I l l inois Department of Natural I l l inois Department of Natural ResourcesResources

Division of FisheriesDivision of FisheriesRegion II Streams ProgramRegion II Streams Program

Steve Pescitel l iSteve Pescitel l i

• IL DNR fish sampling programsIL DNR fish sampling programs

• Using fish to determine stream qualityUsing fish to determine stream quality

• Results of the 2013 Basin Survey Results of the 2013 Basin Survey

• Review trends since 1983Review trends since 1983

• Results of Dam Removal studiesResults of Dam Removal studies• Hoffman DamHoffman Dam• Other regional dam removalsOther regional dam removals

• Dam removals in 2014 and 2015Dam removals in 2014 and 2015

• Importance of Downstream ConnectionImportance of Downstream Connection

STREAM RESOURCESOver 32,000 miles of perennialrivers and streams

REGION 2FoxDes PlainesChicagoKankakeeMazonAux Sable

Northeastern Illinois: Recent glaciation (13,000 y/a) Wide range of habitats >glacial lakes / wetland >low gradient / oxbow >high gradient / rock&cobble

IDNRFish Sampling Programs

Basin Survey sites -large scale -five-year rotation-IEPA coop.

Sub-basin sites-local scale-priority watersheds-active watershed groups/projects

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-Sportfish Management-Project evaluation

2013 Basin SurveySampling Stations

2013 Basin Survey•34 stations•19,665 fish•15 families•70 species•2 Listed species

•Iowa darter•Banded killifish

•5 non-native•Round goby•Oriental weatherfish•Grass carp•Common carp•Goldfish(no bighead or silver carp)

2013 Des Plaines River mainstem – 15 most numerous species

Common name Total No.Percent of total

Spotfin shiner 1419 22.2Sand shiner 828 13.0Blackstripe topminnow 818 12.8Bluntnose minnow T 789 12.3Bluegill 717 11.2White sucker T 174 2.7Rock bass 165 2.6Carp T 156 2.4Gizzard shad T 153 2.4Green sunfish T 132 2.1Largemouth bass 125 2.0Hornyhead chub I 112 1.8Channel catfish 103 1.6Orangespotted sunfish 59 0.9Spotted sucker I 57 0.9

METRIC SCORENo. native fish species 0-6No. sucker species 0-6No. sunfish species 0-6No. intolerant species* 0-6No. minnow species 0-6No. benthic invertivore species 0-6Prop. special ist benthic invertivores 0-6Prop. generalist feeders 0-6Prop. coarse mineral spawners 0-6Prop. tolerant species* 0-6

total 0-60

Index of Biotic Integrity - IBI

Difference of >10 = biologically meaningful change

IBI Results 2013 Des Plaines River Mainstem

Year 1983 1997 2003 2008 2013

No. Stations 11 7 15 11 17

*1983 Sample at G-25: Five seine hauls, total catch = 2 common carp

*

Des Plaines River IBI scores for common boat electrofishing stations

Common nameNo.

collectedPercent of

total

Bluntnose minnow T 1129 27.38

Gizzard shad T 580 14.06

Bluegill 425 10.31

Carp T 211 5.12

Spotfin shiner 207 5.02

Blackstripe topminnow 194 4.70

Channel catfish 190 4.61

Green sunfish T 145 3.52

Largemouth bass 139 3.37

White sucker T 104 2.52

Pumpkinseed 73 1.77

Sand shiner 55 1.33

Round goby 54 1.31

Spotted sucker I 46 1.12

Northern pike 45 1.09

Common name Total No.Percent of

total

Spotfin shiner 1419 22.2

Sand shiner 828 13.0

Blackstripe topminnow 818 12.8

Bluntnose minnow T 789 12.3

Bluegill 717 11.2

White sucker T 174 2.7

Rock bass 165 2.6

Carp T 156 2.4

Gizzard shad T 153 2.4

Green sunfish T 132 2.1

Largemouth bass 125 2.0

Hornyhead chub I 112 1.8

Channel catfish 103 1.6

Orangespotted sunfish 59 0.9

Spotted sucker I 57 0.9

Top 15 species Des Plaines Basin Survey

2008 2013

Electrofishing percent of catch for Des Plaines River: IBI fish species tolerance rating for 6 stations common to all surveys

IBI Results 2013 Des Plaines River Mainstem

Factors affecting stream ecosystems

• Water Quality • Habitat • Stream Flow • Food SourcesFood Sources• ConnectivityConnectivity

Dam Removal:Restoring Habitat and Connectivity

• Dams have severe negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems, and are a primary factor in the loss of fish and mussel species diversity in North America.

• A total of 1,150 dam have been removed in the US improving habitat and water quality, and reconnecting isolated stream and river segments. .

• While fish passage has been somewhat successful in reconnecting waterways, it does not improve the water quality and habitat degradation and is often more expensive.

Dams in NE IL

• In Northeastern Illinois, past water quality problems have caused loss of fish and mussel species in many rivers and streams.

• Since the Clean Water Act, most streams have improved and could support “lost” species.

• Lack of connectivity precludes full restoration in these streams.

Effects of Dams

Local Effects Degraded habitat

Degraded water quality

Degraded fish and macro- invertebrate communities

System-wide Effects Fragmented river

Barrier to fish migration

Prevent recolonization of impacted and restored reaches

Isolate important habitats

Des Plaines River Dams

Table 6. Number of samples and total electrofishing (EF) time for each segment within the Des Plaines River 206 Project Study Area, with mean catch per unit effort (CPUE), number of species, and Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI).

ParameterUpstream Armitage

DamArmitage Dam to

Hoffman DamDownstream

Hoffman Dam

No. of samples 6 8 7

Total EF time 173.0 309.0 353.0

Mean CPUE 210.0 155.7 296.3

Mean No. Species 13.5 10.6 22.1

Mean IBI 25.2 17.3 29.8

Des Plaines River Dam Removals•2011 Ryerson•2011 Armitage•2012 Fairbanks•2012 Hofmann•2014 Dam #1•2014 Dam #2

Hoffman Dam pre- and post- removal 2012 Hoffman Dam pre- and post- removal 2012

Dam # 1 Removed 2014

Dam # 2 Removed 2014

Hoffman Dam Removal EvaluationIBI and No. species Downstream (DS) v. Upstream (US)

IDNR Fisheries Studies:

Five NE IL Dam ProjectsChange in Upstream Area

• Species 3X

• Abundance 6-fold

• IBI 40%

Species not previously collected in Hofmann Dam poolNorthern pike Hornyhead chubChannel catfish* Orangespotted sunfishRock bass Blackside darterBlack crappie Black bullheadCreek chub Yellow bullheadRosyface shiner* Muskellunge*Sauger*

Silver redhorse From Des Plaines RiverRiverside, ILBelow former Hoffman Dam

Common name Scientific name 1983 1997 2003 2008 2013Bowfin Amia calva X X X X XGizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum X X X X XCentral mudminnow Umbra limi X X XNorthern pike Esox lucius X X X X XGolden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas X X X X XCreek chub Semotilus atromaculatus X X X X XCommon shiner Luxilius cornutus X X XSpotfin shiner Cyprinella spiloptera X X X X XRed shiner* Cyprinella lutrensis XFathead minnow Pimephales promelas X X X X XBluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus X X X X XEmerald shiner Notropis atherinoides X X X X XSand shiner Notropis ludibundus X X X X XWhite sucker Catostomus commersoni X X X X XYellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis X X X X XBlack bullhead Ameiurus melas X X X X XBlackstripe topminnow Fundulus notatus X X X X XBlack crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus X X X X XWhite crappie Pomoxis annularis X X XRock bass Ambloplites rupestris X X X X XLargemouth bass Micropterus salmoides X X X X XSmallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu X X X X XGreen sunfish Lepomis cyanellus X X X X XBluegill Lepomis macrochirus X X X X XPumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus X X X X XYellow perch Perca flavescens X X X XBlackside darter Percina maculata X X X X XJohnny darter Etheostoma nigrum X X X X XHornyhead chub Nocomis biguttatus X X X XBigmouth shiner Notropis dorsalis X X X XQuillback* Carpiodes cyprinus X X X XSpotted sucker Minytrema melanops X X X XSilver redhorse* Moxostoma anisurum XChannel catfish Ictalurus punctatus X X X XTadpole madtom Noturus gyrinus X X X XBrook silverside Labidesthes sicculus X XYellow bass Morone mississippiensis X X XOrangespotted sunfish Lepomis humilis X X X XWalleye Stizostedion vitreum X X X XFreshwater drum* Aplodinotus grunniens X X X XCentral stoneroller Campostoma anomalum X XRedfin shiner Lythrurus umbratilus XBlackchin shiner Notropis heterodon XMimic shiner Notropis volucellus XSpottail shiner Notropis hudsonius X X XSmallmouth buffalo* Ictiobus bubalus X X XStonecat Noturus flavus X X XMosquitofish Gambusia affinis X X XWarmouth Lepomis gulosus X X XSauger Stizostedion canadense X X XStriped shiner* Luxilus chrysocephalus XRiver carpsucker* Carpiodes carpio X XFlathead catfish* Pylodictis olivaris XLogperch Percina caprodes X XLongnose gar* Lepisosteus osseus XGrass pickerel* Esox americanus XMuskellunge Esox masquinongy XSuckermouth minnow* Phenacobius mirabilis XRosyface shiner** Notropis rubellus XBanded killifish* Fundulus diaphanus XRedear sunfish Lepomis microlophus X

Total Native Species 28 37 45 47 50Cummulative Species Total 28 40 50 54 61

No. Stations 15 8 19 8 17*collected only downstream of former Hofmann Dam

Table 3. Native fish species collected at all locations for each IDNR Basin Survey on the mainstem of the Des Plaines River.

1983 1997 2003 2008 2013

Total Native Species 28 37 45 47 50

Cumulative Species 28 40 50 54 61 New species -- 12 22 26 33

1997 2003 2008 2013

Hornyhead chub Stonecat Logperch Logperch

Bigmouth shiner Central stoneroller Striped shiner* Rosyface shiner

Tadpole madtom Redfin shiner River carpsucker* Banded killifish*

Brook silverside Blackchin shiner Flathead catfish* Striped shiner*

Orangespotted sunfish Mimic shiner River carpsucker*

Spotted sucker Spottail shiner Redear sunfish

Quillback* Mosquitofish

Silver redhorse* Warmouth

Freshwater drum* Smallmouth buffalo*

Yellow bass Sauger

Channel catfish

Walleye

Species sources:•Instream refugia•CAWS•Lower Des Plaines

1983 1997 2003 2008 2013

Total Native Species 28 37 45 47 50

Cumulative Species 28 40 50 54 61 New species -- 12 22 26 33

1997 2003 2008 2013

Hornyhead chub Stonecat Logperch Logperch

Bigmouth shiner Central stoneroller Striped shiner* Rosyface shiner

Tadpole madtom Redfin shiner River carpsucker* Banded killifish*

Brook silverside Blackchin shiner Flathead catfish* Striped shiner*

Orangespotted sunfish Mimic shiner River carpsucker*

Spotted sucker Spottail shiner Redear sunfish

Quillback* Mosquitofish

Silver redhorse* Warmouth

Freshwater drum* Smallmouth buffalo*

Yellow bass Sauger

Channel catfish

Walleye

1997 2003 2008 2013

Hornyhead chub Stonecat Logperch Logperch

Bigmouth shiner Central stoneroller Striped shiner* Rosyface shiner

Tadpole madtom Redfin shiner River carpsucker* Banded killifish*

Brook silverside Blackchin shiner Flathead catfish* Striped shiner*

Orangespotted sunfish Mimic shiner River carpsucker*

Spotted sucker Spottail shiner Redear sunfish

Quillback* Mosquitofish

Silver redhorse* Warmouth

Freshwater drum* Smallmouth buffalo*

Yellow bass Sauger

Channel catfish

Walleye

Kankakee

Fox

Des Plaines

Basin Survey 2013: 34 stations, 19,665 fish, 70 species, two listed species Mainstem 60 species, IBI low to moderate throughout, below IEPA full use

criteria IBI much improved since 1983, trending upward since 1997; species

diversity improving, especially in lower river. Sportfish abundant is some areas, Riverside, Lemont Road Dams, Urbanization, past water quality problems primary factors Five Dams removed since 2012; dam removals improve IBI and

productivity; allow for recolonization; e.g. channel catfish, rosyface shiner Remaining five dams on Des Plaines River scheduled for removal in 2015;

free-flowing from WI to Brandon Recruitment source for new fish species, Lower Des Plaines River through

Brandon Lock – maybe cut off as Asian carp barrier.