Effects of water levels and water level regulation on the supply of suitable spawning habitat for eight fish guilds in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario

Abstract

Lake Ontario water levels are regulated under the International Joint Commission's Order of Approval. We assessed the availability of spawning habitat for eight fish guilds (grouped by vegetation and spawning temperature preferences) that use nearshore habitat in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario, under regulated and pre-project water level scenarios. Our model used habitat characteristics of depth, substrate, vegetation cover and temperature across 14,876 habitat units and guild-based habitat suitabilities to assess the weighted suitable area (WSA) available for spawning. During the modelled 1951–2000 period, regulated water levels were on average 0.25 m lower than pre-project levels and varied about half as much. Overall, the large and shallow upper bay within the Bay of Quinte benefited from pre-project flows whereas the smaller and deeper lower bay benefited from regulated flows. Higher variance in water levels increased highly suitable wetland area and higher mean water levels increased the availability of shallow flooded area in the upper and middle bays, where the bathymetry is gradually sloping. The number of days over which WSA was available was generally greater for high temperature guilds, and appeared to decrease when temperature mismatches occurred in a season. Results emphasize the complexity of the relationship between fish habitat supply and water level regime.