Effects of a small hydropower station upon brown trout Salmo trutta L. in the River Hoz Seca (Tagus basin,Spain) one year after regulation

A small hydroelectric power station was built in 1993 on the River Hoz Seca (Tagus basin, central Spain). Pre‐ and post‐regulation studies provided the opportunity to test the early effects of this disturbance on the brown trout Salmo trutta L. population. Before and after comparisons of population density and biomass, age composition, growth and production were made upstream and downstream of the diversion dam. The effects of disturbance on benthic macroinvertebrates were also analysed but no changes in abundance were detected. The downstream estimated population densities and biomass of trout showed a decrease of about 50 and 43%, respectively, following regulation. Examination of length‐for‐age tables revealed no obvious change in growth but a significant difference in age structure. The main consequence of the imposed fluctuating flow regime was a serious reduction in trout production caused by a loss of suitable habitat and a loss of juveniles. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.