An Inventory of Fish in Streams in Mount Rainier National Park 2001-2003
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science An Inventory of Fish in Streams at Mount Rainier National Park 2001-2003 Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR—2013/717.N ON THE COVER National Park staff conducting a snorkel fish survey in Kotsuck Creek, Mount Rainier National Park, 2002. Photograph courtesy of Mount Rainier National Park. An Inventory of Fish in Streams at Mount Rainier National Park 2001-2003 Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR—2013/717.N Barbara A. Samora, Heather Moran, Rebecca Lofgren National Park Service North Coast and Cascades Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Mount Rainier National Park Tahoma Woods Star Rt. Ashford, WA. 98304 April 2013 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Technical Report Series is used to disseminate results of scientific studies in the physical, biological, and social sciences for both the advancement of science and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series provides contributors with a forum for displaying comprehensive data that are often deleted from journals because of page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This report received informal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available from the North Coast and Cascades Network website (http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/nccn/reportpubs.cfm) and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm). Please cite this publication as: Samora, B. A., H. Moran, and R. A. Lofgren. 2013. An inventory of fish in streams in Mount Rainier National Park 2001-2003. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR— 2013/717.N. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 105/120294, April 2013 ii Contents Page Figures........................................................................................................................................... vii Tables ............................................................................................................................................. xi Appendices ................................................................................................................................... xiii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... xv Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................ xix Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Background and History .......................................................................................................... 1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 4 Study Area ............................................................................................................................... 4 Geology ............................................................................................................................... 9 Soils................................................................................................................................... 11 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 11 Methods......................................................................................................................................... 17 Stream Segment Selection and Delineation ........................................................................... 17 Fish Presence ......................................................................................................................... 19 Spawning Surveys ................................................................................................................. 21 Genetic Analysis of Native Char ........................................................................................... 23 Cutthroat Trout Fin Clips ....................................................................................................... 23 Minnow Traps ........................................................................................................................ 23 Habitat and Reach Characterization ...................................................................................... 25 Database ................................................................................................................................. 26 Voucher Specimens ............................................................................................................... 26 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 27 iii Contents (continued) Page Minnow Traps ........................................................................................................................ 43 Native Char ............................................................................................................................ 43 Sculpins .................................................................................................................................. 44 Spawning Surveys ................................................................................................................. 46 Fish Presence in Lake Outlets ................................................................................................ 48 Specimen Collection .............................................................................................................. 48 Habitat .................................................................................................................................... 50 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 55 General Comments ................................................................................................................ 55 Trout ...................................................................................................................................... 55 Fish Stocking .................................................................................................................... 57 Cutthroat Trout.................................................................................................................. 58 Rainbow Trout/Steelhead.................................................................................................. 60 Char ................................................................................................................................... 61 Bull Trout .......................................................................................................................... 61 Eastern Brook Trout .......................................................................................................... 62 Salmon ................................................................................................................................... 63 Chinook Salmon................................................................................................................ 63 Coho Salmon ..................................................................................................................... 65 Sockeye/Kokanee .............................................................................................................. 66 Other Salmon Species ....................................................................................................... 67 Sculpins .................................................................................................................................. 68 Mountain Whitefish ............................................................................................................... 68 iv Contents (continued) Page Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 71 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................