Transparency Tube Monitoring as an Indicator of Fish Community Health

Abstract

Transparency tubes have been shown to be useful tools for suspended solids estimation in flowing waters. Suspended solids and turbidity can impact streams in a number of ways from habitat smothering to visual impairments. Comparison of transparency tube data to the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) as measured by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency shows a strong correlation. Additional data must be gathered to determine whether this is a true relationship.