Distribution and Abundance of Fishes in Sagehen Creek, California

Abstract

Elevational distribution and abundance of fishes in Sagehen Creek, California, were determined each August between 1952 and 1961 by the electric shocking and diversion and draining methods. Nine species of fishes were present in Sagehen Creek. Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) only inhabited the headwaters. In the downstream direction, rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), Piute sculpin (Cottus beldingi), brown trout (Salmo trutta), mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni), Tahoe sucker ( Catostomus tahoensis), mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus), Lahontan redside ( Richardsonius egregius), and speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) were progressively added to the fish fauna. Maximum diversity of species occurred near the mouth of the creek. Stream gradient and timing and severity of floods were respectively the most important environmental factors associated with elevational and temporal abundance of fishes. Over the 10-year period, distributions of most species were remarkably stable, but there were 3to 10-fold fluctuations in numbers. This long-term record of distributions and standing crops of fishes may be useful in evaluating future studies on Sagehen Creek and elsewhere. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 38(2):347-358 Most North American studies of distribution and abundance of stream fishes have been conducted for one or a few years (Hoover 1938, Burton and Odum 1945, Hallam 1959, Kuehne 1962, Sheldon 1968, Vincent and Miller 1969) or in streams where substantial man-related changes have occurred (Turner 1967, Elser 1968). Longterm studies of streams unaffected by man seem desirable if we are to understand natural variations in fish populations. Accordingly, the purpose of this report is to document and evaluate altitudinal distribution and abundance of wild fishes in essentially undisturbed Sagehen Creek in terms of the environment over a 10-year (1952-61) period. The nine species of fishes present in Sagehen Creek represent four families: Salmonidae (trouts and whitefishes), Catostomidae (suckers), Cyprinidae (minnows), and Cottidae (sculpins). In order of decreasing abundance the species are the Piute sculpin, brook trout, rainbow trout, speckled dace, Lahontan redside, mountain sucker, Tahoe sucker, brown trout, and the mountain whitefish. The sculpin, minnows, suckers, and white fish are native to Sagehen Creek, but the three trouts are introduced. Rainbow and brown trout were planted in the early 1930's and brook trout were planted yearly from that time up to 1951. The Lahontan cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki henshawi), native to Sagehen Creek, now extinct there, though a small population remains in nearby Independence Creek (Lea 1968). Separation of the two species of suckers is difficult since natural hybrids occur. Therefore, the suckers are treated as one group in this paper. Many individuals and organizations aided in the development of the Sagehen Creek Wildlife and Fisheries Research Station. The University of California, Max C. Fleischmann Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, and the California Department of Fish and Game provided personnel, funds, or land. Numerous students assisted with the field studies. A. S. Leopold helped with many phases of the investigation and R. J. 1 Present address: Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80521. J. Wildl. Manage. 38 (2):1974 347 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.223 on Wed, 24 Aug 2016 05:33:17 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 348 DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF FISHES C Gard and Flittner Fig. 1. Reference mop of Sagehen Creek. Since completion in 1969 of Stompede Doa on the Little Truckee River, Sogehen Creek hos emptied into Stompede Reservoir. Sagehen Creek has emptied into Stampede Reservoi~r. Behnke, R. L. Butler, and D. C. Erman reviewed the manuscript. We dedicate this paper to the late P. R. Needham who founded the Sagehen Creek Field Station.