Use of a cold-water refuge by rainbow and brown trout in a geothermally heated stream

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Prog. Fish-Cult.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1977)39[37:UOACRB]2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:7313328

Kaya, C M; Kaeding, L R; Burkhalter, D E

The Firehole River of Yellowstone National Park receives substantial amounts of geothermally heated water, which raise river temperatures by about 12/sup 0/C. We have recorded summer temperatures as high as 28.8/sup 0/C in the lower section of the river. During the warmest part of the summer, rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and brown trout (S. trutta) from the river concentrate in Sentinel Creek, the only cold-water tributary along the lower Firehole River. These movements into the creek appear to be related to mean daily temperatures exceeding 24/sup 0/C, or daily maximums exceeding 25/sup 0/C. Aggregations of fish from cooler waters to heated discharge areas have been extensively documented; however, this contrasting situation of fish from a heated body of water concentrating at a cold-water influent area has been reported only once previously and involved a warm-water species.

• Research Organization: Montana State Univ., Bozeman
• OSTI ID: 7313328
• Journal Information: Prog. Fish-Cult.; (United States), Journal Name: Prog. Fish-Cult.; (United States) Vol. 39:1; ISSN PFCUA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150600 -- Geothermal Energy-- Environmental Aspects
560205* -- Thermal Effects-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
FISHES
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
MIGRATION
PUBLIC LANDS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL EFFLUENTS
TROUT
VERTEBRATES
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK