We tested an assumption of the Physical Habitat Simulation of the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) that fish select microhabitats based on the quality of one or several hydraulic conditions. We developed preference curves for juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Morse Creek, Washington, USA, that accounted for availability of depths and velocities and their utilization by steelhead parr. To allow comparison of intervals among preference curves from different studies, we developed preference indices. We then evaluated the relationship between steelhead parr density and preference or preference indices for depth, velocity, and depth and velocity combined using an independent data set from a different year and an adjacent location in Morse Creek; these indices reflected observed densities of steelhead parr. There was a significant rank correlation between steelhead parr density and preferences or preference indices of steelhead parr for velocity alone and for depth and velocity combined, but not for depth alone. Steelhead parr strongly avoided habitat in which depth preference was 0.0, but velocity preference appeared to influence use of habitat where depth preference was not 0.0. Steelhead parr avoided cells with low preference indices and preferred cells with high preference indices. These relationships support an assumption of the IFIM.
We tested an assumption of the instream flow incremental methodology that depth and velocity preferences are independent of streamflows. We had previously developed depth and velocity preferences (P[d\ and P[v]) for juvenile (parr) steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss at 0.86 m-Vs in Morse Creek, Washington, and found parr distributed in microhabitats with higher combined depth-velocity preference (P[dv\ = P[d] X P[v]) at a similar flow (0.69 nvVs). In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between fish distribution and combined depth-velocity preference using an independent data set from a higher flow (2.41 m 3 /s) in the adjacent stream segment. Most steelhead parr were distributed in microhabitats with high P[dv\, consistent with distribution at 0.69 m 3 /s and significantly different than expected if fish distribution were independent of habitat preference (chi-square, P < 0.02). These results suggest that depth and velocity preferences are independent of flow.
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