Habitat Selection by Lacustrine Rainbow Trout within Gradients of Temperature, Oxygen, and Food Availability

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss [Walbaum]) in Castle Lake, California were concentrated at certain depths during day and evening hours. A fish bioenergetics simulation model based on vertical gradients of temperature, oxygen concentration, and food availability indicated that rainbow trout selected habitats that maximized growth rate. In 1 of the 2 years of study, a strong pattern of diel vertical migration of rainbow trout was evident and was associated with vertical migrations of daphnids in the lake. The simulation model correctly predicted the occurrence and magnitude of fish migration. During the day some trout resided at depths with little potential for feeding and growth but close to-regions of high food availability and low oxygen concentrations. Hydroacoustic sampling from stationary platforms suggested that fish briefly descended into anoxic layers to feed on abundant zooplankton

Hazards within the Bear Lake basin, Utah

The Bear Lake basin developed from fault subsidence that continues today, slowly deepening the lake along the eastern side. The Bear Lake graben is about 5 miles long and 4.3-8.6 miles wide. It extends across the Utah-Idaho border and involves faults on both eastern and western sides of Bear Lake...

Bear Lake basin : Rich County, Utah

Rich County, located in the upper northeastern corner of Utah, is approximately 18 miles wide and 56 miles long. It is bordered on the east by Wyoming, on the north by Idaho (with the southern half of Bear Lake extending into Utah), on the west by Weber and Morgan counties and the Wasatch National Forest, and on the south by Summit County

Geologic history of the Bear Lake basin

For roughly 500 million years, during much of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic periods, the Bear Lake Basin was inundated by an inland sea. This sea would retreat and then advance leaving limestone and sandstone deposits scattered around the valley...

Fish of Bear Lake, Utah

There are 13 species of fish found in the waters of Bear Lake. Of those 13, 4 are endemic (found only in Bear Lake). The 4 endemics species are Bonneville cisco, Bonneville whitefish, Bear Lake whitefish, and Bear Lake sculpin. Five of the remaining 9 fish species are native to the region, and 4 are exotic introductions. These native fishes are the Bonneville cutthroat trout, Utah sucker, redside shiner, speckled dace and Utah chub. The exotic fishes are lake trout, common carp, yellow perch and green sunfish...

Biological resources of the Bear Lake basin, Utah

The Bear Lake basin has a range of land types that provide habitat for aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial wildlife and plant species. Near the lake a limited ring of semi aquatic plants grow in association with spring and creek waters. Agriculture lands are used as pasture and to grow feed crops such as hay and alfalfa. Larger stream inflows host riparian and aquatic meadow plants. The low hills of the valley support sagebrush, grasslands, pinion, juniper, maple, and brushy communities. In the higher mountains brushes give way to large tree complexes of aspen, spruce, pine, and their associated undergrowths. The very tops of the mountains contain alpine growth and parkland..

Geographic setting of the Bear Lake Basin

Bear Lake is one of Rich County’s most striking geographic vistas. The lake is used as a resource for irrigation and power generation, recreation and reflection, and functions as a unique fisheries habitat...

Hydrology of the Bear Lake Basin, Utah

Bear Lake’s natural watershed is made up of relatively low mountains covered with sagebrush at lower elevations and southern exposures and fir-aspen forests at higher elevations and northern exposures. The basin is traversed by the Bear River that begins high in the Unita Mountains and flows through Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming before feeding the Great Salt Lake. The Bear River is the major river in the watershed but does not directly feed Bear Lake...

Recreation in the Bear Lake basin

Bear Lake has a long history of recreation and tourism. Activities such as waterskiing, swimming, and sailing are popular during the summer seasons. In the winter snowmobilers and ice anglers are drawn to the area. In January, fishing for the rare Bonneville cicso is a major event for local fishermen and tourists. No other lake in the continental United States offers such an opportunity...

Paleo-biology and paleo-hydrology of the Bear Lake Basin, Utah

Many ancient clam and snail shells have been found around the shoreline of Bear Lake. Local residents have at times gathered the shells as a source of calcium for their chickens. These shells are well preserved and have been dated to be 10,000 years old (Smart, 1963). Curators at the Smithsonian Institute identified all 6 species of snail and one species of clam. Carbon dating performed by Columbia University estimated shells gathered from the Ideal Beach area of Bear Lake to be 12,000 years old...