River Ure: fisheries drought report 1996

Yorkshire Water Services (YWS) are currently granted a Time Limited Licence (TLL) for abstraction at Kilgram Bridge which is due for renewal in 1999. The Environment. Agency requires information on fish populations with regards to drought conditions and any possible effects that abstraction may have when considering licence renewal. In' order to evaluate any effects of drought and abstraction a three year study was instigated to examine fish populations. Surveys were conducted at nine main River Ure sites and two tributaries in which the triennial rolling programme formed the basis of site selection. Multi-method sampling techniques were carried out at several sites in order to evaluate capture efficiency. High densities of brown trout juveniles were observed in the tributaries with an indication that fish had become crowded as a result of low flows. Recruitment of brown trout in the tributaries was not directly related to flow levels in the main R. Ure. However, it is concluded that salmonids are at risk during drought flows and high temperatures from increased susceptibility to disease, predation, poor water quality and the direct lethal effect of high temperatures in shallow water.