Evaluating Water Temperature, Habitat and Fish Communities in Candidate Coolwater Streams in Illinois. Annual Project Report 2008.

Work during this reporting period focused on characterizing temperature, habitat, and biological communities at candidate sites. During the past year we have collected additional temperature data from 39 candidate streams and other locations and now have records from 153 stream reaches. Thirty-one sites in Illinois have been identified as cool- or coldwater based on these records. Physical habitat surveys have been conducted at 54 sites where temperature data were available. Fish and macroinvertebrate data were obtained from the cooperative basin survey program data managers for candidate sites whenever possible. These data were supplemented this year with fish and macroinvertebrate samples from eleven additional sites where temperature records suggest coolwater thermal regimes but other information was unavailable. A twelve month no cost extension was requested during this reporting period. This report summaries progress for the period beginning 30 September 2007 and ending 29 September 2008.