Classification of Ohio upground reservoirs: Identifying attributes for a good yellow perch fishery

Upground reservoirs are common (n>100) drinking water sources in low relief northwest Ohio.  Here, a diked reservoir (5-15 m deep) is created near a stream and, water is pumped into the reservoir. With steep rip-rap sides and deep uniform bottom precluding much littoral habitat, the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW) is trying to generate added-value fisheries via stocking of percids (yellow perch, walleye, saugeye). In conjunction with the ODOW, we are generating a classification system to characterize suites of common reservoirs based on their physical, chemical and biological attributes, and then evaluate the classification based on the quality of the yellow perch fishery. Given that the ODOW typically stocks fingerling yellow perch, we attempt to determine the likely mechanisms regulating abundance and growth, and then suggest alternative management options that would improve fishing opportunities in the region. Data were collected from a subset of 20 reservoirs and included samples collected in the field, interviews with reservoir managers, and data compiled from Ohio Division of Wildlife sampling databases. Analyses included using classification/regression tree methods to differentiate significant variables from minor ones. We present the classification models and show how they relate to yellow perch existing fisheries in these reservoirs.