Technical Workgroup Presentat

Technical Workgroup Presentat

October 1, 2003

• Results of a Feasibility Study for Brown Trout Re

Bright Angel Creek

• Phase 2 of Bright Angel Creek Trout Removal a

Fish Community Monitoring

• Tributary Non-native Removal Feasibility Study
Results of a Feasibility Study for B

Trout Removal in Bright Angel C

William Leibfried, 

Helene Johnstone,

SWCA Environmental Consultants

and

Dr. Jeffrey Cross

Grand Canyon National Park
• The National Park Service is charged with preserving a

protecting the natural resources within Grand CanyonAngel Creek, the fish community has been altered townative salmonids, to the detriment of its native fishes. Construction and operation of a temporary weir in BrigCreek will provide the opportunity to determine if remobrown trout will benefit native fish survival in Bright Ang

• Test Feasibility of Removing Brown Trout During Spawn

• Test Weir Structure

Purpose
Bright Angel Creek
Nonnative Fishes in Bright An

Creek

Stocked in 1920s and 1930s

Rainbow Trout

Brown Trout
2002 Electrofishing CPE in Colorad

Bright Angel Creek

Preliminary Data from Arizona Game and Fish Departm
Native Fishes in Bright Angel C

Bluehead sucker

Speckled dace Flannelmouth sucker

Humpback chub
• Construct temporary weir

• Install above lower foot bridge• Operate weir continuously from Nov 18, 2002 –

January 21, 2003

• Check weir and process fish twice per day: 

morning and evening

• Public contacts

Methods 
Upstream View of Weir in Place
View Downstream
View Upstream from Bridge
BRIGHT ANGEL CREEK - TEMPORARY FISH WEIR

PURPOSE AND NEED: The National Park Service is charged with preserving and protecting the natural 

resources within Grand Canyon. Active, hands-on management of resources is at times required to achieve this goal. In Bright Angel Creek, the fish community has been altered towards non-native salmonids, to the detriment of its native fishes. Construction and operation of a temporary weir in Bright Angel Creek will provide the opportunity to determine if removal of brown trout will benefit native fish survival in Bright Angel Creek.FAQs:What is a weir? A weir is a barrier to fish movement with an attached cage to capture and hold live fish.Why are the trout being removed? Fish surveys have shown declines in native fishes concurrent with increases in brown trout. Brown trout are predators on the young and small native fish. Removal may increase the survival and numbers of native fish in BAC, and help to restore the fish community.What happens to the fish? The trout are taken from the cage and euthanized. They are measured and weighed, and examined for tags or marks. They are disposed of outside the park. What about the rainbow trout? Rainbow trout will be released upstream.What are the native fish? The native fishes include the flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, and speckled dace. The endangered humpback chub may once have lived in Bright Angel Creek; they still are occasionally found in the Colorado River nearby.Who is responsible for this project? The National Park Service is funding this project. The contract to conduct the work and analyze the results was awarded to SWCA, an environmental consulting firm based in Flagstaff Arizona.

FLANNELMOUTH SUCKER 

CONTACTSSWCA, INC., ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTSFLAGSTAFF, AZ 86001928-774-5500

HUMPBACK CHUB

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK JEFFREY CROSSGRAND CANYON SCIENCE CENTER DIRECTOR928-638-7759

Example of Fact Sheet Posted at Pha

Ranch
• Brown and Rainbow Trout:

 Measure (TL, FL) Weigh (g) Check for adipose clip Scan for PIT tag Examine for sex and sexual condition Release rainbow trout above weir

• Brown Trout only:

 Remove stomach, examine contents Preserve stomach in ethanol if fish remains are present Dispose of fish by packing in salt to be transported out 

Park by NPS

Fish Handling Protocol

Nonnatives
• Native Fishes:

 Measure (TL, FL) Weigh (g) Scan for PIT tag, Tag if needed Release above weir

Fish Handling Protocol

Natives
Brown Trout

Rainbow Trout

Nonnative Fishes in Weir
0

102030405060

11/19

11/22

11/25

11/28

12/1

12/4

12/7

12/10

12/13

12/16

12/19

12/22

12/25

12/28

12/31

1/3

1/6

1/9

Number of Fish BNT 

NOV DEC JAN

BNT = 423 RBT = 188

Brown and Rainbow Trout Capt

November 18, 2002–January 21, 2003
0

102030405060

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30123456789

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31123456789

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

NOV DEC JAN

Number of fish

Total Fish Temp

Water Temperatures and Fish Cap

November 18, 2002–January 21, 2003
1

(0)

55

(0)

5

(0)

Sex

Unknown

(% ripe)

93

(100)

(96.8)

40

(97.5)(85.0)

Rainbow trout

173

(94.2)(95.7)

245

(95.9)(64.1)

Brown trout

Bluehead sucker 0 0 

Number of Males

(% ripe)

(% running)

Number of Females

(% ripe)

(% running)

Species

Preliminary Results

November 18, 2002–January 21, 2003
Length Frequency

Brown Trout

0

10203040506070

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

350

360

370

380

390

400

410

420

430

440

450

460

470

480

490

500

510

520

530

540

550

TOTAL LENGTH (MM)

Number of Fish 

Length Frequency
Length Frequency

Rainbow Trout

05

1015202530

200

220

240

260

280

300

320

340

360

380

400

420

440

460

480

500

520

540

560

TOTAL LENGTH (mm)

Number of Fish

Length Frequency
3/14/01 96.8 

BNT 305

2/23/02 96.5 

BNT 350 Adipose clip only, no PIT tags found.BNT 351 Adipose clip only, no PIT tags found.BNT 352 Adipose clip only, no PIT tags found.BNT 290 4/14/02 93.1 BNT 282 4/14/02 91.8 BNT 348 2/27/02 120.7 BNT 311 2/23/02 95.8 BNT 334 2/22/02 87.8 BNT 285 12/23/00 97.5 BNT 308 6/9/00 87.35 BNT 402 6/5/00 53.9 

TL at Recapture Date of Capture RM* at Capture 

Species

Recapture Original Capture (AGFD)

* RM at mouth of BAC = 87.8

Recaptured Brown Trout (12/422=
• Weir structure successful

• Efficient at removing spawning brown trout• Controversial with some public• Future work requires NPS approval of results

 NEPA required for future management actions by N

 Our Recommendations:

– Earlier installation of weir to bracket spawning p– Native fish monitoring in Bright Angel Creek– Population estimates of salmonids in BA creek– Coordination with main channel fish monitoring 

(GCMRC)

Preliminary Conclusions and 

Recommendations
• Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region fo

initial funding 

• Grand Canyon National Park staff for logistic sup• SWCA staff; Matt Lauretta, Suzanne Rhodes, Mary 

Mcleod, Gabe Valdes, volunteers

• Phantom Ranch staff 

Acknowledgements
Phase 2 Bright Angel Creek 

Trout Removal

• Conducted Baseline Po

Estimates of Fish ComLate Summer 2003 

• NEPA Compliance Un• Begin trout removal 

management action in 2003 including mecharemoval with backpack electrofishing.
2004–2007

• Spring of Each Year Use a Weir to Capture 

Native Suckers Entering Bright Angel Creek

• Summer Baseline Population Monitoring of 

Fish Community to Track Response to Trout Removal
• Continue Fall/Winter Trout 

Removal Using Weir and Backpack Electrofishing

• Expand Removal Efforts 

Upstream (Roaring Springs Reach)

2004–2007
Native Fish Habitat Restoration 

Selected Grand Canyon Tributa

• Winter 2004 Begin with Reconnaissance Trip to Evalua

Potential Tributaries

• Two Trips Each in 2004 and 2005• Determine the Feasibility of Non-native 

Fish Removal for Tributaries
Methods

• Electrofish Reaches for Population Estimates Using Re

Method

• Removal All Trout Species and Other Non-natives• Determine Baseline Fish Populations 

in Tributaries
For Each Tributary

Use Two 4–6 Person Crews• One Crew Based from River Camp (working the lowe

2–3 miles )

• One Crew Based from a Remote Camp Supported b

Backpacking in All Gear
Selected Tributaries Include

• Clear Creek• Shinumo Creek• Tapeats Creek• Havasu Creek (?)
Project Goals

• Determine the Feasibility of Reducing Non-native Fis

in Grand Canyon Tributaries

• Develop a Long-term Action Plan for Controlling an

Managing Non-native Fishes in Key Grand Canyon Tributaries