Fishery and riparian resources of Devils Postpile National Monument and surrounding waters
Rowan DE, Parmenter SC, Eckhardt WW. 1996. Fishery and riparian resources of Devils Postpile National Monument and surrounding waters. National Park Service
This paper systematically combines and augments fishery and riparian information developed over the past decade in Devils Postpile National Monument and vicinity, Madera County, California. The 1992 Rainbow Fire affected water chemistry, upland and riparian vegetation, and extirpated the brown trout of Boundary Creek. Riparian vegetation is rapidly recovering and no evidence indicates fire impact on aquatic biota or habitat condition in the study area. Hydrologic and water chemistry data were gathered for all streams and ponds in the study area. Frequency and distribution of habitat types were inventoried for all streams. A stream gauge was installed in the Middle Fork San Joaquin River near the Devils Postpile formation to provide the means for monitoring river discharge. Aquatic macro invertebrate communities in the Middle Fork are uniform and show no evidence of pollution or environmental stress. Pacific tree frog is widespread in the study area; other anurans present in similar Sierra Nevada habitats were not found. The endangered Owens tui chub occurs in Sotcher Lake and Reds Meadow Creek, but appears not to have spread to the Middle Fork. Four species of trout were found in the , river, and are isolated in tributary streams in a variety of assemblages. Catchable trout stocked upstream of the Monument disperse downstream and are found in many accessible habitats. Angler self-survey, hook-and-line sampling, and past roving clerk and electrofishing surveys support earlier conclusions that the recreational fishery ranks among the highest in California in stream-born trout density, biomass, catch rate, and angler effort. These fishery attributes and the findings of this resource assessment led to the designation of the Middle Fork San Joaquin River within Devils Postpile National Monument as Wild Trout Water by the California Fish and Game Commission in June, 1995.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Rowan, Don; Parmenter, Steve; Eckhardt, Wymond
- Date of Issue
- 1996
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- DEPO
- Keywords
- Amphibians (Amphibia), Animal Studies, Aquatic, Aquatic Sciences, Discharge, Habitats, Invertebrates (Invertebrata), Owens tui chub, Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris regilla), pH, Riparian Zone, Rivers & Streams, Trout, Water Temperature