lengths range from 0.5 to 7 miles (average: 2.4 

 miles) and total 108.5 miles. The streams on 

 the east slopes drain into the Rappahannock and 

 James rivers. Those on the west slopes drain 

 into the Shenandoah River. In general, they 

 cease to be trout streams within a short distance 

 from the park. 



The sandstone and shale stream beds 

 scour badly. The waters are clear, colorless, 

 and very soft. Tests I made at various times 

 have ranged as follow: 6.0 to 7.0 in pH; 22,000 

 to 58,000 ohms in resistivity at 77° F.; 19 to 40 

 ppm in total dissolved solids; and to 10 ppm in 

 methyl orange alkalinity. 



Twenty-one species of fish occur in the 

 streams, but the distribution of some is limited 

 (table 1 ). All but the rainbow trout are native to 

 the park. 



Some of the waters were stocked with 

 hatchery-reared brook trout or rainbow trout up 

 to 1950, and with brook trout again in 1955. No 

 stocking has been done since that time. 



It is certain that the scenic streams and 

 their wild trout populations will increase in im- 

 portance in years to come. First of all, they 

 are situated within 100 miles of Washington, D.C, 

 and other large metropolitan areas. Many at- 

 tractive trails provide access for fishermen and 

 hikers. Secondly, the condition of the water- 

 sheds has improved greatly since the park was 

 established. Most of the poor, mountain-side 

 farms and cutover areas which contributed to 

 silting, pollution, and warming of the streams 

 have reverted to forest. Thus, the potential for 

 a greater fishery resource is improving. 



COLLECTION OF DATA 



The research plan included a survey of 

 each of the 46 streams . Because of limitations 

 on the time and manpower which could be de- 

 voted to this park, the surveys had to be accom- 

 plished over a period of several years . The 

 plan also called for intensive observations on 6 

 of the larger or more important streams, and 

 quantitative data on their fish were collected 

 each autumn from 1954 through 1957. Supple- 

 mentary surveys were made on the same waters 



during other seasons of the year from 1953 

 through 1959. 



A large amount of rather diffuse data was 

 obtained in the surveys. Most of the findings 

 were furnished to the National Park Service in 

 periodic and annual reports . Only selected data 

 are presented in this paper to illustrate important 

 features of the streams and the fish populations . 



Trout and other fishes were collected in 

 measured areas of streams with cresol compound 

 (Wilkins, 1955), or with electrofishing gear 

 (Petty, 1955; Lennon and Parker, 1957 and 1958). 

 A 230 -volt, AC, alternate -polarity electrode 

 system, used in conjunction with blocks of cattle 

 salt, was the means employed most success- 

 fully to obtain reliable estimates of the numbers 

 and pounds of trout per acre of stream . These 

 were the first enumerations of the fish popula- 

 tions in the park because efficient collecting 

 tools were not available to the previous investiga- 

 tors. 



THE STATUS OF TROUT POPULATIONS 

 PRIOR TO 1952 



We assume that the brook trout were close 

 to maximum abundance in 1950 and 1951. A re- 

 , view of the surveys by King (1936), Taylor (1941), 

 Chamberlain (1951), Henderson (1950), and the 

 reports by park rangers in 1951 and 1952 show 

 the development of the trout fishery. 



Many of the streams had been abused 

 prior to the establishment of the park. King be- 

 gan his observations on them a few years after 

 they came under park protection, and during a 

 period of drought as well. He wrote, for example, 

 that Madison Run was not a trout stream, but 5 

 years later Taylor rated it as good. Chamberlain 

 classed it as exceptionally rich in trout food or- 

 ganisms, and park rangers considered it good 

 trout water in 1950. We observed a fine spawn- 

 ing population in 1952. 



Brokenback Run was rated as a possible 

 trout stream by King, as fair by Taylor, but it 

 became one of the seven most heavily fished 

 streams by 1950. Big Run, a large and important 

 stream, appeared to King to be better suited to 

 smallmouth bass than brook trout. Taylor 



