Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: South Dakota
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Rivers and streams provide unique and/or localized sport fishing opportunities for rural communities in North Dakota (e.g., at bridge crossings, downstream of dams, through city parks, etc.). Many of these tributaries also provide important spawning and rearing habitat for fish populations in the mainstem Missouri River. Additionally, game fish often interact with nongame fish and utilize them as a forage base in these rivers and streams. The goal of this study is to provide information that will assist in management of riverine fishes (Missouri River basin) of North Dakota. Specific objectives are to conduct field surveys of fish and habitat conditions on select rivers and streams of western North Dakota, synthesize information on distribution of all species, and provide regional distribution maps and narrative summaries for river fishes using GIS location data.