1. Fishes of Deckers Creek

2. AMD Patterns: pH Masontown Richard Kanes Creek Greer SRG
Stewart et al.

4. Here
Fishy Fishy Fishy!

5. Fishes of Deckers Creek
Petromyzontidae (Lampreys)
Least Brook Lamprey (1)
Ictaluridae (Catfishes)
Brown Bullhead (2)
Yellow Bullhead (9)
Margined Madtom (1)
Cyprinidae (Minnows, Carps)
Blacknose Dace (4)
Central Stoneroller (3)
Common Carp (1)
Golden Shiner (1)
Creek Chub (11)
Rosyface Shiner (2)
Spotfin Shiner (2)
Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Bluegill (8)
Green Sunfish (5)
Largemouth Bass (3)
Pumpkinseed (6)
Redbreast Sunfish (1)
Smallmouth Bass (3)
Spotted Bass (2)
Catastomidae (Suckers)
Northern Hognose Sucker (3)
White Sucker (3)
Percidae (Perches, Darters)
Fantail Darter (2)
Johnny Darter (1)
Huge problem of destroying thermal regime in small streams that possess hydrologic and physical characteristics that are only suitable for coldwater species.
It is rare for a warmwater system to be converted to a coldwater system (but see reservoir tailwaters).
Distinction between a coldwater system and a warmwater system is not clear cut, especially in WV. You can have cold and warm water streams within the same drainage network. Or you can have seasonal cold and warmwater systems (extremely common). In these systems, fish must move around to be functional.
Example: lower cheat and upper shavers and greenbriar and north branch of potomac and on and on.
* 22 Species Total

6. Brook Lamprey Creek Chub Assorted Minnows Blacknose Dace
Huge problem of destroying thermal regime in small streams that possess hydrologic and physical characteristics that are only suitable for coldwater species.
It is rare for a warmwater system to be converted to a coldwater system (but see reservoir tailwaters).
Distinction between a coldwater system and a warmwater system is not clear cut, especially in WV. You can have cold and warm water streams within the same drainage network. Or you can have seasonal cold and warmwater systems (extremely common). In these systems, fish must move around to be functional.
Example: lower cheat and upper shavers and greenbriar and north branch of potomac and on and on.

7. Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

8. Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth bass
Bluegill
Green Sunfish

9. Northern Hogsucker
White Sucker

10. Yellow Bullhead
Brown Bullhead

11. Fantail Darter (E. flaballare)
Johnny Darter (E. nigrum)

12. Notable Absences Mottled Sculpin Rock Bass River Chub
Huge problem of destroying thermal regime in small streams that possess hydrologic and physical characteristics that are only suitable for coldwater species.
It is rare for a warmwater system to be converted to a coldwater system (but see reservoir tailwaters).
Distinction between a coldwater system and a warmwater system is not clear cut, especially in WV. You can have cold and warm water streams within the same drainage network. Or you can have seasonal cold and warmwater systems (extremely common). In these systems, fish must move around to be functional.
Example: lower cheat and upper shavers and greenbriar and north branch of potomac and on and on.
Rock Bass
River Chub

13. Fishes of Deckers Creek Creek

14. Fishes Lost in 2003 from Aarons Creek
Green Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Spotted Bass
White Sucker
Johnny Darter
Yellow Bullhead
Brook Lamprey
Species dependent on systems larger than Aarons Creek

15. Fishes of Deckers Creek:
Conclusions
Sites in the ws, 1
The Deckers Creek fish community is strongly dependent on upstream dispersal from the Mon River and downstream dispersal from impoundments
Most ubiquitous species are LENTIC rather than LOTIC species: bluegill, green sunfish, pumkinseed, and yellow bullhead.
Key “stream-dependent” species are largely absent (river chubs, rock bass, sculpin, darters, and minnows)
Even relatively “good” areas (lower gorge) get zapped regularly.
Reason for reserved optimism.

16. Fish Management Plan Upper “Gorge” Lower Deckers Lower “Gorge”
Upper Deckers

17. Upper Deckers Objectives Wild, Mixed Species, Sunfish Fishery
10-15 species, mostly warmwater / eurythermal
Mix of lentic and lotic species
Recreational Fishing and “Comfort of Life”
5-10 year outlook
Key Limitations: upper mines, channelization

18. Upper Gorge Objectives Put and Take Fishery Wild Species?
Recreational Fishing
5-10 year outlook
Key Limitations: upper mines, no natural source of limestone

19. Lower Gorge Monitoring programs Objectives
Put and Take / Put and Grow Trout Fishery
Recreational Fishing
3-10 year outlook
Key Limitations: upper Deckers mines

20. Lower Deckers Sites in the ws, 2 Objectives
Wild Smallmouth Bass / Rock Bass Fishery
10-20 species
Mix of stream and large river species
Potentially important recreational fishery
10-25 year outlook
Key Limitation: Richard’s Mine and Regional tribs (West Run, Dents Creek)

21. Fishes of Deckers Creek: A Regional Perspective

22. Fishes of Deckers Creek: A Regional Perspective
Fishable waters must be restored as drainage networks.
Extend efforts and arguments to the regional scale.