Header image
Enter a name
Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

Dorsal view of a Amphizoa (Amphizoidae) Beetle Larva from Sears Creek in Washington
This is the first of it's family I've seen, collected from a tiny, fishless stream in the Cascades. The three species of this genus all live in the Northwest and are predators that primarily eat stonefly nymphs Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019).
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Ike
MN

Posts: 14
Ike on Sep 29, 2013September 29th, 2013, 7:03 pm EDT
what is the best way to potentially deal with a stream that steadily warming due to close by housing development? obviously removing the development would do it but if thats not possible what can be done? restructuring the bank? plant trees around the banks? maybe even a bottom release damn? just wondering how other streams have tackled the issue.
Stokes
Columbia county,NY

Posts: 76
Stokes on Oct 1, 2013October 1st, 2013, 7:50 am EDT
Just curious,how did the development cause the warming?
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Oct 1, 2013October 1st, 2013, 5:37 pm EDT
Yeah, we need more details before anyone can answer this question.

Development can cause streams to warm in various ways. For example, pavement usually leads to warm quick runoff and lower water levels between rain, while the natural soil might soak up the rain and release it over a longer period of time as cool ground water. Cutting riparian vegetation so sunlight hits a stream can have a major warming effect, too. In worst case scenarios, development could impede the flow of a natural cold spring so the water warms up before it hits the stream. All of this depends on the size of the developed area relative to the size of the stream. It would be unusual for a single housing development to substantially warm a decent-sized stream, but it's probably not totally out of the question.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Oct 3, 2013October 3rd, 2013, 12:54 pm EDT
Headwater and tributary drainage degradation (usually meaning deforestation) and upstream top spilling dams are other causes.

Is the water only warming below the development? If so, is there a major trib or groundwater source entering at or near the development that could have its own issues? Was adjacent riparian habitat destroyed by the development - is drainage from it entering the stream? Regulations are pretty strict now on the impact of storm drainage and the management of waste water for projects in close proximity to watersheds. How old is it?
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
1
Aug 20, 2007
by BxRxTxK
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy