Big Piney River Aquatic Organism Passage Assessment

Principle Investigator: Dr. Craig Paukert and Dr. Jacob Westhoff

Students and Staff: Hunter Weidenborner, Master's student

Objectives:

1. Determine if fish and other aquatic organisms are able to pass upstream and downstream using an engineered channel bypass

2. TBD

Overview:

We will investigate the movement of aquatic organisms through a reach of stream containing a water intake weir on the Big Piney River in Missouri. Species of possible interest include fish hosts for freshwater mussels, the federally petitioned Bluestripe darter, and native crayfishes. We will install a series of passive integrated transponder antenna arrays to monitor movement of tagged organisms through the study reach.

Partners:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense - Fort Leonard Wood

Funding:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineer

Duration:

Winter 2023 - Winter 2027 (4+ years)