Bacterial Indicators and Fish Pathogen Relations in Abernathy Creek

1
Bacterial Indicators and Fish Pathogen Relations
in Abernathy Creek

• Richard Glenn
• USFWS
• Abernathy Fish Technology Center
• Longview, Washington

2
Objective

• Primary
• develop techniques using bacterial indicators to
  assess watershed health

Natural/ Human Impacts
Fish/ Aquatic Populations
Aquatic Watershed Health


3
Tasks

• Identify bacterial species

4
Abernathy Watershed
Sample Sites

• 5 Upper Watershed
• Extensive Logging Area

• 5 Lower Watershed
• Some Rural Housing Development

5
Tasks

• Identify bacterial species
• Bacterial associations with invertebrates
• Bacterial associations with fish
• --------------------------------------------------
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6
Tasks

• Identify bacterial species
• Bacterial associations with invertebrates
• Bacterial associations with fish
• --------------------------------------------------
  ------
• Assess the health of the watershed

7
Objectives

• Primary
• develop techniques using bacterial indicators to
  assess watershed health
• Secondary
• relate bacterial fish pathogens to changes in the
  bacterial fauna

8
Regional Importance

• Ecosystem Approach
• National Estuary Program (NEP)
• Clean Water Act compliance
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Assess bacterial components altered by
  development, pollution, and overuse
• Endangered Species Act (ESA)

9
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives

• Action 1
• Requires research, monitoring, and evaluation of
  hydro, habitat, hatcheries, and harvest
  resources.
• Action 152
• Federal agencies to propose projects that will
  aid in water quality and biological monitoring
  information for subbasin and watershed
  assessments.

10
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives

• Action 155
• Determine cause and effect relationships and
  identify research needs for improvement plans.
• Action 198
• Is a USFWS project that will provide data for
  management of water quality and habitat use and
  restoration.

11
Agencies that Benefit

• Bonneville Power Administration
• Environmental Protection Agency
• National Marine Fisheries Service
• Bureau of Reclamation
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife
• Other agencies interested in aquatic habitats,
  watershed analysis, and fishery resources

12
Healthy Watersheds Healthy Fish
13
Role of Bacteria as Indicator Organisms for
Watershed Assessment and Fish Pathogen
Relationships with Fauna of Abernathy Creek