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Adopt-A-Fish Update: May 10, 2007 means big flows for fish Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Spring can be a bright and beautiful time for many of nature's creatures. Flowers begin to bloom. Fawns, calves and other baby critters start appearing in the fields. The grasses transition from a dull brown to the beautiful shades of green that mean summer is right around the corner. For fish, however - including those in the Missouri-Yellowstone Adopt-A-Fish Program - spring can be a little different. Although spring does mean higher water temperatures and more available food to eat with bugs hatching and minnows spawning, it also brings increased flows. Imagine for a moment hiding behind a rock, in the dark, in 100 mph winds with trees and debris flying past your head for a month. This is comparable to what Yellowstone River fish contend with every spring. As temperatures increase during April and May, the snow begins to melt in the mountains at the upper end of the Yellowstone River valley. Combined with recent rains, this means muddy water, trees and debris moving down the mighty river that our adopt-a-fish swim in. During late summer and in the winter, the Yellowstone River flows near Billings are typically around 2,000 cubic feet per second, or about 900,000 gallons each minute at a given point. Last Friday, the flows at that same point near Billings were more than 19,000 cfs, or more than 8.5 million gallons a minute. Downstream, after more tributaries enter the river, the Yellowstone is capable of reaching flows of more than 100,000 cfs. That's a lot of muddy water and very strong currents for fish to contend with. But, surprisingly, this cycle is more normal than strange. The muddy waters provide new life to the Yellowstone River valley. The big flows clean off downstream islands to create sandbars that are crucial habitat for some nesting birds while transferring seeds to different areas that grow into cottonwood trees and other important vegetation for the riparian corridor. This is crucial for a multitude of wildlife that resides along the river. Whitetail deer, mule deer, pheasant, beaver, otter, as well as many other animals, need the cover that is regenerated from the increased flows. What does this mean for our adopt-a-fish? Really, it isn't bad at all. Some fish require high, muddy flows to trigger them into reproduction mode. Sometimes it may be the temperature change associated with the spring flush that drives the fish to spawn. Whatever the case, it is an amazing river with some amazing fish, many of which do their spawning in different ways. Unlike paddlefish and some other Yellowstone River species that run upriver to spawn, sauger actually travel downstream for spawning. It looks like sauger No. 1 (named Sponge Bob by a classroom that adopted this fish) might be getting a little anxious to make its migration. She swam out of her normal residence to a new hole near the same area. Maybe she is waiting for her friends before she begins her travels. Our burbot (Ham and Pomp or Bruce) appear to like things just the way they are after migrating through the winter months. As for our Catfish, No. 1 (Enos, Kitty, Princess, Ranger) took off downstream for a leisurely swim and went up into a small side channel that doesn't have much current. She found a nice refuge to hide out in during the strong flows. Catfish No. 2 (Tubby, Bob, Remote, Channer) swam about one-half mile upstream during the spring pulse of runoff. Maybe Tubby isn't so overweight after all. The Yellowstone is a beautiful and remarkable river system, but remember to respect its power, especially this time of the year. If you plan on doing any boating, all passengers under the age of 12 must wear a personal flotation device and a wearable, U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD must be available for each occupant. Nathan McClenning is a fisheries biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks stationed at Billings. |
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