Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A long-term study (1985–1995) of fish populations in the impounded Warta River, Poland

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three sites, two in the tailwater and one upstream of the backwater of a large man-made reservoir in the middle course of the 808 km long lowland Warta River (Oder catchment), were studied. The pre-impoundment study lasted one (1985), the post-impoundment one 10 yr (1986–1995). The dam contributed to the extinction of the anadromous Vimba vimba, and of the rheophilous Chondrostoma nasus, both cyprinids. A number of directly or indirectly negative changes related to the construction of the reservoir were recorded in the tailwater. These changes affected the species number, spawning groups, diversity, density, standing crop, mean body weight, ABC index, and proportional stock density – PSD. Numerous impacts related to engineering, water chemistry and climate were more negative for fish at the tailwater than at the backwater sites. The hydrology of the site upstream of the backwater continued to be dependent on natural factors. Fish populations there suffered only from accidental impacts of the construction of the dam, such as bank revetment or the clearance of trees and shrubs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, R. O., 1976. Management of small warm water impoundments. Fisheries 1(6), 5–7: 26–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, R. O. & A. S. Weithman, 1978. The concept of balance for coolwater fish populations. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 11: 371–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Angermeier, P. L., R. J. Neves & J. R. Karr, 1986. Nongame perspectives in aquatic resource management. In J. B. Hale, L. B. Best & R. L. Clawson (eds), Management of nongame wildlife in the Midwest: A developing art, North Central Section. The Wildlife Society: 43–57.

  • Angradi, T. R., 1994. Trophic linkages in the lower Colorado River: multiple stable isotope evidence. J. N. am. Benthol. Soc. 13: 479–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Backiel, T., 1985. Fall of migratory fish populations and changes in commercial fisheries in impoundment rivers in Poland. In J. S. Alabaster (ed), Habitat Modification and Freshwater Fisheries, London: 28–41.

  • Balon, E. K., 1975. Reproductive guilds of fishes: a proposal and definition. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 32: 821–864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baruš, V., J. Gajduš ek, D. S. Pavlov & V. K. Nezdolij, 1984. Downstream fish migration from two Czechoslovakian reservoirs in winter conditions. Folia Zool. 33: 167–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baruš, V., J. Gajduš ek, D. S. Pavlov & V. K. Nezdolij, 1986. Downstream fish migration from the Mostiš tě and Věstonice reservoirs (ČSSR) in the spring-summer period. Folia Zool. 35: 79–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayley, P. B. & W. H. Li, 1992. Riverine Fishes. In P. Calow & G. E. Petts (eds), The Rivers Handbook. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford: 251–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, F. J., V. Raup & W. F. Stiffler, 1991. Characteristics of fish communities above and below six flood control impoundments in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. J. Pennsylvania Acad. Sci. 65: 24–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cambray, J. A., 1991. The effects on fish spawning and management implications of impoundment water releases in an intermittent South African river. Regul. Riv. 6: 39–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coeck, J., A. Vandelannoote, R. Yseboodt & R. F. Verheyen, 1993. Use of the abundance/biomass method for comparison of fish communities in regulated and unregulated rivers inBelgium. Regul. Riv. 8: 73–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowx, I. G. & R. A. Gould, 1985. The effects of short-term regulation releases from an impoundment on downstream fish fauna. Aquacult. Fish. Mgmt. 1: 257–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowx, I. G., R. A. Gould & W. O. Young, 1981. Fisheries implications of river regulation in the Upper Severn catchment. Proceedings of the Second British Freshwater Fisheries Conference. University of Liverpool, Liverpool: 201–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erman, D. C., 1973. Upstream changes in fish populations following impoundment of Sagehen Creek, California. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 102: 626–629.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erman, D. C., 1986. Long-term structure of fish populations in Sagehen Creek, California. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 115: 682–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fry, J. P., 1965. Harvest of fish from tailwaters of three large impoundments in Missouri. Proc. Au. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 16: 405–411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galicka, W., Ł. Głowacki & T. Penczak, 1991.Water pollution in the upperWarta River in 1985–1989. Acta Univ. Lodz., Folia limnol. 5: 5–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia de Jalon, D., P. Sanchez & J. A. Camargo, 1994. Downstream effects of a new hydropower impoundment on macrophyte, macroinvertebrate and fish communities. Regul. Riv. 9: 253–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halvey, B. C., 1987. Susceptibility of young of the year fishes to downstream displacement by flooding. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 116: 851–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannan, H. H., 1979. Chemical modifications in reservoir-regulated streams. In J. V. Ward & J. A. Stanford (eds), The Ecology of Regulated Streams. Plenum Publishing Corporation, New York: 75–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, D. C.&W.D. Davies, 1986. The influence of differing flow regimes on the tailwater fishery below Jordan Dam, Alabama. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish and Wildl. Agencies 40: 37–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. B. & D. O. Evans, 1991. Behaviour, energetics, and associated mortality of young of the year white perch (Morone americana) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) under simulated winter conditions. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 48: 672–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, H. D., E. D. Catchings & V. W. E. Payne, jr., 1981. Fish populations and water quality of an upland stream having two impoundments with cool water releases. American Fisheries Society. Warmwater Streams Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas: 168–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinsolving, A. D. & M. B. Bain, 1993. Fish assemblage recovery along a riverine disturbance gradient. Ecol. Appl. 3: 531–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kołder, W., 1964. Der Fischbestand der oberen Wisła und seine Veränderungen nach der Erbauung des Staubeckens Goczałkowice. Acta Hydrobiol. 6: 327–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koryak, M. & R. Hoskin, 1994. Variables influencing the productivity and diversity of reservoir tailwater fisheries in the Upper Ohio River drainage basin. Proceedings of 14th International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society, 31 October – 5 November 1994 (NALMS), USA: 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kryzhanovsky, S. G., 1949. Ecomorphological principles of development among carps, loaches, and catfishes. II. Ecological groups of fishes and pattern of their distribution. In Anon (ed.), Tr. Inst. Morfol. Zhivotn. Severtsova: 237–331. Fish. Res. Bd Can., Transl. Ser. No. 2945, 1974 (Translated from Russian).

  • Kubečka, J. & J. Vostradovský, 1995. Effects of dams, regulation and pollution on fish stocks in the Vltava River in Prague. Regul. Riv. 10: 93–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lusk, S., 1995. Influence of valley dams on the changes in fish communities inhabiting streams in the Dyje River drainage basin. Folia Zool. 44: 45–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahon, R., E.K. Balon & D. L. G. Noakes, 1979. Distribution, community structure and production of fishes in the upper Speed River, Ontario: a preimpoundment study. Envir. Biol. Fish. 4: 219–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marszał, L.,M. Grzybkowska, T. Penczak & W. Galicka, 1996. Diet and feeding of dominant fish populations in the impounded Warta River, Poland. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 43: 185–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinez, P. J., T.E. Chart, M. A. Trammel, J. G. Wullschleger & E. P. Bergersen, 1994. Fish species composition before and after construction of a main stem reservoir on the White River, Colorado. Envir. Biol. Fish. 40: 227–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meire, P. M. & J. Dereu, 1990. Use of the abundance/biomass comparison method for detecting environmental stress: some considerations based on intertidal macrozoobenthos and bird communities. J. Appl. Ecol. 27: 210–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moog, O., 1993. Quantification of daily peak hydropower effects on aquatic fauna and management to minimize environmental impacts. Regul. Riv. 8: 5–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakano, S. & M. Nagoshi, 1985. Density regulation and growth of a redspot masutrout, Oncorhynchus rhodurus, in a mountain stream. Physiol. Ecol. Japan 22: 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Navarro, J. E. & D. J. McCauley, 1993. Fish escapement from two storage reservoirs in Michigan. Rivers 4: 36–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ney, J. J. & M. Mauney, 1981. Impact of a small impoundment on benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities of a headwater stream in the Virginia Piedmont. American Fisheries Society, Warmwater Streams Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas: 102–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Northcote, T. G., M. S. Arcifa & O. Froehlich, 1985. Effects of impoundment and drawdown on the fish community of a South American river. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 22: 2704–2711.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum, E. P., 1980. Ecology. Holt-Saunders, London, 244 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orth, D. J. & R. J. White, 1993. Stream habitat management. In C. C. Kohler & W. A. Hubert (eds), Inland Fisheries Management in North America. American Fisheries Society, Blacksburg: 205– 230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, L. L., P. B. Bayley, L. W.G. Higler, B. Statzner, F. Triska & T. Moth Iversen, 1993. Restoration of lowland streams: an introduction. Freshwat. Biol. 29: 187–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, J. W., 1957. The trout fishing of the tailwater below Dale Hollow Reservoir. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 85: 75–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T., 1969. The ichthyofauna of the rivers of the Łôdź Upland and adjacent areas. Part Ic. The hydrography and fishes of the Warta basin. Acta Hydrobiol. 11: 69–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T., 1992a. Fish production in the Warta River, Poland: a preimpoundment study. Hydrobiologia 237: 117–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T., 1992b. Fish production in the Warta River: postimpoundment study. Hydrobiologia 242: 87–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T., 1994. Fish recruitment in theWarta River (1985–dy1992): impoundment study. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 41: 293–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T.,W. Galicka, Ł. Głowacki & H. Koszaliński, 1994. Fish stocks in the Warta River: continued postimpoundment study (1990–1992). Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 41: 347–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T., W. Galicka & H. Koszaliński, 1991. Fish populations density and biomass in the Warta River; pre-and post – impoundment study. Acta Univ. Lodz., Folia limnol. 5: 59–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T., R. Mahon, & E. K. Balon, 1984. The effect of an impoundment on the upstream and downstream fish taxocenes (Speed River, Ontario, Canada). Arch. Hydrobiol. 99: 200–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penczak, T. & T. E. Romero, 1990. Accuracy of a modified catcheffort method for estimating fish density in large rivers (Warta River, Poland). In I. G. Cowx (ed.), Developments in Electric Fishing, Fishing News Books, Oxford: 191–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petts, G. E., 1984. Impounded Rivers. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 326 pp.

  • Przybylski, M., 1993. Longitudinal pattern in fish assemblage in the upper Warta River, Poland. Arch. Hydrobiol. 126: 499–512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruane, R. J., C. E. Bohac, W. M. Seawell & R. M. Shane, 1986. Improving the downstream environment by reservoir release modifications. In G. E. Hall & M. J. Van Den Avyle (eds), Reservoir Fisheries Management: Strategies for the 80's. Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland: 270– 277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shuter, B. J., P. E. Ihssen, D. L. Walest & E. J. Snucins, 1989. The effects of temperature, pH and water hardness on winter starvation of young of the year smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui Lacepede. J. Fish. Biol. 35: 765–780.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuter, B. J., J. A. MacLean, F. E. J. Fry & H. A. Regier, 1980. Stochastic simulation of temperature effects on first year survival of smallmouth bass. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 109: 1–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuter, B. J. & J. R. Post, 1990. Climate, population variability, and the zoogeography of temperate fishes. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 119: 314–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E. P., D. R. Orvos & J. Cairns, jr., 1993. Impact assessment using the before-after-control-impact (BACI) model: concerns and comments. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 50: 627–637.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spellerberg, I. F., 1991. Monitoring Ecological Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, 334 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. A.& H. B.N. Hynes, 1971. Differences in fish populations upstream and downstream of a mainstream impoundment. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 28: 45–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Travnichek, V. H.,M. B. Bain & M. J. Maceina, 1995. Recovery of a Warmwater Fish Assemblage after the Initiation of a Minimum-Flow Release downstream from a Hydroelectric Dam. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 124: 836–844.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vannote, R. L., G. W. Minshall, K. W. Cummins, J. R. Sedell & C. E. Cushing, 1980. The River Continuum Concept. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 37: 130–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wajdowicz, Z., 1966. Änderungen des Fischbestandes im Gebiet des Staubeckens Myczkowce. Acta Hydrobiol. 8: 411–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, K. F., M. C. Thoms & F. Sheldon, 1992. Effects of weirs on the littoral environment of the River Murray, South Australia. In P. J. Boon, P. Calow & G. E. Petts (eds), River Conservation and Management. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester: 271–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J.V. & J.A. Stanford, 1983. The serial discontinuity concept of lotic ecosystems. In T.D. Fontaine, S. M. Bartell (eds), Dynamics of Lotic Ecosystems. Ann Arbor Science, Collingwood: 29–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warwick, R. M., 1986. A new method for detecting pollution effects on marine macrobenthic communities. Mar. Biol. 92: 557–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weitkhamp, D. E. & M. Katz, 1980. A review of dissolved gas supersaturation. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 109: 659–702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welcomme, R. L., 1992. The conservation and environmental management of fisheries in inland and coastal waters. Neth. J. Zool. 42: 176–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zippin, C., 1956. An evaluation of the removal method of estimating animal populations. Biometrics 12: 163–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Łódź, 12/16 Banacha Str., 90-237, Łódź, Poland

    Tadeusz Penczak, Łukasz Głowacki, Wanda Galicka & Henryk Koszaliński

Authors
  1. Tadeusz Penczak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Łukasz Głowacki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wanda Galicka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Henryk Koszaliński
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Penczak, T., Głowacki, Ł., Galicka, W. et al. A long-term study (1985–1995) of fish populations in the impounded Warta River, Poland. Hydrobiologia 368, 157–173 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003246115666

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003246115666

Search

Navigation