Application of a Hierarchical Habitat Unit Classification System: Stream Habitat and Salmonid Distribution in Ward Creek, Southeast Alaska

Introduction Application of a Hierarchical Habitat Unit Classification System: Stream Habitat and Salmonid Distribution in Ward Creek, Southeast Alaska M.D. Bryant, B.E. Wright, and B.J. Davies A hierarchical classification system separating stream habitat into habitat units defined by stream morphology and hydrology was used in a pre-enhancement stream survey. The system separates habitat units into macrounits, mesounits, and microunits and includes a separate evaluation of instream cover that also uses the hierarchical scheme. This paper presents an application of the system to a preenhancement survey of habitat and salmonid populations. Application of this method accompanied by snorkel counts of fish allowed us to determine habitat area, salmonid densities within habitat units, and an estimate of the total salmonid population by species. Differences in salmonid densities among mesohabitat units and among microhabitat units were detected with this method. The method is useful to rapidly describe and stratify stream habitat to determine salmonid distribution and abundance during stream surveys.