Indiana Biological Survey

Division of Fishes Projects

Large Rivers Habitat

Scanoe sampling on the West Fork White River

Simon and Emery (1995) coined the term large and great rivers. Large rivers are defined as watersheds with drainage areas > 1,000 but < 2,300 square miles. The White and Wabash Rivers, portions of the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), Maumee River, and portions of the Kankakee River are all considered large rivers in the State of Indiana.

Walleye Sander vitreus

Fish Assemblage and Watershed Condition

• White River

  White River sites

  The White River drains an area of 11,400 square miles. It crosses two ecoregions and is the second largest drainage in Indiana rivaled only by the Wabash River. The River drains the ECBP and IRL . The drainage is located in central and southern Indiana and drains in a southwestern direction. Large tributaries in the ECBP include the Driftwood, Big Blue, Flatrock, Eel, and Muscatatuck rivers. Tributaries that drain the IRL include the mainstem White River, and the junction of the East and West Forks.

  The White River is divided into three drainage units, which encompass the Lower White River, East Fork White River, and West Fork White River.

  • Lower White River

    A total of 13 sites were sampled in the Lower White River basin during 1990-1991. A total of 61 species were collected.

    The condition of fish assemblage in the Lower White River ranges from a low of poor (IBI = 27; Petersburg site) to fair (IBI=44; Giro site). An increasing trend in biological integrity was observed from the junction of the East and West Forks to the mouth of the Lower White. The IBI scores approximated a normal curve. The frequency distribution for the IBI was: fair 31.3% (N=5), fair-poor 37.5% (N=6), and poor 31.3% (N=5).

  • East Fork White River

    We sampled 18 sites in the East Fork White River during 1990-1991. A highly diverse assemblage of 81 species was collected. The East Fork is dominated by cyprinids, centrarchid, and catostomid species.

    The condition of the fish assemblage in the East Fork White River ranges from a low of poor-very poor (IBI = 25; single station) to good (IBI=51; N=3). Biological integrity increased with increasing drainage area. Sites above RM 212 (10 IBI points) scored higher than downstream sites. The IBI scores approximated a normal curve. The frequency distribution for the IBI was: good 16.7% (N=3), fair 11.1% (N=2), fair-poor 50.0% (N=9), poor 16.7% (N=3), poor-very poor 5.6% (N =1).

  • West Fork White River

    A total of 18 sites were sampled in the West Fork White River. We collected a total of 74 species. Dominant taxa included centrtarchid, cyprinid, and catostomid species.

    The condition of the fish assemblage in the West Fork White River ranges from a low of poor-very poor (IBI = 24; single station) to good (IBI=46; N=1). Biological integrity varied with increasing drainage area. The IBI scores were skewed towards declining biological integrity. The frequency distribution for the IBI was: good 5.6% (N=1), fair 11.1% (N=2), fair-poor 16.7% (N=3), poor 22.2% (N=4), poor-very poor 33.3% (N =6). An exceptional stream reach was the Broad Ripple (Marion County) reach.

• Wabash River

  Wabash River sites

  The Wabash River drains an area of 32,910 sq miles. It crosses two ecoregions and is the largest drainage area in Indiana. The principal tributary is the White River, which drains the ECBP and IRL. The Wabash River is located in central and southern Indiana and drains in a southwest direction. Large tributaries that drain the ECBP include the Tippecanoe, East and West Forks White, Driftwood, Big Blue, Flatrock, Eel and Muscatatuck rivers. The mainstem Wabash River is the principal drain of the IRL.

  The condition of the fish assemblage in the Wabash River ranges from a low of poor (IBI = 22; single station) to good-excellent (IBI=54; N=1). Biological integrity decreased with increasing drainage area. The IBI scores approximated a normal curve. The frequency distribution for the IBI was: good-excellent 3.6% (N=1), good 7.1% (N=2), good-fair 14.3% (N=4), fair 32.1% (N=9), fair-poor 21.4% (N=6), and poor 21.4% (N=6). An exceptional stream reach was the area near Covington RM 270.

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