Application of SMS to characterize spawning habitat for brown trout

This paper details a method using the RMA2 module of the Surface Water Modeling System (SMS) to characterize hydraulic conditions and their effect on the urban brown trout fishery in Rapid Creek as it flows through Rapid City, South Dakota. For many years Rapid Creek has supported a natural brown trout fishery managed by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. This stretch of Rapid Creek has experienced ecosystem stresses from urban storm water runoff, a one-time discharge of sediment from Canyon Lake and other external factors. Rapid Creek originates in the Black Hills limestone plateau over 81 km (50 mi) upstream of Rapid City. Pactola Reservoir helps to control stream flow as Rapid Creek drains an area of approximately 96348 ha (372 mi(2)).