Submitted by the South Carolina Back the Brookie Committee

Funding has been secured through a Trout Unlimited Embrace a Stream grant and other sources to begin evaluation of the habitat of streams in the Jocassee Gorges of South Carolina to determine which ones are suitable for restoration [...]]]> Progress on Restoration of the Southern Appalachian Brook Trout
Spring Meeting
March 20, 2010
Saluda River Chapter

Submitted by the South Carolina
Back the Brookie Committee

Funding has been secured through a Trout Unlimited Embrace a Stream grant
and other sources to begin evaluation of the habitat of streams in the
Jocassee Gorges of South Carolina to determine which ones are suitable for
restoration of southern Appalachian brook trout. Training for the habitat
evaluation work will begin this summer when stream levels are lower (TU
volunteers will be needed). TU has just recently purchased 30 stream
temperature loggers and temperature shuttle for the project (cost = $3560).
Once suitable streams have been identified, southern Appalachian brookies
will be introduced, possibly coming from robust populations that the
Partnership established in King and Crane creeks.

When suitable streams have been stocked, annual electroshocking will be used
to demonstrate whether these populations are reproducing. Currently, brook
trout have been established in three headwater streams in the Sumter
National Forest (King, Crane, and Tamasee Creeks) in the western portion of
their range in the state and reproducing populations already exist in
Greenville County on both public and private property in the eastern portion
of their state range. The Jocassee Gorges is a wild and scenic tract of
mountainous property that lies between these established populations. In
addition, a population of wild brookies of mixed (northern x southern)
heritage has been established in Carrick Creek in Table Rock State Park.

Dan Rankin, Fisheries Biologist with DNR, told the Back the Brookie
Committee in August ‘09 that he would like TU volunteers to collect water
samples for analysis as part of the habitat evaluation process. We told him
that our hiking groups could probably make periodic collections and get them
to the DNR office.

Habitat improvement work (felling of numerous streamside trees, but not too
many) is complete on King and Crane Creeks. Felled trees will provide cover
and nursery habitat, as well as a source of energy (as insects help
decompose the tree). The Partnership will discuss felling some trees in
Carrick Creek in Table Rock State Park. Park Managers are in favor of this
idea and told a couple of us last week that they were very enthusiastic
about restoration of brookies in the Park.

We have completed a very nice brochure about the brookie restoration work in
TRSP. Members of the BTB committee will meet with DNR and PRT managers on
March 31, 2010 to get final approval for the brochure. A few minor
typographic errors remain to be corrected. We have money to publish at
least a 1000 of them and distribute them at the Vistor Center and the Nature
Center in the Park.

John Garton and Dave Van Lear surveyed Corbin Creek in February and
suggested management guidelines for the creek.which were sent to Dan Rankin
by email on 2/23/10. Our suggestions correspond closely with those of Dan.
Essentially, we recommended stocking rainbow and brown trout in the lower
end of Corbin (from the mouth upstream to the impassable waterfall) in
catchable sizes. The next stretch of the creek above the gorge has been
heavily impacted by beaver and is unsuitable for trout (water too warm and
dissolved oxygen too low). Continuing upstream above the beaver-impacted
area is a steeper stretch that we suggest stocking with southern Appalachian
brookies. Dan wants the entire length of Corbin Creek to be delayed
harvest, which we think would be a good idea.

Garton and Van Lear inspected the log structures the Chattooga River Chapter
built in Corbin Creek almost 20 years ago. About half of the 40 or so
structures were still in decent shape, but need some maintenance. The
remainder need major work but would be a good chapter project for some of
the younger members.

Respectively submitted,
David Van Lear
SC Back the Brookie Committee Chair

EBTJV QUARTERLY REPORT

August 10, 2009

Conservation:

South Carolina’s Back the Brookie efforts continued during the summer of 2009:

South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources electroshocked King and Crane Creeks in early July. For the first time since our brook trout restoration efforts began, [...]]]>

EBTJV QUARTERLY REPORT

August 10, 2009

Conservation:

South Carolina’s Back the Brookie efforts continued during the summer of 2009:

1. South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources electroshocked King and Crane Creeks in early July. For the first time since our brook trout restoration efforts began, the team found enough brookies in both creeks to use the 3-pass technique, which allows population estimates to be made. This is further evidence that restoration has been successful in these two creeks.

2. SCDNR has been hosting Michael Barnes, a volunteer intern student from Mansfield College in Pennsylvania.  Michael is helping DNR collect updated information on water quality, in-stream habitat and fish population estimates in brook trout streams.  Michael’s study for his internship will attempt to determine the relationship(s) between various habitat measures and brook trout population levels.

3. SCDNR has been formally notified by the USFWS and EBTJV that our proposal to restore brook trout in the Jocassee Gorges area streams has been funded at a level of $49,000.  The DNR and USFS have further partnered to obtain an additional $50,000 in USFS Partnership funding, matched by an additional $50,000 by SCDNR, to be awarded to this project under a challenge-cost share agreement.  This project is also being matched by a $10,000 Trout Unlimited EAS Grant.  SCDNR has also received $25,000 from a private development community in the area to pursue habitat enhancement on Jocassee Gorges streams.  Work on this project will commence in 2010.

4. Our Back the Brookie Committee will meet with Dan Rankin, SC DNR trout biologist, on August 14 to discuss plans for brookie restoration the coming Fall. Items on the agenda include habitat evaluation techniques to be used to find streams suitable for brookie restoration in the Jocassee Gorges, a wild and mountainous tract in western South Carolina, and work projects for TU members so the chapters will be more involved with the brook trout restoration efforts

Education:

1. On July 9^th, our BTB coordinator was interviewed on SC public radio about out brook trout restoration efforts. This interview aired on all the public radio stations in the state.

2. Vance Baird, our BTB conservation chair, has accepted an offer from Michigan State University and will be leaving this month. Marcus Leach, a member of the Chattooga River Chapter, has agreed to take his place on the committee.

1. Our Back the Brookie Committee presented a program on July 7^th on Stream Projects to the Chattooga River Chapter of TU. Several of the projects were centered on brook trout restoration.

David Van Lear

SC BTB coordinator

]]> http://scbrookie.org/?feed=rss2&p=57 2 http://scbrookie.org/?p=53 http://scbrookie.org/?p=53#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:52:18 +0000 admin http://scbrookie.org/?p=53 South Carolina Department of Natural Resources electroshocked King and Crane Creeks in early July.  They found good populations of brookies in both creeks, including reproduction.  They received a big grant this spring from the National Fish Habitat Initiative for habitat evaluation of streams in the Jocasee Gorge for brook trout introduction.  The Forest Service also [...]]]> South Carolina Department of Natural Resources electroshocked King and Crane Creeks in early July.  They found good populations of brookies in both creeks, including reproduction.  They received a big grant this spring from the National Fish Habitat Initiative for habitat evaluation of streams in the Jocasee Gorge for brook trout introduction.  The Forest Service also received a grant for the same purpose.  Both of these grants, coupled with our EAS grant should ensure that the brookie will be well established in the Jocasee Gorge in the near future.

An early display of fall spawning color only emphasizes the beauty of this collected Southern Appalachian Brookie from King Creek during an electroshocking for the Upstate Master Naturalist class. This is a major restocking success story evidenced also by the presence of natural reproduction. Congratulations to the [...]]]>

Beautiful brookie not yet in full spawning colors.

An early display of fall spawning color only emphasizes the beauty of this collected Southern Appalachian Brookie from King Creek during an electroshocking for the Upstate Master Naturalist class. This is a major restocking success story evidenced also by the presence of natural reproduction. Congratulations to the team for a job well done!

Photo courtesy of Greg Lucas with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

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3. July 2008 by Dave.

The southern Appalachian Mountains of South Carolina are home to several species of trout. The rainbow trout, a non-native, is indigenous to the west coast of the United States and Canada, and the brown trout, another non-native, was introduced from Europe. Our only native trout is the brook [...]]]>

3. July 2008 by Dave.

The southern Appalachian Mountains of South Carolina are home to several species of trout. The rainbow trout, a non-native, is indigenous to the west coast of the United States and Canada, and the brown trout, another non-native, was introduced from Europe. Our only native trout is the brook trout, which is actually a char, a member of the genus Salvelinus. Unlike the rainbow and brown trout, members of this genus have no black spots on their bodies. Because the brook trout has been here so long – for tens of thousands of years or more – and because its presence requires cold, clean water, it is an icon of our beautiful mountains.

Read more…

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With perhaps the least number of miles of trout streams of any Eastern Seaboard state, South Carolina is, nonetheless, just as passionate about maintaining and improving the quality of its coldwater resources as any. So it went almost without saying that, when the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture was formed, [...]]]>

Male brookie in spawning colors.

With perhaps the least number of miles of trout streams of any Eastern Seaboard state, South Carolina is, nonetheless, just as passionate about maintaining and improving the quality of its coldwater resources as any. So it went almost without saying that, when the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture was formed, South Carolina was right at the forefront willing to do its part.

The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) is the nation’s first pilot project under the National Fish Habitat Initiative, which directs locally-driven efforts that build private and public partnerships to improve fish habitat. Read more… .

The primary partnerships in South Carolina include the Chattooga River Chapter 556, Mountain Bridge Chapter, and the Saluda River Chapter of Trout Unlimited, in conjunction with SCDNR.

Young of the year - successful reproduction!

In 2005, the project team, which includes TU, the state Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service, removed non-native fish and stocked wild brookies in a Chattooga River tributary. The fish survived the winter and hopefully spawned successfully.

Meantime, TU volunteers are clearing brush and improving access to the second site, a tributary in the Little River watershed. TU’s Embrace-A-Stream program and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation are partially funding the projects, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Clemson University are providing strategic assistance. The team hopes to restore five streams by 2010.

The intention of this site is to document efforts of the South Carolina Back the Brookie committee in restoring the Southern Appalachian brook trout to its native habitat in as much as possible in order to re-establish a resource that can be enjoyed by future generations.

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9. January 2008 by admin.

Converting to a blog nature would seem a good way to keep fresh content coming in and avoid the long delays with communicating with the sole editor, especially in the event of absence due to unforseen or unalterable events. So stay tuned as this site is re-populated with past [...]]]>

9. January 2008 by admin.

Converting to a blog nature would seem a good way to keep fresh content coming in and avoid the long delays with communicating with the sole editor, especially in the event of absence due to unforseen or unalterable events. So stay tuned as this site is re-populated with past articles, and new ones are added.

Posted in Intro | Edit | No Comments »