• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.381-391
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• 2009

This is the study of the effects and changes on the ichthyofauna and fish community in Jeonju-cheon stream (located in Jeonju Cit, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea) after the implementation of the Natural Stream Restoration Project. The restoration of the stream was carried out between April 2000 and December 2002, and it covered the mid-section of the stream starting from the upstream of Hanbyeok Bridge down to Samcheon where branches of water join. It is 7.2 km long and passes through the downtown area. In this study, comparisons were made before and after the restoration. Before the restoration (1975 to 1999), the number of fish species collected from the Jeonju-cheon stream turned out to be 12 to 18 species, whereas after the restoration (2003 to 2008), it increased up to 34 species in total. Especially in the case of the middle and downstream sections running across the central regions of the city (Daga Bridge to Seosin Bridge), the number of fish species significantly increased from 5 species to 22 species. Such a dramatic increase of fish species appears to be directly related to the restoration of the stream which was designed to improve the quality of water by preventing polluted sewage water from running into the stream. Besides, the structure of stream bed which became more diversified into various components such as marshes and shallows, as well as rocks, Pebbles, sand and clay, also contributed to the increase of fish species.