UPDATE: Complete MDC Telemetry Report
We just received the completed MDC report on our partnered Telemetry Study. Download the PDF below.
| meramec_red_ribbon_brown_trout_telemetry_project_report_-_nov_2020.pdf |
Background
The Ozark region of southern Missouri contains approximately 200 miles of spring-fed streams and rivers that remain cold enough to support salmonid populations all year. Within this region, the Meramec River is designated as a Red Ribbon Trout Area. The River is fed by cool spring water from Maramec Spring and has over 8 miles of fishable water. It is located only 90 miles from the St. Louis metropolitan area and is heavily used by a large number of trout anglers.
In addition, the river is a popular canoeing, camping and general outdoor recreation destination. Much of the coldwater habitat flows through the Woodson K. Woods Conservation area, owned and managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The cold water source, Maramec Spring Branch, flows through Maramec Spring Park, owned and managed by the James Foundation. Much of the river is publicly-accessible for wade fishing and all of it is publicly-accessible for float fishing.
The Missouri Department of Conservation stocks brown trout in the Meramec River several times a year. Rainbow trout are also present and while they have been known to reproduce, most are escapes from the intensively stocked put-and-take area on Maramec Spring branch. The river is managed as a put, grow, and take fishery where the legal limit is two fish over 15”. To reduce the mortality rate of trout caught and released below the length limit, all fishing is restricted to flies and artificial lures only.
Recent annual electrofishing surveys have shown that survival rates on the brown trout are extremely poor after the initial stockings. The result is that the density and size structure of the brown trout population has dramatically declined. The reasons for the decline in survival are unknown, but a number of explanations have been proposed. The Meramec drains a vast watershed and is subject to rapid increases in water levels. It’s been often hypothesized the fish get displaced out of the Red Ribbon Trout area due to rapid increases in water levels due to excessive flooding. It has also been proposed that rapid increases in water temperature during summer flooding events result in trout mortality. These explanations are of great interest given that several historically-significant floods have occurred within the basin over the past decade.
Proposed Approach
Telemetry Study:
Our proposed plan is to coordinate with the Missouri Department of Conservation the tagging of approximately 40 fish including both rainbow and brown trout in various sizes using acoustic telemetry equipment. The telemetry study will help us gain some insights and data to help the MDC make better management and stocking decisions. Monitoring the tagged fish could help understand the effects of flow, season, temperature and possibly other factors on movement, habitat selection and survival of brown trout in the management area. Fish would be monitored with roving efforts using portable receivers and with stationary receivers strategically placed in the river system. We would place stationary receivers at the beginning of the Red Ribbon section at Highway 8 Bridge, one at the confluence of Meramec Springs, a receiver at the end of the Red Ribbon section at Scotts Ford, and one what would move around within the Red Ribbon Section weekly to detect finer scale movement and habitat use. The stationary receivers would allow us to see which fish leave the designated trout water and if they do as a result of flooding, increased water temperature, or other factors.
Water Temperature Monitoring:
Summer water temperatures have been monitored on the Meramec River Red Ribbon Trout Area by the Missouri Department of Conservation since 2002. Using automatic recording devices, hourly water temperatures are measured and logged throughout the summer at several locations throughout the trout area. This monitoring will continue throughout the current project.
Habitat Assessment:
An assessment of physical habitat was last conducted in 2007. This survey quantified the dimensions of the channel, assessed instream habitat and riparian vegetation and assigned a relative rating of adult trout habitat quality based on pre-determined criteria for each habitat feature. Quality ratings were generated for each pool and each riffle/run in the management area. This habitat assessment will be re-conducted to determine if any measurable changes have occurred in the last ten years. Gateway Trout Unlimited Chapter would use volunteer hours to help conduct the habitat survey. It is estimated that 150 hours of volunteer labor will be contributed to complete this portion of the project.
The combined elements of telemetry, water temperature monitoring and physical habitat assessment will help better understand the behavior of trout after stocking, and the habitat conditions under which the current fishery is being managed. This information is needed to identify factors limiting trout survival and better inform Department of Conservation stocking and management decisions.
The Ozark region of southern Missouri contains approximately 200 miles of spring-fed streams and rivers that remain cold enough to support salmonid populations all year. Within this region, the Meramec River is designated as a Red Ribbon Trout Area. The River is fed by cool spring water from Maramec Spring and has over 8 miles of fishable water. It is located only 90 miles from the St. Louis metropolitan area and is heavily used by a large number of trout anglers.
In addition, the river is a popular canoeing, camping and general outdoor recreation destination. Much of the coldwater habitat flows through the Woodson K. Woods Conservation area, owned and managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The cold water source, Maramec Spring Branch, flows through Maramec Spring Park, owned and managed by the James Foundation. Much of the river is publicly-accessible for wade fishing and all of it is publicly-accessible for float fishing.
The Missouri Department of Conservation stocks brown trout in the Meramec River several times a year. Rainbow trout are also present and while they have been known to reproduce, most are escapes from the intensively stocked put-and-take area on Maramec Spring branch. The river is managed as a put, grow, and take fishery where the legal limit is two fish over 15”. To reduce the mortality rate of trout caught and released below the length limit, all fishing is restricted to flies and artificial lures only.
Recent annual electrofishing surveys have shown that survival rates on the brown trout are extremely poor after the initial stockings. The result is that the density and size structure of the brown trout population has dramatically declined. The reasons for the decline in survival are unknown, but a number of explanations have been proposed. The Meramec drains a vast watershed and is subject to rapid increases in water levels. It’s been often hypothesized the fish get displaced out of the Red Ribbon Trout area due to rapid increases in water levels due to excessive flooding. It has also been proposed that rapid increases in water temperature during summer flooding events result in trout mortality. These explanations are of great interest given that several historically-significant floods have occurred within the basin over the past decade.
Proposed Approach
Telemetry Study:
Our proposed plan is to coordinate with the Missouri Department of Conservation the tagging of approximately 40 fish including both rainbow and brown trout in various sizes using acoustic telemetry equipment. The telemetry study will help us gain some insights and data to help the MDC make better management and stocking decisions. Monitoring the tagged fish could help understand the effects of flow, season, temperature and possibly other factors on movement, habitat selection and survival of brown trout in the management area. Fish would be monitored with roving efforts using portable receivers and with stationary receivers strategically placed in the river system. We would place stationary receivers at the beginning of the Red Ribbon section at Highway 8 Bridge, one at the confluence of Meramec Springs, a receiver at the end of the Red Ribbon section at Scotts Ford, and one what would move around within the Red Ribbon Section weekly to detect finer scale movement and habitat use. The stationary receivers would allow us to see which fish leave the designated trout water and if they do as a result of flooding, increased water temperature, or other factors.
Water Temperature Monitoring:
Summer water temperatures have been monitored on the Meramec River Red Ribbon Trout Area by the Missouri Department of Conservation since 2002. Using automatic recording devices, hourly water temperatures are measured and logged throughout the summer at several locations throughout the trout area. This monitoring will continue throughout the current project.
Habitat Assessment:
An assessment of physical habitat was last conducted in 2007. This survey quantified the dimensions of the channel, assessed instream habitat and riparian vegetation and assigned a relative rating of adult trout habitat quality based on pre-determined criteria for each habitat feature. Quality ratings were generated for each pool and each riffle/run in the management area. This habitat assessment will be re-conducted to determine if any measurable changes have occurred in the last ten years. Gateway Trout Unlimited Chapter would use volunteer hours to help conduct the habitat survey. It is estimated that 150 hours of volunteer labor will be contributed to complete this portion of the project.
The combined elements of telemetry, water temperature monitoring and physical habitat assessment will help better understand the behavior of trout after stocking, and the habitat conditions under which the current fishery is being managed. This information is needed to identify factors limiting trout survival and better inform Department of Conservation stocking and management decisions.