Landscape Characteristics of Unnamed Tributaries on White Deer Creek

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

Wild trout (brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis) are native in Pennsylvania waters and are considered an important species in forested watersheds. Their populations are an important asset in Pennsylvania's managed recreational fisheries. Populations in unnamed tributaries to White Deer Creek were measured in 2013. The coordinates of sampling locations were used to construct sub-watershed boundaries in ArcMap 10.2 using USGS digital elevation models. Land use, soils, water quality, and terrain datasets were analyzed to determine whether these traits could predict wild trout populations. Results indicate that watershed size, channel slope, soil parent material, and channel width are significant predictors of trout populations. As more watersheds are analyzed, these watershed characteristics may be valuable for predicting trout populations in other un-assessed waters.