Riverine Fish

Ohio is blessed with an abundance of water, but like all developing areas, past and present land use practices affect our water resources.

Land uses that allow soil to runoff into our waterways cause silting of streams and increased turbidity, which can result in a lower quality of water and thus a loss in the diversity of aquatic organisms.

Fish have specific habitat requirements, thus the health of a fish community can tell us a great deal about the quality of the waterway where they reside.

Riverine Fish of Ohio's Scenic Rivers

Western Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta)

Western Lake ChubsuckerThe Lake Chubsucker is one of Ohio's rarer fish. As a species that requires clear waters, submersed aquatic vegetation, and clean substrates of sand, marl, or organic debris, many populations have been extirpated (wiped out) due to habitat destruction as a result of channelization, siltation, aquatic weed control, and pollution.

Formerly more widespread in Ohio's larger rivers, populations are restricted to some of the glacial lakes in western and northeastern Ohio.

Populations are also found in southern Ohio in conjunction with some of the Teays Valley wetlands and associated drainages. A small population of Lake Chubsuckers can still be found in the Upper Cuyahoga State Scenic River in Geauga and Portage counties.