Interesting study...brook trout recovery

[sarce]

Haven't seen this one posted before. Study encompassing a few years before and after a massive (500-yr) flash flood on a river in Shenandoah National Park. Basically, the brookies were completely wiped out by the debris flow over about a third of the stream length, but things returned to normal within 4 years. Some interesting notes about how the habitat changed.

Link

Mods, not sure if this would be a better fit for conservation forum, feel free to move.

 

[Chaz]

I've fished it since the flood, about 4 times in 2005, the fishing was extremely good.
There was one place I reached that there was a huge pool backed up behind a debris flow of about 12 feet, that came from the top of the mountain down to the creek.
It's beautiful water, if you ever get down there, you've got to fish it.

 

[sarce]

Chaz,

Fished it yesterday and did pretty well considering how difficult it was to fish. Brutal terrain with a few inches of snow on the ground. Only covered about 1/4 mile.

One pool I found was about 4 feet deep and held at least a dozen fish. One cast there were 4 following my little streamer and none decided to beat the others to the fly, lol.

 

[troutbert]

The document does not have photos, or very much description of the physical aspects of the stream, and how the flood/debris flow changed the physical aspects of the stream, and how things have changed since the flood.

Since you fish the stream, can you tell us more about this?

Also, do you fish the Moormans? I heard that also had a debris flow in the same flood, and saw pictures taken soon after the event, and they were pretty shocking. How are things recovering there?

 

[CRB]

It would be nice if the PAFBC had their studies/papers online for the public to view/read.

 

[Chaz]

Dwight,
I fished the Moormans North Fork in 2005 and had some of the best brook trout fishing I've ever had anywhere. While the flood appeared to really tear things up, I'd venture to say that the habitat was excellent when I fished it. Certainly the brookies were, and there was plenty of fish larger than what would be legal in PA.

 

[sarce]

TB,

This weekend was my first time there, but I can hopefully answer your questions.

Personally, I can't see glaring evidence of this huge flood, but it happened 20 years ago. I don't have any knowledge of what things looked like before, I would have been 3 years old when it happened lol.

The valley has very steep sides though, and there is evidence of flash floods such as logs dumped on top of rocks several feet above normal water level. I don't know if things I saw are from "normal" flash floods or the big one 20 years ago. There are a few places either with split channels or where you can see that the stream jumped to a new channel. Any of those could have happened in the big flood.

I did notice that about 95% of the overhead cover is provided by boulders in/overhanging the stream. Very little LWD.

I can't think of a stream I've fished that is as difficult to move and fish your way upstream. It's a jumble of rocks.

I have not yet fished Moormans or any other SNP streams.

 

[jifigz]

CRB wrote:
It would be nice if the PAFBC had their studies/papers online for the public to view/read.

PFBC has a ton of articles, studies, and information online, you just have to look for it.

 

[brookieaddict]

You can talk about something or you can do something, im tired of the clucking from Hbg.