Laserfiche WebLink
Samples of the benthos were collected from varying depths in the <br />littoral zone in 1964 and 1965. In 1964 the depths sampled ranged <br />from 10 to 20 feet in the canyon area and from 15 to 35 feet in the <br />open area. During the 1965 sampling period, sample depths ranged <br />from 7 to 25 feet in the canyon area, 20 to 22 feet in the open area <br />and 10 to 12 feet in the inflow area. In 1966, samples were collected <br />from three depths: one to two feet, 10 feet and 25 feet. Gear restric- <br />tions and limited returns made sampling at depths greater than 25 feet <br />impractical. <br />Samples of the benthos were processed through two box type <br />screens of 1 /8 inch and 1/16 inch wire mesh. Organisms were then <br />separated from the remaining course material by sugar flotation. Vials <br />containing a 10 percent solution of formalin were used to store the <br />organisms until they were later processed in the laboratory. Taxonomic <br />identification was made within practical limits. <br />The organisms were counted in the laboratory and their volume <br />determined by water displacement. <br />RESULTS <br />The 1964 data are very limited. The data specifies only whether an <br />organism was present or absent from the samples. <br />The organisms that were found in the reservoir in 1964 were <br />midge larvae (Chironomidae), mayflies (Ephemoroptera), caddisflies <br />(Trichoptera) and snails (Mollusca). Chironomids were present in all <br />of the samples taken in the canyon and open areas. Mayflies, caddis- <br />flies and snails were present in 25 percent of the samples from each <br />area (Table 1). One sample taken from a depth of 95 feet produced <br />only Chironomids. <br />The data collected in 1965 represent samples collected in July. Table <br />2 summarizes the limited information. Chironomids continued to be <br />the most abundant organism in the samples. <br />The 1966 data were more comprehensive because of the collection <br />method used. <br />In the open area, the productive habitat generally exceeded the <br />unproductive habitat in number of organisms per square foot. The <br />only exception was at the 25-foot depth in July (Figure 2). <br />The number of organisms per square foot in the unproductive habitat <br />was small as compared with the productive habitat throughout the <br />sampling period in the open area. The May sampling produced the <br />largest number of organisms with 16.7 per square foot at the 10-foot <br />depth and 25.5 per square foot at the 25-foot depth (Table 3). <br />In the inflow area, the number of organisms sampled in the produc- <br />tive habitat also exceeded those sampled from the unproductive habitat <br />34