Juvenile coho salmon behavioural characteristics in Klamath river summer thermal refugia

During the summer in the main‐stem Klamath River, juvenile salmonids respond positively to cooler tributary temperatures by congregating in large schools at the mouths of these tributaries, referred to as thermal refugia. The purpose of this paper is to summarize results from coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) thermal refugia studies conducted since 2006 in the Klamath River. Results showed that juvenile coho salmon started using thermal refugia when the Klamath River main‐stem temperature approached approximately 19 °C. The majority of the juvenile coho salmon within the studied thermal refugia were found in the slower velocity habitat associated with cover. Juvenile coho salmon counts in the studied thermal refugia dramatically decreased at temperatures >22–23 °C, suggesting that this approximates their upper thermal tolerance level. Although some juvenile coho salmon were very mobile, others chose, until smoltification, to rear in the mouths and lower reaches of non‐natal tributaries where thermal refugia occurred, apparently because of suitable habitat conditions. Information gained from these investigations will improve our knowledge of the life history of coho salmon in the Klamath River drainage and how they use the main‐stem river. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

WATER TEMPERATURE PATTERNS BELOW LARGE GROUNDWATER SPRINGS: MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS FOR COHO SALMON IN THE SHASTA RIVER,CALIFORNIA

Elevated stream temperature is a primary factor limiting the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) population in California's Shasta River Basin. Understanding the mechanisms driving spatial and temporal trends in water temperature throughout the Shasta River is critical to prioritising river restoration efforts aimed at protecting this threatened species. During the summer, the majority of streamflow in the Shasta River comes from large‐volume, cold‐water springs at the head of the tributary Big Springs Creek. In this study, we evaluated the initial character of this spring water, as well as the downstream fate and transport of these groundwater inflows during July and August 2008. Our results indicated that Big Springs Creek paradoxically provided both cool and warm waters to the Shasta River. During this period, cool groundwater inflows heated rapidly in the downstream direction in response to thermal loads from incoming solar radiation. During the night time, groundwater inflows did not appreciably heat in transit through Big Springs Creek. These diurnally varying water temperature conditions were inherited by the Shasta River, producing longitudinal temperature patterns that were out of phase with ambient meteorological conditions up to 23 km downstream. Findings from this study suggest that large, constant temperature spring sources and spring‐fed rivers impart unique stream temperature patterns on downstream river reaches that can determine reach‐scale habitat suitability for cold‐water fishes such as coho salmon. Recognising and quantifying the spatiotemporal patterns of water temperature downstream from large spring inflows can help identify and prioritize river restoration actions in locations where temperature patterns will allow rearing of cold‐water fishes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterizing physical habitat preferences and thermal refuge occupancy of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at high river temperatures

Anthropogenic influences, including climate change, are increasing river temperatures in northern and temperate regions and threatening the thermal habitats of native salmonids. When river temperatures exceed the tolerance levels of brook trout and Atlantic salmon, individuals exhibit behavioural thermoregulation by seeking out cold‐water refugia – often created by tributaries and groundwater discharge. Thermal infrared (TIR) imagery was used to map cold‐water anomalies along a 53 km reach of the Cains River, New Brunswick. Trout and salmon parr did not use all identified thermal anomalies as refugia during higher river temperature periods (>21°C). Most small‐bodied trout (8–30 cm) were observed in 80% of the thermal anomalies sampled. Large‐bodied trout (>35 cm) required a more specific set of physical habitat conditions for suitable refugia, that is, 100% of observed large trout used 30% of the anomalies sampled and required water depths >65 cm within or adjacent to the anomaly. Densities of trout were significantly higher within anomalies compared with areas of ambient river temperature. Salmon parr were less aligned with thermal anomalies at the observed temperatures, that is, 59% were found in 65% of the sampled anomalies; and densities were not significantly different within/ outside anomalies. Salmon parr appeared to aggregate at 27°C, and after several events over 27°C variability in aggregation behaviour was observed – some fish aggregated at 25°C, others did not. We stipulate this is due to variances of thermal fatigue. Habitat suitability curves were developed for velocity, temperature, depth, substrate, and deep water availability to characterize conditions preferred by fish during high‐temperature events. These findings are useful for managers as our climate warms, and can potentially be used as a tool to help conserve and enhance thermal refugia for brook trout and Atlantic salmon in similar systems.     

DAILY AVERAGED 2D WATER TEMPERATURE MODEL FOR THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

A daily averaged two‐dimensional water temperature model has been developed for the freshwater part of the St. Lawrence River, between Lake St. Louis and Trois‐Rivières (Québec, Canada). The model was first calibrated and validated for the area of Lake St. Pierre, a natural enlargement of the river subject to strong lateral and longitudinal thermal variations. Forecasts from the Global Environmental Multiscale model were used in preference to observations from meteorological stations for model inputs, both to increase the spatial resolution and ultimately to allow the water temperature model to be used in predictive mode. The resulting model provided daily water temperature estimates with an overall root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.18 °C and a Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient of 0.44. Comparisons between Landsat images and simulations demonstrated that the model not only simulated accurate water temperature values but also showed the adequacy of the model in general. It not only simulated local water temperature relatively accurately but also provided a good representation of the spatial water temperature patterns within the study area. The error varied between deep and shallow water areas. In deeper water, the overall RMSE is 0.41 °C, and the modified Nash coefficient rises up to 0.92. Because shallow water areas are subject to greater variations, longer, more spatially dense data sets will be needed to refine the hydrodynamic and thermal budget models for those specific areas. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CHUM SALMON SPAWNING ACTIVITY IN TRIBUTARIES BELOW BONNEVILLE DAM: THE RELATIONSHIP WITH TAILWATER ELEVATION AND SEASONAL PRECIPITATION

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) below Bonneville Dam migrate through as well as hold and spawn in both tributaries and mainstem areas of the Columbia River, USA. Whether fluctuations in tailwater elevation influence spawning in tributaries is unclear. We examined the relationship between Bonneville Dam tailwater elevation, seasonal precipitation and chum salmon spawning activities in three tributary spawning areas. In these tributaries, we assessed initial date of entry, time required to enter and length of spawning season, as well as the proportion of the total population that spawned in tributaries and the distribution of spawners among tributaries. Using linear regression, these variables were compared to cumulative hours of tailwater elevation ≥ 3.5 m and cumulative precipitation. Increased Bonneville Dam tailwater elevation was associated with later and longer lasting chum salmon spawning activities, but was not associated with the distribution of chum salmon spawners in tributaries. Increased seasonal precipitation was associated with a more prolonged spawning season and relatively even distribution of adult chum salmon, but was unrelated to the timing of chum salmon spawning in tributaries. The regulation of tailwater elevation downstream from Bonneville Dam can influence the spawning process for chum salmon in tributaries that enter the regulated area. How important this influence is to the decline of chum salmon in the Columbia River is unclear. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landscape features control river's confluences water quality and tributary fish composition

Rivers networks represent hierarchical dendritic habitats within terrestrial landscapes and differences in connectivity and land use influence dispersal, and consequently biodiversity patterns. We, therefore, measured variation in water chemistry and fish abundance and related these to a number of landscape characteristics (e.g., wetland, urban, wooded, and agricultural) in the River Klarälven and its 30 permanently flowing tributaries. We hypothesized that these environmental attributes would differ between tributary and main stem habitat and that these differences would be driven by landscape attributes including land use. We found considerable intertributary variation in temperature and nutrient levels, and between the tributaries and the main stem. Generally, water temperature was lower in the tributaries, whereas nutrient levels were higher in the tributaries. The lower water temperature has implications for coldwater fishes, and we found two fishes, burbot and lamprey, associated with coldwater tributaries. We also found an inverse relationship between water quality and anthropogenic land use. Protecting tributaries with low anthropogenic impact will likely become increasingly important with ongoing global warming as they can function as thermal refugia for coldwater fishes. Hence, this study underscores the need to evaluate water courses at regional scales to identify spatial refuges and ensure connectivity.     

River Temperature Modelling by Strahler Order at the Regional Scale in the Loire River Basin,France

Daily water temperature was simulated at a regional scale during the summer period using a simplified model based on the equilibrium temperature concept. The factors considered were heat exchanges at the water/atmosphere interface and groundwater inputs. The selected study area was the Loire River basin (110 000 km²), which displays contrasted meteorological, hydrological and geomorphological features. To capture the intra‐basin variability of relevant physical factors driving the hydrological and thermal response of the system, the modelling approach combined a semi‐distributed hydrological model, simulating the daily discharge at the outlet of 68 subwatersheds (drainage area between 100 and 3700 km²), and a thermal model, simulating the average daily water temperature for each Strahler order in each subwatershed. Simulations at 67 measurement stations revealed a median root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.9°C in summer between 2000 and 2006. Water temperature at stations located more than 100 km from their headwater was adequately simulated (median RMSE < 1.5°C; ?0.5°C < median biases < 0.5°C). However, performance for rivers closer to their source varied because of the averaging of geomorphological and hydrological features across all the tributaries with the same Strahler order in a subwatershed, which tended to mask the specific features of the tributaries. In particular, this increased the difficulty of simulating the thermal response of groundwater‐fed rivers during the hot spells of 2003. This modelling by coupling subwatershed and Strahler order for temperature simulations is less time‐consuming and has proven to be extremely consistent for large rivers, where the addition of streambed inputs is adequate to describe the effect of groundwater inputs on their thermal regime. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

TIMING OF REDD CONSTRUCTION BY FALL CHINOOK SALMON IN THE HANFORD REACH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER

Spawning habits of fall Chinook salmon in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River have been documented with annual aerial surveys since 1948. We developed a series of models analysing these data, exploring the influence of environmental factors on the timing of redd construction. These models included a logistic regression and a dynamic modelling approach, with combinations of day of year (as a surrogate for environmental cues such as day length), water temperature and discharge as potential explanatory factors. Results of these analyses indicate that day of year was the strongest predictor of the timing of redd construction, but with significant modifying effects of water temperature and discharge. The dynamic modelling approach provides substantial advantages over a traditional logistic regression, including (1) the ability to treat data collected at non‐synchronous time intervals in a consistent fashion and (2) the ability to easily implement complex functions (e.g., threshold responses) relating behaviour to environmental cues. Evaluation of the series as a whole indicates that the median date of redd construction has increased over time, from approximately day 299 in 1950 to day 307 in 2010, as has the temperature on Oct 1 (16.3 °C–18.1 °C). The degree to which these changes are caused by climate change or dam operations is uncertain, however. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

USING OTOLITH CHEMISTRY TAGS AND GROWTH PATTERNS TO DISTINGUISH MOVEMENTS AND PROVENANCE OF NATIVE FISH IN THE GRAND CANYON

Fish otolith and water chemistry were assessed in the Grand Canyon reach of the Colorado River and its tributaries. Aqueous strontium and selenium (in ratio to calcium) and carbon stable isotopic ratios were identified as markers with excellent potential to track the provenance and movements of the endangered humpback chub Gila cypha. Although otolith δ¹³C and Sr/Ca varied proportionately to water chemistry and provided a framework for detailed study of humpback chub movements, otolith Se/Ca showed ambiguous tracking of known water chemistries. As an application, we document the natal source and movement dynamics of n = 10 humpback chub and compare these findings from otolith microchemistry with the current paradigm of humpback chub spawning ecology. We found that seven of ten fish follow the current early life history paradigm and were spawned in the Little Colorado River and subsequently emigrated to the main stem Colorado River as juveniles. However, the otolith markers of three fish suggest an alternative early life trajectory with unknown provenance. Age and growth analyses demonstrate seasonally higher growth rates in the warmer Little Colorado River compared with the Colorado River. Combining natural markers with age and growth reconstructions provides a powerful tool for assessing the habitat use and success of humpback chub in the Grand Canyon. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in the regulated River Alta: effects of altered water temperature on parr growth

The chief objective of this study was to analyse the effects of altered water temperature, due to the hydropower regulation of the River Alta, on growth of Atlantic salmon parr. The river was developed for hydroelectric purposes in 1987. A 110 m high concrete dam was built in the main river 49 km upstream from the outlet to the sea. The outlet of the power station is located 2.5 km downstream from the dam. The annual regime of water temperature has been altered downstream from the power station because of the regulation. It has decreased 1–2° C during June, July and the first half of August, while it has increased up to 3° C during late summer. During winter, water temperature has increased from 0° C to about 0.3–0.4° C. Atlantic salmon is the predominant fish species in the river. They can penetrate 46 km from the sea, up to the outlet of the power station. In this paper I have studied the relationship between growth of juvenile Atlantic salmon and water temperature in the upper part of the river. At similar temperatures, the growth rate of salmon parr in the River Alta is higher in early summer than later in the growing season. In early summer the salmon grew faster than the maximum rate predicted by a recently published model. Therefore, I adjusted the model to describe growth rates of salmon in early summer (ice break to mid‐August), using data derived prior to the hydropower development (1981–1986). The new model proved effective at describing growth rates of fish in early summer following the hydropower development (1987–1996). After development, growth rates decreased during early summer, but increased correspondingly later in the season. There was close agreement between these growth changes and the altered annual regime of river temperature. Overall, only minor changes in annual growth rates have been observed after the hydropower development. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

FORECAST OF WATER TEMPERATURE IN RESERVOIR BASED ON ANALYTICAL SOLUTION

The water temperature in reservoirs is difficult to be predicted by numerical simulations. In this article, a statistical model of forecasting the water temperature was proposed. In this model, the 3-D thermal conduction-diffusion equations were converted into a system consisting of 2-D equations with the Fourier expansion and some hypotheses. Then the statistical model of forecasting the water temperature was developed based on the analytical solution to the 2-D thermal equations. The~ simplified statistical model can elucidate the main physical mechanism of the temperature variation much more clearly than the numerical simulation with the Navier-Stokes equations. Finally, with the presented statistical model, the distribution of water temperature in the Shangyoujiang reservoir was determined.     

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL WATER QUALITY VARIABILITY IN AQUATIC HABITATS OF A CULTIVATED FLOODPLAIN

The floodplains of lowland rivers contain diverse aquatic habitats that provide valuable ecosystem services but are perturbed when intensively cultivated. Hydrologic, water chemistry and biological (fish) conditions in five aquatic habitats along the Coldwater River, Mississippi, were measured for more than 4 years: the river, two severed meanders that functioned as backwaters, a managed wetland and an ephemeral channel draining cultivated fields. Off‐channel habitats were connected to downstream regions 0.10% to 32% of the dry season and 24% to 67% of the wet season. The median temperatures for the five monitored sites ranged from 18°C to 23°C, the median total solids concentration for all sites was 135 mg L^?1, the median total phosphorus was 0.29 mg L^?1 and the median total nitrogen was 1.56 mg L^?1. Chemical and physical water quality displayed strong seasonal differences between the wet winter/spring and the dry summer/fall periods so that temporal variation consisted of gradual seasonal trends superimposed on strong diurnal variations. All off‐channel habitats exhibited periods of hypoxia and temperatures >30°C during the dry season. Between‐site gradients of water and habitat quality were strongly coupled to water depth and runoff loading. The rehabilitation of one backwater by increasing water depth and diverting agricultural runoff was associated with improved water quality and fish species richness relative to an adjacent untreated backwater. The diversion of polluted runoff and the use of water control structures to maintain greater water depth were observed to be effective management tools, but the former reduces the water supply to habitats that tend to dry up and the latter reduces connectivity. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cooler,bigger; warmer,smaller: Fine-scale thermal heterogeneity maps age class and species distribution in behaviourally thermoregulating salmonids

Behavioural thermoregulation is a survival strategy that occurs in response to an exceedance of thermal stress-inducing thresholds. When salmonids experience exceedance of these thresholds, they seek regions of colder water, known as thermal refuges. During an extreme temperature event of summer 2021 (main stem ~31.5°C) a large aggregation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar—all age classes) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis—>20 cm) was observed on the Little Southwest Miramichi River in New Brunswick, Canada. Using a drone-mounted thermal infrared (TIR) sensor, fine-scale TIR imagery of the occupied refuge was acquired. Polarized glasses were worn by an onshore observer to make visual observations. Constructing maps from these data we examined the spatial distribution of fish, and the corresponding temperature of the areas they occupied. Salmonids were found to be distributed by age class and species, with the distribution driven by the mosaic of temperatures in the refuge. Young of the year (YOY), 1+, 2+ and adult Atlantic salmon occupied areas with average temperatures ~30.1, 28.8, 25.7 and 21.9°C, respectively; whilst mature brook trout occupied areas ~21.8°C. Noteworthy is the observation of thermally aggregating young of the year Atlantic salmon, and the range in temperatures they occupied (~8°C). One isolated, shallow, cold water patch (~22°C) exclusively held YOY Atlantic salmon. Our findings highlight the importance of several different thermal characteristics of thermal refuges and their link to salmonid occupancy and can aid the design of ecologically meaningful thermal refuge augmentation/restoration projects.     

HYDROPOWER COSTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS AND CLIMATE WARMING IN CALIFORNIA'S UPPER YUBA RIVER WATERSHED

Understanding the trade‐offs between water for the environment and water for hydropower in regulated rivers can inform decision making about hydropower system planning, policy and operations, especially with anticipated climate warming–induced changes in runoff. This study used a multireservoir optimisation model to assess the hydropower effects of increasing minimum instream flows (MIFs) and imposing weekly scale down ramp rates (DRRs) in three locations in California's Upper Yuba River (UYR). The UYR is currently used for hydropower generation yet has high potential for freshwater habitat restoration. Trade‐offs between DRRs, MIFs and hydropower generation and revenue are explored with uniform air temperature increases of 0 °C, 2 °C, 4 °C and 6 °C to approximate anticipated regional climate warming. With 6 °C warming, the most ecologically beneficial MIF and DRR reduced hydropower generation by 7.9% and revenue by 5.5% compared with base case management and a historical climate. This has important implications for licensure of the UYR project and other hydropower projects, where multiple benefits under current and potential future conditions must be balanced. This study provides a methodological approach that can be used by water managers, regulators and stakeholders to better understand inherent trade‐offs in allocating water for multiple beneficial uses in a nonstationary hydroclimate. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

THE RETURN OF ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO SALAR L.) AND IMPROVED WATER QUALITY IN URBAN RIVERS IN OSLO,NORWAY

Most rivers and streams in the city of Oslo, Norway, rise in the surrounding forests, and all run through industrial and urban areas before they reach the sea. Most of these rivers have a long history of poor water quality in the middle and lower reaches until the early 1980s. This was reflected in low benthic diversity and the absence of fish. However, at the end of the 1970s, considerable efforts were made to limit industrial discharges, pollution episodes, and urban runoff, resulting in a substantial improvement in water quality. This improvement in water quality resulted in major changes in the benthos and fish populations of the rivers, especially the river Akerselva, which runs through the city centre. Here Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) became extinct in the mid‐1800s and did not return until 1983. Atlantic salmon and sea trout (Salmo trutta) now spawn in the lower reaches, and the river supports juvenile populations of these salmonids. In line with the improvement in water quality, benthic biodiversity has also increased. These improvements have been documented based on long‐term monitoring of benthos and fish. Increased benthic diversity and presence of fish also enabled the authorities to trace the source of several pollution episodes that led to fish kills. The European Union Water Framework Directive will bring further pressure to maintain a stable and good ecological status for the Oslo rivers, although it may be difficult to attain this goal in an urban environment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Salmonid observations at a Klamath River thermal refuge under various hydrological and meteorological conditions

The Beaver Creek confluence with the main‐stem Klamath River was studied to assess salmonid use in a thermal mixing zone under various summer hydrological and meteorological conditions. Main‐stem flow releases from Iron Gate Dam ranged from 17 cms (615 cfs) to 37 cms (1320 cfs) during the study period and main‐stem water temperatures ranged from 19.5 to 26°C. A grid was constructed to define the thermal refuge as a system of cells. Temperatures were monitored using remote temperature loggers and fish counts were conducted using daytime snorkelling. Most juvenile salmonids were observed moving into the refuge when main‐stem temperatures exceeded 22–23°C. Salmonids in the thermal refuge did not necessarily seek the coolest water, but were generally located in habitats commensurate with species‐specific behavioural needs within their thermal tolerance range. Such ranges largely occurred within refuge areas. Variable meteorological conditions confounded observable biological thermal benefit to fish resulting from higher or lower main‐stem flows. Thermal regime dynamics indicated that under the hydrological and meteorological conditions observed, higher flows from Iron Gate Dam showed some ability to change the structure of the refuge area. It appeared that without the thermal refuge, main‐stem flows alone could not sustain the salmonid population because high water temperatures usually exceeded their published thermal tolerance limits. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological Responses to Climate Change in Nenjiang River Basin,Northeastern China

Under the background of global climate change, hydrological responses to climate change were investigated in Northeastern China. This study analyses the trends of annual and seasonal temperature, precipitation and streamflow series in Nenjiang River Basin. Correlations between streamflow and meteorological variables were investigated, while parametric method and nonparametric tests were applied to determine the trends and correlations. Data collected from a series of monitoring stations showed significant increasing trends of annual and seasonal mean temperature versus time, whereas during the whole period the annual and seasonal precipitation in the basin did not exhibit similar trends although temporal and spatial variations were detected. Affected by the precipitation and temperature changes, significant trends of decreasing annual, spring and autumn streamflow were demonstrated; the decrease concentrating mainly on the mainstream and tributaries of the left bank. Correlation analyses revealed strong relationships between the streamflow and meteorological variables in Nenjiang River Basin, and the impacts of climate change on streamflow were complicated. Results from this study will help water resource managers for decision makings that address the consequences of climate change.     

RESERVOIR SEDIMENTATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF MORPHO-LOGY IN THE LOWER YELLOW RIVER DURING 10 YEAR’S INITIAL OPERATION OF THE XIAOLANGDI RESERVOIR

The Xiaolangdi Hydro-Project is one of the large projects on the main stem of the Middle Yellow River.It has been operated for more than 10 years,since its impoundment in October,1999.The reservoir has trapped 2.833×109 m3 of sediment,and caused the total erosion of 1.891×109 t in the Lower Yellow River from October,1999 through October,2010.Not only the serious atrophied situation of the Lower Yellow River(LYR) has been resuscitating,but also many new phenomena of sediment transport and behaviors of channel re-establishing are coming into being.They are illustrated and discussed in detail in this paper.     

THREE－DIMENSIONAL MODELLING OF HYDRODYNAMICS AND WATER QUALITY IN COASTAL WATERS

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INFLUENCE OF SCALE ON THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS IN A LARGE MONTANE RIVER BASIN

This study monitored stream temperatures over two hydrological years at various nested scales within the large, unregulated river Dee catchment (North East Scotland). These scales were (i) the whole catchment (11 sites along main stem Dee); (ii) the tributary (single sites in main tributaries); (iii) the Girnock (five sites in one subcatchment); and (iv) the reach (26 points across single reach). The aim was to characterize the thermal regime of all locations and compare the magnitude of variation between each scale. The controls on this variation were assessed via a multiple linear regression model using Geographic Information System‐derived catchment data. Temperatures were collected at 15‐min resolution and for further analysis and discussion combined to daily means. At the catchment and subcatchment scales, a west to east gradient in mean and minimum temperatures was observed, largely paralleling changes in altitude. Temperature differences between subcatchments were generally greater than between the sites along the main stem of the Dee. Differences between tributaries reflected differences in their morphology and land use. However, some tributaries had similar thermal regimes, despite different catchment and riparian characteristics. Subcatchment differences in thermal regimes of one of the tributaries corresponded to riparian vegetation reduced diurnal variability in sections dominated by broadleaf woodland. Compared with the larger scales, reach differences in thermal regime were small (e.g. mean temperatures of riffle, pool and margin habitats were within 0.3°C). The most noticeable difference was in relation to the point samples within the backwater area, which has a more constant thermal regime, most probably reflecting its groundwater source. The regression analysis indicated that monthly mean temperatures can be predicted well using elevation and catchment area. Forest cover was a significant explanatory variable during the summer months. However, some of the empirical temperature data from the Dee indicate that similar thermal regimes can result from different physical controls and processes that have important implications for the extrapolation of such predictive models. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.