described (Svvanberg and Bums 1997). North Fork bull trout returned to wintering areas 

 of the Blackfoot River near Nevada Creek after spawning. Fish that spawned in Copper 

 Creek e.xhibited a much larger home range than earlier studies. These fish wintered in 

 Copper Creek before moving downstream to the middle Blackfoot River the following 

 spring (Results Part IV). 



In spring 2002, telemetry documented the presence of bull trout in the Blackfoot 

 River between Nevada Creek and the North Fork for the first time. This reach of the 

 Blackfoot River suffers from habitat problems including elevated summer water 

 temperatures and nutrients levels, high sediment loads and low flow problems (Results 

 Part 1 and IV). Based on a small sample of telemetered fish, habitat use near Nevada 

 Creek appears to be limited to winter and spring use. All telemetered bull trout using this 

 reach (n=5) exited by mid-June and returned (n=2) to wintering areas by November. 



Scolty Brown Bull Troul Lenglhs 



19S9 1990 1991 1993 1996 1996 2000 2002 



199S 2000 2002 



~r MIn-Max 

 I I 25%-75% 

 o Median vali 



Figure 3. Length summary of sampled bull trout in the Johnsrud and Scotty Brown Bridge 

 section 1989-2002. 



# Redds 



We completed a winter water temperature study at bull trout spawning sites 

 (Results Part IV). These spawning sites had significantly warmer temperatures during the 

 winter incubation period compared with downstream non-spawning sites. This 

 information may help identify historical 

 spawning locations and foster recovery. 



Bull trout densities in the lower 

 Blackfoot River have been increasing 

 since 1990, with an inclination towards 

 larger fish (Figure 3). These increases in 

 length cire significant in the Johnsrud 

 section (ANOVA. 7df, P <0.001) but 

 not in the Scotty Brown Bridge section 

 (ANOVA, 7 df, P = 0.141). In spring 

 2002, bull trout densities were generally 

 stable in the lower River with densities 

 (> 6.0") increasing from 4.3 to 6.1 

 fish/1000' in the Johnsrud Section, but 



■ Copp«r Creek 

 n North Fork 

 n Momure Creek 



Year 



Figure 4. Bull trout redd counts in index reaches of 

 three Drimarv SDawninu streams 1989-2003. 



decreasing from 7.7 to 5.1 fish/1000' in the Scotty Brown Bridge Section (Results Part 

 II). 



