<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> In this study, the quality of the aquatic habitats of mountain and piedmont streams was evaluated using the ‘Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM)’ decision-making tool. The quality of habitats was interpreted from the behaviour of bioindicators in the form of habitat suitability curves (HSCs). From 1995 until the present, 59 different reaches of 43 mountain streams in Slovakia and 3 validation reaches were evaluated, and the results analysed. The aim of this study was to generalize the parameters of the HSCs for the brown trout. The generalized curves will be useful for water management planning. It is difficult and time-consuming to take hydrometrical and ichthyological measurements at different water levels. Therefore, we developed a methodology for modifying suitability curves based on an ichthyological survey during a low flow and a flow at which fish lose the ability to resist the flow velocity. The study provides the information how such curves can be modified for a wider flow range. In summary, this study shows that generalized HSCs provide representative data that can be used to support both the design of river restoration and the assessment of the impacts of the water use or of climate change on stream habitat quality.</p></abstract>

In this study, the quality of the aquatic habitats of mountain and piedmont streams was evaluated using the ‘Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM)’ decision-making tool. The quality of habitats was interpreted from the behaviour of bioindicators in the form of habitat suitability curves (HSCs). From 1995 until the present, 59 different reaches of 43 mountain streams in Slovakia and 3 validation reaches were evaluated, and the results analysed. The aim of this study was to generalize the parameters of the HSCs for the brown trout. The generalized curves will be useful for water management planning. It is difficult and time-consuming to take hydrometrical and ichthyological measurements at different water levels. Therefore, we developed a methodology for modifying suitability curves based on an ichthyological survey during a low flow and a flow at which fish lose the ability to resist the flow velocity. The study provides the information how such curves can be modified for a wider flow range. In summary, this study shows that generalized HSCs provide representative data that can be used to support both the design of river restoration and the assessment of the impacts of the water use or of climate change on stream habitat quality.

Influence of discharge on fish habitat suitability curves in mountain watercourses in IFIM methodology

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

In this study, the quality of the aquatic habitats of mountain and piedmont streams was evaluated using the ‘Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM)’...

Influence of discharge on fish habitat suitability curves in mountain watercourses in IFIM methodology

Published Online: Nov 22, 2017

Page range: 12 - 22

Received: Feb 17, 2017

Accepted: Jul 17, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/johh-2017-0044

Keywords
Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM), Weighted Usable Area (WUA), Habitat suitability curves (HSCs), Brown trout

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Influence of discharge on fish habitat suitability curves in mountain watercourses in IFIM methodology

Published Online: Nov 22, 2017

Page range: 12 - 22

Received: Feb 17, 2017

Accepted: Jul 17, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/johh-2017-0044

KeywordsInstream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM), Weighted Usable Area (WUA), Habitat suitability curves (HSCs), Brown trout

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM), Weighted Usable Area (WUA), Habitat suitability curves (HSCs), Brown trout