River Otter Water Quality

Otters range throughout most of north america north of mexico.
River otter water quality. Males are about one third larger than females. Because they have a low tolerance for polluted water river otters are considered by some naturalists to be a good indicator or keystone species of the quality of aquatic habitats. Fur of the north american river otter is thick and lustrous and is the most durable of native american furs. The headwaters of the red river are considered to be where the otter tail river joins the bois de sioux river.
Otters have a broad slightly flattened head large nosepad stiff bristly whiskers small black eyes and small rounded ears. Water pollution including strip mine runoff industrial. Poor water quality stream pollution and deforestation during the late 1800s and early 1900s caused their disappearance. An otter uses its tail like a rudder while swimming.
A group of river otters can be called a lot of different things including a bevy a romp a family a lodge or if they re in the water a raft. The majority of the lakes in the greater red river basin are found in this watershed. The river otter makes its home near the water. Surface water quality criteria and procedures to calculate water quality criteria are contained in chapter 3745 1 of the ohio administrative code oac.
Clean water supporting fish and other aquatic life is the foundation of good otter habitat. This last term is most used for sea otters which hold on to each other to prevent drifting apart. With adoption of rules in 1997 pursuant to the federal great lakes initiative the water quality criteria for many chemicals differ between the lake erie drainage basin and the ohio river. River otters are native ohio furbearers once common throughout the state.
In pennsylvania otters occur in every major river system and are absent only in watersheds with significant water quality problems. Oil spills present a localized threat to otter populations especially in coastal areas. The watershed is a drainage basin of the red river and the major tributaries of the watershed are the otter tail and pelican rivers. The playful north american river otter is equally at home in the water and on land.
It makes its home in a burrow near the water s edge and can thrive in river lake swamp or estuary ecosystems. It is encouraging to note that with these conservation programs regulations on trapping and the improvement of water quality the river otters are finally making a comeback in certain wetland areas. They live in a den by the edge of a lake stream or marsh.