Chris Hoagstrom

Wasatch Front Streams

Tim Healy, Bryce Galbraith, and Jared Eames in Willard Creek.

In fall 2009 and summer 2010 we surveyed fish populations and stream habitat conditions in streams along the Wasatch Front in Davis, Weber, and southern Box Elder counties, northern Utah.   Goals were to document fish populations, make habitat measurements that would allow us to compare stream size, and compare fish population metrics among streams in relation to stream size.  We are also providing information to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Northern Regional Office to facilitate their fish management objectives.  For example, streams lacking fish are potentially targeted for reintroduction of native Bonneville cutthroat trout.  Also, any documentation of surviving cutthroat trout populations is of particular interest for future conservation efforts.  Jared Eames, Bryce Galbraith, Tim Healy, Tyler Anderson, Zak Knight, Lessie Swenson, and Wesley Swenson participated. 

In spring 2009, Jared, Tim, and Bryce completed a poster entitled "History of Lahontan cutthroat in Spring Creek, Utah", presented in the WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium.

In spring 2010, Tyler Anderson and Zak Knight each presented posters entitled "Fish in Your Backyard? Finding Trout in Wasatch Front Creeks" and "Rainbow Trout Abundance and Population Structure in Creeks Along the Wasatch Front, Utah", respectively, at the WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration. 

In fall 2010, the WSU Aquatic Ecology class continued this research.  Students studied relations of stoneflies within Burch Creek in Ogden to the abundance of rainbow trout at four longitudinal locations.  Results were presented at the 2011 WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration in a poster entitled "Assessment of Stonefly Abundance and Body-Length Based on Rainbow Trout Population in Burch Creek, Ogden Utah".

In Fall 2011, the WSU Ichthyology class continued this research.  Students completed detailed reports on age, growth, and population structure for the rainbow trout of Strong's Creek in Ogden.  Results were presented at the 2012 National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) held at Weber State University.  Posters were entitled "Assessment of age and growth in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Strong's Creek, Ogden, Utah" and "Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) population structure in Strong's Creek, Ogden, Utah".

In Fall 2015, the WSU Field Zoology class made population comparisons of re-introduced Bonneville cutthroat trout with wild rainbow trout.  Results were presented at the 2016 WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration in a poster entitled "Reintroduction of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Northern Wasatch Front Streams, Utah".

In Fall 2017, the WSU Aquatic Ecology class made ecological comparisons between Burch Creek and Strong's Creek.

Tyler Anderson (left) and me in Parrish Creek, Centerville, Utah.

Trout in Parrish Creek, Centerville, Utah.

Parrish Creek, Centerville, Utah.

Tyler Anderson, James Abbott, and Ashley Van Leuven in Holmes Creek.

Tyler Anderson, Seth Green, Amanda Vockler, and Ashley Van Leuven in Stone Creek