Influences of water quality on distribution of striped bass in a Tennessee River impoundment
Telemetry techniques were used to evaluate relationships between water quality and distribution of adult striped bass Morone saxatilis during an 18-month period in Watts Bar Reservoir, Tennessee. Distribution and movements of fish were influenced by water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration. During winter and early spring, temperature was vertically and horizontally uniform, and striped bass were relatively mobile and occurred in both tributary arms as well as in the main body of the reservoir. As the reservoir warmed in summer, fish were less mobile and progressively limited to areas in the tributary arms where temperature was less than 24 C and dissolved oxygen exceeded 4 mg/liter. Parts of the tributary arms of Watts Bar Reservoir provided such areas due to hypolimnetic discharges from upstream impoundments and groundwater inflows. Striped bass were restricted to these areas until late fall, when the entire reservoir cooled and again was nearly isothermal. Knowledge of relationships between striped bass habitat use and water quality is useful for fishery management and resource protection for reservoirs; an example is provided for Watts Bar Reservoir. 35 references, 3 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5003339
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 114:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LAKES
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
STRIPED BASS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
DISSOLVED GASES
OXYGEN
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
TENNESSEE RIVER
WATER QUALITY
ANADROMOUS FISHES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FISHES
FLUIDS
GASES
NONMETALS
RIVERS
SOLUTES
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
560205* - Thermal Effects- Vertebrates- (-1987)
520100 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)