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Fish Population Studies 2007 <br />Jim Jenniges <br />Environmental Specialist Nebraska Public Power District <br />Mark Peyton <br />Senior Biologist The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District <br />Introduction <br />On January 25, 1999 Nebraska Public Power District and Central Nebraska Public Power and <br />Irrigation District (Districts) filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission a plan to <br />monitor baseline conditions for least terns, piping plovers, fish, vegetation, channel configuration <br />changes and whooping crane use of habitat areas. Monitoring of forage fish for least terns was <br />included in the Monitoring Plan with the following goals and objectives. <br />Goal: Assess fish populations and species diversity in the area of properties acquired by the <br />Districts. <br />Obj ectives: <br />Monitor the abundance of forage fish for least terns and evaluate fish species diversity on or near <br />areas owned/or managed by the Districts. <br />Compare the abundance and species diversity in an area of the river that went dry to areas that <br />have continuously had water. <br />Study Areas <br />In 1999 four study sites were established based on their relationship to areas managed as least <br />tern nesting habitat. In 2003 a fifth site was added in the section of river that went dry in the <br />summers of 2002 through 2006. <br />The Lexington sampling site is immediately upstream of Nebraska Public Power Districts <br />(NPPD) Lexington Island and less than 400 meters from NPPD's Lexington Sandpit both of <br />which are managed as least tern nesting areas. The Lexington sampling site is 1.6 km upstream <br />of Central Nebraska Public Power Districts (Central) Jefrey Island habitat area. This site is <br />approximately 1.6 km downstream of the U. S. Highway 283 River Bridge. <br />The Overton sampling site in 1999 and 2003 was upstream of NPPD's Overton Island. This <br />island is managed as a least tern nesting area. This site is on the downstream end of Central's <br />Jeffry Island habitat area and 2.3 km upstream of the Overton River Bridge. In 1999 all channels <br />were sampled in 2003 only the south (J-2 Return) channel was sampled. In 2005 the sample site <br />was moved upstream 1.6 km due to landownership changes in this section of river. In 2003, <br />2005 and 2007 only the J-2 Return channel was sampled. <br />The Elm Creek sampling site is 1 km downstream of the U. S. Highway 183 River Bridge. This <br />site is adjacent to NPPD's Elm Creek Island and Bluehole Sandpit. Both of these areas are <br />managed as least tern nesting areas. This site is also within 1.6 km of Johnson's Sandpit a least <br />tern nesting area managed by NPPD.