An Ecological Study of Wildlife and Fisheries in the Pembina and Sturgeon River Basins
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AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES IN THE PEMBINA AND STURGEON RIVER BASINS — Volume 1 — RESULTS OF ECOLOGICAL STUDIES < QL PREPARED FOR 84.26 A2 Water Resources Division SUIcWCE LIBRARY El 9 ALBERTA DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRO NM ENT , 1971 v . 1 ENEWABLB RESOURCES CONSULTING SERVICES LTD. SCI NOVEMBER, 1971 iv+iiy TABLE OF CONTENTS page I. Introduction .......................................... 1 II. The Study Area ........................................ 3 III. Wildlife Study A. Wildlife Habitat ................................... 6 1. Terrestrial Vegetation a. Methods ...................................... 7 b. Results - Extent of Forest Types along the Sturgeon and Pembina Rivers 1. Sturgeon River ........................... 9 2. Pembina River ............................ 19 Composition of Forest Associations Studied in the Sturgeon and Pembina River Basins ... 22 c. Summary ...................................... 44 2. Aquatic Vegetation a. Methods ...................................... 50 b. Results 1. Lakes ...........'.......................... 51 Summary ................................ 64 2. Rivers Sturgeon River ......................... 66 Pembina River .......................... 72 B. Wildlife Populations 1. Waterfowl in the Sturgeon and Pembina River Basins . ......................................... 75 a. Breeding Pair Survey 1. Methods ................................... 75 2. Results and Discussion .................. 77 Lakes ................................... 7 8 Sturgeon River ......................... 92 Pembina River .......................... 97 b. Incidence and Chronology of Nesting of Waterfowl in the Sturgeon River Basin 1. Methods .............................. 99 2. Results and Discussion .................. 99 c . Brood Survey 1. Methods .............................. 104 2. Results and Discussion ................. 105 d. Use of the Lakes and Pembina River by Staging Waterfowl ........................... 120 e. Waterfowl - Habitat Relationships in the Sturgeon and Pembina River Basins .......... 122 f. Summary ................... .................. 130 page 2. Populations and Nesting of Birds Other than Waterfowl in the Sturgeon River Basin .......... 132 3. Upland Game Bird Inventory at the Proposed Sites for the Pembina and Magnolia Reservoirs ...................................... 136 a. Ruffed Grouse Census 1. Inventory Methods ........................ 137 2. Results and Discussion .................. 142 b. Sharp-tailed Grouse ......................... 151 c. Status of Other Upland Game Birds ........... 153 d. Summary ...................................... 155 4. Furbearing Mammal Resource of the Sturgeon and Pembina Rivers ............................. 155 a. Methods ...................................... 156 b. Results and Discussion ...................... 158 c. Summary ...................................... 168 5. Big Game in the Sturgeon and Pembina River Basins .......................................... 17 0 a. Soil ......................................... 170 b. Climate ...................................... 17 2 Deer ...................................... 17 3 Moose ..................................... 173 c. Vegetation ................................... 176 d. Recorded Population Densities of Ungulates in the Sturgeon - Pembina Region ........... 18 4 e. Summary ...................................... 18 6 Fishery Study A. Sturgeon River 1. Habitat Evaluation a. Introduction ................................ 187 b. Methods ...................................... 188 c. Results ...................................... 189 1. Water Temperature ....................... 192 2. Specific Conductance ..................... 194 3. Total Alkalinity ......................... 194 4. Total Hardness and Calcium Hardness ..... 194 5. Hydrogen Ion (pH) ....................... 196 6. Dissolved Oxygen ......................... 196 d. Discussion ................................... 198 e. Summary ...................................... 208 2. Fish Populations a. Introduction ................................ 210 b. Methods ...................................... 210 c. Results and Discussion ...................... 211 d. Summary ...................................... 218 page B . Pembina River 1. Habitat Evaluation a. Introduction ................................ 220 b. Physical Environment 1. Methods ................................... 221 Percentage of pool and riffle ......... 221 Pool water criteria ................... 221 Pool Type A .......................... 222 Pool Type B .......................... 222 Pool Type C .......................... 223 Pool Type D .......................... 223 Riffle Quality Criteria ............... 223 Riffle Type 1 ........................ 224 Riffle Type 2 ........................ 224 Riffle Type 3 ........................ 224 Riffle Type 4 ........................ 225 Substrate types designated ............ 225 Average gradient ....................... 225 2. Results ................................... 226 3. Discussion ............................... 235 4. Summary ................................... 239 c. Chemical Environment 1. Methods ................................... 242 2. Results ................................... 242 Water Temperature....................... 24 6 Specific Conductance .................. 246 Total Alkalinity ....................... 247 Total Hardness and Calcium Hardness ... 248 Hydrogen Ion (pH) ...................... 24 9 Dissolved Oxygen ....................... 249 3. Discussion ............................... 253 4. Summary ................................... 257 d. Invertebrate Collections 1. Introduction ............................. 259 2. Methods ................................... 259 3. Results and Discussion .................. 262 4. Summary ................................... 271 e. Fish Populations 1. Introduction ............................. 27 2 2. Methods ................................... 274 3. Results and Discussion .................. 274 4. Summary ................................... 285 C. Conclusions ....................................... 289 Literature Cited (Wildlife) .............................. 299 Literature Cited (Fisheries) ............................. 332 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Size and Extent of Forest Communities along the Sturgeon River between Big Lake and the North Saskatchewan River ........... 10 2. Size and Extent of Forest Communities Surrounding Big Lake ................... 12 3. Size and Extent of Forest Communities along the Sturgeon River between Big Lake and a Point Due North of Calahoo ........... 14 4. Size and Extent of Forest Communities along the Sturgeon River between a Point Due North of Calahoo and Lac Ste. Anne .... 15 5. Size and Extent of the Forest Communities Surrounding Lac Ste. Anne .............. 17 6. Size and Extent of Forest Communities Surrounding Isle Lake .................. 18 7. Size and Extent of Forest Communities within the Areas of the Proposed Magnolia and Pembina Reservoirs ...................... 20 8. Forest Type: Aspen Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 25 1/100-acre Plots .................................... 23 9. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Individual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory, and Understory on 25 Plots within the Aspen Forest .... 24 10. Frequency of Common Understory Species Observed in 1/100-acre in Seven Different Forest Community Types in the Sturgeon and Pembina River Basins ............... 26-27 11. Forest Type: Balsam Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 25 1/100-acre Plots .................................... 29 12. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Individual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory and Understory on 25 Plots within the Balsam Forest ..... 30 Page Table 13. Forest Type: White Spruce Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 10 1/100-acre Plots ................................... 32 14. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Indi vidual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory and Understory on 10 Plots within the White Spruce Forest ................................... 33 15. Forest Type: Pine Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 5 1/100-acre Plots .................................... 34 16. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Indi vidual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory, and Understory on 5 Plots within the Pine Forest ..... 37 17. Forest Type: Mixed-Deciduous Dominant Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 25 1/100- acre Plots .............................. 39 18. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Indi vidual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory and Understory on 25 Plots within the Mixed-Deciduous Dominant Forest ......................... 41 19. Forest Type: Mixed-Coniferous Dominant Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 20 1/100-acre Plots .................................... 42 20. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Indi vidual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory, and Understory on 20 Plots within the Mixed-Coniferous Dominant Forest ......................... 43 21. Forest Type: Black Spruce Bog Stem Density by Diameter Class of the Overstory Tree Species in 25 1/100-acre Plots .................................... 45 22. Number of Cover Values Recorded for Indi vidual and Combined Species in the Overstory, Middlestory and Understory on 25 Plots within the