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ABSTRACT
A rapid bioassessment study was conducted on the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River and selected tributaries in northern Idaho. Species richness, Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) index, and species diversity showed strong negative correlations with habitat assessment scores (mean r2-.68); whereas regression coefficients for percent dominant taxon, modified Hilsenhoff's index, and EPT/Chironomidae abundance were generally lower (mean r2-.42) than the above. Zinc was negatively correlated with biotic metrics (r2-.23-.58). Values for EPT (r2-.60-.75) and species richness (r2-.54-.65) provided the highest correlation coefficients of the six metrics measured. Conductivity (r2-.18-.41) and pH (r2-.08-.21) showed the weakest correlations with biotic metrics. Streams affected by metal pollution also exhibited extreme habitat degradation due to activities involved in ore processing. As a result, macroinvertebrate communities may be severely impacted by habitat loss even where zinc concentrations are relatively low.