Fish Resources and Water Quality of an In-Stream Gravel Excavation Pit in the Naugatuck River, Connecticut

The fish assemblage and various water quality parameters were sampled during 18-22 July 1988, at a 1,550-m-long in-stream gravel excavation pit and three adjacent riffles located on the Naugatuck River about 6 km south of Thomaston, CT. The purposes of the study were to determine the quality of fish resources in the pit and to evaluate the potential of this habitat for supporting trout and Atlantic salmon. During the low-flow summer period, water quality in the excavation pit appears to be marginal for trout and other coldwater species requiring relatively high dissolved oxygen concentrations and low water temperatures. While wastewater treatment has improved water quality conditions in the river, high levels of ammonia and copper persists. Current conditions are adequate to support piscivorous fishes such as yellow perch and largemouth bass. Introduced trout and salmon would probably experience high predation levels near the excavation site. The pits could probably be managed most successfully for lacustrine species in an overall management plan that included salmonid introductions in more suitable reaches of the river. kt