Hydraulic Geometry in Small, Coastal Streams: Progress Toward Quantification of Salmonid Habitat

Abstract

It is difficult to quantify in-stream physical attributes of salmonid habitats, yet quantification is necessary if conditions are to be compared within or between streams over time or space. This paper presents an objective method based on hydraulic geometry to quantify hydraulic characteristics of fish habitat. Two small streams in coastal British Columbia provide examples. Morphological mapping and streamflow measurements were used to generate the bivariate distributions of mean depth and mean velocity at cross sections within the study reaches at various discharges. The distributions are used to generate measures of potentially useable area within the streams. Survey criteria and numerical adjustments are presented to improve comparability between channels. The streams respond similarly to a change in discharge. The main hydraulic difference is a decrease in area useful to coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) for rearing at higher discharges in Bonanza Creek (logged) compared with Hangover Creek (unlogged). The example indicates that quantitative comparisons can be made, at comparable flows, between reaches and between streams, or over time.