Aquatic Baseline Survey of Selected Test Areas on Eglin Air Force Base Reservation, Florida

During November and December 1975, a baseline study of fishes was conducted in streams draining various test ranges currently used for testing and evaluation of conventional munitions developed by the Air Force Armament Laboratory (AFATL). The purpose of the effort was to establish a species diversity for use in environmental documentation. Seventeen species of fishes and one lamprey species were collected and catalogued. The sailfin shiner (Notropis hypselopterus Gunther) was the most abundant species encountered. Many streams sampled were found to serve as the habitat for an endangered species, the Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae Fowler). Forty-eight Okaloosa darters were identified in the field and released unharmed. As a result of this study the confirmed range of the Okaloosa darter was extended. Because of the qualitative nature and the brevity of the study, plus the fact that no previous baseline data existed on the streams, no conclusions could be drawn concerning the possibility of changes in the stream ecology as a result of testing or other activities on the Eglin AFB reservation.