M
Mike
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2006
- Messages
- 5,391
My crews and I surveyed a roughly 3.8 mi Lehigh Co stream section in 1983 and again in 2014. During that time period the wild brown trout biomass average at the two sampling sites jumped from 14 kg/ ha to 101 kg/ha., based on preliminary calculations. What an improvement.
I am very familiar with this drainage basin and land use has remained the same. It appears that this improvement is once again tied to riparian vegetation maturation. Erosion and sedimentation are still substantial, this in large part because the stream cuts through legacy sediments from former mill dams.
Relatively minor stockings by a local club have occurred throughout the period, which apparently has not harmed the wild trout population to any great extent' if at all, and has kept lands open to fishing.
Many thanks to the Message board regular, who brought what he thought was a substantial increase in the population to my attention. His observations of wild trout streams in the past have earned him "stream cred," which in part precipitated a re-survey.
I am very familiar with this drainage basin and land use has remained the same. It appears that this improvement is once again tied to riparian vegetation maturation. Erosion and sedimentation are still substantial, this in large part because the stream cuts through legacy sediments from former mill dams.
Relatively minor stockings by a local club have occurred throughout the period, which apparently has not harmed the wild trout population to any great extent' if at all, and has kept lands open to fishing.
Many thanks to the Message board regular, who brought what he thought was a substantial increase in the population to my attention. His observations of wild trout streams in the past have earned him "stream cred," which in part precipitated a re-survey.