River & Watershed - Wildlife
The natural
resources in the Adirondacks and the Ausable
River Watershed are vast and diverse.
The Ausable
River is identified by fisheries
biologists as one of the top ten trout streams in New York State. AsRA's Creel Survey provides information to anglers about the size, abundance, and type of fish in the West Branch. An Electrofishing expedition conducted by the USGS, TU, and AsRA has determined the biomass of fish in the upper East Branch. AsRA's ongoing Temperature Studies monitor the suitability of the main channel for trout during summer months.
The Ausable
River and lakes within the watershed do not support large
native populations of mussel species. AsRA's native mussel report. Low calcium concentrations and low pH of the waters have also kept Zebra mussels from being introduced to the watershed to date.
The watershed of the Ausable
River is an important area
for rare species. There are thirty-six (36) rare
plants, six globally rare plants (Alpine Sweetgrass, Boott’s Rattle Snake Root,
Diapensia, Fernald’s Bluegrass, Lancelear
Arnica, and Ram’s-head Ladyslipper), and thirty rare vegetative communities within the watershed.
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