Researchers have found in Northwest streams, high temperatures and low flow levels are creating harsh conditions for fish. They say new stream patterns is caused by climate change.
credit:
Courtney Flatt
RICHLAND, Wash. – In Northwest streams, high temperatures and low flow levels are creating harsh conditions for fish.
That’s the finding of a new study by Oregon State University, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Forest Service.
These two stream conditions –- high temperatures and low flow –- can stress fish, especially salmon and steelhead. In past decades, temperatures reached their highest levels during the summer in Northwest streams. Water flows would be most shallow about three months later, in the fall.
Researchers looked at how this typical pattern has held up during a 60-year period.
The scientists discovered that in recent years, only one month separates the high point for water temperatures and the low point for stream flows.
That means fish have less time to recover.
Iván Arismendi is a researcher at Oregon State University. He says climate change is causing this new pattern. The Pacific Northwest has seen less snowpack, and it’s melted earlier in the year.
But, Arismendi says not all Pacific Northwest streams are affected. He says groundwater-fed streams did not change as much.
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