Utah Project: Long-Term Logan River Trout Viability Study and Monitoring

Utah Project

Long-Term Logan River Trout Viability Study and Monitoring

January 2001 - September 2021

Personnel

Participating Agencies

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Dr. Timothy Walsworth, Assistant Professor of Quantitative Aquatic Ecology at Utah State University and volunteer Isaak MacKinnon sampling the population of native Bonneville cutthroat trout thriving in Righthand Fork of the Logan River, UT after the removal of non-native brown trout.

While the importance of reducing the impacts of non-native species is increasingly recognized in conservation, the feasibility of such actions is highly dependent upon several key uncertainties including the stage of invasion, the size of the ecosystem being restored, and the magnitude of the restoration activity. Here, we present the results of a multi-year, non-native brown trout (Salmo trutta) removal and native Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) recovery in a small tributary in the Intermountain West, USA. We monitored trout populations for seven years prior to the onset of eradication efforts, which included two years of mechanical removal followed by two years of chemical treatment. Cutthroat trout populations were then seeded with low numbers of both eggs and juvenile trout. We monitored population demographics and estimated population growth rates and carrying capacities for both populations from long-term depletion estimate data, assuming logistic growth. Prior to eradication, brown trout populations fluctuated around their carrying capacity. Following brown trout eradication and initial seeding efforts, cutthroat trout populations have demonstrated exponential growth. Within five years, cutthroat trout have approached their estimated carrying capacity. Population projections suggest a 50% probability that cutthroat trout are currently at or above 90% of their carrying capacity, and that there is an 80 to 90% probability they will be at or above 90% of their carrying capacity within 10 years. Additionally, at least four age-classes are present including adults large enough to satisfy angling demand. This project is a collaboration of biologists, academics, and anglers and includes the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources , U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, the local chapter of Trout Unlimited – Cache Anglers, and the Ecology Center at Utah State University. These results demonstrate native trout species have substantial capacity to rapidly recover following the removal of invasive species in otherwise minimally altered habitats. While these locations are likely limited in extent individually, collectively they may serve as source populations for larger connected systems. In such cases, these source populations may provide additional conservation potential through biotic resistance.

Research Publications

Research Publications	Publication Date
Murphy, B., T. Walsworth, P. Belmont, M.M. Conner, and P. Budy. 2020. Dynamic Habitat Disturbance and Ecological Response (DyHDER)-PVA: modeling fish population dynamics in response to landscape disturbance. Ecosphere 11(1):e03023. 10.1002/ecs2. 3023. USGS FSP IP-110023.	January 2020
Bennet, S., B. Roper, R. Al-Chokhachy, and P. Budy. 2014. Annual Variation of Spawning Cutthroat Trout in a Small Western USA Stream: A Case Study with Implications for the Conservation of Potamodromous Trout Life History Diversity. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 34:1033-1046. USGS FSP:IP-050825. \| Abstract	January 2014	Little is known about the variability in the spatial and temporal distribution of spawning potamodromous trout despite decades of research directed at salmonid spawning ecology and the increased awareness that conserving life history diversity should be a focus of management. We monitored a population of fluvial–resident Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii utah in a tributary to the Logan River, Utah, from 2006 to 2012 to gain insight into the distribution and timing of spawning and what factors may influence these spawning activities. We monitored Bonneville Cutthroat Trout using redd surveys with multiple observers and georeferenced redd locations. We documented an extended spawning period that lasted from late April to mid-July. The onset, median, and end of spawning was best predicted by the mean maximum water temperature during the first 13 weeks of the year (F = 130. 4, df = 5, R2 = 0.96, P < 0.0001) with spawning beginning and ending earlier in years that had warmer water temperatures prior to spawning. The distribution of redds was clumped each year and the relative density of redds was greater in a reach dominated by dams constructed by beavers Castor canadensis. Both dam failure and construction appeared to be responsible for creating new spawning habitat that was quickly occupied, demonstrating rapid temporal response to local habitat changes. Bonneville Cutthroat Trout appeared to establish and defend a redd for up to 2 d, and spawning most often occurred between similar-sized individuals. Spawning surveys for potamodromous trout are an underutilized tool that could be used to better understand the distribution and timing of spawning as well as determine the size and trends of the reproducing portion of populations of management concern. Without efforts to document the diversity of this important aspect of potamodromous trout life history, prioritization of conservation will be problematic.
Budy, P. and J. Gaeta. 2018. Brown trout as an invader: A Synthesis of Problems and Perspectives in Western North America. Invited Chapter 12.1 in: The Brown Trout Salmo trutta L.: A primer on a paradigmatic species. Editors: Javier Lobón-Cerviá & Nuria Sanz Ball.llosera. Wiley. USGS FSP: IP-058204 \| Abstract	February 2018	Brown trout are one of the most pervasive and successful invaders worldwide and are ubiquitous across the Intermountain West, USA (IMW). This species is the foundation of extremely popular and economically significant sport fisheries despite well-established negative effects on native fishes and ecosystems, resulting in very challenging, and often opposing, conservation and management goals. Herein, we review the direct (e.g., competition and predation) and indirect (e.g., disease vectors) pathways through which brown trout across the IMW have posed a threat to native species. We discuss the importance of brown trout as economically and culturally important fisheries, especially in novel tailwater ecosystems created by damming. To this end, we surveyed 26 experts from 8 states across the IMW to document the relevance of novel brown trout fisheries in 58 tailwaters and found brown trout are thriving in these novel ecosystems, which are often unsuitable for native fishes. We discuss the challenging interplay between protecting native species and managing novel brown trout fisheries. Notably, the future of exotic brown trout in the IMW is shifting as the prestige of native fisheries is growing and many non-native eradication efforts have occurred. The future of exotic brown trout in the IMW, will depend on the nexus of public sentiment and policy, the effectiveness of eradication efforts, and the effect of climate change on both the native fishes and exotic brown trout.
Budy, P., G. P. Thiede, P. McHugh, E. S. Hansen, and J. Wood. 2008. Exploring the relative influence of biotic interactions and environmental conditions on the abundance and distribution of exotic brown trout (Salmo trutta) in a high mountain stream. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 17:554-556.	June 2008
De la Hoz Franco, E. A., and P. Budy. 2004. Linking Environmental Heterogeneity to the Distribution and Prevalence of Myxobolus cerebralis: A Comparison Across Sites in a Northern, Utah Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 133:1165-1178.	April 2004
Wood, J. and P. Budy. 2009. An investigation of the early life-history and potential influences on invasion success of exotic of brown trout (Salmo trutta). Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 138:756-767.	May 2009
De la Hoz Franco, E. A., and P. Budy. Accepted. Effects of biotic and abiotic factors on the distribution of trout and salmon along a longitudinal stream gradient. Environmental Biology of Fishes 72:379-391.	July 2004
Hansen, E., and P. Budy. 2011. The potential of passive stream restoration to improve ecosystem health and minimize the impact of fish disease: a short-term assessment. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 30:573-588.	June 2011
Hansen, M., P. Budy , C. Guy, and T. McMahon. 2019. Trout as Native and Invasive Species: a Management Paradox. Invited Chapter 819 in: Diversity and Status of Trouts and Chars of the World. Editors: J.L. Kershner, J. E. Williams, R. E. Gresswell. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. Symposium Book. USGS FSP: IP-095921.	May 2019
Budy, P., K.B. Rogers, Y. Kanno, B. Penaluna, N.H. Hitt. J. Dunham, C. Mellison, and W.L. Somer. 2019 Distribution and Status of Trouts and Chars in North America. Invited Chapter 8 in: Diversity and Status of Trouts and Chars of the World. Editors: J.L. Kershner, J. E. Williams, R. E. Gresswell. American Fisheries Society. Symposium Book. USGS FSP: IP-088494. \| Abstract	May 2019	Trout and char are a celebrated group of fishes and char hold a distinct place in the culture, nutrition, and economy of indigenous people. Their connections to ecosystems and people are profound and complex, and, in the United States, many are the state fish! Trout and char are speciose, and most taxa have evolved in response to major geological events. Today, relative to their historical distribution and abundance, the status of most trout and char in the United States is considered poor, and distributions have been dramatically reduced. In Canada, some of these fishes are depressed, while others are secure and support commercial and subsistence harvest. In the USA, for example, of the lineages of Oncorhynchus that we described, two are already extinct, five are listed as Threatened under the ESA, three are protected under Conservation Agreements or are considered ‘Species of Concern’, and those that remain have all undergone or are currently undergoing status assessments due to declines in abundance and distribution (Table 1). In contrast, of the four Salvelinus species we reviewed, only one is listed as Threatened under ESA, one is declining across its native range, and the other two have no range-wide legal conservation status and are considered stable. Arctic Char are even considered a sustainable food fish and are “of least concern” on the IUCN list.<br>Most species or sub-species face similar threats, although the most important limiting factors varied. Habitat degradation, genetic introgression, and the negative effects of non-native fishes (often by other trout) are the most influential threats to persistence. However, because all trout are obligate cold-water species, climate warming is also a ubiquitous threat. In addition, due to their extreme popularity as a game fish and recreational and economic value, trout and char enjoy broader management support than most species of fish and wildlife, particularly among those that are imperiled. As a consequence, there is a long history of trout and char management in North America. That history has changed over time from management focused on improving recreational angling opportunities to management that also emphasizes conservation and restoration of native populations. Common management strategies include hatchery propagation, harvest restrictions, habitat restoration (riparian, in-stream), improving passage and connectivity, and minimizing the impacts of non-natives (via removal, sterilization). Despite their imperiled status and persistent threats, the outlook is promising for many species, sub-species, and populations, largely because the most important limiting factors have been identified and because they are, in sum, a wildly celebrated group of fishes.
McHugh, P., and P. Budy. 2006. Experimental effects of nonnative brown trout on the individual- and population-level performance of native cutthroat trout. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 135:1441-1455.	November 2006
McIntosh, A., P.A. McHugh, and P. Budy. 2011. Brown Trout, Chapter 24, In: Handbook of Global Freshwater Invasive Species (a summary of the current state of knowledge of 30 of the most notable global invasive freshwater species). Invited BOOK Chapter. (http://www.earthscan.co.uk/).	October 2011
Budy, P., T. Walsworth, G.P. Thiede, P.D. Thompson, M.D. McKell, P.B. Holden, P.D., Chase, W.c. Saunders. 2021. Remarkably rapid recovery of native trout following removal of a dominant non-native trout sub-population: evidence of resilience and conservation potential. Conservation Biology: Conservation Practice and Policy 2021;3:e325. doi.org/10.1111/csp2.325. \| Abstract	January 2021	While the importance of reducing the impacts of non-native species is increasingly recognized in conservation, the feasibility of such actions is highly dependent upon the stage of invasion and the size of the ecosystem being restored. As such, invasive species management actions face three questions regarding the ultimate success of the action: (1) will the removal efforts be successful (i.e., will the invasive species remain absent), (2) will the native species respond positively to non-native species removal, and (3) how long after restoration activities can the native species be expected to reach a recovered state without further intervention. Here, we present the results of a multi-year, non-native brown trout (Salmo trutta) removal and native Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) recovery in a small tributary in the Intermountain West, USA. We monitored trout populations for nine years prior to the onset of eradication efforts, which included two years of mechanical removal followed by two years of chemical treatment. Cutthroat trout populations were then seeded with low numbers of both eggs and juvenile trout. We monitored population demographics and estimated population growth rates and carrying capacities for both populations from long-term depletion estimate data, assuming logistic growth. Prior to eradication, brown trout populations fluctuated around their carrying capacity. Following brown trout eradication and initial seeding efforts, cutthroat trout populations have demonstrated exponential growth. Within five years, cutthroat trout have approached their estimated carrying capacity. Population projections suggest that cutthroat trout are between 70 and 80% of their carrying capacity and are likely to be at 90% of their carrying capacity within 10 years. Additionally, at least four age-classes are present including adults large enough to satisfy angling demand. These results demonstrate native trout species have substantial capacity to rapidly recover following the removal of invasive species in otherwise minimally altered habitats. While these locations are likely limited in extent individually, collectively they may serve as source populations for larger connected systems. In such cases, these source populations may provide additional conservation potential through biotic resistance.

Presentations

Presentations	Presentation Date
Budy, P. 2006. Evaluating the combined effects of environmental variation, biotic interactions, and disease on the abundance and distribution of exotic brown trout (Salmo trutta). Invited International Seminar, Ecology of stream fishes: State of the art and future prospects ? II. Leon, Spain.	June 2006
Budy, P. 2008. Efecto de peces introducidos sobre las redes tr�ficas en embalses de Norteam�rica. (Food web interactions and the role of a new invader in a large reservoir in USA). Department Seminar, University of Leon, Dept. of Ecology, Spain. March 31, 2008.	March 2008
Budy, P. 2011. Towards a better understanding of the factors that limit and facilitate one of the world’s most invasive fishes: what can we learn from an intercontinental comparison? USU, Department of Watershed Sciences and Water Initiative Joint Seminar Series. February 24, 2011. Logan, UT.	February 2011
Budy, P. and W.C. Saunders. 2015. Can high densities of native trout limit expansion of exotic trout through biotic resistance? International Symposium. Advances in the Population Ecology of Stream Salmonids IV. 25-29 May, Girona, Spain.	May 2015
Budy, P., G.P. Thiede, and P. McHugh. 2006. Quantification of survival, site-fidelity, abundance, and trend for a critical population of endemic cutthroat trout. AFS, Lake Placid, NY. September 1, 2006.	September 2006
Budy, P., K.B. Rogers, Y. Kanno, B. Penaluna, N.P. Hitt. G.P. Thiede, J. Dunham, C. Mellison, W.L. Somer, and J. DeRito. 2019. Distribution and status of trout and char in North America. Salmonid Symposium 5, Granada, Spain, 20 - 24 May 2019.	May 2019
Coleman, T., J. DeRito, C. Penne, G.P. Thiede, and P. Budy. 2020. Fishing success goes with the flow: correlation between stream flow and temperature and angler catch rates. Oral presentation. Annual Meeting of the Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, St. George, Utah, 26-27 February 2020.	February 2020
Mohn, H., B. Roper, P. Budy. 2014. Quantifying Bonneville Cutthroat Trout spawning movement within the Logan River watershed with consideration to potential metapopulation structure and management. American Fisheries Society, Utah Chapter, 11-14 March, 2014, Price, Utah, USA.	March 2014
Mohn, H., B. Roper, P. Budy. 2014. Investigating Bonneville Cutthroat Trout spawning movement within the Logan River watershed with consideration to potential metapopulation structure and management. American Fisheries Society, Western Division, 7-11 April, 2014, Mazatlán, Mexico.	April 2014
Mohn, H., P. Budy, B. Roper. 2014. An evaluation of movement characteristics and spatial population structure: Informing sustainable management. Wild Trout Symposium. West Yellowstone, Montana. September 22-25, 2014.	September 2015
Thiede, G.P., H. Mohn, P. Budy, and B. Roper. 2015. International Symposium. Evaluating movement and spatial population structure for stream-dwelling cutthroat trout: implications for management and conservation practices. Advances in the Population Ecology of Stream Salmonids IV. 25-29 May, Girona, Spain.	May 2015
Budy, P. T. Walsworth, G.P. Thiede, P. Thompson, P. Holden, P. Chase, and W.C. Saunders. 2019. Remarkably rapid recovery of native cutthroat trout following removal of a dominant non-native brown trout sub-population: evidence of resilience and conservation potential. Advances in the Population Ecology of Stream Salmonids V, Symposium: Population dynamics of salmonids post ecological disturbance, May 20-24, Granda, Spain.	May 2019
Hafen, K., W.C. Saunders, and P. Budy. 2012. Effects of impoundments on brown trout source-sink dynamics in the Logan River, Utah: Conservation implications for endemic Bonneville cutthroat trout. Poster Presentation. Utah Chapter, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, March 26-29, 2012, Bullfrog, UT.	March 2012
Konrad Hafen, W. Carl Saunders, Gary P. Thiede, and Phaedra Budy. 2013. Effects of impoundments on brown trout source-sink dynamics in the Logan River, Utah: Conservation implications for endemic Bonneville cutthroat trout. Western Division American Fisheries Society Meeting - Boise, Idaho, 15 - 18 April 2013.	April 2013
Nichols, K., W.C. Saunders, G.P. Thiede, and P. Budy. 2018. Evaluating diet overlap between cutthroat trout and brown trout in instream, experimental enclosures under differing densities: can native trout resist the impacts of nonnative trout when they occur at higher densities? Poster presentation at the Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society annual meeting, Ogden, Utah. 13-15 March 2018.	March 2018
W.C. Saunders, and P. Budy. 2012. Biotic resistance by native Bonneville cutthroat trout to the establishment of exotic brown trout is influenced by population density. Utah Chapter, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, March 26-29, 2012, Bull Frog, UT.	March 2012

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

Utah Project

Long-Term Logan River Trout Viability Study and Monitoring

January 2001 - September 2021

Personnel

Participating Agencies

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