Articles | Volume 22, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6383-2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6383-2018
Research article
 | 
10 Dec 2018
Research article |  | 10 Dec 2018

Hydrogeochemical controls on brook trout spawning habitats in a coastal stream

Martin A. Briggs, Judson W. Harvey, Stephen T. Hurley, Donald O. Rosenberry, Timothy McCobb, Dale Werkema, and John W. Lane Jr.

Data sets

Temperature and geophysical data collected along the Quashnet River, Mashpee/Falmouth MA M. A. Briggs, C. R. Scruggs, S. T. Hurley, and E. A. White https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PN93QF

Surface water and groundwater water chemistry data collected along the Quashnet River, Mashpee/Falmouth, MA J. W. Harvey, M. A. Briggs, B. Buskirk, A., Swartz, J. Lewis, and Y. Du https://doi.org/10.5066/F7M044MF

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Short summary
Brook trout are known to seek out groundwater-discharge zones for spawning. However, in a groundwater-dominated system, we observed trout using a few locations for repeatedly laying eggs. To improve the management of this cold-water species, we wanted to know why these specific groundwater-discharge zones were desirable. Through a combination of geophysical and chemical measurements, we found that locations where the stream intersects the sandy valley wall create oxygen-rich seepage zones.