Using USGS StreamStats to evaluate relationships between fish populations and flow regime

Authors: Larissa Lee, Scott Bonar

Year: 2017 (xlix)

Abstract

Conserving the natural flow regime of streams is critical to safeguarding the diversity of native fish species throughout river systems To understand the relationship between fish species and flow regime, scientists have used stream flow statistics based on USGS gage stations to characterize streams and compared these statistics to the relative abundance of species in these streams In Arizona’s streams, fish populations and flow can vary significantly throughout a single river, and these statistics may not represent the diversity of flows and fish populations found throughout each stream The USGS program StreamStats uses regional regression models to create flow-related statistics for a precise location in a stream based on drainage area Our research uses these statistics and relative abundance of fish species at precise locations to examine relationships between StreamStats statistics and fish populations within Eagle Creek, AZ StreamStats statistics analyzed included peak 2-year flow, peak 10-year flow, and peak 100-year flow This information can provide critical information to managers on how flow dynamics interact with different fish species in arid-land rivers Future research will expand these analyses to include three more mid-size Arizona streams