Abstract:
In the present study, four water bodies of Champawat district, Uttarakhand India, were
studied to determine fish diversity in relation to the physical habitat. On the basis of entrenchment
ratio, river Chalti was classified as 'D' type. Sharda and Saryu 'F' type and Lohawati as a 'B' type
river. The substrate was mainly dominated by boulders, cobbles, gravel and pebble in the Saryu and
Chalti rivers, boulders in the Lohawati and sand and silt in the Sharda river. With respect to water
velocity, Chalti river was classified as intermediately productive, Lohawati river as less productive
whereas, Saryu and Sharda rivers didnot fit in the productive or less-productive categories. A total of
10 species belonging to 8 genera, 3 families (Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Mastacembeliodae) and orders
Cypriniformes and Percifonnes) were recorded from the selected sites. On the basis of altitude, an
inverse relationship was observed with species richness.
