Thesis--University of Oklahoma. / Photocopy of typescript, Ann Arbor, MI. : University Microfilms, 1978. -- 21 cm. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 232-241).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1995. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [181]-192).

Master of Science / Department of Biology / Keith B. Gido / Fishways are a common tool for mitigating the effects of habitat fragmentation on fish communities, but their utility in low-gradient, sand-bed rivers of the Great Plains is not well studied. The Lincoln Street Fishway on the Arkansas River became operational in 2015 and was built specifically to pass small-bodied threatened fishes. We used a combination of surveys up-and downstream of the barrier and tagging experiments to test the ability of fishes to move into and through the fishway. Differences in fish community structure up- and downstream of the dam were more pronounced prior to the construction and operation of the fishway. In particular, Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides was absent from collections upstream of the dam before fishway construction, but commonly collected upstream in 2015 and 2016 surveys. Surveys within the fishway structure revealed 29 species, or 74% of the total species captured during our study were using the fishway. To further quantify fishway passage, we used a VIE experiment to assess if fish marked downstream of the fishway moved into or upstream of the fishway. Although we did not recapture marked fish upstream of the fishway, some marked individuals moved into the fishway. Finally, we conducted a PIT tag experiment to evaluate short distance movements within the fishway for three species of small-bodied minnow and were able to document upstream movement across a gradient of flows through the fishway. Results from our study illustrate the potential for fishways to mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation on small-bodied fishes in sand-bed rivers.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether local and tourist boaters in the Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area differed in their activities, perceptions of environmental problems and user conflicts, and preferences for management. Locals were defined as living 100 miles or less from the river, and tourists were those living more than 100 miles away. Data were collected by on-site interviews with boaters as they completed their trip, and through a 12-page mailback questionnaire. Approximately 1168 questionnaires were returned, for an overall response rate of 58%. Few differences were found between locals and tourists. The largest differences between the two groups were in their trip expenditures and in their recreational activities in the river valley. Expenditures by tourists were significantly greater, and tourists also showed a greater tendency to both participate in and express interest in a greater variety of activities than did locals. The locals tended to be slightly more experienced and involved than were tourists, and they were also more predisposed toward membership in river running clubs. On reasons for selecting the Arkansas River, locals were more inclined to feel that a convenient location and being with friends were more important, while tourists felt that being in a new area with a variety of recreational opportunities was more important. In addition, locals exhibited a slightly greater sensitivity toward both environmental and people problems along the river. However, neither group supported more controls to reduce environmental damage or user conflicts. With respect to services and facilities, differences between the two groups were tenuous. Tourists were slightly more supportive of both manipulating the river's water level to benefit boating and constructing more shower facilities along the river. Locals were more in favor of scheduling 'no boat' times on the river to benefit fishing. Finally, in response to willingness to pay for services, tourists were more inclined to pay a greater amount for a given service than were locals in four out of five responses. Results of this study indicate that managers need to be aware of and monitor the perceptions, opinions, and preferences of both local and tourist users. Additionally, user groups other than boaters (such as landowners, river fishermen, or wildlife observers) must be studied in order that a more complete and thorough understanding of the different resource users and their relationships with the resource can be attained. / Master of Science

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / David R. Steward / The Ogallala Aquifer is a supply of water for several municipalities in western Kansas, as well as an irrigation source for local farmers. Since the 1950’s, when the aquifer started to be pumped for irrigation, the region has seen steady declines of the groundwater table. These declines have reduced stream flow in the Arkansas and Cimarrron Rivers, and caused a redistribution of riparian phreatophytes. This thesis studies this redistribution of phreatophytes, and develops statistical relationships relating a phreatophyte’s location to depth to groundwater, increase in depth to groundwater, distance from a stream or river, and hydrologic soil group. Remote sensing was used to determine tree locations on predevelopment and post-development aerial photography. These locations were mapped using ArcGIS, and ArcAEM was used to model groundwater flow in six riparian regions taking root uptake into account. It was found that once the depth to groundwater becomes greater than about 3 m, tree population will decrease as depth to water increases. Trees were located within 700 m of the river. Areas with a dense tree population (>10% tree cover) occurred where the average depth to water ranged from 0.24-1.4 m. Areas with moderate tree density (5-10% tree cover) corresponded to an average depth to water ranging from 2.1-19 m. Areas with a low tree density (<5% tree cover) corresponded to an average depth to water ranging from 11-28 m. It was found that phreatophytes have a high likelihood of growing on hydrologic soil group A and a low likelihood of growing on hydrologic soil group B. The number of trees located on hydrologic soil group D was what would be statistically expected if tree location were independent of soil type. It was also found that tree locations could be used as an indicator of good hydraulic connectivity between surface water and groundwater. This information can be used to help guide future installation of monitoring networks and expand research projects from central Kansas to western Kansas.