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Habitat Management

Simply put, habitat is where an organism lives.  Habitat directly influences the productivity of aquatic ecosystems such as streams and rivers. Unfortunately, poor habitat conditions limit the potential of fish populations in many waterways.

Water quality, temperature, sediment and structure (e.g., rocks and logs) all determine the quality of stream habitat.  One responsibility of stream managers is to understand the habitat needs of fish, assess the quality and availability of this habitat in stream systems and implement appropriate improvement projects when necessary.

All fish require special water conditions to survive.  For example, bass and sunfish can live in water temperatures exceeding 85 degrees Fahrenheit.  However, rainbow trout may die when temperatures exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  Read about ODWC’s efforts to improve water temperature for trout at the lower Mountain Fork River.  Sufficient quantities of dissolved oxygen are also critical to the survival of stream dwelling fish.  Learn about cooperative efforts with the US Army Corps of Engineers to increase dissolved oxygen levels in the lower Illinois River trout fishery .