OSU Professors Dana Warren, Catalina Segura, and PhD student Madelyn Maffia are investigating the response of trout and salamanders to drought conditions in a tributary of McRae Creek. The researchers are using an experimental approach to mimic drought by (1) diverting stream flow to create a low-flow reach and (2) passively heating water through a coil system to increase water temperature. The experiment was disrupted by the Lookout Fire that is burning across McRae Creek and its tributaries. The loss is upsetting because of the time and effort that went into setting up the experiment, and because the findings would have had imminent relevance of understanding of how trout and salamanders respond to the drought during the hot and dry conditions often seen with wildfires.
Photos and more about the study are on our online photo albums for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 drought experiment field seasons.
First posted September 13, 2023