333.7 5 F:^f yr 1986? Peters, Don First year results of the evaluation of the effect of forest land management on tributaries in ^f^ti^^r^&^':^ MONTANA STATE LIBRARY S 33S.75 F2«yt 1M«7 c.l Pelets First year results of the evaluation of 0864 00063741 ///- ?1 fJl5N08T3H9^ FIRST YEAR RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT ON TRIBUTARIES IN ROCK CREEK AND THE BITTERROOT RIVER DRAINAGES by Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Don Peters Abstract STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION JUN 2 7 1989 MONTANA STATE LIBRARY 1515 E. 6th AVE. HELENA, MONTANA 59S20 Fish population estimates were completed in August and September on 13 sections in IC streams in the Rock Creek and EitterrooL River drainages. Study si ceF were selected in the same area that U. S. Forest Service embendedness '-'ork was completed. Trout standing crop estimates were highly variable between streams and v^thlr. diffeTPnt sections of streams sampled. The abundam-e of wst-Lslcpc cntrhroat greater tnan or equal to 6.0 inches total length was highest in Sleeplag Child Creek, 138 fish per 300 m stream length and lowest in Gold Creek, 10 fish per 300 m. The West Fork of Rock Creek in the Sand Basin area and Tolan Creek had the second lowest population of westslope cutthroat greater than or equal to 6.0 inches total length, 30 <^ish per 300 meters. Habitat variables, fisherman harvest, arc ^isn movement Kcxv all be involved in the measured variability in standing crops. PLEASE RETURN 1991 j /t i t.O in per 50J 300 m 25_ U o On 50 1:^ 30 o S5 133 jy O ] lOS n 56 in ^'\ + + 19 12 317 221 9-19-85 700 DV 8 11 2 8.0-12.9 35^^ + 19 264 9-5-814 550 DV 4 3 0 8.0-12.9 — ~" l! This estimate did not meet minimum standards for an unbiased estimate and should be used with caution (Ricker, 1975 pp. 79). Table 5. Trout DODulation estimates for Daly Creek, August, 1985. Section location Section length (ft. ) Scecies Re- 80% Size Cap- cap- Number Confi- Number class Marked tured tured estimate dence per (in.) on (C) (R) (N) interval mile 2.5-A.4 12 16 4 44 +19 332 4.5-6.4 8 16 4 30 +13 226 6.5-10.9 19 13 4 56 +12 422 2.0-2.9 1 2 0 . _ _ 3.0-4.4 IB ]7 2 113 +66* 852 4.5-5.9 17 18 8 37 +11 279 6.0-8.4 17 11 4 42 +17 317 8.5-12.9 7 9 1 39 +26" 294 0.65 mi. upstream from Skalkaho- Rye Creek Rd , turnoff on Skalkaho Rd. 700 Wsct DV Sculpin Abundant This estimate did not meet minimum standards for an unbiased estimate and should be used with caution (Ricker, 1975 pp. 79). Table 6- Trout population estimates for Martin Creek, September, 1985. Section location Section length (ft.) Species Re- Size Cap- cap- Number class Marked tured tured estimate (in.) (M) (C) (R) (N) 2.0-3.4 8 2 0 _ 3.5-5.4 13 9 0 - 5.5-7.4 20 17 8 41 7.5-8.9 5 3 0 - 2.5-3.9 4 0 0 — 4.0-4.9 12 0 0 - 80% confi- Number dence per interval mile Sec. 22cc; approx.8 mi. upstream from confluence w/ Moose Cr. 5 72 Wsct DV +12 378 - 10 - intervals of estinaces en all size classes and species overlapped indicating no significant changes in the section beGveen 1984 and 1985. The fish species found included cutthroat trout (suspected pure population), bull trout, and sculp in. Martin Creek Martin Creek was sampled in September of 1985; the section was located approximately 3.0 miles upstream from the confluence with Moose Creek. We found westslope cutthroat trout (tested pure, Appendix A-1) , and bull trout in this section (Table 6). We appear to be dealing with a fairly mobile fish population with both species exhibiting some apparent moveinent from our section ber.'/een the marking and recapture runs. Meadow Creek Meadow Creek was sampled in August of 1985, the study section has a fair amount of beaver activity in the area. The section is located approximately 3 miles upstream from the confluence with the East Fork of the Bitterroot River. We found v;estslope cutthroat trout (tested pure, Appendix A-1) and bull trout in the section (Table 7). Tolan Creek Tolan Creek was sampled in August of 1985, approximately 2 miles upstream from the confluence with the East Fork of the Bitterroot River. We found westslope cutthroat (tested pure. Appendix A-1), bull trout and brook trout (Table 8). Sleeping Child Creek We sampled Sleeping Child Creek in two locations; one above the hot springs inlet and the other below the hot springs in September and August, respectively. The upper section is located approximately 9.0 river miles and the lower section 7.95 river miles from the confluence with the Bitterroot River. We found westslope cutthroat (tested pure. Appendix A-1), bull trout, and the slimy sculpin above the hot springs and added brook trout to the list below the hot springs. There was a large difference in standing crop between the two sections; the section below the hot springs contained considerably more individuals of each species and larger fish (Table 9). Gold Creek We sampled Gold Creek in August of 1985 in a location approximately 0.1 miles from the confluence with the Burnt Fork. The section contained westslope cutthroat (tested pure, Appendix A-1), and bull trout (Table 10). Moose Creek Moose Creek was sampled in August of 1985, approximately 6.0 luiles upstream from the confluence with the East Fork of the Bitterroot River. We found westslope cutthroat trout (tested pure. Appendix A-1), and bull trout (Table 11). ^able ~ . Trout population estimates for Meadow Creek River) August, 1981.. 'tributary to E. Fk. of Bitterroot Section Size iJumber 80% Humber Section length class Harked Captured Recaptured estimate confidence per Location (ft) Soecies fin) (M) (c) cr.t (II) interval mile Aoprox. 3 mi. 400 WsCt 2.0-2.9 4 2 0 - - - upstream 3.0-A.4 16 17 7 37 + 12 488 from the 4.5-5.9 16 11 8 22 + 4 290 mouth 6.0-6.9 9 5 4 11 + 3 145 7.0-9.4 13 6 4 19 T 5 251 DV 2.0-2.9 0 6 0 _ _ _ 3.5-4.9 7 3 1 15 A 198 5.0-6.4 10 13 4 30 + 12 396 6.5-7.9 6 7 3 13A + 172 This estimate did not meet minimum standards for an unbiased estimate and should be used with caution (Bicker, 1975 pp. 79). Table 3 . Trout population estimates for Tolan Creek (tributary to E. Fk. of Bitterroot Pviver) August, 1985. Section Size Number 30% Number Section length class liarked Captured E.ecaptured estimate confidence per Location (ft) Species (in) (M) (C) (R-) (N) interval mile Approx. upstream from mouth mi. 400 WsCt DV Eb 2.0-3.9 17 18 5 56 + 22 739 4.0-5.4 21 12 8 31 + 7 409 5.5-6.9 11 4 4 11 + 5 145 7.5-9.4 6 0 0 - - — 2.0-2.4 1 0 0 — - - 4.0-5.9 2 3 0 - - - 7.5-7.9 0 1 0 — — - 1.5-2.9 9 14 1 74=^ + 51 977 3.5-4.9 5 4 2 9* + 4 119 5.0-7.9 6 5 3 10* + 5 132 This estimate did not meet minimum standards for an unbiased estimate and should be used with caution (Ricker, 19 75, pp. 79). - 12 - Table 9 . Trout population estimates for Sleeping Child Creek August and September, 1985. Re- 80% Section Size Cap- cap- Number Confi- Number Section length class Marked tured tured estimate dence per location (ft.) Species (in.) (M) (C) (R) (N) interval mile 300 ft. 400 Wsct 1.5-2.9 0 3 0 _ _ _ above hot 3.0-4.4 15 36 7 73 +27 96A springs in- 4.5-5.4 7 7 4 12 + 4 158 let; 0.1 mi. 5.5-7.9 6 13 4 19 + 8 250 upstream from bridge DV 6.0-9.9 3 2 0 — — — /River Mile] Slimv I 9.0 / sculpin Abundant 2.95 mi. downstream from hot springs inlet 400 Wsct DV Eb 1.5-2.9 3.0-4.4 4.5-5.4 5.5-6.9 7.0-8.9 9.0-11.9 2.5-3.0 5.0-7.4 2.0-3.9 5.0-7.4 3 63 23 14 13 14 0 1 6 2 2 0 - 62 31 125 16 8 44 13 8 22 11 7 20 9 5 24 1 0 . 2 0 - 6 0 _ 1 0 - +19 +12 + 5 + 5 + 7 1,650 581 290 264 317 Slimy sculpin Abundant - 13 Table 10. Trout population estimates for Gold Creek (Tributary to Burnt Fork), August, 1985 f Section Size imnber 80% Number Section length class Marked Captured R.e captured estimate c onf idence per Location (ft) Soecies (in) (M) (C) (R) (N) interval mile Approx. 0.1 600 VJsCt 2.0-3.9 11 3 1 23* + 12 202 mi. upstream 4.0-5.9 19 7 4 31 + 10 273 from mouth 6.0-7.9 4 3 2 6* + 2 53 DV 2.0-2.9 4 1 0 — — — 3.0-3.9 8 3 1 17* + 9 150 4.0-5.4 19 5 3 29* + 10 255 5.5-6.4 0 1 0 - - - 8.0-10.4 1 2 0 ^ ■■ "■ * This estimate did not meet minimum standards for an unbiased estimate and should be used with caution (Ricker, 1975 pp. 79). Table H Trout population estimates for Moose Creek (tributary to the E. Fk. of Bitterroot River), August, 1985. Section Size Number 30% Number ^Section 'Location length class Marked Captured Recaptured estimate confidence per (ft) Species (in) (M) (C) (R) (N) interval mile Approx. 6 mi. 686 upstream from confluence with E. Fk. of Bitterroot R. WsCt DV 2.5-4.4 7 4.5-6.4 7 6.5-8.9 15 9.0-11.9 10 3.5-3.9 6.0-7.9 3 1 6 7 10 8 3 1 0 4 4 2 0 0 12 + 4 34 + 14 32* + 17 92 262 246 * This estimate did not meet minimum standards for an unbiased estimate and should be used with caution (Ricker, 1975 pp. 79). - 14 - DISCUSSION The sampling of fish populations in this study has raised more questions than the effort has answered so far. Recent literature searches and on-going fisheries work further clouded our results with uncertainty as to what exactly we are measuring in the limited fish population sections. Are we measuring the carrying capacity of that section or the result of some limiting factor either spatially or temporally removed from that site? The ramifications of this difficulty is that our sampling design may only show impacts if the summer habitat contains the limiting factor (s) on the particular population. Studies of cutthroat trout in the Flathead River system indicate that some fish enter the interstitial areas in the substrate while some adult fish move to pools in the larger river system (personal communication with Pat Graham). Campbell and Neuner, 1985, reported that rainbow trout in the Cascade mountain streams have seasonal behavior changes which follow water temperature. A hiding response begins at 3C and few trout can be found in the water column below 3C. The seasonal change creates an alternative emphasis on food in summer and cover in winter. Konopacky in 1985 reported that in test streams cold water temperatures, a lack of suitable substrate cover, and possibly food size rather than food item density, caused underyearling salmon to migrate downstream early in the fall. Evidence from several authors suggests that interstital spaces within stream substrates may be a universal behavioral characteristic of salmonid fishes in cold streams when overhead cover is lacking. Winter cover may be a primary influence on the carrying capacity of trout in streams. In our study sections seasonal movements appear to be taking place. In Martin Creek bull and westslope cutthroat trout seemed to move out of the section between our marking run on September 11 and the recapture run on September 23, 1985. I also failed to observe any cutthroat in the upper section of Sand Basin Creek by walking the banks on October 16, 1985, in contrast to many visual sitings in August. A Forest Service field technician also reported observing a tagged fish in the West Fork near the Sand Basin Creek road bridge; a section that we did not tag fish in. This fish could have moved either upstream or downstream from other sampling sections. Snorkel and mask work in the Bitterroot drainage on 28 streams by O'Dell in 1984 and work by Wilson and Blount in Rattlesnake Creek in 1985 have given the best local quantitative data on the large seasonal changes in population density of cutthroat and bull trout in specific stream sections. Both studies have shown large decreases in trout populations during the fall, winter, and spring months compared with summer abundance. The changes in trout population in these streams could be attributed to movement out of the section, mortality, movement into the substrate, or combinations of all the above. Our fishery study design appears to need a significant restructuring to understand the dynamics of the fish populations we are trying to protect. Money and man-power will probably be the most pressing need of a new study design. Under current Department as well as U.S. Forest Service funding, not much more than the existing effort is possible. - 15 - LITERATURE CITED Caapbell, R. F. and J. H. Neuner, 1985. Seasonal and Diurnal Shifts in Habitat Utilized by Resident Rainbow Trout in Western Washington Cascade Mountain Streams. In Symposium on Small Hydropower and Fisheries. AFS Western Division, Bio-engineering Section. Konopacky, R. C. Sedimentation and Productivity in Salmonid Streams. PhD Dissertation, University of Idaho. 214 pp. O'Dell, Dave. 1985. A Fishery Study of Potential Hydropower Sites on Bitterroot River Tributary Streams. i-Iultilith. 60 pp. Ricker, W. F. 1975. Handbook of Computations for Biological Statistics of Fish Populations. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Bulletin 119. 300 pp. Wilson, D. and G. Blount. 1985. Unpublished report on Investigations of Trout Population in Rattlesnake Creek. Report in progress. January/, 1985. APPENDIX vp-^iM.^ APPEIvDIX A-1 University of Montana Departmeni of Zoology • Missoula, Montana 59812 • (406)243-5122 January 9, 1986 Don Peters Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula, Montana 59801 Don , We have completed the electrophoretic analysis of the samples of Salmo you collected from the following locations: Gold Creek (col 8/29/85; N=26) , Martin Creek (9/ 23/ 85 ; 25) , Meadow Creek (8/22/85; 25), Moose Creek (9/4/85;25), Sleeping Child Creek (9/5/85;25), and Tolan Creek (8/28/85 ; 26) in the Bitterroot River drainage and Rattlesnake Creek (10/4/85;32) in the Clark Fork River drainage. We detected only westslope cutthroat trout, S. clarki lewisi, genetic material at those loci that can be used to distinguish the rainbow, S. gairdneri, Yellowstone cutthroat, S.c. bouvieri, and westslope cutthroat trout (Table 1) in all the samples from the Bitterroot drainage. With the sample sizes from these creeks, we are capable of detecting as little as one percent rainbow trout genetic material in a population 95 percent of the time and as little as one percent Yellowstone cutthroat trout genetic material greater than 99 percent of the time. Thus, the samples from these creeks almost certainly came from 'genetically pure' populations of westslope cutthroat trout. The protein products of 45 loci were analyzed in all the fish (Table 2) . The allele frequencies at those loci at which we detected evidence of genetic variation in the samples of westslope cutthroat trout are given in Table 3. Although the Ck2(100) allele is characteristic of rainbow trout, we feel that its presence in the Martin and and Moose Creek samples is more likely indicative of westslope cutthroat trout intraspecif ic genetic variation than of introgression with rainbow trout. For example, if there actually is 4 percent rainbow trout genetic material in the Martin Creek population (the frequency of the Ck2 ( 100) allele) , then we expect not to detect alleles characteristic of rainbow trout at the other 5 loci that distinguish the rainbow and westslope cutthroat trout only one out of 25,000 times. The same argument pertains to the presence of the Idhl(-75) allele in the Sleeping Child Creek sample. The average percentage of heterozygous loci per individual and the proportion of polymorphic loci in the samples from the Bitterroot drainage (Table 3) cluster into the upper end of the distribution of these parameters among 45 other populations of Equal Opportunity in Education and Employment westslope cutthroat trout from which we have comparable data (Fig.l). Thus, it appears that on the average the Bitterroot drainage populations appear to be genetically more variable than populations of westslope cutthroat from other areas of Montana; e.g. Lower Clark Fork around Noxon Reservoir, Hungry Horse region of the South Fork Flathead, North Fork Flathead, and Upper Missouri. We detected evidence of rainbow, westslope cutthroat, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout genetic material at those loci that differentiate these fishes in the Rattlesnake Creek sample (Table 4). This sample, therefore, came from an introgressed population of westslope cutthroat, Yellowstone cutthroat, and rainbow trout. When genetic material from all of these fishes is present in one population, we can only obtain 'ballpark' estimates of the proportional contribution of each taxa to the population because many alleles at the diagnostic loci cannot unambiguously be assigned to a particular taxon. For example, the Gpi3(100) allele is characteristic of both rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. We can state, however, that the vast majority of the genetic material in this population is of westslope cutthroat trout origin as the average frequency of the five alleles that we can assign to this fish (Aatl(200), Gpi3(92), Idh3(86), Mel(88), and Sdh(40)) in the sample is 0.941. Sincerely, ' j2cJA^ d^LM.j'^ Robb Leary RL/pkf Enclosures APPENDIX A-2 r- ... Description of studv sites USFS-FWP Sediment fishery study on Rock Creek and Bitterroot River tributaries. All study sections are marked with a steel fence post at the lower boundary of the section. Rock Creek Drainage Ross Fork of Rock Creek (830 feet long) Upper boundary is first bridge crossing of Ross Fork. Lower boundary is adjacent to small pull out; A. 75 miles fromt he turn-off on to the Ross Fork Road. West Fork of Rock Creek - lower (1,770 feet long) Lower boundary is 2.28 miles froa junction of West Fork Road and main Rock Creek roads; lower boundary 20 feet below culvert and O.IA miles _below the bridge crossing on the West Fork. Upper boundary is the old bridge abutments approximately 800 feet above West Fork bridge. West Fork of Rock Creek - upper (1,250 feet long) Upper boundary begins at small undeveloped campground 0.4 miles from Skalkaho Pass on the Sand Basin Road; about 0.1 miles above cattleguard. Sand Basin Creek - lower (760 feet long) Upper boundary is at red "X" on boulder. Lower boundary is adjacent to road location 0.3 miles upstream on Sand Basin Creek Road from Sand Basin road; a small meadow opens up just above the lower boundary; lower boundary begins downstream from meadow about 200 feet in the trees. Sand Basin Creek - upper (620 feet long) Lower boundary begins adjacent to small undeveloped camping site on edge of large meadow; 3.2 miles up Sand Basin Creek road. Bitterroot River Drainage Daly Creek (750 feet long) 0.65 miles upstream along Skalkaho Road from the Skalkaho-Rye road turn-off; wide pull out at upper end of section; section extends 200 feet above wide turn out area as creek turns back toward road to 550 feet below the wide turn-out area. Sleeping Child Creek - lower (400 feet long) 2.85 Eiiles downstream from bridge below mouth of hot springs. Lower boundary is approximately 150 feet above a concrete monolith in camping pull out. Sleeping Child Creek - upper (400 feet long) Stop at turn-out located at bottom of steeper grade heading up to the hot springs resort area; about 0.1 mile above bridge. Walk over hot springs mouth, upstream approximately 300 feet. Lower boundary is the USFS stream flow gage. APPEiraiX A3 Stream Sediment /Fisheries Study USFS/JITDFW&P Project Costs Through the Month of September, 1985. Period Employee Per Diem Wages /Benefits Other Expenses July Don $ 23.00 $ 220.03 August Gary 195.50 1,414.42 Ed 202.50 1,010.38 Don 151.52 2,203.27 549.52 4,623.07 + 549.52 + 4.44 $ 1 20 Ice (Electrophoresis) 2.20 Generator fuel 1.04 Generator oil 4.44 $5,182.03 August Total September Gary 41.50 1,069.61 Ed 41.50 788.10 Don 26.50 1,177.89 109.50 3,035.60 + 109.50 + 260.05 29.85 Felt soles 1.20 Ice (Electrophoresis) 104.00 Repair raft 125.00 Raft frame 260.05 $3,405.15 September Total I*^, rti mam