Life Sciences Commons^™

Factors Affecting Spawning And Survival Of Bear Lake Bonneville Cutthroat Trout In St. Charles Creek, Idaho, Paul Burnett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I described the spawning ecology of the Bear Lake Bonneville cutthroat trout (BLBCT) in St. Charles Creek. I tracked cutthroat trout with used radio telemetry. I conducted redd counts to describe spawning conditions. Most cutthroat trout in the Big Arm strayed into the Bear River. Cutthroat trout migrations in the Little Arm and main fork were very limited (< 4 km). Redd distributions showed very similar patterns between 1989, 2000 and 2001 with most redds being built in the lowest kilometer of stream. Artificial fish transportation changed the redd distribution in 2002. More redds were built in the main fork and redds were distributed throughout the stream. Redds built in the main fork were characterized by lower levels of fine sediment and higher water velocities as compared to the redds built on the Little Arm. The results of this research will be used to aid resource managers in developing a management plan for wild BLBCT.