Electrofishing survey of the Great Miami River. Annual report, September 7, 1995--September 8, 1995

Fish were collected, using electroshocking techniques, from three sites in the Great Miami River (GMR) (September 7 and 8, 1995) as part of an annual survey for Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corporation (FERMCO). The objective was to collect fish fillets for uranium analysis and examine the health of the fish community in comparison to data collected during the past eleven years. Samples were taken from upstream (river mile = RM; RM 38) and downstream (RM 19) of the Fernald site as well as from near the Fernald effluent line (RM 24). RM 38 is isolated from upstream fish migration by two dams located near Hamilton, Ohio and fish collected from this site should not be influenced by processes at the downstream sites. Samples of 549 fish from 29 species belonging to nine families provided seventy-two samples for uranium analysis by an independent laboratory. Chemical analysis of water samples collected at each site was used to determine the effect of chemical parameters on the fish community. This study focused on comparison of the density, biomass and diversity of the fish community between sites and between years