1. Illinois Department of NaturalIllinois Department of Natural
ResourcesResources
Division of FisheriesDivision of Fisheries
Region II Streams ProgramRegion II Streams Program
Steve PescitelliSteve Pescitelli

2. • IL DNR fish sampling programsIL DNR fish sampling programs
• Using fish to determine stream qualityUsing fish to determine stream quality
• Results of the 2013 Basin SurveyResults of the 2013 Basin Survey
• Review trends since 1983Review trends since 1983
• Results of Dam Removal studiesResults of Dam Removal studies
• Hoffman DamHoffman Dam
• Other regional dam removalsOther regional dam removals
• Dam removals in 2014 and 2015Dam removals in 2014 and 2015
• Importance of Downstream ConnectionImportance of Downstream Connection

3. STREAM RESOURCES
Over 32,000 miles of perennial
rivers and streams
REGION 2
Fox
Des Plaines
Chicago
Kankakee
Mazon
Aux Sable
Northeastern Illinois:
Recent glaciation (13,000 y/a)
Wide range of habitats
>glacial lakes / wetland
>low gradient / oxbow
>high gradient / rock&cobble

6. IDNR
Fish Sampling Programs
Basin Survey sites
-large scale
-five-year rotation
-IEPA coop.
Sub-basin sites
-local scale
-priority watersheds
-active watershed
groups/projects
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-Sportfish Management
-Project evaluation

7. 2013 Basin Survey
Sampling Stations

8. 2013 Basin Survey
•34 stations
•19,665 fish
•15 families
•70 species
•2 Listed species
•Iowa darter
•Banded killifish
•5 non-native
•Round goby
•Oriental weatherfish
•Grass carp
•Common carp
•Goldfish
(no bighead or silver
carp)

11. 2013 Des Plaines River mainstem – 15 most numerous species
Common name Total No.
Percent
of total
Spotfin shiner 1419 22.2
Sand shiner 828 13.0
Blackstripe topminnow 818 12.8
Bluntnose minnow T 789 12.3
Bluegill 717 11.2
White sucker T 174 2.7
Rock bass 165 2.6
Carp T 156 2.4
Gizzard shad T 153 2.4
Green sunfish T 132 2.1
Largemouth bass 125 2.0
Hornyhead chub I 112 1.8
Channel catfish 103 1.6
Orangespotted sunfish 59 0.9
Spotted sucker I 57 0.9

12. METRIC SCORE
No. native fish species 0-6
No. sucker species 0-6
No. sunfish species 0-6
No. intolerant species* 0-6
No. minnow species 0-6
No. benthic invertivore species 0-6
Prop. specialist benthic invertivores 0-6
Prop. generalist feeders 0-6
Prop. coarse mineral spawners 0-6
Prop. tolerant species* 0-6
total 0-60
Index of Biotic Integrity - IBI
Difference of >10 = biologically meaningful change

13. IBI Results 2013 Des Plaines River Mainstem

14. Year 1983 1997 2003 2008 2013
No. Stations 11 7 15 11 17

16. *1983 Sample at G-25: Five seine hauls, total catch = 2 common carp
*
Des Plaines River IBI scores for common boat electrofishing stations

18. Common name
No.
collected
Percent of
total
Bluntnose minnow T 1129 27.38
Gizzard shad T 580 14.06
Bluegill 425 10.31
Carp T 211 5.12
Spotfin shiner 207 5.02
Blackstripe topminnow 194 4.70
Channel catfish 190 4.61
Green sunfish T 145 3.52
Largemouth bass 139 3.37
White sucker T 104 2.52
Pumpkinseed 73 1.77
Sand shiner 55 1.33
Round goby 54 1.31
Spotted sucker I 46 1.12
Northern pike 45 1.09
Common name Total No.
Percent of
total
Spotfin shiner 1419 22.2
Sand shiner 828 13.0
Blackstripe topminnow 818 12.8
Bluntnose minnow T 789 12.3
Bluegill 717 11.2
White sucker T 174 2.7
Rock bass 165 2.6
Carp T 156 2.4
Gizzard shad T 153 2.4
Green sunfish T 132 2.1
Largemouth bass 125 2.0
Hornyhead chub I 112 1.8
Channel catfish 103 1.6
Orangespotted sunfish 59 0.9
Spotted sucker I 57 0.9
Top 15 species Des Plaines Basin Survey
2008 2013

19. Electrofishing percent of catch for Des Plaines River:
IBI fish species tolerance rating for 6 stations common to all surveys

20. IBI Results 2013 Des Plaines River Mainstem

21. Factors affecting stream ecosystems
• Water Quality
• Habitat
• Stream Flow
• Food SourcesFood Sources
• ConnectivityConnectivity

22. Dam Removal:
Restoring Habitat and Connectivity
• Dams have severe negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems, and are
a primary factor in the loss of fish and mussel species diversity in
North America.
• A total of 1,150 dam have been removed in the US improving habitat
and water quality, and reconnecting isolated stream and river
segments. .
• While fish passage has been somewhat successful in reconnecting
waterways, it does not improve the water quality and habitat
degradation and is often more expensive.
Dams in NE IL
• In Northeastern Illinois, past water quality
problems have caused loss of fish and mussel
species in many rivers and streams.
• Since the Clean Water Act, most streams have
improved and could support “lost” species.
• Lack of connectivity precludes full restoration in
these streams.

23. Effects of Dams
Local Effects
 Degraded habitat
 Degraded water quality
 Degraded fish and macro-
invertebrate communities
System-wide Effects
 Fragmented river
 Barrier to fish migration
 Prevent recolonization of
impacted and restored reaches
 Isolate important habitats

24. Des Plaines River Dams

25. Table 6. Number of samples and total electrofishing (EF) time for each segment within
the Des Plaines River 206 Project Study Area, with mean catch per unit effort (CPUE),
number of species, and Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI).
Parameter
Upstream Armitage
Dam
Armitage Dam to
Hoffman Dam
Downstream
Hoffman Dam
No. of samples 6 8 7
Total EF time 173.0 309.0 353.0
Mean CPUE 210.0 155.7 296.3
Mean No. Species 13.5 10.6 22.1
Mean IBI 25.2 17.3 29.8

26. Des Plaines River
Dam Removals
•2011 Ryerson
•2011 Armitage
•2012 Fairbanks
•2012 Hofmann
•2014 Dam #1
•2014 Dam #2

27. Hoffman Dam pre- and post- removal 2012Hoffman Dam pre- and post- removal 2012

28. Dam # 1 Removed 2014

29. Dam # 2 Removed 2014

30. Hoffman Dam Removal Evaluation
IBI and No. species Downstream (DS) v. Upstream (US)

31. IDNR Fisheries Studies:
Five NE IL Dam Projects
Change in Upstream Area
• Species 3X
• Abundance 6-fold
• IBI 40%

32. Species not previously collected in Hofmann Dam pool
Northern pike Hornyhead chub
Channel catfish* Orangespotted sunfish
Rock bass Blackside darter
Black crappie Black bullhead
Creek chub Yellow bullhead
Rosyface shiner* Muskellunge*
Sauger*

33. Silver redhorse
From Des Plaines River
Riverside, IL
Below former Hoffman Dam

34. Common name Scientific name 1983 1997 2003 2008 2013
Bowfin Amia calva X X X X X
Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum X X X X X
Central mudminnow Umbra limi X X X
Northern pike Esox lucius X X X X X
Golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas X X X X X
Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus X X X X X
Common shiner Luxilius cornutus X X X
Spotfin shiner Cyprinella spiloptera X X X X X
Red shiner* Cyprinella lutrensis X
Fathead minnow Pimephales promelas X X X X X
Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus X X X X X
Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides X X X X X
Sand shiner Notropis ludibundus X X X X X
White sucker Catostomus commersoni X X X X X
Yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis X X X X X
Black bullhead Ameiurus melas X X X X X
Blackstripe topminnow Fundulus notatus X X X X X
Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus X X X X X
White crappie Pomoxis annularis X X X
Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris X X X X X
Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides X X X X X
Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu X X X X X
Green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus X X X X X
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus X X X X X
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus X X X X X
Yellow perch Perca flavescens X X X X
Blackside darter Percina maculata X X X X X
Johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum X X X X X
Hornyhead chub Nocomis biguttatus X X X X
Bigmouth shiner Notropis dorsalis X X X X
Quillback* Carpiodes cyprinus X X X X
Spotted sucker Minytrema melanops X X X X
Silver redhorse* Moxostoma anisurum X
Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus X X X X
Tadpole madtom Noturus gyrinus X X X X
Brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus X X
Yellow bass Morone mississippiensis X X X
Orangespotted sunfish Lepomis humilis X X X X
Walleye Stizostedion vitreum X X X X
Freshwater drum* Aplodinotus grunniens X X X X
Central stoneroller Campostoma anomalum X X
Redfin shiner Lythrurus umbratilus X
Blackchin shiner Notropis heterodon X
Mimic shiner Notropis volucellus X
Spottail shiner Notropis hudsonius X X X
Smallmouth buffalo* Ictiobus bubalus X X X
Stonecat Noturus flavus X X X
Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis X X X
Warmouth Lepomis gulosus X X X
Sauger Stizostedion canadense X X X
Striped shiner* Luxilus chrysocephalus X
River carpsucker* Carpiodes carpio X X
Flathead catfish* Pylodictis olivaris X
Logperch Percina caprodes X X
Longnose gar* Lepisosteus osseus X
Grass pickerel* Esox americanus X
Muskellunge Esox masquinongy X
Suckermouth minnow* Phenacobius mirabilis X
Rosyface shiner** Notropis rubellus X
Banded killifish* Fundulus diaphanus X
Redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus X
Total Native Species 28 37 45 47 50
Cummulative Species Total 28 40 50 54 61
No. Stations 15 8 19 8 17
*collected only downstream of former Hofmann Dam
Table 3. Native fish species collected at all locations for each IDNR Basin Survey on the mainstem of the Des Plaines River.

35. 1983 1997 2003 2008 2013
Total Native Species 28 37 45 47 50
Cumulative Species 28 40 50 54 61
New species -- 12 22 26 33
1997 2003 2008 2013
Hornyhead chub Stonecat Logperch Logperch
Bigmouth shiner Central stoneroller Striped shiner* Rosyface shiner
Tadpole madtom Redfin shiner River carpsucker* Banded killifish*
Brook silverside Blackchin shiner Flathead catfish* Striped shiner*
Orangespotted sunfish Mimic shiner River carpsucker*
Spotted sucker Spottail shiner Redear sunfish
Quillback* Mosquitofish
Silver redhorse* Warmouth
Freshwater drum* Smallmouth buffalo*
Yellow bass Sauger
Channel catfish
Walleye

36. Species sources:
•Instream refugia
•CAWS
•Lower Des Plaines

37. 1983 1997 2003 2008 2013
Total Native Species 28 37 45 47 50
Cumulative Species 28 40 50 54 61
New species -- 12 22 26 33
1997 2003 2008 2013
Hornyhead chub Stonecat Logperch Logperch
Bigmouth shiner Central stoneroller Striped shiner* Rosyface shiner
Tadpole madtom Redfin shiner River carpsucker* Banded killifish*
Brook silverside Blackchin shiner Flathead catfish* Striped shiner*
Orangespotted sunfish Mimic shiner River carpsucker*
Spotted sucker Spottail shiner Redear sunfish
Quillback* Mosquitofish
Silver redhorse* Warmouth
Freshwater drum* Smallmouth buffalo*
Yellow bass Sauger
Channel catfish
Walleye
1997 2003 2008 2013
Hornyhead chub Stonecat Logperch Logperch
Bigmouth shiner Central stoneroller Striped shiner* Rosyface shiner
Tadpole madtom Redfin shiner River carpsucker* Banded killifish*
Brook silverside Blackchin shiner Flathead catfish* Striped shiner*
Orangespotted sunfish Mimic shiner River carpsucker*
Spotted sucker Spottail shiner Redear sunfish
Quillback* Mosquitofish
Silver redhorse* Warmouth
Freshwater drum* Smallmouth buffalo*
Yellow bass Sauger
Channel catfish
Walleye

39. Kankakee
Fox
Des Plaines

41.  Basin Survey 2013: 34 stations, 19,665 fish, 70 species, two listed species
 Mainstem 60 species, IBI low to moderate throughout, below IEPA full use
criteria
 IBI much improved since 1983, trending upward since 1997; species
diversity improving, especially in lower river.
 Sportfish abundant is some areas, Riverside, Lemont Road
 Dams, Urbanization, past water quality problems primary factors
 Five Dams removed since 2012; dam removals improve IBI and
productivity; allow for recolonization; e.g. channel catfish, rosyface shiner
 Remaining five dams on Des Plaines River scheduled for removal in 2015;
free-flowing from WI to Brandon
 Recruitment source for new fish species, Lower Des Plaines River through
Brandon Lock – maybe cut off as Asian carp barrier.