Please find below two links to articles that have come out of Montana recently that are very informative and enlightening to see how biologists in Montana are very involved and decisive about resolving impacts to fisheries. These articles discuss the many levels and cumulative impacts precious trout fisheries all over North America are under and that we need to face and deal with these very real challenges. Even many of our favourite aquatic insect hatches are facing some real threats and require much analysis and research work and then noteworthy effort put forward to reverse negative impacts.
These articles are great reads please take the time to read them and better understand what North American watersheds, fisheries and aquatic insect hatches will be facing now and into the future. By reading these articles we think you will more clearly understand why Montana has the most cherished world class trout fisheries in North America. Montana puts great value into their trout fisheries and the biologists care deeply for the states trout fisheries and understand their intrinsic value to the state economy and lively hood of Montanans. Please click on the links to access these documents.
The sudden drop in water levels that occurred because of a valve problem equates to the same way water drops happen on our trout streams with dams on them in Alberta. After spring runoff, flood events, or even more concerning when both situations occur simultaneously many times the dams start shutting down water flow fairly fast at the back end of these events. These sudden decreases in water levels many times cause fish populations to get caught in back channels, puddles and even farmer’s fields as water levels drop quickly and they get caught high and dry and die.This can cause the loss of high if not huge numbers of fish population losses on some of our rivers like the Bow River, Red Deer River, or St. Mary’s River and really any river with a dam or series of dams on them.
Thanks Bob, I think all management initiatives should fall under the constraints of water flow management requirements post Dam and Municipal water treatment to hold and sustain desired fish habitat and populations.