7 Years of Sampling Unassessed Wild Trout Waters as Part of the PFBC Unassessed Waters Initiative
Start Date
10-11-2017 8:00 PM
End Date
10-11-2017 9:59 PM
Description
Since 2011 Susquehanna University has been a partner of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Unassessed Waters Initiative. This cooperative program between the PFBC and colleges and universities seeks to collect biological data on previously unsampled (unassessed) streams across Pennsylvania to determine their status as possible new Wild Trout streams. Prior to this program which began in 2010, only 8% of the 62,725 streams across Pennsylvania had been sampled for biological data by the PFBC. Since 2011, Susquehanna#University faculty, staff and students have surveyed 761 previously unassessed waters as part of the program. Sample sites have been predominately across north central Pennsylvania including the following major watersheds: Loyalsock Creek, Schrader Creek, Muncy Creek, Lycoming Creek, Buffalo Creek, Penns Creek, White Deer Creek, First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek and Dubois River. We found wild trout (brook and brown trout) in 47% of the streams (358 of the 761). A portion (21%) of sampled sites were found to be seasonally dry during the sampling. Brook trout were found in 321 (42%) of the streams. While brown trout were found in 148 (19%) of the streams. The Unassessed Waters Initiative has led to the designation of almost 1000 new wild trout streams, with many more to be added in the future.
Keywords
Central Pennsylvania, wild trout, fish management, Unassessed Water Initiative
Type
Poster
Session
Poster session
Language
eng
7 Years of Sampling Unassessed Wild Trout Waters as Part of the PFBC Unassessed Waters Initiative
Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room
Since 2011 Susquehanna University has been a partner of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Unassessed Waters Initiative. This cooperative program between the PFBC and colleges and universities seeks to collect biological data on previously unsampled (unassessed) streams across Pennsylvania to determine their status as possible new Wild Trout streams. Prior to this program which began in 2010, only 8% of the 62,725 streams across Pennsylvania had been sampled for biological data by the PFBC. Since 2011, Susquehanna#University faculty, staff and students have surveyed 761 previously unassessed waters as part of the program. Sample sites have been predominately across north central Pennsylvania including the following major watersheds: Loyalsock Creek, Schrader Creek, Muncy Creek, Lycoming Creek, Buffalo Creek, Penns Creek, White Deer Creek, First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek and Dubois River. We found wild trout (brook and brown trout) in 47% of the streams (358 of the 761). A portion (21%) of sampled sites were found to be seasonally dry during the sampling. Brook trout were found in 321 (42%) of the streams. While brown trout were found in 148 (19%) of the streams. The Unassessed Waters Initiative has led to the designation of almost 1000 new wild trout streams, with many more to be added in the future.