Lower Flathead System Fisheries Study, South Bay of Flathead Lake, Volume III, 1983-1987 Final Report.

Technical Report · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6682097· OSTI ID:6682097

Cross, David; Waite, Ian

The Lower Flathead System Fisheries Study assessed the effects of Kerr Dam operation on the fisheries of the lower Flathead ecosystem. South Bay, the southern most lobe of Flathead Lake, is the most extensive area of shallow water, and therefore, most effected by changes in lake levels. This study began in January of 1984 and was completed in early 1987. Vegetative and structural cover are relatively limited in South Bay, a condition which could contribute to lower recruitment for some fish species. Our data show that the study area contained 0.04% structural and 5.4% vegetative cover in June at full pool. Both figures are less than 1.0% at minimum pool. Structural complexity mediates the ecological interactions between littoral zone fish and their prey, and can affect local productivity and growth in fish. Structural complexity may also be important to overwinter survival of young perch in Flathead Lake. Winter conditions, including ice cover and fall drawdown, seasonally eliminate the vegetative portion of most rooted macrophytes in South Bay. This results in substantial loss of what little structural cover exists, depriving the perch population of habitat which has been occupied all summer. The loss of cover from draw-down concentrates and probably exposes perch to greater predation, including cannibalism, than would occur if structural complexity were greater. 33 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Pablo, MT (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: United States. Bonneville Power Administration.
• DOE Contract Number: AI79-83BP39830
• OSTI ID: 6682097
• Report Number(s): DOE/BP-39830-3; R&D Project: 1983-001-00; ON: DE89003507
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
COLUMBIA RIVER
BASELINE ECOLOGY
DAMS
OPERATION
POWER GENERATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
EVALUATION
FISHES
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
PRODUCTION
PROGRESS REPORT
WATER QUALITY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOLOGY
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POWER
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERTEBRATES
Fisheries - Flathead River (B.C. and Mont.)
130600* - Hydro Energy- Environmental Aspects