Black Bass Habitat Use and Availability at Multiple Scales in Middle Chattahoochee River Tributaries by Charles Theophilos Katechis A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Fisheries, Master of Science Auburn, Alabama December 12, 2015 Keywords: black bass, stream habitat, land use, stream survey, side-scan sonar, distribution Copyright 2015 by Charles Theophilos Katechis Approved by Terrill R. Hanson, Chair, Professor, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Science Steven Sammons, Research Fellow IV, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Science Jim Stoeckel, Associate Professor, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Science Abstract The focus of this study was on tributaries of the Middle Chattahoochee River where Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae and Chattahoochee Bass Micropterus chattahoochae are experiencing declines, mainly due to anthropogenic disturbances of streams and introductions of non-native congeners. This study examined habitat use of black bass and the presence/absence of Shoal Bass and Chattahoochee Bass at multiple scales. Point and transect surveys, canoe surveys, side-scan sonar mapping techniques, and available land use data were used to measure habitat characteristics at each scale. Black bass were sampled by both backpack electrofishing and by canoe-mounted electrofishing. Results indicated that suitable habitat for Shoal Bass included rocky boulder habitats with shallow depths and wide stream banks in heavily forested areas of large watersheds and Chattahoochee Bass were found in highly natural and forested land cover areas small watersheds in wider sections of the stream in rocky and shallow fast-moving shoal habitats. Surveys revealed that Shoal Bass populations can persist in smaller watersheds with enough ideal habitat. Chattahoochee Bass would likely benefit from habitat restoration for Shoal Bass in streams where they are sympatric. Side-scan sonar surveys were conducted on smaller streams, smaller than previously attempted, and results indicated that this method was useful to map habitat in these systems. Conclusions of this study indicated that priority streams for Shoal Bass and/or Chattahoochee Bass restoration, restocking efforts, and the reduction in non-native bass populations included the Dog River, Centralhatchee, Hillabahatchee, Wehadkee, Mountain Oak, and Osanippa creeks. ii Acknowledgments I thank my mother, Angia A. Katechis, and my family for their continued support in pursuit of my graduate degree. I also thank the Thompson family for the help they provided during and after my undergraduate years. I thank Dr. Steven M. Sammons for hiring me as a field technician and then taking me on as a graduate student. He gave me an opportunity to continue my career in fisheries biology and has helped me throughout my graduate research. I thank Dr. Terry Hanson for giving me the opportunity to pursue a master's degree and his commitment, support, and guidance throughout the project. Also Dr. Jim Stoeckel has given me great insight on what my research objectives should focus on. I am very thankful for the assistance I have received from Kat Hoenke of the Southeast Aquatic Resource Partnership (SARP) who provided me with needed land use data. This study was funded by the Georgia Power Company (GPC), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Georgia Department of Natural Resource - Wildlife Resource Division, Fisheries Management and Non-game Conservation sections (GADNR-WRD). I thank Joey Slaughter, GPC, for use of an extra backpack electrofisher. I thank Thom Litts, a GIS specialist for the GADNR-WRD, for use of side-scan sonar equipment, and providing guidance on the interpretation and acquisition of instream habitat data. I thank Auburn University personnel including Scott Snyder for their help on many project tasks. Finally, I thank David Belkoski, a field technician, and the many members of my field crew including undergraduate and graduate students. iii Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vii List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. viii Definitions of Note ....................................................................................................................... ix I. Introduction .................................................................................................................................1 I.1. Black Bass in the Chattahoochee River Basin...............................................................1 I.2. Black Bass Business Plan and Habitat Importance ......................................................3 I.3. Habitat Surveys .............................................................................................................4 I.4. Research Goals .............................................................................................................8 II. Methods ......................................................................................................................................9 II.1. Study Area ...................................................................................................................9 II.2. Field Surveys .............................................................................................................10 II.2.1. Microhabitat Survey ...................................................................................10 II.2.2. Mesohabitat Survey and Side-Scan Sonar Survey ......................................11 II.3. Macrohabitat Survey and Overall Habitat Analyses ..................................................13 III. Results .....................................................................................................................................17 III.1. Microhabitat Scale ....................................................................................................17 iv III.2. Mesohabitat Scale ....................................................................................................20 III.3. Macrohabitat Scale ...................................................................................................22 III.4. Side-Scan Sonar Analysis .........................................................................................25 V. Discussion ................................................................................................................................27 V.1. Connectivity and Stream Habitat Restoration ............................................................28 V.2. Land Use Conclusions ...............................................................................................30 V.3. Congeneric Spotted Bass Invasion .............................................................................32 V.4. Side-Scan Sonar Surveys of Small Streams ...............................................................33 V.5. Future Analyses..........................................................................................................35 VI. Conclusions and Management Implications ............................................................................36 VII. Literature Cited .....................................................................................................................42 VIII. Tables ..................................................................................................................................48 IX. Figures ...................................................................................................................................67 X. Appendices ..............................................................................................................................81 X.1. Side-Scan Sonar Start and End GPS Points ...............................................................82 X.2. Point and Transect Habitat Sampling Form .............................................................83 X.3. Point and Transect Electrofishing Form ....................................................................84 X.4. Handheld Canoe Electrofishing Transect Form .........................................................85 X.5. Land Cover Classifications ........................................................................................86 v List of Tables Table 1. Stream Sampling Locations ...........................................................................................49 Table 2. Modified Wentworth Scale of Substrates .......................................................................50 Table 3. Catch and Effort of Point and Transect Surveys.............................................................51 Table 4. Percent Substrate and Percent Cover of Point and Transect Surveys .............................52 Table 5. Pearson’s R Correlations of Microhabitats .....................................................................53