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periodic repairs or cleaning (Sundby 1980). The results of this are periodic "pulses" of nutrients in Oak Creek. Fish The fishery resources of Trout Creek have been investigated several times in the past. Goettl and Edde (1977) studied species distribution and abundance in 1975 and 1976. The present study was done in 1979 and 1980. The fish species present in Trout Creek ore listed in Table 2.7-17, along with Their distribution and abundance. The Edna Mine is located adjacent to the middle reaches of the stream. With the exception of the cuTThrooT trout (Salmo clarki), none of These species ore endangered or threatened and all are quite common in Colorado. The cutthroat trout occurs only in the upper reaches of Trout Creek neor the headwoters and then only rarely. The Colorado River cutthroat trout, subspecies S. c. pleuriticus, is classified as threatened on the Colorado state list. However, it is considered neither threatened nor endangered on The federal list. Although only two specimens were captured in Trout Creek and neither were identified by subspecies (Goettl and Edde 1977) it is doubtful if These individuals were the threatened subspecies $. c. pleuriticus. • Extensive hybridization in the region with non-active stocked subspecies such as the yeflowstone cutthroat (S. c. lewisi) has all but eliminated pure strains of S. c. pleuriticus (Behnke and Zarn 1976). Fish species occurring in the middle reaches of Trout Creek, the vicinity of the Edna Mine, are listed in Table 2.7-18, along with the estimated density and biomass at each sampling station. Of the species listed, all are permanent residents except the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni). This species was collected only in The fall and appears to be a fall and winter upstream migrant from the Yampa River. The brown trout (Salmo trutta) is The dominant solmonid in Trout Creek in the vicinity of the Edna Mine. This species reaches it's maximum at Station 3, where it comprises 45% of The biomass (Table 2.7-{8). Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were only collected aT the upper stations in this study. Goettl and Edde (1977) found That brook trout were the dominant solmonid in The upper reaches of Trout Creek (upstream of Station I). This pattern of distribution is common in the Rocky Mountain region, where brook trout frequently dominate in higher headwater reaches. Trout numbers and biomass rapidly decline to zero in the lower reoches of Trout • Creek below Station 4, where non-game species dominate (Goettl and Edde 1977). This downstream shift in biomass from trout to non-game species is evident in Table 2.7-19, which gives the relative dominance of each family (group) in Trout Creek. 2.7-57