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Title: Steel Creek fish: L-Lake/Steel Creek Biological Monitoring Program, January 1986--December 1987

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6528717· OSTI ID:6528717

Fish samples were collected from Steel Creek during 1986 and 1987 following the impoundment of the headwaters of the stream to form L-Lake, a cooling reservoir for L-Reactor which began operating late in 1985. Electrofishing and ichthyoplankton sample stations were located throughout the creek. Fykenetting sample stations were located in the creek mouth and just above the Steel Creek swamp. Larval fish and fish eggs were collected with 0.5 m plankton nets. Multivariate analysis of the electrofishing data suggested that the fish assemblages in Steel Creek exhibited structural differences associated with proximity to L-Lake, and habitat gradients of current velocity, depth, and canopy cover. The Steel Creek corridor, a lotic reach beginning at the base of the L-Lake embankment was dominated by stream species and bluegill. The delta/swamp, formed where Steel Creek enters the Savannah River floodplain, was dominated by fishes characteristic of slow flowing waters and heavily vegetated habitats. The large channel draining the swamp supported many of the species found in the swamp plus riverine and anadromous forms.

Research Organization:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Environmental and Chemical Sciences, Inc., Aiken, SC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-76SR00001
OSTI ID:
6528717
Report Number(s):
DPST-88-656; ECS-SR-72; ON: DE89007945
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English