Laserfiche WebLink
279 <br />streambanks dominated by brush. Rainbow trout used open areas more than cut- <br />throat trout, which tended to utilize areas where timber dominated streambank <br />cover. <br />Populations of young-of-the-year chinook salmon were highest in the more <br />open channels and lowest in channels where tree cover dominated banks. This <br />is partially due to chinook salmon favoring the lower segments of tributaries <br />(close to the river), which had larger areas of water surface per length of <br />stream and lower channel gradients. Streambank cover explained 4 percent of <br />the observed variation in total fish densities. <br />Streambank condition ratings had no detectable influence and accounted <br />for an insignificant amount of the explained variation of total fish popula- <br />tion. Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, sculpin, and mountain <br />whitefish had about the same population means in areas of streams having un- <br />stable banks as in areas having stable banks. Densities of rainbow trout <br />increased with increasing streambank quality, but brook trout decreased. <br />Pool and Riffle Relationship to Fish Populations <br />Pool Quality--Pools of excellent quality had the highest population means <br />and the greatest fish lengths per sample area. The higher population density <br />was due, in part, to young chinook salmon utilizing the higher quality pools. <br />Pool condition accounted for 8 percent of the chinook salmon's explained <br />observed variation. <br />Population density of rainbow trout and pool quality related inversely, <br />as rainbow trout tended to occupy riffle areas that were combined with shallow <br />pools. Dolly Varden, brook trout, sculpin, mountain whitefish, dace, and chi- <br />nook salmon increased in population densities as pool quality ratings increased. <br />Pool condition was second in importance in accounting for explained variations <br />in total fish numbers. <br />Pool Formation--Population means and explained observed variation demon- <br />strated that pool formation factors were not significant determinants of the <br />ability of a pool to support fish populations. The physical conditions of the <br />pool itself exercise the more important influence. <br />Pool-Riffle Ratios--Densities of fish populations in relation to pool-rif- <br />fle ratios were lower than the often quoted optimum density at a pool-riffle <br />ratio of 50/50. The highest total fish population densities occurred in areas <br />of stream having 30 to 50 percent of the stream in pool. Study streams nat- <br />urally contain infertile water and a lower pool-riffle ratio could be conducive <br />to higher fish populations, as it would increase the proportion of the food- <br />producing areas. Chinook salmon populations steadily decreased as percent of