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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Water Quality and Ecology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #88059
Title: WATERSHED EVALUATION OF THE UPPER YALOBUSHA RIVER: FISHES

Author
item Smiley, Peter
item Knight, Scott
item Cooper, Charles

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The upper Yalobusha River (upstream of Grenada Reservoir) is currently reflecting channel instability as numerous knickpoints migrate upstream in the main channel and tributaries. Additionally, a debris jam west of Calhoun City, Mississippi is creating an increased flooding problem. In 1996, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began examining possible solutions to both problems as part of the Demonstration Erosion Control (DEC) project in the Yazoo River basin. We surveyed fishes from the watershed to document the status of ichthyofauna prior to any project action. We sampled 33 sites representing a variety of habitat conditions from January to May 1997. Headwater and tributary sites were sampled using a backpack electroshocker, while riverine sites were sampled with both boat electroshocking and hoop nets. Overall, our collection contained representatives of 61 species from 17 families within 3971 captures. We documented the presence of 28 species which were previously unreported from this portion of the Yalobusha River drainage. In descending order, the five most abundant species captured were Lepomis cyanellus, Ictiobus bubalus, Pimephales notatus, Lepomis macrochirus, and Semotilus atromaculatus. This information will assist with evaluating the potential effects of debris jam removal or channel reconstruction on the ichthyofauna within this watershed.