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Relationships between Boron concentrations and trout in the firehole river, Wyoming: Historical information and preliminary results of a field study

January 1, 1998

The Firehole River (FHR) in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is a world- renowned recreational fishery that predominantly includes rainbow trout (RBT, Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (BNT, Salmo trutta). The trout populations apparently are closed to immigration and have been self- sustaining since 1955. Inputs from hot springs and geysers increase the temperature and mineral content of the water, including elevating the boron (B) concentrations to a maximum of ~1 mg B/L. Both RBT and BNT reside in warm-water reaches, except when the water is extremely warm (???~25??C) during midsummer. They spawn in late fall and early winter, with documented spawning of BNT in the cold-water reach upstream from the Upper Geyser Basin and of RBT in the Lower Geyser Basin reach, where water temperatures presumably are the warmest; however, successful recruitment of RBT in waters containing ~1 mg B/L has not been demonstrated conclusively. Thus, we began investigating the relationships among temperature, B concentrations, other water-quality parameters, and the distribution and reproduction of trout in the FHR in spring 1997. However, atypical high water flows and concomitant lower than historical temperatures and B concentrations during summer 1997 preclude conclusions about avoidance of high B concentrations.

Publication Year 1998
Title Relationships between Boron concentrations and trout in the firehole river, Wyoming: Historical information and preliminary results of a field study
Authors J.S. Meyer, A.M. Boelter, D. F. Woodward, J.N. Goldstein, A.M. Farag, W.A. Hubert
Publication Type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Index ID 70020289
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse