Category
Applied
Description
Lake Hydaway’s recent expansion from 6 to 31 acres altered the habitat available for fish in the Opossum Creek watershed. This presents the opportunity to study the current fish populations and monitor changes in species composition and health over time. This long-term project seeks to create a standardized species database which will be used for various research purposes due to no such database or monitoring programs currently existing. Four representative sites of Opossum Creek were selected, two upstream and two downstream of Lake Hydaway. Each site was geolocated for reliable repeatability. Each site was sampled using backpack electrofishing following the EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol. Caught fish were measured, weighed, and identified to species, then released back into their habitat. The data was analyzed using a variety of biological metrics, including community compositions, trophic classes, and tolerance levels. Sampling will be conducted annually to study long-term ecological shifts. By creating this resource, we will support current research, observe any ecological shifts over time, and lay a foundation for course-based studies and future research on the stream.
Fish Species and Diversity Database to Monitor Environmental Impacts of Lake Hydaway Expansion
Applied
Lake Hydaway’s recent expansion from 6 to 31 acres altered the habitat available for fish in the Opossum Creek watershed. This presents the opportunity to study the current fish populations and monitor changes in species composition and health over time. This long-term project seeks to create a standardized species database which will be used for various research purposes due to no such database or monitoring programs currently existing. Four representative sites of Opossum Creek were selected, two upstream and two downstream of Lake Hydaway. Each site was geolocated for reliable repeatability. Each site was sampled using backpack electrofishing following the EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol. Caught fish were measured, weighed, and identified to species, then released back into their habitat. The data was analyzed using a variety of biological metrics, including community compositions, trophic classes, and tolerance levels. Sampling will be conducted annually to study long-term ecological shifts. By creating this resource, we will support current research, observe any ecological shifts over time, and lay a foundation for course-based studies and future research on the stream.
