r tu n ity t o e n t e r th e
c a n a ls a p p ro x im a te ly one m onth b e f o r e sa m p lin g b e g a n .
Sam ples were ta k e n
l a t e r i n th e s e a s o n i n 6 c a n a ls a f t e r th e y were tu r n e d o f f .
A 1 2 5 - v o lt , 2 5 0 -w a tt d i r e c t - c u r r e n t g e n e r a to r was g e n e r a l l y u s e d fo r.
s h o c k in g , b u t on 5 o c c a s io n s a 2 4 0 - v o l t , 500- w a tt a l t e r n a t i n g - c u r r e n t
m achine was em ployed.
H o lto n (1952 fo u n d th e d i r e c t - c u r r e n t g e n e r a to r
97$ e f f i c i e n t i n t a k i n g f i s h 3*5 in c h e s and lo n g e r i n t o t a l le n g th from a
s p r i n g - f e d c re e k i n th e a r e a ( maximum flo w 1 4 .7 c f s ) .
In ir r ig a tio n
d i t c h e s t h i s equipm ent was n o t alw ay s e f f e c t i v e i n t a k i n g f i s h l e s s th a n
7 in c h e s i n l e n g t h .
I t was n o t u s e d i n th e l a r g e r d i t c h e s when th e y w ere
c a r r y in g a h e ad o f w a te r .
The d i f f e r e n c e i n e f f i c i e n c y b etw een d i t c h e s
was u n d o u b te d ly due t o t h e i r h ig h ly v a r i a b l e w i d th s , d e p th s , and v e l o c i ­
tie s .
S e c tio n s sam pled w ere u s u a l l y 300 f e e t i n le n g th f o r a c ti v e c a n a l s .
E ach s e c t i o n was b lo c k e d a t th e e n d s w ith n e t s and sh o ck ed u n t i l no more
game f i s h c o u ld be ta k e n .
I n c a n a ls w hich w ere tu r n e d o f f ( i n a c t i v e ) ,
s e c t i o n l e n g th s v a r i e d from HO t o 7 ,2 6 0 f e e t .
D e r r is r o o t (r o te n o n e )
was u s e d t o d e te rm in e f i s h l o s s e s i n p a r t s o f th e H igh L in e and G ilm o re Todd C an a ls f o llo w in g h e a d g a te c l o s u r e . •
One s e c t i o n was e s t a b l i s h e d n e a r th e h e a d g a te on e a c h c a n a l s t u d i e d .
19
O th e r sam ple a r e a s w ere ch o sen t o r e p r e s e n t a l l r e g io n s o f a c a n a l i n s o f a r
a s a c c e s s i b i l i t y w ould p e r m it.
U n b ia se d s e l e c t i o n a t e a c h p o in t o f a c c e s s
was s t r i v e d f o r by s a m p lin g th e f i r s t p o r t i o n o f th e c a n a l a p p ro a c h e d .
Some s p o t sa m p lin g was done i n a r e a s l i k e l y t o have c o n c e n tr a tio n s o f game
fis h .
A ll s e c t i o n s e x c e p t th o s e o f i n a c t i v e c a n a ls c o n ta i n in g c l e a r ,
s h a llo w w a te r w ere sam p led by s h o c k in g ,
D e r r is r o o t was em ployed i n th e
s h a llo w a r e a s w here a s l i g h t c u r r e n t e x i s t e d .
s e c t i o n s w ere c a r e f u l l y c a n v a s s e d .
O th e r s h a llo w ( o r d ry )
Of th e t o t a l f o o ta g e c o v e re d i n th e
c a n a ls w hich w ere tu r n e d o f f , s h o c k in g co m p rised 53*4%, p o is o n in g 2 8 .5 $
and c a n v a s s in g 1 8 .1 $ ,
S ix 3 0 0 -f o o t s t r a t i f i e d random s e c t i o n s were
e s t a b l i s h e d by random num bers ( Sned e c o r , 1946) i n th e F arm ers C anal a t a
tim e when i t c a r r i e d 3 7 .5 c f s o f w a te r .
These were i n a d d i t i o n t o two
s e c t i o n s ( n o t random) s e l e c t e d i n th e u p p e r one m ile o f th e c a n a l.
A ll t r o u t and w h i t e f i s h c a p tu r e d w ere c o u n te d , w eig h ed and m e asu re d .
S c u l p i n s , dace and s u c k e r s w ere c o u n te d , b u t o n ly a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sam ple
was w e ig h ed .
L oss d e te rm in e d by w e irs
The. f i s h l o s s d e te rm in e d by means o f th e w e irs d o es n o t in c lu d e
s p r in g and f a l l seg m en ts o f th e i r r i g a t i o n s s e a s o n s when d e b r i s - l a d e n
w a te r p re v e n te d t r a p o p e r a t i o n .
N et l o s s (num bers and p ounds) f o r e a c h
t r a p o p e r a tio n p e r io d i s th e t o t a l p erm an en t u p - c a n a l num bers o f th e
v a r io u s f i s h s p e c ie s l e s s t h e i r t o t a l i n i t i a l d o w n -can al n u m b ers.
N et
g a in i s g iv e n i n num bers and pounds when more f i s h came o u t th a n w ent down
th ro u g h th e w e ir s .
20
T h ere was a n e t l o s s o f 20 t r o u t ( 5 .5 6 p ounds) th ro u g h th e Keughen
C an al w e ir i n 1950 and 24 t r o u t ( 3 .5 0 pounds) i n 1951 ( t a b l e 3) .
W h ite -
f i s h c o m p rised 9 . 4# o f th e t o t a l n e t num ber l o s t th e f i r s t y e a r ( l l . 4 $ o f
th e poundage com pared t o 1 5 . 5$ th e sec o n d y e a r ( 4 .1 $ o f th e poundage) .
Non-game s p e c ie s made up 8 4 . 1$ o f th e num ber and 6 8 .6 $ o f th e w e ig h t l o s s
i n 1950; and 7 7 .4 $ o f th e number and 7 7 .9 $ o f th e w e ig h t i n 1951.
A net
g a in o f 57 t r o u t (3 8 .1 0 pounds) and 7 w h i t e f i s h ( 8 .5 1 po u n d s) r e tu r n e d t o
th e r i v e r from th e Low L in e C anal d u r in g th e s e a s o n ( t a b l e . 4 ) •
T h ere was
a n e t l o s s o f 5 s u c k e rs ( 0 .0 9 o f a pound) th ro u g h th e Low L in e w e ir .
T a b le 3 .
F is h l o s s i n th e Keughen C an al a s d e te rm in e d b y w e ir
J u l y 27 t o S ep tem b er 1 6 , 1950
S pec i e s
E ainbow
C u tth r o a t
Brook
Brown
W h ite f is h
S u c k e rs
S c u lp in s
Dace
T o ta l
Down ( l o s s )
w e ig h t
(p o u n d s)
number
5
0 .4 5
2 .1 6
14
3
0 .5 3 '
2
2 .6 4
33
3 .2 3
209
1 9 .8 3
2 .1 6
156
80
1 .5 7
502
3 2 .57
Up ( g a in )
w eig h t
num ber
( p o u n d s)
0
0 .0 0
0
0 .0 0
2
0 .2 0
2
0 .0 2
0 .0 4
4
2 .7 8
. 63
90
1 .0 8
0
.5 7
. .3 2
193
4 .6 9
N et l o s s
w e ig h t
number
(p o u n d s)
5
0 .4 5
2 .1 6
14
I
0 .3 3
0
2 .6 2
29
3 .1 9
146
1 7 .0 5
66
1 .0 8
_ j|8
1 .0 0
309
2 7 .8 8
Ju n e 28 t o S ep tem b er 1 9 , 1951
Eainbow
C u tth r o a t
Brook
Brown
W h ite f is h
S u c k e rs
S c u lp in s
Dace
T o ta l
12
5
13
8
63
211
142
-2 2
546
1 .8 6
1 ,1 7
1 .3 6
1 .8 3
1 .4 5
1 8 .8 6
2 .4 6
2 .6 1
6
0
4
4
11
■22
148
20
0 .0 5
0 .0 0
0 .0 4
2 .6 3
0 .4 8
2 .0 4
2 .1 5
O.52
3 1 .6 0
215
7 .9 1
6
5
9
4
52
I 89
(6 )
-7 2 •
. 331
1 .8 1
1 .1 7
1 .3 2
( 0 .8 0 )
• 0 .9 7
1 6 .8 2
0 .3 1
2 .0 9
23^69
' 21
T a b le 4»
S pec i e s
KLsh l o s s i n th e Low L in e C a n a l, J u l y 18 t o A ugust 2 7 , 1 951,
a s d e te rm in e d by w e ir
Down ( l o s s )
w e ig h t
number
( pounds)
Eainbow
C u tth r o a t
Brook
Brown
W h ite f is h
S u c k e rs
S c u lp in s
Dace
I
4
O
5
9
37
7
_2
Tot a l
65
Up ( g a in )
w e ig h t
num ber
( pounds)
0 .1 2
0.49
0 .0 0
0 .7 5
3 .3 1 .
6.97
0 .1 6
0 .0 9
1 1 .89
Net
number
32
I
9
25
16
32
13
10
1 9 .6 0
0.20
3 .3 6
1 6 .3 0
1 1.8 2
6 .8 8
0 .2 2
0 .4 3
31
3
9
20
7
5
6
_8
138
58.81
73 /
/
/
/
/
/
/
w e ig h t
( p o u n d s)
1 9 .4 8
0 .2 9
3 .3 6
1 5 .5 5
8 .5 1
0 .0 9
0 .0 6
0 .3 4
/
/
/
/
/
/
46.92 /
L oss d e te rm in e d by sa m p lin g th e c a n a ls
T here i s a g r e a t d e a l o f d i v e r s i t y i n th e p h y s ic a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f
th e c a n a ls s tu d ie d and i n th e num bers o f f i s h e ac h a t t r a c t e d .
T h is was
r e c o g n iz e d by W ales (1 9 4 8 ) who r e p o r te d t h a t some c a n a ls ta k e few n o n m ig r a to r y t r o u t .
The im m ediate a r e a b e h in d c a n a l h e a d g a te s i s c h a ra c ­
t e r i z e d by maximum flo w , c l e a r w a te r , and o f te n p o o ls .
P r o g re s s in g , down
th e c a n a ls flo w i s re d u c e d by w ith d ra w a l f o r i r r i g a t i o n and t u r b i d i t i e s
g e n e r a l l y in c r e a s e a s a r e s u l t o f r e t u r n flo w and o th e r f a c t o r s .
The
g r e a t e s t num ber o f f i s h was fo u n d i n th e u p p e r o n e - q u a r te r t o o n e - h a lf m ile
o f c a n a l e x c e p t i n t h r e e d i t c h e s w here f i s h c o n c e n tr a tio n s w ere a s s o c i a t e d
w ith s p r i n g - f e d a r e a s o r c re e k s e n t e r i n g th e c h a n n e l.
A few c a n a ls have
two h e a d g a te s — one a t th e p o in t o f d i v e r s i o n from th e r i v e r and th e o t h e r
some d is ta n c e down th e c a n a l.
\ h e flo w i n t o th e c a n a l p r o p e r .
th e r i v e r .
The dow nstream h e a d g a te i s u s e d t o r e g u l a t e
H ere s u r p lu s w a te r i s b y -p a s s e d b a c k t o
W ater was p e r m itte d t o flo w a l l y e a r i n th e a r e a betw een th e
two h e a d g a te s o f th e Low L ine C a n a lj b u t i n th e K eughen, H igh L ine and
22
F arm ers C a n a ls t h i s a r e a i s m o s tly d r y a f t e r th e c a n a ls a re tu r n e d o f f i n
th e f a l l .
The a r e a betw een th e h e a d g a te s was sh o ck ed a f t e r h e a d g a te c lo s u r e i n
th e Keughen C anal i n 1950 and F arm ers C anal i n 1951«
T h ere w ere T l t r o u t
(1 2 .3 1 pounds) and 22 w h i t e f i s h ( 0 .9 4 o f a pound) ta k e n from th e 4 0 0 -f o o t
s e c t i o n o f th e Keughen C a n a l.
T hese f i s h c o m p rised 13,2% o f th e number
and 7 2 .2 ^ o f th e w e ig h t o f a l l t r o u t and w h i t e f i s h c a p tu r e d i n th e e n t i r e
>
.
'
c a n a l , e x c lu s iv e o f w e i r s . Two 3 0 0 -f o o t s e c t i o n s o f th e m ost f a v o r a b le
h a b i t a t betw een h e a d g a te s i n th e F arm ers C anal w ere sam p led .
s e n te d a p p ro x im a te ly o n e - f i f t h o f th e a r e a .
T h is r e p r e ­
The 504 t r o u t ( 8 8 .4 pounds)
and 120 w h i t e f i s h ( 2 .6 pounds) c a p tu r e d made up 9 2 . 9% o f th e t o t a l number
a n d .84.7% o f th e w e ig h t o f a l l game f i s h ta k e n i n th e c a n a l.
F is h o b s e rv e d i n th e Low L ine C an al a f t e r i t was tu r n e d o f f w ere p r e ­
d o m in a n tly s m a ll.
A p p a re n tly m ost o f th e la r g e t r o u t h ad moved o u t
th ro u g h th e w e ir d u r in g e a r l i e r w a te r r e d u c t i o n s .
I n th e 5?165 f e e t
sa m p led , o n ly 21 t r o u t ra n g in g from 7 t o 13 in c h e s w ere ta k e n .
a v e ra g e le n g th f o r th e 405 t r o u t c a p tu r e d was 3«4 i n c h e s .
w ere l e s s th a n 5 in c h e s i n l e n g t h .
The
A ll w h i t e f i s h
A p p ro x im a te ly I 64O l i n e a l f e e t o f
c a n a l was sho ck ed in . th e f i r s t o n e - h a l f m ile b e h in d th e h e a d g a te .
About
96% o f th e t r o u t and w h i t e f i s h w ere ta k e n i n t h i s a r e a , w hich was c h a r a c ­
t e r i z e d by a s e r i e s o f p o o ls .
C o n s id e ra b le v a r i a t i o n was shown b etw een th e y e a r s o f 1950 and 1951
i n th e pounds o f game f i s h ta k e n from th e H igh L in e C an al ( t a b l e 5 )•
S am pling th e f i r s t y e a r was l i m i t e d t o one 1 2 4 5 -fo o t s e c t i o n im m e d ia te ly
b e h in d th e d o w n -can al h e a d g a te .
T h is a r e a y ie ld e d 18 t r o u t (1 3 .7 pounds)
T able j?o
C a n a ls sam pled9 numbers and w e ig h ts o f game f i s h O aptnred9. and e stim a te d numbers and
w e ig h ts o f l e g a l game f i s h
Farm ers
" 268.0
KLeinschmidt 1 51.0
High Line
lit? . 5
Low L ine
Keughen
Beck and
B order
M oreland
H eeb-B uffin
Creamery
A llis o n Lewis
C la rk
Gilmore—Todd
C o c k r ill
T o ta l
11*7.5
70.3
5 o .o
1*8.0
—
2 0 .0
I
I
la
q
C anvassing
U
S
P o iso n
sm
P e rc e n ta g e o f
le n g th sam pled
Number o f
s e c tio n s s ample'
Month and
y e a r sam pled
Length o f
c a n a l (m ile s )
Name
of canal
Flow d e cree d
rig h t (c fs )
rO
Game f i s h c a p tu re d
E stim ated
l e g a l game
f i s h lo s s
N o.
Ib
T rout
No.
Lb-
W h ite fis h
N o.
Lb
51*7 io it.6 6
305 103.36
18 13.78
9
1.91*
1*05 12.11
89 ‘ Ut= 90
9
1.91*
125
185
90
6
1*62
38
6
2 .7 6
3 .7b
2.60
1.-60
9 .2 1
3=1*1*.
2.71*
537
560
21*2
277
61
132
167
23
71
W*
10.1* 8 -9 /5 1
1 9 .0
9 /5 1
9 /5 0
3 0 .3
8 /5 1
3 1 .6
8 /5 l
9 .9 8 -9 /5 0
7 /5 1
16
9 .0
10
5 .5
I
0 .8
6 .8
13
7 ■ 3=1
6
I*. I*
2 .2
3
Ii5IliO
3,1*28
1,21*5
2 ,8 7 6
.3 ,2 6 5
2,310
1,160
7 .6 8 -9 /5 1
H*. I* 7 / 5 l
—
7 /5 l
7 /5 1
2 .5
8 21*. 0
3
1 .5
I*
3 . 8 .7
9 ,6 1 0
1 ,1 6 0
705
1 ,1 5 0
235
9
61
8
93.13
6 .9 6
26.10
2.95
22
8
25
I
1.27
5 .9 7
2.7 1
0=10
368
176
1*1*
33
1 ,8 0 0
1 ,1 0 0
11*5
126
12
11
28.95
1 0 .3 0
2 .6 0
2.21
0
0
la
-1 3
0 .0 0
0 .0 0
0 .2 1
0 .2 6
851
77
22
16
289
20
6
35 s 7U9 10,860 6 , 8 # 1989 k2$.89 1022 3 6 .6 1 2835
1186
1,000
2,110
6 ,0 6 0 1,885
1 ,9 0 0
,
18=0
1 6 .0
lit. 9
5 .9
3 .3
3 .7
2 .0
7 .2
9 /5 1
9 /5 1
7/5 1
8 /5 1
6 1 0.3
5*6
3
I .1*5.5
6
I*. 7
90
-
it, 800
1 ,8 0 0
24
and 90 w h i t e f i s h ( 2 .6 p o u n d s) .
O nly 9 t r o u t ( 1 .9 4 p ounds) and 6 w h i t e f i s h
( l .6 0 pounds) w ere ta k e n i n o v e r 2 m ile s o f s e c t i o n s sam p led i n 1951.
A lth o u g h t h e r e w ere j u s t two 3 0 0 -f o o t s e c t i o n s sh o ck ed im m e d ia te ly b e h in d
th e h e a d g a te th e seco n d y e a r , i t i s p ro b a b le t h a t th e v a r i a t i o n was due t o
h e a d g a te m a n ip u la tio n .
I n 1950 th e h e a d g a te was c lo s e d t i g h t l y w ith o u t
g iv in g f i s h an o p p o r tu n ity t o r e t u r n t o th e r i v e r a f t e r th e y had b een
s t i m u l a t e d by re d u c e d flo w , w h ereas i n 1951 flo w h ad b een re d u c e d t o
a p p ro x im a te ly 7 cfs. a few days b e f o r e s h o c k in g .
Few game f i s h were, fo u n d i n th e G ilm ore-T odd and C o c k r i l l . D itc h e s
(ta b le 5 ).
They w ere th e s m a l le s t d i t c h e s sam p led .
A t o t a l o f 4800 f e e t
o f th e G ilm ore-T odd D itc h a d ja c e n t and dow nstream from th e h e a d g a te was
p o is o n e d .
a re a .
Twelve t r o u t and 41 f i n g e r l i n g w h i t e f i s h w ere ta k e n from t h i s
They w ere w id e ly d i s t r i b u t e d .
The s i x 3 0 0 -fo o t s e c t i o n s sh o ck ed i n
th e C o c k r i l l D itc h y ie ld e d 11 t r o u t and 13 f i n g e r l i n g w h i t e f i s h .
T h ere
w ere no t r o u t fo u n d beyond th e f i r s t o n e - q u a r te r m ile b elo w th e h e a d g a te .
The l a r g e s t t r o u t ta k e n from e i t h e r d i t c h was an 1 1 -in c h ra in b o w .
C reek s e n te r e d 3 o f th e c a n a ls s tu d ie d ( F ig . l ) .
I n th e s e in s t a n c e s
w a te r was u s u a l l y r e l e a s e d from th e c a n a l o p p o s ite th e p o in t o f c re e k
e n tr a n c e i n o r d e r t o m a in ta in a flo w i n th e c re e k b e lo w .
dom inant and o f t e n a b u n d an t i n th e c a n a ls n e a r c r e e k s .
B rook t r o u t w ere
The a v erag e
le n g th o f a l l bro o k t r o u t ta k e n i n th e v i c i n i t y o f c re e k s was o v e r 9
in c h e s .
One b ro o k t r o u t m easu red 1 8 .2 in c h e s i n le n g th and w eighed 3 .0 2
p o u n d s.
The g r e a t e s t c o n c e n tr a tio n s o f b ro o k t r o u t i n th e c a n a ls w ere
fo u n d d u rin g th e spaw ning s e a s o n .
On S eptem ber 29 i n th e K le in sc h m id t
C a n a l, 138 b ro o k t r o u t (5 4 .6 1 p ounds) w ere fo u n d i n a 3 2 0 -fo o t s e c t i o n
25
a ro u n d th e e n tr a n c e p o in t o f W ilso n G reek .
I n th e same c a n a l and on th e
same d a te 6,6 b ro o k t r o u t and I ra in b o w t r o u t ( t o t a l w e ig h t 35.67' pounds)
w ere ta k e n from a 2 5 2 -f o o t s e c t i o n l o c a t e d a p p ro x im a te ly 3 .5 m ile s h elo w
th e p la c e w here C ottonw ood C reek e n t e r s th e c a n a l .
The Beck and B o rd e r
C a n a l, w hich i s b i s e c t e d by and r e c e i v e s much o f i t s w a te r from H y a lite
C re e k , c o n ta in e d 192 t r o u t ( 8 0 .3 po u n d s) i n a 7 2 6 0 -fo o t s e c t i o n b e g in n in g
a p p ro x im a te ly 2 m ile s b elow th e p la c e o f b i s e c t i o n .
T hese f i s h had e n ­
t e r e d th e c a n a l b e f o r e S eptem b er 23 arid w ere b lo c k e d by an 8 - f o o t f a l l s
from r e t u r n i n g t o th e c r e e k .
S p e c ie s c o m p o sitio n c o n s is te d o f 147 b ro o k
t r o u t (5 5 .7 8 p o u n d s ), 36 ra in b o w t r o u t ( 1 9 .6 0 p o u n d s ), 8 brown t r o u t ( 4 .4 8
p o u n d s ), I c u t t h r o a t t r o u t ( 0 .4 4 o f a p o u n d ), and 6 w h i t e f i s h ( 0 .9 3 o f a
p o u n d ).
A few b ro o k t r o u t w ere d is b u r s e d aro u n d H y a lite C reek i n th e
F arm ers C anal up t o A ugust 30 when th e l a s t sam p les w ere ta k e n .
Ho b ro o k
t r o u t , o r any game f i s h f o r t h a t m a t t e r , w ere fo u n d i n th e lo w er o n e - h a lf
o f any l a r g e c a n a l n o t m o d ifie d by a c r e e k .
One 1 6 .1 - in c h w h i t e f i s h moved
down th e H igh Line. C anal f o r a maximum o b s e rv e d d is ta n c e o f a p p ro x im a te ly
15 m ile s .
The w a te r i n s p r i n g - f e d d i t c h e s d u r in g th e n o n - i r r i g a t i o n se a s o n i s
u s u a l l y l o s t th ro u g h see p a g e a f t e r flo w in g a s h o r t d i s t a n c e .
H ow ever, i t
may, a s o b s e rv e d i n th e A llis o n -L e w is D itc h , m a in ta in a s m a ll flo w i n m ost
o f th e c h a n n e l a l l y e a r .
i n m id -S e p tem b e r.
6 .9 otfs.
S ix 3 0 0 -fo o t s e c t i o n s o f t h i s d i t c h were sh o ck ed
The h e a d g a te was open a t th e tim e t o a llo w a flo w o f
A t o t a l o f 145 t r o u t , in c l u d i n g 128 b ro o k t r o u t ( 2 4 .8 9 p o u n d s ),
10 brown t r o u t ( l . 4 3 pounds) and 7 ra in b o w t r o u t ( 2 .6 3 p o u n d s ), w ere ta k e n
T ro u t l e s s th a n 7 in c h e s made up 4 3 .4 # o f th e t o t a l num ber.
T here w ere
26
6 6 .4 pounds o f t r o u t p e r a c r e f o r th e com bined 6 s e c t i o n s .
T hree f i n g e r -
l i n g w h i t e f i s h w ere c a p tu r e d .
The H e e b -D u ffin and C ream ery ^ i t c h e s a re lo c a t e d n e a r th e d e w a te re d
p o r t i o n o f th e West G a l l a t i n E iv e r ( F i g . l ) .
T here i s no h e a d g a te on th e
H e e b -D u ffin D itc h and flo w i n t o i t s in ta k e c e a s e s when th e r i v e r re a c h e s
a low l e v e l .
W ater from a n o th e r d i t c h e n t e r s th e H e e b -D u ffin 5P0 f e e t
b e h in d i t s i n t a k e , th u s m a in ta in in g flo w o v e r much o f i t s
lo n g e r p e r io d .
J u ly 12.
c o u rse f o r a
An i s o l a t e d 3 5 0 -fo o t p o o l n e a r th e in ta k e was shocked
A t o t a l o f 41 t r o u t w e ig h in g 2 0 .4 6 pounds was ta k e n .
Of t h e s e ,
34 w ere brown t r o u t , 4 w ere ra in b o w t r o u t , and 3 were b ro o k t r o u t .
w h i t e f i s h w e ig h in g 1 .8 0 pounds w ere a l s o c a p tu r e d .
The C ream ery D itc h h ad
a flo w o f 20 c f s a t th e tim e o f sa m p lin g on J u l y 1 9 -2 0 .
o n e - h a lf o f th e re m a in in g r i v e r flo w .
S ix
T h is was a lm o st
T h ree s e c t i o n s w ere shocked (1150
f e e t ) and th e s e y ie ld e d 6 brown t r o u t , 2 ra in b o w t r o u t , and a 7- i n c h w h ite f i s h f o r a t o t a l w e ig h t o f 3 .0 5 p o u n d s.
S e v e ra l i r r i g a t e d f i e l d s w ere i n s p e c te d f o r s tr a n d e d f i s h , b u t none
was fo u n d .
Many o f th e fa rm e rs i n th e a r e a i r r i g a t e d b y th e G a l l a t i n
c a n a ls w ere in te r v ie w e d i n b o th 1950 and 1951*
They r e p o r t e d v e ry l i t t l e
o r no game f i s h movement i n t o f i e l d s . .
The s p e c ie s c o m p o sitio n o f a l l 1882 t r o u t ta k e n by sa m p lin g i n 1951
was 46.1% b ro o k t r o u t , 3 7 .6 brown t r o u t , 1 6 . 2% rain b o w t r o u t , and 0.1%
c u tth ro a t t r o u t .
F i n g e r l i n g t r o u t c o m p rised 54.7% o f th e t o t a l num ber.
About 97.7% o f th e 894 w h i t e f i s h w ere f i n g e r l i n g s ,
T h ere was a p r o g r e s s i v e
d e c r e a s e i n th e number o f brown t r o u t and an in c r e a s e i n b ro o k t r o u t and
ra in b o w t r o u t i n th e c a n a ls g o in g from th e lo w e r t o th e u p p e r p a r t o f th e
27
s tu d y a r e a ( t a b l e 6 ) .
S im ila r d i s t r i b u t i o n was fo u n d i n th e 1949 and 1950
c r e e l c e n su s o f th e W est G a l l a t i n E i v e r (M is s o u ri E i v e r B a s in S tu d i e s ,
1 9 5 1 ).
T a b le 6 .
The p e r c e n ta g e s o f brown t r o u t , b ro o k t r o u t , and rain b o w
t r o u t i n c a n a ls
L o c a tio n o f c a n a ls
Lower (3 )
M iddle (S )
U pper (4 )
Brown
Brook
8 2 .7
2 7 .1
0 .7
5 .2
55 .7
7 0 .9
Eainbow
12.1
1 7 .2
2 8 .4
The g r e a t e s t c o n c e n tr a tio n s o f t r o u t and w h i t e f i s h f i n g e r l i n g s were
fo u n d n e a r th e h e a d g a te s o f 3 c a n a l s .
F i n g e r l i n g t r o u t ta k e n dow nstream
a d ja c e n t t o th e h e a d g a te o f th e Low L in e C anal t o t a l e d 384, o f w hich 8 2 .5 ^
w ere brown t r o u t .
a r e a was 461.
The number o f w h i t e f i s h f i n g e r l i n g s fo u n d i n th e same
T here w ere 287 t r o u t and 120 w h i t e f i s h f i n g e r l i n g s ta k e n
betw een th e h e a d g a te s o f th e F arm ers C a n a l.
c ase was b ro o k t r o u t ( 8 3 $ ) .
The dom inant s p e c ie s i n th is
I n 1800 f e e t b e h in d th e h e a d g a te o f th e
K le in s c h m id t C a n a l, 63 t r o u t (7 9 $ ra in b o w ) and I 85 w h i t e f i s h f i n g e r l i n g s
wpre c a p tu r e d .
m ost c a n a l s .
A few t r o u t and w h i t e f i s h f i n g e r l i n g s w ere fo u n d f a r down
A maximum do> m -canal movement o b s e rv e d f o r any f i n g e r l i n g
was a p p ro x im a te ly 14 m ile s .
Non-game s p e c ie s w ere fo u n d i n a l l o f th e c a n a ls s t u d i e d .
Sm all
lo n g n o se s u c k e rs w ere num erous i n a l l b u t th e s p r i n g - f e d A llis o n -L e w is
D itc h and i n th e 3 d i t c h e s w hich o r i g i n a t e d n e a r e s t th e mouth o f G a l l a t i n
Canyon.
W hite s u c k e rs w ere r a r e e x c e p t i n th e Beck and B o rd e r C a n a l.
a v e ra g e le n g th f o r a l l s u c k e rs ta k e n was a p p ro x im a te ly 6 in c h e s .
o f th o s e c a p tu r e d i n 1951 w ere o v e r 15 in c h e s i n t o t a l l e n g t h .
The
O nly 5
T housands
28
o f s u c k e r f r y were observed, i n m ost o f th e c a n a ls .
A d u lt s c u lp i n s and f r y
w ere a l s o a b u n d a n t, e s p e c i a l l y n e a r th e h e a d g a te s .
Dace w ere fo u n d i n
m ost d i t c h e s b u t n o t i n l a r g e nu m b ers.
E s tim a te d l e g a l game f i s h l o s s
E s tim a te s o f th e t o t a l num bers and pounds o f l e g a l game f i s h (7
in c h e s o r o v e r i n t o t a l le n g th ) w ere made f o r 11 o f th e 13 c a n a ls s tu d ie d
( t a b l e 5 )•
A ll e s t i m a t e s were b a se d on th e 1951 s e a s o n , e x c e p t f o r th e
Keughen C anal w hich was 1950.
Each c a n a l was d iv id e d i n t o 3 s e c t i o n s . f o r
th e p u rp o se o f m aking e s t i m a t e s .
The f i r s t s e c t i o n in c lu d e d th e o n e - h a lf
m ile o f c a n a l im m e d ia te ly b e h in d th e h e a d g a te .
The seco n d in c lu d e d th e
u p p e r o n e - h a lf o f th e d i t c h a d ja c e n t t o th e f i r s t s e c t i o n , and th e t h i r d
th e re m a in d e r o r m ost d i s t a l p a r t o f th e c a n a l.
S e a so n a b le e f f o r t was
made t o s e c u re r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sam p les i n e a c h o f th e 3 p a r t s .
t i o n wa.s made f o r f i s h movement i n t o o r o u t o f th e c a n a l s .
So c o r r e c ­
The s e c t i o n s
sam pled i n th e 11 c a n a ls ra n g e d from 3 .1 $ t o 4 5 .5 $ o f t h e i r e n t i r e le n g th s ,.
I
B ecause o f th e s m a ll sam p les ta k e n i n th e M o reland and H e e b -D u ffin C a n a ls ,
t h e s e w ere n o t u s e d i n th e e s t i m a t e s .
O nly s e c t i o n I o f th e C la rk D itc h
was in c lu d e d b e c a u se i t was th e o n ly p o r t i o n c o n ta in in g w a te r a t th e tim e
o f s h o c k in g .
F is h l o s s showed l i t t l e
c o r r e l a t i o n w ith any o f th e u s u a l p h y s ic a l
c o n d itio n s o b s e rv e d su ch a s s i z e o r ■volume o f flo w ,
^ o th th e H igh L in e
and Low L ine C an a ls a re la r g e on th e b a s i s o f le n g th and volume o f flo w ,
y e t th e e s tim a te d 23 pounds o f l e g a l game f i s h i n th e H igh L ine C anal and
71 pounds i n th e Low L in e C anal a re r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l. ■ On th e o th e r h a n d ,
29
th e F arm ers and K le in so h m id t C a n a ls ? w hich had th e g r e a t e s t volum es o f
flo w , a t t r a c t e d a l a r g e num ber o f f i s h ( e s tim a te d o v e r 240 pounds e a c h ) .
T hese d i t c h e s had c re e k s e n t e r i n g th em , and t h i s r a t h e r th a n t h e i r s iz e
may have a c c o u n te d f o r th e abundance o f f i s h .
The Beck and B o rd e r C a n a l,
i n s p i t e o f i t s s m a l le r s i z e , had an e s tim a te d poundage o f f i s h 4 tim e s
g r e a t e r th a n th e Keughen C a n a l.
H y a lite C reek w hich e n t e r s i t .
T h is c a n a l i s u n d o u b te d ly in f lu e n c e d by
The s m a ll s p r i n g - f e d A llis o n -L e w is D itc h
h ad an e s tim a te d 289 pounds o f l e g a l game f i s h .
any c a n a l s t u d i e d .
T h is i s th e l a r g e s t f o r
L o s s e s e s tim a te d f o r o th e r s m a ll c a n a ls ra n g e d from
5 t o 33 p o u n d s.
A t o t a l o f 866 l e g a l game f i s h w e ig h in g 35 2 .8 ? pounds w ere ta k e n i n
a l l sam p les from th e 11 c a n a l s .
U sin g t h i s a s a b a s i s , th e t o t a l e s t i ­
m ated l o s s i n th e s e d i t c h e s w ould be 2835 l e g a l game f i s h w e ig h in g 1186
p o u n d s.
I f th e s e 11 c a n a ls a re r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f th e 52 West G a l l a t i n
E i v e r c a n a ls i n th e s tu d y a r e a , th e t o t a l e s tim a te d l o s s w ould be 1 3 ,4 0 0
l e g a l game f i s h w e ig h in g 56OO p o u n d s.
T h is a r e a o f th e West G a l l a t i n
E iv e r y ie ld e d an e s ti m a te d 1 6 ,1 0 0 f i s h w e ig h in g 1 0 ,3 0 0 pounds to th e
fis h e rm a n i n 1949 and 1 6 ,3 0 0 f i s h w e ig h in g 1 1 ,3 0 0 pounds i n 1950 (M is s o u ri
E iv e r B a sin S t u d i e s , 1 9 5 1 ).
S u c k e rs made up s l i g h t l y more th a n 1$ o f
th e s e num bers.
Summary
1.
F is h l o s s and movement was i n v e s t i g a t e d d u rin g 1950 and 1951 i n i r r i ­
g a t i o n c a n a ls from th e West G a l l a t i n E i v e r , M ontana.
2.
Two-way f i s h w e irs w ere em ployed t o s tu d y f i s h movement i n th e Keughen
30
and Low L ine C a n a ls .
D e L ris -Ia d e n w a te r p re v e n te d w e ir o p e r a tio n
d u r in g th e s p r in g and f a l l seg m en ts o f th e i r r i g a t i o n s e a s o n s ,
3.
I n th e Keughen C anal t h e r e was a t o t a l o f 502 i n i t i a l down- and 322
i n i t i a l u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts d u r in g 6 l d ay s i n 1950*
T ro u t co m p rised
3 .5 # o f th e t o t a l i n i t i a l m ovem ent, w h i t e f i s h 4 .5 # j and non-game
s p e c ie s 9 2 .0 # .
I n 84 d ay s o f t r a p o p e r a tio n i n 1951> 546 i n i t i a l
m ig r a n ts moved down and 353 moved up th e c a n a l.
Of t h i s t o t a l move­
m e n t, 6 ,1 # w ere t r o u t , 8 .6 # w ere w h i t e f i s h , and 8 5 .3 # were nonr-game
s p e c ie s ,
4.
The Low L ine w e ir , w hich o p e r a te d 41 d ay s i n 1951? showed an i n i t i a l
f i s h movement o f 65 down- and 132 u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts .
The t o t a l
i n i t i a l movement was 39*1# t r o u t , 1 3 .2 # w h i t e f i s h , and 4 7 .7 # non-gam e
s p e c ie s .
5.
A ll s p e c ie s o f f i s h ta k e n e x c e p t c u t t h r o a t t r o u t showed movement i n
"both d i r e c t i o n s th ro u g h e i t h e r th e Keughen o r Low L in e w e ir s ,
6.
A d i r e c t c o r r e l a t i o n e x i s t e d b etw een s e v e re w a te r f l u c t u a t i o n s and
t r o u t movement u p s tre a m i n th e Low L in e C a n a l,
A t o t a l o f 59 t r o u t
o r 88# o f a l l u p - c a n a l m ig r a n ts f o r th e e n t i r e s e a s o n came o u t f o l ­
lo w in g 3 w a te r r e d u c t i o n s .
7.
F is h l o s s ( o r g a in ) th ro u g h th e w e ir s w h ile th e y o p e r a te d was e s t a b ­
l i s h e d by a c t u a l c o u n ts ,
8.
T h i r te e n c a n a ls w ere sam pled i n 1951 by s h o c k in g , p o is o n in g o r can­
v a s s in g .
9.
Game f i s h c o n c e n tr a tio n s w ere fo u n d n e a r h e a d g a te s , n e a r c re e k s w here
th e y e n te r e d a c a n a l , and i n I s p r i n g - f e d d i t c h .
Brook t r o u t was th e
31
dom inant t r o u t s p e c ie s i n th e v i c i n i t y o f c re e k s and s p r i n g s .
10.
The s p e c ie s c o m p o sitio n o f 1882 t r o u t ta k e n by s a m p lin g i n 1951 was
4 6 . 1$ b ro o k t r o u t , 37«6$ brown t r o u t , 16.2% ra in b o w t r o u t , and 0.1%
c u tth ro a t t r o u t .
b e r.
11.
F i n g e r l i n g t r o u t co m p rised 54»7% o f th e t o t a l num­
About 97.7% o f th e 894 w h i t e f i s h c a p tu r e d w ere f i n g e r l i n g s .
Eon-game s p e c ie s w ere num erous i n m ost o f th e c a n a ls s t u d i e d .
S u c k e rs
p re d o m in a te d ; t h e i r a v e ra g e le n g th was a p p ro x im a te ly 6 in c h e s ,
12.
F is h l o s s d id n o t seem t o be c o r r e l a t e d w ith le n g th o r volume o f flo w .
I t was e s tim a te d t h a t 2835 l e g a l game f i s h (7 o r more in c h e s i n
■le n g th ) w e ig h in g 1186 pounds w ere l o s t t o 11 c a n a ls i n th e s tu d y
a re a.
O
32
L ite ra tu re c ite d
H o lto n , Cr. D. 1952. A t r o u t p o p u la tio n s tu d y on a s m a ll c re e k i n
G a l l a t i n C ounty, M ontana. U n p u b lis h e d t h e s i s , M ontana S ta te C o lle g e .
pp I - 4 6 .
H untsm an, A. G.
2 5 7 -2 6 6 .
1945.
F r e s h e ts and f i s h .
T r a n s . Am. F i s h . S o c ., 7 5 :
M is s o u ri B iv e r B a s in S t u d i e s , F is h and W ild lif e S e r v ic e , USBI. 1951.
A tw o -y e a r f i s h e r y i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f th e West G a l l a t i n B i v e r , M ontana,
1 9 4 9 -1 9 5 0 , m im eograph, pp 1- 3 8 .
M ontana F is h and Game D e p a rtm e n t. 1904. ( F is h s c r e e n i n g ) . Second
B ie n n ia l B e p o rt o f th e S t a t e F is h and Game W arden, S t a t e o f M ont.
1 9 0 3 -1 9 0 4 . pp 1 -1 9 7 .
____________________ • 1942. F is h s c r e e n in g and p l a n t i n g . M ont. F is h and
Game Comm., B ie n n ia l B e p o r t, 1 9 4 1 -1 9 4 2 . pp 1 -1 2 2 . .
S h a t t e r , D. S . 1938.
f i s h m ig r a tio n s .
A tw o-w ay f i s h t r a p f o r u se i n s tu d y in g s tr e a m T r a n s . Ho. Am. W ild l. C o n f., 3: 3 3 1 -3 3 8 .
S nedec o r , G. W. 1946. S t a t i s t i c a l m e th o d s.
Ames, Iow a, pp I - 4 8 5 , 4 th Ed.
Iow a S t a t e C o lle g e P r e s s ,
W ales, J . H. 1948. C a l i f o r n i a 's f i s h s c r e e n p ro g ram ,
Game, 3 4 ( 2 ) : 4 5 -5 1 .
C a l i f . F is h and
•'■ V
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
762 1001 3344 4
N378
C624£
123664
cop .3
Clothier,
L O L U lc tJ V
WJ
•. D.
V *
4 . 4 n - i V ‘1
Fish loss and movement in ir*
igation diversions from the
West Gallatin River, Montana
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