Key Environmental Factors: H\drology — upstream dams or diversions in tributaries of the watershed; 

 Grazing — slight impacts 



Rare or I'nique Species: No rare species, but an excellent fish commiinit> 



Rare Features: No rare features documented 



Introduced/Exotic Species: Black bullhead and green suntlsh (rare) 



Overall Ecological Site Condition: Good to Excellent 



Reach Summary: The 300 m reach consisted of 3 riffle/run/pool complexes (full How ing connccti\ it\ ) 

 u iih the uppermost pool being - 1 00m long and containing the most fish holding habitat, fhis stream reach 

 has excellent aquatic habitat and a diversity of microhabitats, thus leading to high fish species diversity ( 1 2 

 species, 10 native). Pools averaging 10-1 5m long and 2.25m wide. The first 2 riftle/pool complexes 

 proceeding upstream were deep enough to allow seining for t'lsh, the last pool was clear and shallow 

 enough to visibly inspect for fish and amphibians. All substrate of the pools was gravel dominated with 

 some silt and cobbles and pools I and 2 w ith surrounding vegetation dominated by Scirpus sp. (rushes) 

 and Eleocfhiris paliisiris. common spikerush. Aquatic vegetation and overhanging banks provided the 

 most significant stream habitat in this stream reach. Grasses, although sparse in places (Figure 26). 

 comprised a large percentage of vegetation coverage along the riparian stream channel. Livestock use 

 index (LLM) was moderate with -20 cow pies counted on a 75m walk of the left bank. Pugging and 

 hummocking was minimal. 



Reach Riparian Ranking: BLM= 95.8% (23 of 24) EPA RBP= 93.5 % (188 of 200) 



Reach Riparian Geomorphology: The geomorphology of this stream reach is a Rosgen C-3b witli a 

 gentle-medium slope (~ 1 .5%). moderate sinuosity, a riffle-pool configuration w ith substrate dominated by 

 cobbles and ranging to gravel-dominated pools. Pools are slightly incised and averaged >40 cm in depth, 

 wetted width of the reach was . Surrounding bank materials are finer than the channel bed materials. 



Amphibian Community : 1 Adult Northern Leopard Frog (NLF) observed in the uppermost pool. 



Fish Community: 1 2 fish species (9 native) were seined in the 3 rifnc/run/pools. Dominant species 

 were the tlathead chubs, plains minnows and sand shiners. Expected fish fi>r this stream tspc ha\c been 

 met, although a couple of introduced species were present (black bullhead and green sunfish). These 

 probably originated from the Jones Creek stock pond reservoirs that can contribute introduced species 



during higli How events. 



Fish Community Quality: IBl" 99.8 0/E= 9/7.75 or 1 16% of the expected fish community. 



Macroinvcrtebrate Community: Ihis communit> consists otlhc I iltcruig Collector. Prairie Stream 

 and Large Prairie River assemblage of macroin vertebrates («9. 11.37 Stagliano 2005). The expected 

 community indicator species are present :iiul liiis siic i;mkcd high with the MI MMI. Over 80% of the 

 indicator species were present in ihis sample. 



Macroinvcrtebrate (ommunity Quality: MT MM1= 69.8 0/E= >80% 



28 



