Monitoring Juvenile Salmon and Stream Temperatures in the Little Susitna Watershed

Project ID: F24AC00297

Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partner Institution: University of Alaska Anchorage

Fiscal Year: 2024

Initial Funding: $66,454

Total Funding: $66,454

Principal Investigator: Larson, Erin

Agreement Technical Representative: Liebich, Trent

Abstract:

Project Description:

The overall objective of this project is to monitor the Little Susitna watershed for five consecutive years in order to understand baseline stream thermal regimes and how they support salmon populations and life stages. Collecting multiple years of temperature data would allow for development of a spatial stream temperature model for the Little Susitna watershed. Data on juvenile salmon habitat use across a range of sites and years with varying stream temperatures will provide the needed data for mapping thermally optimal habitats in addition to thermal refugia for juvenile salmon across the watershed, which can help guide conservation actions.

The primary objectives of this work are to: (1) monitor stream temperatures in the Little Susitna watershed for a fourth year (Figure 1); (2) monitor juvenile salmon for a second year at the established temperature monitoring sites during the summer season; (3) summarize relationships between stream thermal regimes and juvenile salmon relative abundances and growth; and (4) compare juvenile salmon monitoring data for the Little Susitna and Deshka watersheds. The proposed data generated by this project will provide valuable baseline information on water quality and habitat supporting important salmon fisheries in the Mat-Su basin.