Distribution and status of Ohio River fishes
The Ohio River has been modified extensively by the activities of the nearly 40 million people living within its basin. The effects of siltation following clearing of the forests in the 19th century and the construction of a system of dams for maintaining navigation between 1900 and 1929 affected the entire river, while pollution (industrial and domestic) was most severe in the upper third of the river in the 1940's. This assesses the current status and distributions of fish in the Ohio River and relates then to river habitats and conditions. We found records of 154 species of fishes reported from the Ohio River between 1817 and 1983. Fourteen of these species were introduced by man. Only 13 species which were represented before 1970 were not found in the river between 1970 and 1983. Of these 13 species only the lake sturgeon was ever an abundant fish in the Ohio River. However, several other important or unique fishes have declined alarmingly in abundance or distribution since 1900. These include the shovelnose sturgeon, paddlefish, muskellunge, and blue sucker. The ten most-abundant fishes in collections of 1957 to 1980 were: emerald shiner, gizzard shad, freshwater drum, mimic shiner, channel catfish, common carp, bullheads, skipjack herring, white crappie, and threadfin shad. Between 1957 and 1980 fish densities increased dramatically in the upper 100 miles of the river where water quality improvements were greatest. Fish populations remained relatively stable in the lower two-thirds of the river between 1957 and 1980. 272 references, 143 figures, 32 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Louisville Univ., KY (USA). Water Resources Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5213699
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/Sub-79-7831/1; ON: DE84007922
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FISHES
OHIO RIVER
POLLUTION
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REPRODUCTION
RIVERS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION