Skunk Run Fish Sampling – Athens Conservancy District

Report prepared by Amy Mackey ( University Voinovich School) on October 15th, 2015

Field Crew

Field work led by Amy Mackey (Ohio EPA Level 3 Fish Community Qualified Data Collector number 00146) on September 18th, 2015

Field Assistants: Aaron Coons and Jess Cogan ( Students)

Sampling Site Location/Description (see Figures 1 & 2 in Attachments)

Sampling site was located at Skunk Run River Mile 1.4 (1.4 miles up from the confluence with the Hocking River).

At the sampling site, the Skunk Run watershed is draining 3.71 square miles.

Property of David Rupe and Athens Conservancy District (access from David Rupe’s property) on Ireland Road (59) near Coolville, in Athens County, Ohio.

Rail bed on David Rupe’s property was the center of the 175 meter reach.

Methods

Standard long‐line electrofishing unit (Ohio EPA, 1989, 2006)

175 meter sampling reach

All fish were collected, sorted by species, counted, recorded, and returned to the stream.

Results & Discussion

A total of 21 species and 947 individual fish (see Table 1 below) were collected from the 175 meter sampling reach.

Table 1. Skunk Run River Mile 1.4 Species List 9‐18‐15

Common Name Latin Name Number

Golden redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum 1 Northern hog sucker Hypentelium nigricans 7 Common white sucker Catostomus commersonii 20 Blacknose dace Rhinicthys atratulus 83 Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus 318 Striped shiner Notropis chrysocephalus 78 Spotfin shiner Cyprinella spiloptera 1 Silverjaw minnow Ericymba buccata 13 Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus 67 Central stoneroller minnow Campostoma anomalum 181 Trout‐perch Percopsis omiscomaycus 1 Northern rockbass Ambloplites rupestris 7 Green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus 5

Northern bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus 3 Johnny darter Ethestoma nigrum 36 Rainbow darter Ethestoma caeruleum 13 Barred Fantail darter Ethestoma flabellare 100 Least Brook Lamprey Lampetra aepyptera 3 South. Redbelly Dace Chrosomus erythrogaster 6 Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus 2 Orangethroat Darter Etheostoma spectabile 2 Totals 21 species 947 individuals

The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) metric is a measure of fish species diversity and species populations. This index gives a score which indicates how much a stream habitat is affected by pollutants, and which types of fish are present. Depending on the pollution tolerance of specific species, the IBI indicates which species are likely to be found and the level of fish diversity in the stream.

The IBI is based on 12 metrics. The metrics for a headwaters stream such as Skunk Run include:

1. Number of native species 2. Number of darter species 3. Number of headwater species 4. Number of minnow species 5. Number of sensitive species 6. Proportion of tolerant species 7. Proportion of omnivores 8. Proportion of insectivores 9. Proportion of pioneering species 10. Number of individuals 11. Number of simple lithophilic species 12. Proportion with DELTs

Each metric has a range of 1 ‐ 5 points available, generating an IBI score ranging from 12 (lowest quality stream), to 60 (highest quality stream). The Skunk Run site scored a 52 which is meeting Exceptional Warm Water Habitat criteria (see description of Aquatic Life Uses below).

Designated Aquatic Life Use Categories Explanation (Bowman, 2009)

These categories are not chemical parameter specific, but instead use the biological integrity of the stream to classify the health of a stream segment. The contaminates that are affecting the biological health of the stream are then identified and targeted for restoration so the stream can achieve the highest “designated use” attainment possible. The five designated uses consist of:

o Exceptional Warmwater Habitat (EWH) is the most biologically productive environment. These waters support “unusual and exceptional” assemblages of aquatic organisms, which are characterized by a high diversity of species, particularly those that are highly intolerant and/or rare, threatened, endangered, or special status. This use designation represents a protection goal for water resource management efforts dealing with Ohio’s best water resources.

o Warmwater Habitat (WWH) defines the “typical” warm water assemblage of aquatic organisms of Ohio streams. It is the principal restoration target for the majority of water resource management efforts in Ohio.

o Modified Warmwater Habitat (MWH) applies to streams with extensive and irretrievable physical habitat modifications, for which the biological criteria for warm water habitat are not attainable. The activities contributing to the modified warm water habitat designation have been sanctioned and permitted by state or federal law. The representative assemblages are generally composed of species that are tolerant to low dissolved oxygen, silt, nutrient enrichment, and poor habitat quality.

o Limited Resource Water (LRW) applies to small streams (usually <3 square mile drainage area) and other water courses which have been irretrievably altered to the extent that no appreciable assemblage of aquatic life can be supported; such waterways generally include small streams in extensively urbanized areas, those which lie in watersheds with extensive drainage modifications, those which completely lack water on a recurring annual basis, or other irretrievably altered waterways.

o Coldwater Habitat (CWH) ‐ this use designation is intended for waters which support assemblages of cold water organisms and/or those which are stocked with salmonids with the intent of providing a put‐ and‐take fishery on a year round basis which is further sanctioned by the Ohio DNR, Division of Wildlife; this use should not be confused with the Seasonal Salmonid Habitat (SSH) use which applies to the Lake Erie tributaries which support periodic “runs” of salmonids during the spring, summer, and/or fall. No specific biological criteria have been developed for the CWH use although the WWH biocriteria are viewed as attainable for CWH designated streams.

Table 2. Biological criteria for the WAP ecoregion Aquatic Life Use Category IBI Headwaters Score EWH Habitat ≥50 WWH Habitat ≥40 MWH (Mine affected) 24 LRW Habitat 18

References

Bowman, J.R., 2009. Acid Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment Plan for Upper Rush Creek Watershed. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University.

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, 1989a. Biological Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Life: Volume III. Standardized Biological Field Sampling and Laboratory Methods for Assessing Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities. Division of Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment, Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b. 2006 updates to Biological Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Life: volume III. Standardized Biological Field Sampling and Laboratory Methods for Assessing Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities. Division of Surface Water, Ecological Assessment Section, Columbus, Ohio.

ATTACHMENTS:

Maps of sample site

Copy of ODNR Division of Wildlife Collectors Permit

Copy of field sheet

Copy of signed Right of Entry from David Rupe, property landowner

Excel spreadsheet of IBI scoring calculations

Figure 1. General map of project area near Coolville, Ohio, Athens County. Star is the location of the Rupe Property.

Figure 2. Detailed photo of sample site. Star indicates center of 175 meter sample reach.