12 replies to this topic

[mattknepley]

Another year, another 12 months of crick stompin' to get in! YAY!

This year I'm particularly curious to see what goes on regarding two of my faves, Christmas Darters and Carolina Darters. That "Thousand Year Flood" we had in November and all the subsequent rains, combined with heavy-duty logging activity have drastically reshaped some of my favorite sites. Just now been able to start getting into some of them.

Had been worried about Calhoun Creek in Abbeville County, SC. The haplotype locality for Christmas Eve Darter had some logging on a hill overlooking "my" spot, and beavers had been active the last time I had been there. Which was last summer.

Here's how things looked. The water was a little higher and faster than normal, but not bad. It was a brisk 46*F, which is workable without waders as long as you don't get in past your knees or so. Which is good because I have shredded my neoprenes.


Erin assisted on this trip. Even did her share of time in the water. No whining either!







I am beginning to think it's safe to say that Christmas Darters move into very vigorous current in January and February as part of the spawning ritual. By late March they're still in current, but much less pronounced current. They also seem to gravitate towards aquatic vegetation that starts showing up then. The summer is still a bit of a mystery. They move, many of them, but not all of them. The male here is just starting to amp up for spawning. No such signs from the little lady. I only found these two, which was a little troubling, but then again, I was limited to knee deep water so many possible spots were out of reach. And I just didn't have good form yesterday either.

Brought in one small (~2.5") Bluehead Chub; no photo. (I know Michael, every Bluehead should be photoed...)

Also got one gravid Northern Hogsucker. She must've been cold, I've never seen one so dark and with so little lighter, contrasting coloration. Photo stinks, is for proof only.

[Casper]

That Darter looks ready for the holidays!  65 degrees here on Feb 1.  Might be the year of no Winter, though still to early for me to consider any wades.  Maybe i need to borrow your daughter.

Those Hogsuckers can vary a lot in pattern intensity.  I have never seen one spawn, they must be very early Spring or late Winter spawners.

That looks like some gnarley habitat under the bridge.  Shin busters.

[mattknepley]

Year without a winter is lookin' about how it's going to be for us, too. Water may've been upper forties, but the air temp was lower seventies. In January. I thought I was done with that nonsense when I moved outta FLA...

There are a couple shin busters in there, but it really isn't that bad.

[sbtgrfan]

Nice! I'm getting out here in the lowcountry tomorrow for some swampier things, but I'm jealous of those Christmas darters. I need to make a trip up there soon. If I could get a handful of them on display here at the aquarium it would be awesome! I'll be in touch soon, Matt!

[gerald]

Logging, if done properly (leaving stumps intact and non-sellable wood branches scattered around as ground cover) isn't usually too destructive to stream habitats, as long as the operators leave at least 20 ft or so of uncut woody riparian buffer.  If stumps are pulled out (which often means the site is destined for development) then erosion ensues and damage is worse.

[mattknepley]

Nice! I'm getting out here in the lowcountry tomorrow for some swampier things, but I'm jealous of those Christmas darters. I need to make a trip up there soon. If I could get a handful of them on display here at the aquarium it would be awesome! I'll be in touch soon, Matt!

Have fun with the gators and swampfish! You do need to make a trip up here, Stephen. The Christmas Darters are talkin' smack that you've gone soft and are afraid of cold water...

[mattknepley]

Logging, if done properly (leaving stumps intact and non-sellable wood branches scattered around as ground cover) isn't usually too destructive to stream habitats, as long as the operators leave at least 20 ft or so of uncut woody riparian buffer.  If stumps are pulled out (which often means the site is destined for development) then erosion ensues and damage is worse.

I certainly don't have the knowledge to disagree with you, Gerald, but many of the streams here seem to be non-stop mud-colored and silting up in many spots that are close to logging activity. I understand that the roots and cover are helpful, but I am under the impression that the massive loss of live tree biomass sucking up water is the real problem. Kinda like a greener version of a big asphalt parking lot, the wherewithall is not there to absorb runoff. The trees aren't there to suck up the water. Is that not correct? I'd kinda like to think I'm wrong...

[Michael Wolfe]

1. yes, you should have photo'd the bluehead
2. you are doing something very right with regards to raising your daughter
3. would love to see if I could help counteract the supposed bad luck that you and/or stephen are and join you both on a christmas darter hunt... please include me in any plans.

[Isaac Szabo]

Great-looking darter. I'm glad you were able to get out and do some winter sampling.

[Josh Blaylock]

Great report, thanks for the write up Matt.  I always find it interesting how you can visit one location year after year and see how it changes.

[gerald]

I certainly don't have the knowledge to disagree with you, Gerald, but many of the streams here seem to be non-stop mud-colored and silting up in many spots that are close to logging activity. I understand that the roots and cover are helpful, but I am under the impression that the massive loss of live tree biomass sucking up water is the real problem. Kinda like a greener version of a big asphalt parking lot, the wherewithall is not there to absorb runoff. The trees aren't there to suck up the water. Is that not correct? I'd kinda like to think I'm wrong...

 

First of all, this is 2016, an election year.  Nobody needs "knowledge" to disagree.  Arguing can be far more effective without any knowledge -- so have at it.   Now, on to trees:  Yes forested land does evapo-transpire huge amounts of water, and clearcut land will contribute more flow into streams.  But it doesnt have to contribute huge amounts of soil erosion and slumping banks,  IF you can do it without too much soil compaction (there's always some compacttion & erosion on the logging trails), and leaving a good cover of leaf litter and branches over the cleared soil surface.  Depends a lot on soil types, compactability, and past land uses.  If the permeable top soil was lost decades ago due to bad farming and the forest is growing on dense subsoil, then yeah its pretty near impossible to avoid stream damage.

[mattknepley]

"If the permeable top soil was lost decades ago due to bad farming and the forest is growing on dense subsoil, then yeah its pretty near impossible to avoid stream damage."

Maybe that's it. Most of these logged areas are growing in what appears to be pretty much pure clay; and I assume most has been farmed, tree farmed, at least, previously. I read Bartram's descriptions of the topsoils in this area back in the late 1700s and have a hard time believing I'm in the same place he was... Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see, or not seeing what I don't want to...

[mattknepley]

• 
  
• yes, you should have photo'd the bluehead
• you are doing something very right with regards to raising your daughter
• would love to see if I could help counteract the supposed bad luck that you and/or stephen are and join you both on a christmas darter hunt... please include me in any plans.

Consider yourself included, dude. OK, Beaman, there's two of us waitin' on you now!