Stream Temperature and Salmon

From Salish Sea Wiki


Pacific Salmon are cold temperature fish. Their growth and survival depends on stream water temperature. The experience of these fish their life history is the intersection of many different factors. One of the Riparian Buffering Functions is shading, which reduces heating of surface water. Interaction between surface and groundwater along the steam, called Hyporheic Exchange can affect water temperature. Watershed hydrology affects how much water there is in a stream in summer, regulated as "In Stream Flow". The structure of the whole watershed, the relationship of the stream to glaciers or snowfields, and the geology of the stream corridor all contributed to the experience of fish. Temperature itself is considered a pollutant, and regulated under Total Maximum Daily Load regulations. Temperature interacts with Nutrient Pollution to create Low Oxygen Conditions.

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