Urban ecology is a discipline that has emerged in response to the unique changes associated with urbanization. Research on ecosystem impacts is lacking, particularly on fish populations within urban stormwater drains. My research goal was to study the assemblage and movement of stream fish within Watts Creek, an urban stream, and a stormwater drain tributary (Kizell) in Kanata, Ontario. In chapter 2 I compared fish assemblage structures of Kizell and Watts and found they were relatively distinct. In chapter 3, using passive integrated transponder technology, I showed that the directionality
of movements between Kizell and Watts had little variation. These findings demonstrated the connectivity between Kizell and Watts, and that stream fish are moving into, residing, and utilizing habitat within Kizell throughout the year (including during the winter). These findings suggest that stormwater drains are a functional component of urban stream systems and that drains and streams are interconnected systems.