The Long-term Illinois River Fish Population
Monitoring Program
F-lOl-R
Final Report
Todd M. Koel and Richard E. Sparks
Illinois Natural History Survey
LTRMP Havana Field Station
704 North Schrader Avenue
Havana, Illinois 62644-1055
November 1999
Center for Aquatic Ecology Technical Report 99/15
The Long-term Illinois River Fish Population
Monitoring Program
F-101-R
Final Report
Todd M. Koel and Richard E. Sparks
Illinois Natural History Survey
LTRMP Havana Field Station
704 North Schrader Avenue
Havana, Illinois 62644-1055
November 1999
Dr. Todd M. Kbalr^rincipal Investigator 6r. Richard E. Sparks, C9^lnvestigator
Center for Aquatic Ecology Center for Aquatic Ecology
Illinois Natural History Survey Illinois Natural History Survey
Dr. Daniel Soluk, Director
Center for Aquatic Ecology
Illinois Natural History Survey
The Long-term Illinois River Fish Population
Monitoring Program
F-101-R
Segments 6-10
Final Report
to be submitted to the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
and
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
by
Todd M. Koel and Richard E. Sparks
Illinois Natural History Survey
LTRMP Havana Field Station
704 North Schrader Avenue
Havana, Illinois 62644-1055
November 1999
DISCLAIMER
The findings, conclusions, and views expressed herein are those of the
researchers and should not be considered as the official position of the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service or the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SUPPORT
The Long-term Illinois River Fish Population Monitoring Program (F-101-R) is
supported by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (P.L. 81-681, Dingell-
Johnson/Wallop-Breaux).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
During late August and September each year 1994-1998, we sampled 26 sites on
the Illinois River WatenA/ay and one site on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River by
electrofishing to monitor fish communities. From 1994-1998, we collected a total of
25,921 fish representing 62 species (plus five hybrids) from fourteen families during
125.70 hours of sampling at 26 sites on the Illinois Watenway and a single site on the
Mississippi River. Of these fishes, 25,278 individuals were collected from the Illinois
Waterway sites, and 643 were collected from Brickhouse Slough of the Mississippi
River. The year with the greatest overall catch of fishes was 1995 (7941 individuals,
CPUEn = 325 fish per hour) and the year with the lowest overall catch of fishes was
1994 (3421 individuals, CPUEn = 131 fish per hour). For all stations combined, the
greatest number of species were collected in 1995 (48 species plus 3 hybrids) and
the least were in 1997 (38 species plus 4 hybrids). The number of species collected
from upper waterway reaches ranged from 12 for Starved Rock in 1996 to 24 for
Marseilles in 1995. The number of species collected from middle river reaches
ranged from 23 for La Grange Reach in 1997 to 34 for Peoria Reach in 1996. The
number of species collected from the lower river (Alton Reach) ranged from 18 in
1994 to 25 in 1995. The Peoria Reach consistently had highest species richness
during all years (1 994-1 998) of sampling for this project.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title and Signature Page i
DISCLAIMER ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SUPPORT ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES vi
LIST OF FIGURES x
INDEX TO JOB ACCOMPLISHMENTS xi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xii
INTRODUCTION 1
STUDY AREA 1
MATERIALS AND METHODS 2
A. Criteria for Sampling 9
B. Data Analysis 10
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 11
A. Project F-101-R Field Sampling, 1994-1998 11
B. Electrofishing Stations 12
1994 12
1995 12
1996 13
1997 13
1998 14
C. Catch Rates in Numbers of Individuals Collected per Hour 14
Numbers of Fish Collected 14
Rankings by Relative Abundance 25
CPUEn of Five Most Numerically Abundant Species 26
D. Catch Rates in Weights (pounds) Collected per Hour 32
E. Details of 1998 Sampling 44
CONCLUSIONS 44
LITERATURE CITED 48
APPENDIX A 50
APPENDIX B 52
APPENDIX C 53
APPENDIX D 54
APPENDIX E 55
APPENDIX F 56
APPENDIX G 57
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Station information and characteristics during sampling
in 1994 4
Table 2. Station information and characteristics during sampling
in 1995 5
Table 3. Station information and characteristics during sampling
in 1996 6
Table 4. Station information and characteristics during sampling
in 1997 7
Table 5. Station information and characteristics during sampling
in 1998 8
Table 6. Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected per
hour of electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1 994 15
Table 7. Species ranked by relative abundance in number of fish
collected per hour for 1 994 16
Table 8. Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected per
hour of electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1995 17
Table 9. Species ranked by relative abundance in number offish
collected per hour for 1995 18
Table 10. Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected per
hour of electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1996 19
Table 1 1 . Species ranked by relative abundance in number of fish
collected per hour for 1 996 20
Table 12. Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected per
hour of electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1 997 21
Table 13. Species ranked by relative abundance in number of fish
collected per hour for 1 997 , 22
Table 14. Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected per
hour of electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
WatenA/ay in 1998 23
Table 15. Species ranked by relative abundance in number of fish
collected per hour for 1 998 24
Table 16. Pounds of each fish species collected per hour of
electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1 994 33
Table 17. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish
collected per hour for 1 994 34
Table 18. Pounds of each fish species collected per hour of
electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
WatenA/ay in 1 995 35
Table 19. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish
collected per hour for 1 995 36
Table 20. Pounds of each fish species collected per hour of
electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
WatenA/ay in 1 996 37
Table 21. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish
collected per hour for 1 996 38
Table 22. Pounds of each fish species collected per hour of
electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1 997 39
Table 23. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish
collected per hour for 1 997 40
Table 24. Pounds of each fish species collected per hour of
electrofishing on Reach 26 of the Mississippi River
(Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1 998 41
Table 25. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish
collected per hour for 1998 42
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 . Three segments of the Illinois River sampled by
electrofishing to monitor fish communities in 1997 3
Figure 2. Catch per hour of gizzard shad from 1 994 through 1 998
in the lower, middle, and upper Illinois River waterway 27
Figures. Catch per hour of common carp from 1994 through 1998
in the lower, middle, and upper Illinois River waterway 28
Figure 4. Catch per hour of emerald shiner from 1 994 through 1 998
in the lower, middle, and upper Illinois River watenA/ay 29
Figure 5. Catch per hour of bluegill from 1994 through 1998
in the lower, middle, and upper Illinois River watenway 30
Figure 6. Catch per hour of freshwater drum from 1 994 through 1 998
in the lower, middle, and upper Illinois River waterway 31
INDEX TO JOB ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Job V Prepare electrofishing equipment and train staff 11
Job 2 Sample by electrofishing at 27 sites along the Illinois
River Waterway and Reach 26 of the Mississippi River 11
Job 3 Update computer database
Job 4 Analyze data
11
11
Job 5 Presentation of results 12
^Job numbers and titles refer to the F-101-R annual work plans
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Project F-101-R is supported by the Federal Aid to Sportfish Restoration Act
(P.L. 81-681, Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux), with funds administered by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Departnnent of Natural Resources (IDNR).
Mr. Larry Dunham (IDNR); Mr. Bill Bertrand (IDNR); Mr. Michael Sweet (IDNR); Dr.
David Thomas, Chief of the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS); Dr. Edward
Armbrust, Acting Chief (INHS); and Dr. David Philipp, former Director of the Center
for Aquatic Ecology (INHS); provided administrative support. Ms. Cammy Smith of
the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Field Station at Havana provided
secretarial support and data entry and verification. Mr. Thad Cook, Mr. Kip
Stevenson, and Mr. Scott Whitney assisted with the field work. Mr. K. Douglas
Blodgett was Co-Investigator of this project until 1998. Mr. Thomas Lerczak was
Project Manager until 1995. This survey was originally conceived and initiated in
1957 by the late Dr. William C. Starrett.
INTRODUCTION
The goals of the Long-term Illinois River Fish Population Monitoring Program
include: 1) determination of spatial and temporal trends in fish populations of the
Illinois River; 2) Develop a long-term fisheries database useful for evaluating
resource management strategies; and 3) provide information required to manage the
fishery of the Illinois River. This report presents a summary of data collected 1994-
1998 during segments 6-10 of federal aid project F-101-R, The Long-term Illinois
River Fish Population Monitoring Program. Previous summaries of the long-term
data set, begun in 1957, were given by Sparks and Starrett (1975), Sparks (1977),
Sparks and Lerczak (1993), Lerczak and Sparks (1994), and Lerczak et al. (1994).
The annual reports for project F-101-R have continuously built on previously
collected data. The format used in this report is patterned after previous annual
reports of this project (Lerczak et al. 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996 and Koel et al.
1997 and 1998) to allow for easy comparisons of data among years. The objective
of this report is to provide a summary document of Illinois River fish population data
collected 1994-1998 during federal aid project F-101-R.
STUDY AREA
Twenty-six fish sampling sites were at fixed locations along the Illinois
Waterway as defined by Sparks and Starrett (1975:347) and Lerczak et al. (1994:9)
(Table 1). Twenty-four of the sites were along the Illinois River, with two additional
sites on the lower Des Plaines River, which along with the Illinois River is part of the
Illinois Waterway. One additional site was on the Mississippi River (Figure 1).
Seventeen of the sites were in side channels; the rest of the sites were in other
habitats, including the main channel border, or in a combination of habitat types (see
Lerczak et al. 1994:9). By calculating the average river mile of each fish sampling
site for the total period of record (1957-present), the sites were "renamed" in 1998 to
reflect river mile (Figure 1). For this and all subsequent reports, we will refer to sites
by these approximate average river miles (site mile. Tables 1-5) for use in all figures
and tables. In text we will refer to sites by average river mile as well as by common
site descriptions (e.g., Brickhouse Slough, Mortland Island, etc.).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fish populations were sampled by electrofishing from a 16-ft (5-m) aluminum
boat using a Homelite 3000-watt, three-phase AC electric generator. Boat
configuration includes three poles extended from the bow with metal electrodes,
connecting to the electric generator, extended from the ends of the poles to
approximately 20 inches (0.5 m) below the water line. The same generator and
electrode configuration have been used since 1957.
Prior to fish sampling, water quality and flow measurements (e.g., dissolved
Des Plaines
River.
Upper Waterway
Lake Michigan
Kankakee
River
e River
\
River Mile
Site Name
2798
Treats Island
277 3
Du Page River
2506
Waupecan Island
2496
Johnson Island
248 0
Ballards Island
241.5
Bulls Island Bend
2408
Bulls Island
215,3
Clark Island
207 6
Hennepin
203 3
Upper Twin Sister
2028
Lower Twin Sister
193.8
Henry Island
180.6
Chlllicothe
170.3
Lambie's Boat Harbor
163.3
Lower Peoria Lake
155.1
Pekin
148.0
Turkey Island
113.0
Upper Bath Chute
107.0
Lower Bath Chute
95.1
Sugar Creek Island
86.5
Grape-Bar Islands
58.3
Big Blue Island
300
Crater-Willow Islands
268
Hurricane Island
24.7
Dark Chute
19.0
Mortland Island
00
Bnckhouse Slough
Mississippi,
River
Figure 1 . Three segments of the Illinois River Waterway sampled by electrofishing
to monitor fish communities during August and September, 1994-1998.
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oxygen, specific conductance, temperature, surface velocity) were taken at the
upstream end of each site. Sampling at each site typically lasted one hour, with all
obvious structure (e.g. downed trees, woody debris, rock rip-rap) intensively sampled
for fishes. Stunned fish were gathered with a dip net (1/4-in [0.64-cm] mesh) and
stored in an oxygenated livewell until sampling was completed. Fish were then
identified to species, measured (total length and weight), inspected for externally
visible abnormalities (sores, fin erosion, etc.), and returned to the water. A detailed
description of the electrofishing method and equipment are provided by Lerczak et
al. (1994, Appendix A).
A. Criteria for Sampling
Fish collection by the Long-term Illinois River Fish Population Monitoring Program
occurs during the last week in August and September each year to increase the
probability of collecting young-of-year fishes with a 1/4 inch mesh dip net. Sampling
at each site is only conducted if river water levels are low and stable, as determined
by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who maintain gage sites along the length of
the Illinois River waterway. Also, sampling for this project does not occur if water
temperatures have fallen unseasonably low (below 58 C), which are not typically
reached on the Illinois River until mid-October (Kofoid 1903, LTRMP unpublished
data 1999).
B. Data Analysis
At each site, number of individual fish and total weight (pounds) were tallied
for each species. Fish catch rates were calculated as the number of individuals
collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEn) and as weight in pounds collected per
hour of electrofishing (CPUEw). For 1 994-1 998, data from sites were grouped into
reaches defined by navigation dams (Figure 1) as follows: Alton Reach, river mile
(RM) 0-80; La Grange Reach, RM 80-158; Peoria Reach, RM 158-231; Starved
Rock Reach, RM 231-247; Marseilles Reach, RM 247-271.5; and Dresden Reach,
RM 271.5-286 on the Des Plaines River. Data from reaches were combined further
into three groups (lower and middle Illinois River segments, and the upper Illinois
Waterway segment) defined by their location along the river and by the amount of
off-channel habitat accessible to fish per unit length of river (Lerczak et al. 1994:5
and Figure 1 ). Lerczak et al. (1 994, 1 995, and 1 996) showed that river fish
communities of the three segments differed substantially enough to give segment
designations biological meaning. Separate tables were constructed listing only those
species that accounted for at least 95% of the total catch rates. This percentage
was arbitrarily chosen to emphasize species of most importance in analyzing fish
community composition.
10
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (Job 4)
A. Project F-101-R Field Sampling, 1994-1998
Before each fish sampling season began, all equipment was tested and
repaired as necessary. Due to the arrival of the new project manager Koel, and loss
of all senior staff from the Havana Field Station during this project, training for new
staff was more intensive than that needed in recent years; new staff were trained in
electrofishing methods and safety procedures (Job 1). All field sampling for this
project occurred during late August and September each year, with typically one
hour spent electrofishing at each of 27 fixed sites, each year (Job 2).
The long-term database was converted from R-Base computer format to an
updated, Microsoft Access 97 format. Data collected during F-101-R were entered
directly into this database, and verified against original field data sheets until no
errors were detected (Job 3). The original data sheets of this project (1957-1997)
were originally stored in a vault along Quiver Creek at Forbes Biological Station.
Due to moisture problems and a fire hazard within this vault, the data were moved
and are now stored in flame-resistant cabinets at the Long Term Resource
Monitoring Program Field Station at 704 N. Schrader Avenue, Havana (Job 3). Data
analysis has occurred at the LTRMP Havana Field Station (Job 4) with results
presented at several public and scientific meetings.
11
B. Electrofishing Stations
All 27 long-term sites were sampled for fishes and physio-chemical
parameters each year from 1994-1997. Site listings and water quality parameters
are provided by Tables 1-5 (Job 5). All values were within the ranges expected
based upon previous sampling (see Lerczak et al. 1994:17-24). All sites were
sampled with water temperatures and river levels (Tables 1-5) within our previously
established criteria.
1994. All stations were sampled between 22 August and 29 September 1994,
taking 27.95 hours, with sampling times ranging from 0.5 to 1 .0 hour (Table 1 ).
Sampling was conducted in full daylight between the hours of 8:45 AM and 6:45 PM.
The ranges for physical measurements during the 1994 sampling season were as
follows: air temperature, 57.9-91.4 F; water temperature, 72.7-83.1 F; dissolved
oxygen concentration, 4.5-11.3 ppm; Secchi disk transparency, 5.9-27.6 inches;
specific conductance, 350-700 umbos; surface velocity, 0.0-1.4 ft/s; water depth, 0.3-
6.6 ft (Table 1).
1995. All stations were sampled between 29 August and 25 September 1995,
taking 25.00 hours, with sampling times ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 hour (Table 2).
Sampling was conducted in full daylight between the hours of 9:15 AM and 5:30 PM.
The ranges for physical measurements during the 1995 sampling season were as
12
follows: air temperature, 59.4-89.4 F; water temperature, 62.1-88.9 F; dissolved
oxygen concentration, 5.7-13.0 ppm; Secchi disk transparency, 5.9-26.8 inches;
specific conductance, 350-800 umhos; surface velocity, 0.0-1 .4 ft/s; water depth, 0.3-
9.8 ft (Table 2).
1996. All stations were sampled between 26 August and 19 September 1996,
taking 24.75 hours, with sampling times ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 hour (Table 3).
Sampling was conducted in full daylight between the hours of 7:40 AM and 7:25 PM.
The ranges for physical measurements during the 1996 sampling season were as
follows: air temperature, 59.9-83.3 F; water temperature, 66.6-86.7 F; dissolved
oxygen concentration, 3.6-13.9 ppm; Secchi disk transparency, 6.7-28.7 inches;
specific conductance, 380-760 umhos; surface velocity, 0.0-1.5 ft/s; water depth, 0.1-
5.0 ft (Table 3).
1997. All stations were sampled between 2 September and 3 October 1997,
taking 25.00 hours, with sampling times ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 hour (Table 4).
Sampling was conducted in full daylight between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:45 PM.
The ranges for physical measurements during the 1997 sampling season were as
follows: air temperature, 54.0-79.7 F; water temperature, 65.3-80.4 F; dissolved
oxygen concentration, 5.8-10.8 ppm; Secchi disk transparency, 5.3-23.6 inches;
specific conductance, 390-725 umhos; surface velocity, 0.1-1.6 ft/s; water depth, 0.1-
5.0 ft (Table 4).
13
1998. All stations were sampled between 31 August and 23 September 1998,
taking 26.00 hours, with sampling times ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 hour (Table 5).
Sampling was conducted in full daylight between the hours of 8:45 AM and 6:30 PM.
The ranges for physical measurements during the 1998 sampling season were as
follows: air temperature, (not measured); water temperature, 73.9-86.9 F; dissolved
oxygen concentration, 5.0-8.4 ppm; Secchi disk transparency, 5.9-23.6 inches;
specific conductance, 443-835 umbos; surface velocity, 0.0-1.1 ft/s; water depth, 0.0-
14.0 ft (Table 5).
C. Catch Rates in Numbers of Individuals
In this report, for each year (1994-1998) catch rates of the number of
individuals collected per hour of electrofishing are calculated for each of the seven
Illinois River navigation reaches (Figure 1). Similar summaries are presented for fish
weights. Common names used throughout this report follow Robins et al. (1991).
Common and scientific names are listed in APPENDIX A. Number of individuals of
each fish species collected per hour of electrofishing and species rankings by
waterway reach and year are summarized by Tables 6 through 15.
Numbers of Fish Collected From 1994-1998, we collected a total of 25,921
fish representing 62 species (plus five hybrids) from fourteen families during 125.70
hours of sampling at 26 sites on the Illinois Watenway and a single site on the
14
Table 6 Number of individuals of each fisfi species
River (Brickhouse Slough) and at six reaches of the
collected per hour of electrofishmg (CPUEn) at Reach 26 of the Mississippi
Illinois River Waterway in 1 994
Reach and Hours Fished
SpecK
Alton La Grange
5 00 6 50
Starved
Overall
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
CPUEn
6 95
2 00
2 50
2 00
26,95
Lepisosteidae
longnose gar
Amiidae
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack hernng
threadfin shad
Hiodontidae
goldeye
Cypnnidae
bullhead minnow
bluntnose minnow
common carp
common carp x goldfish
emerald shiner
golden shiner
goldfish
minnow (unid )
red shiner
sand shiner
silver chub
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
golden redhorse
highfin carpsucker
northern hog sucker
quillback
nver carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
Ictalundae
channel catfish
flathead catfish
yellow bullhead
Athennidae
brook silverside
Percichthyidae
white bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunfish
pumpkinseed
redear sunfish
rock bass
smallmouth bass
warmouth
white crappie
Percidae
sauger
slenderhead darter
Sciaenidae
1200
2,00
0 20
12 40
0 40
16 20
0 20
0 40
1071
6 47
0 86
6 33
7 00
0 24
0 29
1 50
0 12
0 58
8 00
24 12
6 91
4 00
165
18 56
21 00
012
0 43
0 29
1 29
1.01
0.43
1 00
400
624
4.17
012
0 43
0 14
0 50
0 50
012
3 02
050
1 88
2 45
4 82
5 90
9 00
4 94
1 73
450
2 50
10 35
5 18
9 20
11 41
2 16
14 60
3071
31 94
0 58
0 80
0 59
12 95
7 40
4 35
5 18
012
0 35
0 29
0 72
026
1.71
26 80
68 50
1 19
1 20
4 00
7 68
3 60
950
12 10
0 80
3 50
0 33
31 20
10 00
10 98
0 80
250
0 26
0 50
019
0 40
Oil
2 40
071
6 80
0 93
0 30
0 04
0 04
0 04
1 04
1.30
4.68
5.49
0 26
0 07
10 00
29 31
0 50
0 19
14 50
501
100
5 34
0 50
0 22
050
0 04
0 04
1 00
0 04
5 00
0 93
022
0.37
freshwater drum
27 00
12 40
12 82
11 22
200
0 50
1046
Total number per hour
Number of species/hybnds
111 00
15/0
121 80
18/0
12941
26/0
130 94
28/1
73 00
18/0
122 80
22/1
174 50
22/2
131 05
42/2
15
Table 7. Species ranked by relative abundance in number of fish collected per hour for 1 994.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings
by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
3(10.2)
5(8.3)
6 (4.9)
4 (9.6)
3(12,1)
2(12.9)
threadfin shad
7 (4.8)
Cyprinidae
bluntnose minnow
9(2.1)
2(21.8)
1 (39,3)
bullhead minnow
3(11.0)
8 (2.3)
common carp
6 (5.6)
2(18.6)
5(5.3)
6(5.5)
7(2.9)
6 (5.4)
common carp x goldfish
9 (2.0)
emerald shiner
12(1.3)
2(14.2)
1 (28.8)
1 (25.4)
5 (5.7)
golden shiner
10(1.4)
red shiner
10(1.4)
8(2,0)
sand shiner
6(5.5)
6(5,5)
silver chub
15(0.8)
spottail shiner
3 (8.9)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
9(1.6)
7 (4.8)
10(3.2)
golden redhorse
10(1,3)
river carpsucker
11(2.3)
10(1,3)
shorthead redhorse
11(1.5)
12(1,9)
smallmouth buffalo
7(3.0)
9(3.7)
8 (4.5)
2(12 3)
10(1.3)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
2(13.3)
8(3.8)
14(1.3)
5 (6.2)
11 (0,6)
Percichthyidae
white bass
8(2.1)
6 (8.0)
9(4.0)
7 (4.8)
8(2,0)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
4 (7.6)
4(8.8)
13(1.6)
11 (1.0)
bluegill
1 (36.6)
1 (23.7)
1 (24.4)
7 (4,8)
4(7.8)
5(5.7)
green sunfish
3 (9.9)
10(1.3)
4(8.3)
largemouth bass
5(6.1)
10(3.4)
9 (4.0)
5 (6.2)
smallmouth bass
8(3,4)
8(2.0)
7 (2.9)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
3(10.2)
3(9.9)
4 (8.6)
9(1.6)
Numbers of fishes
accounting for 95%
10
12
16
12
16
12
16
Table 8 Number of individuals of each fish species collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEn) at Reach 25 of the Mississippi
River (Bnckhouse Slough) and at six reaches of the Illinois River Waterway in 1995
Reach and Hours Fished
Alton La Grange Peoria
5 00 550 7 00
Starved
Rock Marseilles Dresden
2 00 2 50 2 00
Overall
CPUEn
25 00
Lepisosteidae
gar
bowfin
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack hemng
bullhead minnow
central stoneroller
common carp
common carp x goldfish
emerald shiner
golden shiner
goldfish
grass carp
silver chub
spottail shiner
suckermouth minr
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
black buffalo
nver carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
quillback
Ictalundae
black bullhead
channel catfish
flathead catfish
yellow bullhead
Cypnnodontidae
blackstnpe topminow
Poeciliidae
mosquitofish
Athennidae
brook silverside
Percichlhyidae
striped X white bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunlsh
pumpkinseed
redear sunfish
rock bass
smallmouth bass
white crappie
Percidae
log perch
sauger
walleye
3 40
6 60
11 09
0 36
0 18
0 18
109
2 18
9 00
5 86
0 20
1 45
0 71
18 00
500
6 55
13 43
0 29
0 14
10 20
3 09
2 00
0 20
0 18
0 20
0 29
3 00
20 91
8 29
5 20
9 64
529
*4 80
40 18
39 86
018
100
0 60
0 55
9 29
7 60
4 73
1071
0 20
1 00
0.20
0 14
23 00
24 40
150 00
16 36
59 00
50 00
185 50
24 96
300
0 24
1 00
7 60
600
9 76
1 00
008
138 50
71 20
10 50
50 36
0 80
3 50
2 00
0 72
0 04
3 50
3 60
0 68
20 50
42 40
7 00
7 00
43 00
344
020
0 50
0 50
0 80
2 20
0 80
064
1 20
0 50
7 76
012
0 50
0 08
0 40
0 50
3 36
0 50
0 56
0 40
0 12
012
7 72
0 50
5 04
83 00
42 72
0 50
0 36
46 00
7 16
1150
754
2100
2 20
0 50
0 12
0 08
6 50
052
900
108
0 32
1 20
0.04
0.12
0.04
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
36 00
8 20
15 09
2557
120
13 68
Total number per hour
Number of species^ybrids
190 00
17/0
150 20
25/1
24109
28/1
291.00
32/2
867,50
19/0
356 80
24/0
600 00
23/1
325 24
48/3
17
Table 9. Species ranked by relative abundance in number offish collected per hour for 1995.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
2 (28.4)
1 (36.8)
1 (43.3)
2 (28.0)
1 (25.2)
4 (8.4)
Cyprinidae
bluntnose minnow
5 (2.7)
5 (6.8)
2 (25.0)
bullhead minnow
3 (6 8)
3(14.0)
1 (31.1)
common carp
10(2.3)
3(10.7
9 (2.4)
7(2.1)
emerald shiner
7 (4.4)
6 (4.6)
5 (4.2)
1 (50.5)
2 (20.0)
8(1.8)
golden shiner
11 (1.9)
red shiner
6 (2 4)
4(11.9)
10(1.2)
sand shiner
4 (5.0)
spottail shiner
12(1.8)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
6 (4.5)
10(1.8)
13(1.1)
river carpsucker
10(2.0)
smallmouth buffalo
9(3.3)
8 (2.7)
4 (4.6)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
3 (6.8)
11(1.3)
Percichthyidae
white bass
11 (2.0)
4 (8.7)
8(2.8)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
8 (3.5)
7 (4.0)
12(1.8)
bluegill
1 (29.8)
2(16.7)
2(13.7)
4(11.9)
3(13.8)
green sunfish
7 (3.2)
5 (7.7)
largemouth bass
5(5.1)
9 (2.0)
6 (3.7)
6 (2.7)
7(1.9)
orangespotted sunfish
6 (3.5)
smallmouth bass
9(1.5)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
4 (5.5)
5(6.3)
3 (8.8)
Numbers of fishes
accounting for 95%
11
11
14
6
8
10
18
Table 1 0 Number of Individuals
River (Bnckhouse Slough) and a
of each fish species collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEn) at Reach 26 of the Mi
[ SIX reaches of the Illinois River Watenway in 1996
Reach and Hours Fished
Species
Reach 26 Alton La Grange
1 00 500 5 50
Peoria
7 00
Starved
Rock Marseilles
2 00 2 25
Dresden
2 00
Overall
CPUEn
24 75
Lepisosteidae
shortnose gar
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack hernng
threadfin shad
Cypnnidae
bluntnose minnow
bullhead minnow
carp X goldfish
common carp
emerald shiner
fathead minnow
golden shiner
goldfish
grass carp
red shiner
silverband shiner
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
golden redhorse
nver carpsucker
smallmouth buffalo
shorthead redhorse
Ictalundae
black bullhead
channel catfish
flathead catf sh
yellow bullhead
Cypnnodontidae
blackstnpe topminnow
Athennidae
brook silverside
Percichthyidae
white bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunfish
rock bass
smallmouth bass
warmouth
white crappie
Percidae
log perch
mud darter
sauger
walleye
Sciaenidae
25 80
0 40
0 18
126 00
0 18
36 36
0 55
5 82
0 73
150 75
0 88
3 63
6 50
8 75
0 13
0 63
0 50
013
013
1 25
0 13
1 13
013
0 13
6 18
4 13
16 73
23 75
0 13
0 36
2 88
291
7 38
0 75
0 13
0 91
0 13
0 55
050
013
0 13
2 00
0 63
0 25
10 00
3 00
0 50
7.00
53 08
39 50
98 99
0 57
0 51
2 00
3 60
1 00
0 08
0 04
0 51
1 00
0 12
5 13
6 00
1313
1 54
850
6 75
0 04
0 50
0 28
1 00
0 32
0 04
1 54
1 54
0 04
5 64
8 00
1 74
1 03
513
0 51
2 05
0 51
0 50
0 50
550
6 00
3 50
1 50
0 08
5 58
0 28
0 08
0.08
0.28
18.18
3 23
16 48
0 04
1 54
5 25
0 85
0 16
008
0.24
0.44
0.04
0.04
freshwater dnjm
12 00
4 40
33 09
13 25
1 54
0 50
1317
Total number per hour
Number of species/hybnds
53 00
12/0
11560
23/0
31491
28/0
249 88
34/1
148 50
12/0
102 56
17/1
101 50
19/1
20452
41/2
19
Table 1 1 . Species ranked by relative abundance in number of fish collected per hour for 1 996.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
1 (22.3)
1 (40.0)
1 (60.3)
1 (73.4)
1 (61.5)
1 (38.9)
threadfin shad
5 (6.9)
10(1.5)
8 (2.0)
Cyprinidae
common carp
6(6,2)
3(11.5)
8(2.6)
5(2.0)
4(5.0)
5 (5.9)
emerald shiner
6(2.5)
4(3.5)
2 (7.7)
7(1.5)
3 (8.4)
red shiner
3 (6.7)
7(1.5)
spottail shiner
5(2.0)
3(5.5)
4 (7.9)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
10(2.2)
8(1.7)
11(1.4)
7(1.5)
smallmouth buffalo
8 (4.0)
7(1.8)
7 (2,8)
4(4,7)
4(5.0)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
2(16.8)
9(1.5)
Percichthyidae
white bass
4(11.8)
2(17.8)
5 (3.4)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
10(2.2)
8(2.0)
9(1.7)
bluegill
3(13.3)
5(5.3)
2(9.5)
2(6 0)
2(14,3)
green sunfish
6 (5.4)
largemouth bass
7(5.0)
6(3.0)
5(4.5)
5(5.9)
orangespotted sunfish
6(2.0)
7(3.4)
rock bass
9(1.5)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
9(3.8)
4(10.5)
3(5.3)
7(1.5)
Number of fishes
accounting for 95%
11
10
11
6
11
10
20
Table 12 Numbers of individuals of each fish species
River (Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the III
collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEn) on Reach 26 of the H/1ississippi
inois River Waterway in 1997
Reach and Hours Fished
Species
Alton
5 00
Starved
La Grange Peona Rock
Marseilles
2 25
Overall
CPUEfj
25 00
Amiidae
bowfin
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack hernng
threadfin shad
Cypnnidae
bluntnose minnow
bullhead minnow
central stoneroller
1 carp
1 carp X goldfish
emerald shiner
golden shiner
goldfish
grass carp
red shiner
silver chub
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
golden redhorse
nver carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
Ictalundae
channel catfish
flathead catfish
freckled madtom
tadpole madtom
Percichthyidae
stnped bass x white bass
white bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill x green sunfish
green sunfish
green x orangespotted sunfish
largemouth bass
longear sunfish
orangespotted sunfish
pumpkinseed
rock bass
smallmouth bass
white crappie
Percidae
logperch
sauger
Sciaenidae
14 00
7 00
2 00
20 00
27 20 46 36
0 60 1 82
0 20
3 00
4 55
6 90
3180
22 36
27 03
014
2 20
0 18
3 72
0 14
2 40
218
9 10
0 80
0 91
1 79
014
0 40
0 55
0 60
200
1 38
1 24
0 36
0 14
0 50
0 50
15 40
23 09
15 14
041
31 20
1255
25 24
69 50
0 36
041
0 55
041
2 20
1 38
29 00
018
0 14
1 38
2 00
9 20
5 64
12 55
018
0 14
0 20
018
1 24
0 80
1,09
1 24
1 50
5 40
473
14 34
6 50
13 20
582
2 07
0 50
2 80
0 55
018
0 14
0 50
3 50
0 50
2 00
40 89
0 44
6 22
9 33
8 44
0 44
4 89
2 22
2 22
9 78
0 44
4 89
3 11
14 00
53 04
0 64
0 60
15 00
13 32
1 72
3 00
0 32
5 50
14 60
0 12
10 00
27 88
1 50
0 32
0 50
0 20
0 12
7.88
0.12
0.60
050
1 50
0 50
0 50
10 50
15 50
9 00
1 00
1 50
200
0 48
0 92
768
5 08
0.76
0.04
7.48
3 40
0 04
0 04
0 16
0 40
0.40
0.20
freshwater drum
65 00
11 80
15 27
21 38
1 78
14 68
Total number per hour
Number of species/hybnds
178 00
15/0
155 60
22/0
155 27
23/1
262 48
30/3
207 50
14/1
208 44
22/1
244 00
20/1
207 80
38/4
21
Table 13. Species ranked by relative abundance in number offish collected per hour for 1997.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
3(16.3)
1 (28.1)
1 (37.1)
2 (23.6)
3(19.6)
4 (5.7)
threadfin shad
7 (3.0)
Cyphnidae
bluntnose minnow
3(19.8)
5 (4.5)
1 (47.1)
bullhead minnow
12(1.2)
6(4.1)
central stoneroller
9(1.2)
common carp
4 (9.2)
2(14.0)
5(6.1)
8(2.3)
8 (2.7)
emerald shiner
2(18.7)
6 (7.6)
3 (9.6)
1 (33.5)
1 (27.1)
6(4.1)
red shiner
4(14.0)
2 (24.9)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
7(5.5)
8 (3.4)
7(4.8)
smallmoufh buffalo
8 (3.2)
9 (2.9)
6(5.5)
5(3.1)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
5 (7.9)
7 (3.5)
13(0.8)
flathead catfish
11(1.7)
Percichthyidae
white bass
9(3.0)
5(8.8)
8(3.9)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
10(1.8)
10(2.8)
10(2.6)
bluegill
1.(19.1)
3(13.5)
2(10.3)
6(1.7)
4 (4.7)
2(19.7)
bluegill X green sunfish
5 (4.3)
green sunfish
11(1.4)
8(2.3)
3 (6.4)
largemouth bass
12(1.4)
11 (1.3)
9(3.5)
9(1.5)
7 (3.7)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
6(7.1)
4 (9.2)
4(8.1)
Number of fishes
accounting for 95%
12
11
13
6
10
9
22
Table 14 Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEn) on Reach 26 of the Mississippi
River (Brickhouse Slough) and on six reaches of the Illinois River Wateway in 1 998
Reach and Hours Fished
Species
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack herring
threadfin shad
Hiodontidae
goldeye
Cypnnidae
bullhead minnow
bluntnose minnow
common carp
common carp x goldfish
emerald shiner
golden shiner
goldfish
grass carp
red shiner
sand shiner
silver chub
silverband shiner
spotfin shiner
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
black buffalo
golden redhorse
quillback
river carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
Ictalundae
channel catfish
flathead catfish
Cypnnodontidae
blackstripe topminnow
Poeciliidae
mosquitofish
Percichthyidae
yellow bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
bluegill X orangespotted sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunfish
pumpkinseed
smallmouth bass
warmouth
white crappie
Percidae
mud darter
sauger
slenderhead darter
Sciaenidae
La Grange Peona
5 50 8 00
Rock Marseilles
2 00 2 75
50 13
65 38
58 00
0 36
0 38
0 50
0 73
3 13
125
7 50
018
0 63
2 50
24 36
913
0 25
1 50
0 91
150
109 50
0 36
0 38
013
0 18
7 00
12 36
2 25
8 50
0 36
613
0 25
0 38
1 00
3 00
1 09
2 13
0 36
0 75
Overall
CPUEn
0 57
1 23
14 29
1 96
4 00
10 62
0 08
5 71
17 19
0.04
0.04
0.15
3 27
012
0 38
0 35
0 92
3 77
1 15
6 00
21 09
0 18
10 88
2 00
1 45
9.50
0 04
0 40
2 00
6 75
1 50
1 09
2 81
10 40
12 73
26 75
2 00
109
14 29
14 73
0 20
1 63
1 09
5 71
0 57
0 92
015
0 40
0 55
12 25
2 50
2 55
31 43
6 54
1 40
3 27
8 75
2 50
3 27
2 86
4 42
0 20
313
0 36
1 14
1 81
0 04
0 38
0 50
1 71
0 27
018
0 25
0 12
freshwater dnjm
15 00
7 20
22 91
16 63
0 50
0 73
1 14
1212
Total number per hour
Number of species/hybnds
111 00
13/0
92 60
24/1
160 91
29/0
198 63
33/2
228 50
19/3
105 82
18/1
117 14
153 88
44/3
23
Table 15. Species ranked by relative abundance in number offish collected per hour for 1998.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings
by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
1 (25.1)
1 (31.2)
1 (32.9)
2 (25.4)
2(19.2)
2(18.0)
threadfin shad
10(2.2)
11(1.6)
Cyprinidae
bullhead minnow
5(3.3)
9(1.7)
bluntnose minnow
8(1.1)
5(4.8)
3(12.2)
common carp
4 (9.5)
2(15.1)
7 (4.6)
6(3.8)
8 (3.4)
emerald shiner
2 (16.4)
1 (47.9)
1 (40.5)
5 (4.9)
spotfin shiner
6(3.1)
3(11.7)
spottail shiner
14(1.1)
4(3.7)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
8 (3.9)
8 (2.0)
10(3.1)
quillback
7(1.3)
river carpsucker
15(1.1)
smallmouth buffalo
6(3.8)
5(5.7)
3 (7.4)
4(5.2)
7(3.9)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
5(8.9)
7 (2.8)
13(1.2)
9 (2.4)
flathead catfish
9 (2.4)
12(1.1)
Cyprinodontidae
blackstripe topminnow
9 (2.4)
Percichthyidae
white bass
7 (6.5)
4(13.1)
6(5.5)
10(1.4)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
10(1.2)
9(3.4)
bluegill
3(11.2)
5(7.9)
2(13.5)
3(12.2)
bluegill x green sunfish
16(0.8)
5 (4.9)
green sunfish
4 (6.2)
8(1.1)
8 (2.4)
1 (26.8)
largemouth bass
11(1.5)
8 (2.0)
8 (4.4)
8(1.1)
7(3.1)
9 (2.4)
orangespotted sunfish
11(1.6)
smallmouth bass
12(1.5)
Percidae
sauger
10(1.2)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
6 (7.8)
3(14.2)
3 (8.4)
Number of fishes
accounting for 95%
11
12
16
10
10
12
24
Mississippi River. Of these fishes, 25, 278 individuals were collected from the Illinois
WatenA/ay sites, and 643 were collected from Brickhouse Slough of the Mississippi
River. These results are similar to the first five years of F-101-R (1989-1993), when
60 species of fishes were collected representing 12 families (Lerczak et al. 1995;
25). The year with the greatest overall catch of fishes was 1 995 (7941 individuals,
CPUEn 325) (Table 8) and the year with the fewest overall catch of fishes was 1994
(3421 individuals, CPUEn 131) (Table 6).
For all stations combined, the greatest number of species were collected in
1995 (48 species plus 3 hybrids) and the least were in 1997 (38 species plus 4
hybrids) (Tables 8 and 12, respectively). The number of species collected from
upper waterway reaches ranged from 12 for Starved Rock in 1996 (Table 10) to 24
for Marseilles in 1995 (Table 8). The number of species collected from middle river
reaches ranged from 23 for La Grange Reach in 1997 (Table 12) to 34 for Peoria
Reach in 1996 (Table 10). The number of species collected from the lower river
(Alton Reach) ranged from 18 in 1994 (Table 6) to 25 (Table 8) in 1995. The Peoria
Reach consistantly had highest species richness during all years (1994-1998) of
sampling.
Rankings by Relative Abundance. Rankings by relative abundance in
number of fish collected per hour highlight the consistent dominance by gizzard shad
during all years except 1994, when small cyprinids (emerald shiner and bluntnose
minnow) and bluegill were most numerous (Tables 7,9,11,13, and 1 5). Gizzard
25
shad ranked first in numerical abundance in La Grange, Peoria, and Marseilles
reaches in 1995, all reaches in 1996, La Grange and Peoria reaches in 1997, and
Alton, La Grange and Peoria reaches in 1998 (Tables 9, 11, 13, and 15). Other
numerically important species have included bluntnose minnow, bullhead minnow,
emerald shiner, bluegill, and green sunfish. Bluntnose minnow ranked first in
numerical abundance in Dresden Reach in 1994 and 1997 (Tables 7 and 13).
Bullhead minnow ranked first in numerical abundance in Dresden Reach in 1995
(Table 9). Emerald shiner ranked first in numerical abundance in Starved Rock and
Marseilles reaches during all years of this project except 1996 (Tables 7, 9, 13, and
15). Bluegill ranked first in numerical abundance in Alton, La Grange, and Peoria
reaches in 1994 and in Alton Reach in 1995 and 1997 (Tables 7, 9, and 13). Green
sunfish ranked first in numerical abundance in Dresden Reach in 1998 (Table 15).
CPUEm of Five Most Numerically Abundant Species. Catch rates in
numbers of individuals collected per hour by electrofishing for the top five most
numerically abundant species are shown in Figures 2 through 6 for the lower, middle,
and upper Illinois watenA/ay reaches. For gizzard shad, a similar trend was noticed in
all three river sections (Figure 2). Lowest gizzard shad CPUEn occurred in 1994 in
all sections, and was highest in 1995 (lower and upper river) and 1996 (middle river),
prior to a decline in CPUEn in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Overall, catches of gizzard
shad have been much higher in the middle and upper river than in the lower river.
Catches of common carp have been highest (CPUEn 15-20) in the middle Illinois
26
gizzard shad
1998
lower river middle river upper river
Figure 2. Catch per hour of gizzard shad from 1 994 through 1 998 in the lower (Alton
Reach), middle (La Grange and Peoria reaches), and upper (Starved Rock, Marseilles,
and Dresden reaches) Illinois River watenway.
27
common carp
1998
lower river middle river upper river
Figure 3. Catch per hour of common carp from 1994 through 1998 in the lower (Alton
Reach), middle (La Grange and Peoria reaches), and upper (Starved Rock, Marseilles,
and Dresden reaches) Illinois River waterway.
28
emerald shiner
200
1998
lower river middle river upper river
Figure 4. Catch per hour of emerald shiner from 1 994 through 1 998 in the lower (Alton
Reach), middle (La Grange and Peoria reaches), and upper (Starved Rock, Marseilles,
and Dresden reaches) Illinois River waterway.
29
bluegill
1998
lower river middle river upper river
Figure 5. Catch per hour of bluegill from 1994 through 1998 in the lower (Alton
Reach), middle (La Grange and Peoria reaches), and upper (Starved Rock, Marseilles,
and Dresden reaches) Illinois River watenway.
30
freshwater drum
1998
lower river middle river upper river
Figure 6. Catch per hour of freshwater drum from 1 994 through 1 998 in the lower (Alton
Reach), middle (La Grange and Peoria reaches), and upper (Starved Rock, Marseilles,
and Dresden reaches) Illinois River waten/vay.
31
River reaches (Figure 3). Far fewer common carp have been taken in the upper
river, where CPUEn has been consistantly low during the five years of this project;
only 5 common carp per hour or less have been collected from 1994 through 1998.
Catches of emerald shiner have typically been less than CPUEn 50 except in the
upper river reaches in 1995, when average CPUEn was 165 (Figure 4). Catches of
bluegill in all three river sections have shown similar trends over the five years of this
study (Figure 5). Bluegill CPUE^ was highest in 1995 (CPUE^ 40-46) and has
exhibited an annual cyclical pattern in population size. This pattern appears to be
consistant throughout the entire waterway. Catches of freshwater drum have been
highest in the middle river reaches (CPUE^ 12-23) (Figure 6). Collections in the
lower river have ranged from CPUEn 5-12, and in the upper river have been
extremely low by comparison, with CPUE^ <1 during all years of this project.
D. Catch Rates in Weights (pounds) Collected per Hour by Reach.
Catch rates in pounds offish collected per hour (CPUEw) were also examined
to provide an estimation offish biomass and production of each Illinois River reach.
Overall, CPUEw ranged from 48 pounds per hour in 1995 to 74 pounds per hour in
1997 (Tables 16-25). La Grange Reach has consistantly provided the highest
catches in weight (CPUEw 81-108) except in 1997, when average hourly collections
from Peoria Reach were 114 pounds (Table 22). Lowest catches in weight each
year have typically come from Starved Rock (CPUEw 1 1-32) and Marseilles (CPUE^
32
Table 16 Pounds of each fish
Waterway In 1994 Pounds pei
species collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEv\
hour less than 0 01 are indicated by 0.(
; reaches of the Illinois River
Reach and Hours Fished
Starved
Overall
Alton
La Grange
Peona
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
CPUE
Species
5,00
850
695
2.00
2.50
2,00
2695
Lepisosteidae
shortnose gar
0 04
0.01
Amiidae
bowfin
0.44
0.08
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
099
1 49
0 74
1,85
1,75
1,98
1 29
shipiack herring
024
0.02
0.06
threadfin shad
0,01
002
0.01
Hiodontidae
goldeye
0.05
Oil
0 04
Cypnnidae
bluntnose minnow
000
0 06
021
002
bullhead minnow
0.00
0 00
002
0 00
002
0 00
carp X goldfish
0 86
438
0 40
common carp
21 91
47.95
12 30
9 14
5 46
2097
2510
emerald shiner
0.00
000
003
0.07
010
007
003
golden shiner
0 00
005
000
goldfish
0,12
015
008
minnow (unid )
0 00
0 00
0,00
000
red shiner
0 00
0.00
000
000
sand shiner
001
001
0.00
silverchub
002
0.01
spottail shiner
000
001
0 10
001
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
4.37
18 50
12,36
9.83
golden redhorse
0,00
0,35
022
0,61
0,52
020
highfin carpsucker
037
0.03
northern hog sucker
0,02
000
quillback
0 17
004
river carpsucker
016
4 14
038
1 37
0,85
1 34
shorthead redhorse
064
1 27
0 03
053
smallmouth buffalo
1 05
3 18
5 15
12 11
326
3 73
Ictalundae
channel catfish
18.59
7 11
248
4 51
1,27
6 78
flathead catfish
056
1,44
0,44
4,35
099
yellow bullhead
0.17
003
Atherinidae
brook silverside
0,00
000
Percichthyidae
white bass
041
1,56
1 23
0 47
0 46
0.96
Centrarchidae
black crappie
240
367
0 30
0,38
1.71
bluegill
270
1 90
2,20
003
054
0,77
178
bluegill X green sunfish
0 19
000
005
green sunfish
0 04
0,04
1,23
006
017
0,36
038
largemouth bass
6 43
553
302
021
4 20
0,21
4 14
orangespotted sunfish
0,00
001
000
001
0 00
pumpkinseed
0,06
000
rock bass
0 18
0 01
smallmouth bass
0 00
0,02
007
0,11
0,80
008
warmouth
005
0,01
0.01
white crappie
0,33
0 12
0.14
Percidae
sauger
0.03
0,14
012
0.08
slenderhead darter
0,00
000
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
228
1 29
2 15
066
0.88
1.51
Total pounds per hour
62.42
95 17
5056
2950
2095
37 24
61.52
33
Table 17. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish collected per hour for 1994.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
9(1.6)
11(1.4)
4 (6.3)
4 (8.4)
4 (5.3)
Cyprinidae
carp X goldfish
7(4.1)
2(11.8)
common carp
1 (35.1)
1 (50.4)
2 (24.3)
2(31.0)
1 (26.1)
1 (56.3)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
4(7.0)
2(19.4)
1 (24.4)
golden redhorse
9 (2.9)
9(1.4)
river carpsucker
4(8.2)
4 (6.5)
6 (2.3)
shorthead redhorse
9 (2.5)
smallmouth buffalo
8(1.7)
6(3.3)
3(10.2)
1 (41.1)
3(15.6)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
2 (29.8)
3(7.5)
6 (4.9)
3(15.3)
6(6.1)
flathead catfish
3(11.7)
Percichthyidae
white bass
8(1.7)
10(2 4)
5(1.6)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
6(3,8)
5(3.9)
bluegill
5 (4.3)
7 (2.0)
7 (4.4)
10(2.6)
8(2.1)
green sunfish
10(2.4)
largemouth bass
3(10.3)
4 (5.8)
5 (6.0)
2(20.0)
smallmouth bass
7(2.1)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
7(3.7)
8(4.3)
8(3.2)
5 (2.4)
Numbers of fishes
accounting for 95%
8
9
12
5
10
9
34
Table 18 Pounds of each fish species collected per fiour of electrofishing (CPUEw
Waterway in 1 995 Pounds per fiour less man 0 01 are indicated by 0 00
( reacfies of tfie lllin
Reacti and Hours Fistied
Starved
Ailon La Grange Peona Rock
5 00 5 50 7 00 2 00
Lepisosteidae
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack hemng
0.16
2 42
carp X goldfish
golden shiner
goldfish
grass carp
red shiner
sand shiner
silverchub
spottail shiner
suckermouth minnow
Calostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
black buffalo
golden redhorse
nver carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
quillback
Ictalundae
black bullhead
channel catfish
flathead catfish
yellow bullhead
Cyphnodontidae
blackstnpe topminov.
Poealiidae
mosquitofish
Athennidae
brook silverside
Percichthyidae
6 63
47 84
734
1 79
001
0 02
0 03
1 39
0 00
003
001
013
1 24
000
0 00
0 00
0 00
0 01
0 02
004
1827 1129
)53 147
0 10
0 36
004
0 09
044
0 05
1 12
0 09
0 02
000
7 47
11 51
16 37
0 16
0 02
015
000
0 02
0 01
0 04
0 28
0 00
0 00
Oil
0 02
0 02
0 00
000
0 02
0 01
001
0 00
8 62
0 14
0 05
0 06
0 02
0 60
0,69
050
0 16
1 47
0 55
3 29
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunfish
pumpkinseed
redear sunfish
logperch
sauger
walleye
Sdaenidae
0 16
0 01
0 32
freshwater drum
0 86
0 88
1 70
Oil
0 89
Total pounds per hour
51 05
83 01
39 49
1934
18 79
34 65
47 61
35
Table 19. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish collected per hour for 1995.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
9(2.1)
10(1.8)
6(7.1)
2 (27.4)
2(17.9)
4(8.9)
Cyprinidae
carp X goldfish
8(3.2)
common carp
3(13.0)
1 (57.6)
2 (18.6)
3(9.3)
1 (39.8)
1 (33.2)
emerald shiner
4(7 2)
9(0.9)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
1 (35.8)
2(13.6)
1 (19.32)
river carpsucker
8(5.0)
5(3.2)
7(3.2)
shorthead redhorse
8(2.7)
smallmouth buffalo
5 (4.3)
5(3,5)
3(11.1)
1 (43 5)
4(7.8)
10(1,6)
quillback
6(2 3)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
2(17.4)
8(2.3)
10(4.1)
5 (4.8)
flathead catfish
9(1.8)
2(17.8)
Percichthyidae
white bass
7(3.3)
4(3.8)
7(7.0)
7(1.3)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
8(2.6)
6(3.1)
11(2.8)
bluegill
6(3.6)
7(2.5)
5(7.2)
6 (4.7)
9(3.1)
green sunfish
12(2.2)
7(3.9)
largemouth bass
4(12.2)
3(5.8)
4(7.6)
3(13.6)
3(15.0)
rock bass
5 (4.8)
smallmouth bass
6 (4.7)
white crappie
8(1.2)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
10(1.7)
9 (4.3)
Numbers of fishes
accounting for 95%
10
10
12
8
9
10
36
Table 20 Pounds of each fish
Waterway In 1996 Pounds pei
species collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEw) at
hour less than 0 01 are indicated by 0.00
< reaches of the Illinois River
Reach and Hours Fished
Species
Alton
5 00
Starved
La Grange Peoria Rock Marseilles
5,50 7.00 200 225
Overall
Dresden CPUE
2 00 24 75
Lepisosteidae
shortnose gar
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack herring
threadfin shad
Cyprinidae
bluntnose minnow
bullhead minnow
carp X goldfish
common carp
emerald shiner
fathead minnow
golden shiner
goldfish
grass carp
red shiner
silverband shiner
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
golden redhorse
nver carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
Ictalutidae
black bullhead
channel catfish
fathead catfish
yellow bullhead
Cypnnodontidae
blackstripe topminnow
Athennidae
brook silverside
Percichthyidae
white bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunfish
rock bass
smallmouth bass
warmouth
white crappie
Percidae
logperch
mud darter
sauger
walleye
Sciaenidae
0.54
248
377
009
0.17
0.05
0.02
0.04
0.03
1571
71 15
1405
4 93
001
0.03
004
000
0.04
0.01
0-02
002
009
1.30
0.02
0.00
000
001
661
15.86
11.29
0.05
009
0 10
1.25
0.72
065
056
025
3.38
2.21
5.81
8.97
0.00
0.08
1906
5 32
1.57
0.54
0 65
014
0.00
0.00
0.06
0.00
2 09
294
3 88
1 10
1.39
0.72
0.79
058
1.17
0.02
005
0 01
0.01
0.48
5.75
1.92
3.75
1 01
000
0.09
003
0.53
0.09
0.02
0 03
001
0.16
000
0.00
0 01
0.14
003
001
1 54
273
232
0 07
001
0 02
001
000
000
070
1 79
021
865
14 74
2534
0.00
005
0 03
000
0.01
001
0.34
0 06
0 26
0 01
001
000
0.01
002
0 00
262
0.48
833
0 01
008
046
0 38
0.17
0.37
419
0.07
3.93
002
1.25
1.00
571
018
0 14
0.01
0 73
044
0,96
074
0.01
0 30
016
297
2 11
3.17
007
0 10
004
0 16
0.51
006
0 05
0,03
025
008
0.00
0.00
0.04
000
freshwater drum
0,83
262
1.67
1.26
0.85
1.40
Total pounds per hour
5874
10800
5046
1967
24 57
2639
56.09
37
Table 2 1 . Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds of fish collected per hour for 1 996.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings
by Reach
Stan/ed
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
6(2.3)
5 (7.5)
3(14,6)
5(6,3)
2(10.4)
Cyprinidae
carp X goldfish
7 (2,8)
4 (6.8)
common carp
2 (26.7)
1 (65.9)
1 (27.9)
2(25.1)
1 (35,2)
1 (55.9)
grass carp
7 (2.2)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
3(11.3)
2(14.7)
2 (22.4)
4(10,7)
9(1.8)
river carpsucker
9(2.5)
5 (3.7)
smallmouth buffalo
5 (5.8)
3(11.5)
1 (45.6)
2(17.0)
ictaluridae
channel catfish
1 (32.5)
3 (4.9)
8(3.1)
6(5.1)
5(3.8)
Percichthyidae
white bass
6 (3.6)
5(2.7)
4 (7.7)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
8(1.9)
bluegill
4(3.7)
10(2,3)
6 (3.7)
largemouth bass
4(9.8)
6 (7.4)
4(5.1)
3(12.1)
3 (8.0)
rock bass
8(1.9)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
9(1.4)
7(3.3)
6(5,1)
7(3.2)
Number of fishes
accounting for 95%
9
6
10
5
8
9
38
Table 22 Pounds of each fish species collected per hour of electrofishing (CPUEw) at six reaches of the Illinois River
Waterway in 1997, Pounds per hour less than 0.01 are indicated by 0 00.
Reach and Hours Fished
Starved
Overall
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
CPUE
Species
5 00
5 50
7.25
200
225
200
2500
Amiidae
0.00
bowfin
0.77
015
Clupeidae
0,00
gizzard shad
0.56
1.21
2.03
1 32
0 90
1 06
1 24
skipjack herring
0.19
0.10
0.05
0 05
0 08
threadfin shad
0,00
0 03
0 00
Cyprinidae
0 00
bluntnose minnow
0 05
0 02
0 33
0 03
bullhead minnow
0.01
001
0 01
0 00
central stoneroller
001
000
0 02
000
common carp
2969
41 83
27.13
9 94
13 82
25 01
common carp x goldfish
0.20
006
emerald shiner
0 07
0.03
0.09
017
0 20
0 04
008
golden shiner
000
000
003
0 00
goldfish
0.01
0 47
004
grass carp
3.19
0 93
red shiner
0.01
0.00
0 04
012
002
silver chub
0 00
0.00
0,00
spottail shiner
0.01
001
0 00
0,00
Catostomidae
0.00
bigmouth buffalo
3089
1820
4049
21.93
golden redhorse
0.09
004
018
0,25
0.07
river carpsucker
000
0.06
1.34
0 49
0.45
shorthead redhorse
0 01
0.16
0.88
005
007
030
smallmouth buffalo
4.52
3.75
13.29
7.69
2 09
2 96
662
Ictaluridae
0.00
channel catfish
12.39
5.41
2.94
0.91
3 10
1 73
5.01
flathead catfish
3.08
0.14
0.30
1 90
0.89
freckled madtom
0.00
0.00
tadpole madtom
0 00
0.00
Percichthyidae
0,00
striped bass x white bass
0.61
013
white bass
2 91
399
816
3 83
Centrarchidae
000
black crappie
1.59
1 37
1.94
017
0.07
096
1 28
bluegill
0.27
1 40
1.85
0.02
0 50
1 61
1 07
bluegill x green sunfish
0.01
0.01
001
029
0 03
green sunfish
0 01
002
0.28
0.01
013
070
016
green x orangespotted sunfish
002
000
largemouth bass
2 64
1.22
6.10
0.63
1.00
294
2,94
longear sunfish
0.05
000
orangespotted sunfish
000
0.01
0.09
0 01
0 03
pumpkinseed
0.00
000
rock bass
040
003
smallmouth bass
0.08
0.07
0 46
025
010
white crappie
0.57
0.46
023
0.31
0 31
Percidae
000
logperch
0.00
0,00
sauger
0 04
001
001
Sciaenidae
000
freshwater drum
1.38
1 12
3.40
076
1,58
Total pounds per hour
91 65
81 24
114 17
11 06
20 37
29.84
74,42
39
Table 23. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds of fish collected per hour for 1 997.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
Rankings
by Reach
Stan/ed
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
8(1.5)
9(1.8)
2(11.9)
5(4.4)
6(3.5)
Cyprinidae
connmon carp
2 (32.4)
1 (51.5)
2 (23.8)
1 (48.8)
1 (46.3)
goldfish
9(1.6)
grass carp
7 (2.8)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
1 (33.7)
2 (22.4)
1 (35.5)
river carpsucker
7 (2.4)
smallmouth buffalo
4 (4.9)
5 (4.6)
3(11.6)
1 (69.5)
3(10.3)
2 (9.9)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
3(13 5)
3 (6.7)
8(2.6)
3(8.2)
2(15.2)
4(5.8)
flathead catfish
5 (3.6)
3 (6.4)
Percichthyidae
white bass
6(3.2)
4 (4.9)
4(7.1)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
8(1.7)
7(1.7)
10(1.7)
7(3.2)
bluegill
6(1.7)
7 (2.4)
5 (5.4)
green sunfish
8(2.3)
largemouth bass
7(2.9)
8(1.5)
5(5.4)
4 (5.7)
4 (4.9)
2(9.9)
smallmouth bass
8 (2.2)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
6(3.0)
6(3.7)
Number of fishes
accounting for 95%
8
9
10
4
9
10
40
Table 24, Pounds of each fish species collected
Waterway in 1998 Pounds per hour less than 0
per hour of eleclrofishing (CPUEw) ■
01 are indicated by 0 00
; reaches of the Illinois River
Reach and Hours Fished
Starved
Overall
Alton
La Grange
Peona
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
CPUEw
Species
5 00
5 50
8 00
2 00
2 75
1 75
26 00
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
0 31
1 27
2 51
1 68
2 20
2 16
161
skipjack hernng
001
001
005
0 01
threadfin shad
0 02
001
0 02
0.01
Hiodontidae
goldeye
0 13
0.03
Cypnnidae
bullhead minnow
0 00
0 00
001
0 00
0 00
0 00
bluntnose minnow
0 00
0 00
001
0 02
0 02
0 00
common carp
21 95
50 25
18 28
2 29
13 10
11 11
2273
common carp x goldfish
0 33
0 10
emerald shiner
0 02
0 00
001
0 35
0 17
0 02
0 05
golden shiner
0 05
0 00
goldfsh
0 05
0 06
0.03
grass carp
0 29
1 80
0.61
red shiner
000
0 00
0.00
sand shiner
0 00
0.00
silver chub
0 00
0.00
silverband shiner
0 00
0 00
0.00
spotfin shiner
0 00
0 02
0 05
0 01
spottail shiner
0 01
0 03
0 00
0 01
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
1024
12,75
17 97
10 19
black buffalo
0 13
0 35
0 14
golden redhorse
0 20
0 36
0 71
0 48
0 20
quillback
0 28
2 32
0 29
0 26
nver carpsucker
0 41
0 47
2 13
0 40
0 88
shorthead redhorse
0 34
0 40
0 20
smallmouth buffalo
0 93
4 69
11 15
19 90
6 76
7 57
7 36
white sucker
001
0 00
Ictalundae
channel catfish
8 87
5 26
2 80
210
0 29
4 94
4 21
flathead catfish
1 47
280
4 80
235
Cypnnodontidae
blackstnpe topminnow
000
0 01
000
Poeciliidae
mosquitofish
0 00
0.00
Percichthyidae
white bass
2 42
3 70
4 1 1
0 64
0 22
258
yellow bass
001
000
Centrarchidae
black crappie
001
0 42
2 14
0 69
0 28
0 83
bluegill
0 14
0 51
1 49
0 08
0 10
0 59
0 65
bluegill X green sunf sh
0 00
0 14
0 46
0 08
bluegill X orangespotted sunfish
0 01
0 01
0 00
green sunfish
0 00
0 00
0 55
0 06
0 11
1 40
0 28
largemouth bass
0 46
1 49
4 94
1 62
1 33
0 39
2 22
orangespotted sunfish
0 00
0 04
0 02
001
pumpKinseed
0 02
0 00
smallmouth bass
000
001
0 03
0,00
warmouth
0 03
001
001
white crappie
003
0 35
0 11
Percidae
mud darter
0 00
0,00
sauger
0 02
0 15
006
0,05
slenderhead darter
0 00
0 00
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
0 75
3 71
2 84
015
0 11
2 47
1 99
Total pounds per hour
48 31
88 52
79 48
32 32
25 88
32 03
59 85
41
Table 25. Species ranked by relative abundance in pounds offish collected per hour for 1998.
Species were added to the list in descending order of abundance until 95% of the total catch
for that reach was obtained. Percentages are in parentheses.
Rankings
by Reach
Starved
Species
Alton
La Grange
Peoria
Rock
Marseilles
Dresden
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
9(3.2)
5(5.2)
3(8.5)
5 (6.7)
Cyprinidae
common carp
1 (45.4)
1 (56.8)
1 (23.0)
3(7.1)
1 (50.6)
1 (34.7)
grass carp
12(2.3)
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
2(21.2)
2(14.4)
2 (22.6)
golden redhorse
5(2.7)
8(1.5)
quillback
2(7.2)
river carpsucker
11(2.7)
6(1.5)
smallmouth buffalo
6(1.9)
4 (5.3)
3(14 0)
1 (61.6)
2(26.1)
2 (23.6)
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
3(18.4)
3(5.9)
8(3.5)
4 (6.5)
7(1.1)
3(15.4)
flathead catfish
5 (3.0)
7(3.2)
5(6.0)
Percichthyidae
white bass
4(5.0)
6 (4.2)
6(5.2)
Centrarchidae
black crappie
10(2.7)
7(2.1)
bluegill
7(1.9)
green sunfish
6 (4.4)
largemouth bass
8(1.7)
4 (6.2)
6(5.0)
4(5.1)
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
5 (4.2)
7(3.6)
4 (7.7)
Number of fishes
accounting for 95%
6
8
12
7
7
8
42
19-26) reaches of the upper river.
In the following data summary, discussion is restricted to species that each
separately accounted for over 10% of the total catch and to species that were of
special significance. A 95% list was produced for each reach, in which species were
ranked by relative abundance (pounds per hour) and added to the list until 95% of
the total catch rate for that reach was obtained. Overall, these data indicate that in
terms of weight the fish communities of the Illinois River continue to be dominated by
common carp, bigmouth buffalo, and channel catfish in the lower and middle river,
and common carp, smallmouth buffalo, gizzard shad, channel catfish, and
largemouth bass in the upper watenway. Common carp ranked first by relative
abundance in pounds offish collected per hour in Alton, La Grange, Marseilles, and
Dresden reaches in 1994; La Grange, Marseilles, and Dresden reaches in 1995; La
Grange, Peoria, Marseilles, and Dresden reaches in 1996; La Grange, Marseilles,
and Dresden reaches in 1997; and Alton, La Grange, Peoria, Marseilles, and
Dresden reaches in 1998 (Tables 17, 19, 21, 23, and 15). Bigmouth buffalo ranked
first by relative abundance in pounds offish collected per hour in Peoria Reach in
1994 and in Alton and Peoria reaches in 1995 and in 1997 (Tables 17, 19, and 23).
Channel catfish ranked first by relative abundance in pounds offish collected per
hour in Alton Reach in 1996 (Table 21). Smallmouth buffalo ranked first by relative
abundance in pounds offish collected per hour in Starved Rock Reach during all five
years of this project (1994-1998).
43
E. Details of 1998 Sampling
In 1998 we collected a total of 4,001 fish representing 44 species (plus three hybrids)
from eleven families during 26.00 h of sampling at 26 sites on the Illinois Waterway
and a single site on the Mississippi River (Appendices B-E). Gizzard shad was the
most abundantly collected species, representing 29.0% of the total catch, followed by
emerald shiner (1 1.2%), bluegill (9.6%), freshwater drum (7.9%), common carp
(6.9%), and white bass (6.2%). Gizzard shad were collected at all 27 sites and
common carp and bluegill were collected at 26 sites. The sample from Lambie's
Boat Harbor (RM170.3, Peoria Reach) yielded the most fish (389, 9.7% of the total
collected from all 27 sites). The most species collected at a single site was 23 from
Chillicothe (RM 180.6) in Peoria Reach. The fewest species collected at a single site
was seven from Johnson Island (RM 249.6) in Marseilles Reach.
CONCLUSIONS
Our electrofishing collections on the Illinois River Waterway during August and
September 1994-1998 documented the continuing recovery of the system's
biological integrity. Once dominated by introduced and relatively pollution tolerant
species such as common carp and goldfish (Lerczak and Sparks 1994), the Illinois
River now supports a diverse assemblage of fishes, many of which support
economically important sport fisheries. Ninety-four species and six hybrids have
been collected since William Starrett began this survey in 1957. Seventy species
44
and four hybrids have been documented by project F-101-R sampling (1989-
present); 44 species and three hybrids from eleven families were collected during
26.00 h of sampling in 1998. One species, the freckled madtom (a single specimen),
was collected for the first time during project F-101-R sampling along the waterway; it
was taken at Sugar Creek Island on La Grange Reach (middle river) in 1997. Also
not collected previously was a green sunfish x orangespotted sunfish hybrid, found at
the Lower Twin Sister site (RM 202.8) in 1997. We continue to document the
relatively low abundance of common carp in Starved Rock Reach; this species has
ranked extremely low in terms of catch rate in numbers in Marseilles and Dresden
Reaches for several years. Goldfish, which were abundant in our samples in 1989
(82 individuals were collected) occurred only infrequently at sites in 1997 and 1998
(5 individuals were collected each year). Small minnow species, such as bluntnose
minnow, bullhead minnow, emerald shiner, and red shiner, were extremely low in
abundance in the upper watenway in 1996. However, sampling in 1997 and 1998
indicates these species are once again numerous in these reaches.
We noticed a high degree of variability in species richness among sites and
also among river reaches. Some of this variability can be explained by sampling
duration (site comparisons) or the number of sites sampled (reach comparisons), but
there is also evidence some of our sites are inherently lower in species richness than
others. For example, at most sites we have collected an average of 14-16 species
during the ten years of project F-101-R sampling. However, at Hennipin (RM 207.6),
45
Pekin (RM 155.1), and Turkey Island (RM 148.0) the average has been 11 species
(Appendix F). It also should be noted from Appendix F that low numbers of species
typically occurred at sites following the drought years of the late 1980s (1989 and
1990), while high species richness at sites typically occurred following a high water
year (1995). In 1998, the greatest number of species (39) was collected from Peoria
Reach and the fewest species (14) were collected from Starved Rock Reach
(Appendices D and E). The high richness of Peoria Reach is likely due, in part, to its
position along the waterway which includes the Great Bend (above Hennepin) of the
Illinois River. This reach represents a transition from a river which is constricted,
lacks contiguous backwaters, and is high in gradient (upper river) to a large river
floodplain system with low gradient (lower river) (Sparks 1977); species typical of
both the upper and lower waterway have been collected and are common in Peoria
Reach.
The total weight of fishes collected 1994-1998 was also highest in Peoria
Reach, where CPUEw was 1 14.14 (Table 8). Species accounting for this high catch
in weight were bigmouth buffalo, common carp, smallmouth buffalo, and white bass.
Catch in weight was also high in La Grange and Alton Reaches. For example, of
1,860 pounds offish collected during our 1997 survey, 1,732 pounds (93%) were
collected from the lower and middle river, and only 128 pounds (7%) were collected
from the upper river. These catches reflect the high productivity of the lower and
middle Illinois River floodplain ecosystem.
46
Sportfishes were collected throughout the waterway in during all five years of
this project (1994-1998), although catch rate in number and weight varied among
reaches. For channel catfish, we collected more individuals and pounds per hour in
the Alton Reach (lower river) than in the middle or upper river reaches (Tables 6-15).
The white bass, however, were most abundant and provided the highest CPUEw in
the middle river; CPUEm was typically highest in La Grange Reach. Centrarchids
such as black crappie were most abundant in the middle river reaches. Bluegill
CPUEn was greatest in the upper watenway, although CPUEwwas typically highest
in Peoria Reach of the middle river. Largemouth bass CPUEn has been greatest in
Peoria Reach of the middle river. As in previous years of project F-101-R sampling,
we collected only low numbers of smallmouth bass and sauger from the Illinois River
Waten/vay, probably due to the locations of our sites, mostly in relatively shallow side
channels behind islands.
47
LITERATURE CITED
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Illinois River fish population monitoring program (F-101-R-8). Annual Report to the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Aquatic Ecology Technical Report 97/14.
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48
Pflieger, W.L. 1975. The fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation.
343 pp.
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W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States
and Canada. Special Publication number 20. American Fisheries Society,
Bethesda, MD.
Sparks, R.E. 1977. Environmental inventory and assessment of navigation pools
24, 25, and 26, Upper Mississippi and lower Illinois Rivers: an electrofishing survey
of the Illinois River, Special Report No. 5 Water Resources Center, University of
Illinois, Urbana. 82 pp.
Sparks, R.E. and W.C. Starrett. 1975. An electrofishing survey of the Illinois River,
1959-1974. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 31:317-380.
Sparks, R.E. and T.V. Lerczak. 1993. Recent trends in the Illinois River indicated
by fish populations. Aquatic Ecology Technical Report 93/16. Illinois Natural History
Survey, Champaign. 34 pp.
49
APPENDIX A. Fish species collected during Long-term Resource Monitoring of the Illinois Waterway,
1957-1998. Cotmon names marked by an asterisk indicate species that were collected from 1989 through
1998 during federal aid project F-101-R. Common and scientific names are from Robins et al. (1991).
Habitat associations are based on behavioral descriptions from Pflieger (1975) and coninuni cat ions with
INHS fisheries biologists.
Fami ly Name
Common Name
Scientific Name
(B
Habitat Association
benthic, blank = pelagic)
Lepisosteidae
Hiodontidae
Angui I lidae
Clupeidae
Longnose gar"
shortnose gar
spotted gar*
goldeye*
mooneye*
American eel
gizzard shad*
skipjack herring*
threadfin shad*
bigmouth shiner*
bluntnose minnow'
bul Ihead minnow*
common carp*
common carp x
goldfish*
central stonerol
conmon shiner
creek chub
emerald shiner*
fathead minnow*
ghost shiner
golden shiner*
goldfish*
grass carp*
hornyhead chub
Mississippi si'
pugnose minnow
red shiner*
redfin shiner
ribbon shiner
river shiner*
sand shiner*
spotfin shiner
si Iver chub*
silverband shiner*
si Iver jaw minnow
spottail shiner*
steelcolor shiner
striped shiner
suckermouth minnow'
very minnow
NotroDis dorsal is
Pimeohales viqilax
Cvprinus carpi o x
Campostoma anomalum
Luxi lus cornutus
Semoti I us
Notropis
Pimephales promelas
Notropis buchanani
Notemiqonus crvsoleucas
Carassius auratus
Nocomis biquttatus
Hvboqnathus nuchal is
Opsopoeodus emi I iae
Cvprinel la lutrensis
Lvthr
umbrat i
Lvthrurus fumeus
Notropis blennius
Notropis stramineus
Cvprinel la spi loptera
Macrhvbopsis storeriana
Notropis shumardi
Notropis buccatus
Notropis hudsonius
Cvprinel I a whipplei
lux'tus chrvsocephalus
Phenacobius mirabi I is
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo*
black buffalo*
black redhorse
golden redhorse*
highfin carpsucker*
northern hog sucker*
qui I Iback*
river carpsucker*
river redhorse*
shorthead redhorse*
silver redhorse
smallmouth buffalo*
white sucker*
Ictiobus cvprinel lus
Ictiobus niqer
Moxostoma duquesnei
Moxostoma ervthrurum
Carpi odes velifer
Hvpentelium niqricans
Carpi odes gyprinus
Carpi odes ggrpiq
stoma
50
Appendix A. Continued.
Fami ly Name
Conmon Name
Habitat Association
(B = benthic, blank = pelagic)
Ictaluridae
Salmomdae
black bullhead*
blue catfish
brown bul I head*
channel catfish*
flathead catfish*
freckled madtom*
tadpole madtom
white catfish
ye I low bul I head*
grass pickerel*
northern pike
rainbow trout
Percopsidae trout-perch
Cyprinodontidae blackstripe topminnow*
Poeciliidae western mosqui tof ish*
Atherinidae brook silverside*
ichthyidae
Centrarchidae
Sciaenidae
striped bass
striped bass x
white bass*
white bass*
white perch*
yel low bass*
black crappie*
bluegi 1 1*
green sunfish*
green sunfish x
bluegi 1 1*
green sunfish x
orangespotted sunfish*
green sunfish x
pumpk i nseed
largemouth bass*
longear sunfish*
orangespotted sunfish*
orangespotted sunfish x
bluegi 1 1
pumpk i nseed*
redear sunfish*
rock bass*
smal Imcuth bass*
spotted sunfish*
warmouth*
white crappie*
bluntnose darter
johnny darter
logperch*
mud darter*
sauger*
slenderhead darter*
wal I eye*
yel low perch*
freshwater drum*
jrus me I as
Ictalurus furcatus
Ameiurus nebulosus
Ictalurus punctatus
Pvlodictis ol ivaris
Noturus nocturnus
Noturus qyrinus
Ameiurus catus
Ameiurus natal "
Pomo, _
crochi
Lepomis cvanel lus
Lepomis cvanel lus
Lepomi
Lepomis humi
Lepomis humi I is x
L. macrochirus
Lepomi s q i bbosus
Lepomis mj
EUte
pterus dol(
Lepomi s punct;
Lepomis gulosus
Pomox i s annularis
Etheostoma chloroson
Etheostoma nigrum
Percina caprodes
Etheostoma asprigene
Stizostedion canader
Percina phoxocephaU
Stizostedion vi treun
Perca f lavescens
51
APPENDIX B. Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected on the Mississippi River (Brickhouse Slough) and the lower
Illinois River (Alton Reach, RM 0-80) in 1998.
River Mile and Hours Fished
Miss, River
Lower Illinois River
0.0
Species 1.00
19.0
1 00
24.7 26.8 30.0
1.00 1.00 1.00
58.3
1.00
Total
5.00
Clupeidae
gizzard shad 33 10 44 26 23 15 118
threadfin shad 0 3 2 0 5 0 10
Cypnnidae
bullhead minnow -0 0 1 0 0 0 1
bluntnose minnow 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
common carp 4 10 1 5 15 13 44
golden shiner 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
emerald shiner 7 1 4 2 63 6 76
grass carp 0 0 0 10 0 1
red shiner 0 0 0 10 0 1
silverband shiner 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
spotfin shiner 0 0 10 0 0 1
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo 0 2 0 6 6 4 18
river carpsucker 3 0 0 0 0 1 1
smallmouth buffalo 0 0 3 0 11 5
Ictaluridae
channel catfish 5 4 9 7 15 6 41
flathead catfish 0 2 4 1 3 1 11
Cyprinodontidae
blackstripe topminnow 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Percichthyidae
white bass 6 7 8 5 9 1 30
yellow bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie 0 0 0 0 11 2
bluegill 15 7 18 . 3 12 12 52
bluegill X green sunfish 0 0 0 0 10 1
green sunfish 0 0 10 10 2
largemouth bass 1 3 2 0 11 7
orangespotted sunfish 19 0 0 0 1 0 1
Percidae
mud darter 0 0 0 10 0 1
sauger 1 10 0 0 0 1
Sciaenidae
freshvrater drum
15
3
9
5
13
6
36
Total individuals
Total species/hybrids
111
13/0
53
12/0
107
14/0
63
12/0
170
15/1
70
15/0
463
24/1
52
APPENDIX C Numbers of I
River (RM 80-231) in 1998
iduals of each fish species collected on La Grange Reach (RM 80-158) of the middle Illinois
Species
River Mile and Hours Fished
La Grange
Middle
Reach
River
86 5
95 1
107 1
1130
148 0
155 1
Total
Total
100
1 00
1 00
100
0 50
1 00
5 50
13 50
108
82
12
65
2
7
276
799
0
1
0
0
1
0
2
5
1
0
0
0
3
0
4
29
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipiack herring
threadfin shad
Hiodontidae
goldeye
Cyprinidae
bluntnose minnow
common carp
emerald shiner
goldfish
red shiner
silverband shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
black buffalo
quillback
river carpsucker
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
white sucker
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
flathead catfish
Percichthyidae
white bass
yellow bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
green sunfish
largemouth bass
warmouth
white crappie
Percidae
sauger
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
6
2
41
15
45
11
20
134
207
0
1
2
0
0
5
17
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
0
13
4
0
1
18
67
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
19
1
0
0
0
2
2
5
11
3
0
9
18
0
4
34
125
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
4
5
4
7
3
2
25
44
2
3
2
1
1
10
19
8
7
9
9
12
71
116
203
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
9
1
0
0
11
65
18
26
21
2
1
70
284
0
0
3
0
0
0
3
101
3
1
6
0
0
18
88
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
8
1
0
0
6
1
3
11
19
4
12
16
25
3
66
126
259
Total individuals
Total species/hybrids
131
16/0
214
15/0
41
11/0
885
29/0
2474
39/2
53
ollected on Peona Reach (RM 158-231) of the middle Illinois River (RM 80-231) in 1998
Species 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 8 00 13 50
Clupeidae
gizzard shad 32 187 20 53 27 6 155 43 523 799
skipiack hernng 0 0 0 110 10 3 5
threadfin shad 01008394 25 29
Cypnnidae
bullhead minnow 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 10
bluntnos
grass carp
silver chub
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
bigmouth buffalo
black buffalo
golden redhorse
shorthead redhorse
smallmouth buffalo
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
flathead catfish
Poeciliidae
mosquitofish
Percichthyidae
Centrarchidae
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfis
slenderhead darter
Sciaenidae
freshwater drum
Total individuals
Total species/hybrids
207
54
APPENDIX E Numbers of individuals of each fish species collected on Starved Rock, Mar
Illinois River waterway (RM 231-280) in 1998
iilles. and Dresden Reaches of the upper
Species
River Mile and Hours Fished
Starved Rock
Ma
rseilles
Dresden
Upper
Waterway
Total
240 8
1 00
241 5
1 00
248 0
100
249 6
075
260 6
100
277 3
0 75
279 8
100
6 50
29
0
8
87
7
4
12
0
0
13
25
0
5
0
19
0
0
25
0
0
3
12
0
22
209
21
44
Clupeidae
gizzard shad
skipjack herring
Cypnnidae
bullhead minnow
bluntnose minnow
common carp
emerald shiner
golden shiner
spotfin shiner
spottail shiner
Catostomidae
golden redhorse
quillback
river carpsucker
smallmouth buffalo
Ictaluridae
channel catfish
Cyprinodontidae
blackstripe topminnow
Percichthyidae
white bass
Centrarchidae
black crappie
bluegill
bluegill X green sunfish
bluegill X orangespotted sunfish
green sunfish
largemouth bass
orangespotted sunfish
pumpkinseed
smallmouth bass
Sciaenidae
0
6
12
32
2
10
0
SO
67
2
19
1
0
freshwater drum
0
1
1
0
1
2
0
5
Total individuals
Total species/hybrids
210
14/0
247
15/0
107
15/1
66
7/0
118
13/1
100
14/2
105
14/1
953
24/2
55
APPENDIX F. Species richness (S) at Long-term Illinois River Fish Population Monitoring (F-101-R) sites
Description
Site*
Reach
Low S (year)
High S (yearj_
Mean s'
Treats Island
279.8
3
11
1992)
19
1995)
15
Du Page River
277.3
3
12
1989 & 1992)
18
1994)
15
Waupecan Island
260.6
4
11
1996)
19
1989)
14
Johnson Island
249.6
4
6
1993)
16
1995)
12
Ballards Island
2480
4
10
1991)
19
1995)
15
Bulls Island Bend
241 5
5
8
1990)
18
1993)
14
Bulls Island
240.8
5
8
1990 & 1996)
16
1989)
12
Clark Island
215.3
6
11
1990)
21
1995)
15
Hennepin
207.6
6
2
1990)
20
1998)
11
Upper Twin Sister
203.3
6
8
1990)
17
1989,94,97)
14
Lower Twin Sister
202 8
6
7
1992)
16
1995 & 1998)
12
Henry Island
193.8
6
12
1991)
19
1996)
15
Chillicothe
180.6
6
14
1989.91,92,96)
22
1997)
16
Lambie's Boat Harbor
1703
6
9
1989)
20
1996)
16
Lower Peoria Lake
163.3
6
10
1989)
16
1996)
14
Pekin
155.1
7
6
1992)
16
1996)
11
Turkey Island
1480
7
9
1989 & 1997)
15
1990)
11
Upper Bath Chute
113,0
7
12
1994)
18
1989 & 1996)
15
Lower Bath Chute
107.0
7
9
1992)
18
1990)
15
Sugar Creek Island
95 1
7
10
1989)
19
1995)
14
Grape-Bar Islands
86,5
7
7
1989)
23
1994)
14
Big Blue Island
58.3
8
9
1990)
19
1995)
14
Crater-Willow Islands
30.0
8
12
1992 & 1994)
17
1989)
15
Hurricane Island
26.8
8
11
1990)
20
1997)
15
Dark Chute
24.7
8
11
1994)
17
1990)
14
Mortiand Island
190
8
11
1989)
16
1991 & 1997)
14
Brickhouse Slough
0.0
26
10
1990)
17
1991 & 1995)
15
Sites 0.0-215.3 were not sampled during 1993 (n=9 years) (sites 240.8-279.8 n=10 years).
56
Appendix G (Job 5). Publications, reports, and presentations which resulted from
research conducted during segments 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of project F-101-R, the Long-
term Illinois River Fish Population Monitoring Program (funded under Federal Aid in
Sportfish Restoration Act, P.L. 81-681, Dingell-Johnson, Wallop-Breaux).
I. Publications
Koel, T.M. 1998. Channel catfish {Ictalurus punctatus) in the Upper Mississippi
River System. Project Status Report 98-1 1 . U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental
Management Technical Center, Onalaska, Wisconsin.
Koel, T.M., R. Sparks, and R.E. Sparks. 1998. Channel catfish in the Upper
Mississippi River System. Survey Reports No. 353. Illinois Natural History Survey,
Champaign.
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. 1994. Some upstream-to-
downstream differences in Illinois River fish communities. Transactions of the Illinois
State Academy of Science 87(Supplement);53. (Abstract)
Lerczak, T.V. 1995. Fish community changes in the Illinois River, 1962-1994.
American Currents (Summer Issue).
Lerczak, T.V. 1995. The gizzard shad in nature's economy. Illinois Audubon.
(Summer Issue). Reprinted in Big River 2(12):1-3.
Lerczak, T.V. and R.E. Sparks. 1995. Fish populations in the Illinois River. Pages
7-9 in G.S. Farris, editor. Our living resources 1994. National Biological Survey,
Washington, D.C.
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett, 1995. Long-term trends (1959-1994)
in fish populations of the Illinois River. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of
Science 88(Supplement):74. (Abstract)
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. 1995. Long-term trends (1959-1994)
in fish populations of the Illinois River with emphasis on upstream-to-downstream
trends. Proceedings of the Mississippi River Research Consortium 27:62-63.
Lerczak, T.V. 1996. Illinois River fish communities: 1960s versus 1990s. Illinois
Natural History Survey Report No. 339.
Raibley, P.T., K.D. Blodgett, and R.E. Sparks. 1995. Evidence of grass carp
{Ctenopharyngodon idella) reproduction in the Illinois and upper Mississippi Rivers.
Journal of Freshwater Ecology 10:65-74.
57
Sparks, R.E. 1995. Value and need for ecosystem management of large rivers and
their floodplalns. Bloscience 45:168-182.
Sparks, R.E. 1995. Environmental effects. Pages 132-162 in S.A. Changnon,
editor. The great flood of 1993. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
(UCAR) and Westvlew Press.
II. Technical Papers (presenter In bold)
Koel, T.M. and R.E. Sparks. 1999. Interannual variation in catches of young-of-year
fish correlated with hydrology of the Upper Mississippi River System. 47'^ Annual
Meeting of the North American Benthologlcal Society, May 23-24, Duluth, Minnesota.
Koel, T.M. 1999. Changes In fish community structure: effects of hydrologlcal
variability in the Upper Mississippi River System. Presented to the Illinois Natural
History Survey, Center for Aquatic Ecology, Havana Field Station Director Search
Committee and Senior Staff, March 24, 1999.
Koel, T.M. 1998. Spatial and temporal variability of channel catfish populations in
the Upper Mississippi River System. Illinois Department of Natural Resources
LTRMP field station biannual retreat, December 15, Dickson Mounds, Illinois.
Koel, T.M. 1998. Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Showcase: analysis of
catfish catch. Environmental Management Program Coordinating Committee, Fall
Quarterly Meeting, November 19-20, Rock Island, Illinois.
Koel, T.M. and K.D. Blodgett. 1998. Fish-environment associations: effects of inter-
annual hydrologlcal variability on fish populations of the Illinois River waterway,
1957-1997. Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Fish Technical
Section Annual Fall Meeting, September 15-17, Dubuque, Iowa.
Koel, T.M., K.S. Irons, T.M. O'Hara, K.D. Blodgett, and R.E. Sparks. 1998.
Changes in fish community structure: effects of hydrologlcal variability in the Upper
Mississippi River System. 128th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society.
August 23-27, Hartford, Connecticut.
Koel, T.M., T.M. Mihuc, R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. Upper Mississippi River
System status and trends report. Fish species-environment relationships: LTRMP
data analysis and preliminary results. 54th Annual Meeting of the Upper Mississippi
River Conservation Committee, Moline, Illinois, 17-19 March 1998.
Blodgett, K.D. and T.M. Mihuc. Decision support using Long Term Resource
Monitoring Program component data and supplementary data on the Illinois River.
54th Annual Meeting of the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee,
Moline, Illinois, 17-19 March 1998.
58
Koel, T.M. and T.M. Mihuc. Fish abundance in the La Grange Reach of the Illinois
River correlated with environmental factors: problems of cross-component analysis.
Presented at the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Annual Winter Meeting,
Davenport, Iowa, 13 January 1998.
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. Some upstream-to-downstream
differences in Illinois River fish communities. Contributed paper presented at the
Illinois State Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Galesburg, Illinois, 7 October
1994.
Sparks, R.E. Large river-floodplain ecosystems of the Midwest: status, trends, and
management needs. Presented at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
"Ecological Seminar Series" held in Chicago, Illinois, 14 March.
III. Poster Presentations (presenter in bold)
Koel, T.M. and R.E. Sparks. 1998. The Long-term Illinois River Fish Population
Monitoring Program. National Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, August
10-14, Spokane, Washington.
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. Long-term trends (1959-1993) in fish
populations of the Illinois River. Poster presented at the 56th Midwest Fish and
Wildlife Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, 4-7 December 1994.
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. Long-term trends (1959-1994) in fish
populations of the Illinois River. Poster presented at the Illinois State Academy of
Science Annual Meeting, Charleston, Illinois, 6 October 1995.
Lerczak, T.V., R.E. Sparks, and K.D. Blodgett. Long-term trends (1959-1994) in fish
populations of the Illinois River with emphasis on upstream-to-downstream
differences. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Mississippi River
Research Consortium, La Crosse, Wisconsin, 26-28 April 1995.
IV. Popular Presentations
Lerczak, T.V. Wintering bald eagles along the Illinois River and factors affecting their
environment. Invited presentation to the Peoria Audubon Society, Peoria, Illinois, 8
March 1995.
Lerczak, T.V. Seminar on Illinois River environmental issues. Conducted for Biology
140 (Human Ecology) at Spoon River College, 27 June 1994.
Lerczak, T.V. A photo trip up the Illinois River. After dinner talk presented to
Havana Rotary Club, Havana, Illinois, 17 April 1995.
59
Blodgett, K.D. Ecosystem management for the Illinois River: can biological integrity
be restored? Invited lecture for Earth Day celebration at Spoon River College,
Canton , Illinois, 19 April 1995.
V. Data Requests
1. Sam Cull, City of Peru, Electric Department, Peru, Illinois
2. Stanley and Associates, Muscatine, Iowa
3. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island
4. Shelly Miller, Aquatic Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy, Peoria
5. K. Douglas Blodgett, Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy, Havana
6. Kevin Irons, Fishery Biologist, LTRMP, Havana
60
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