Human land use change, specifically development of land, can indirectly affect riffles and riffle quality. Breeding takes place on gravel bottoms in shallow riffles in late spring. The shallow riffles in rivers were used to catch fish. Its upper course is steep and rocky, and sprinkled with rapids, riffles and small waterfalls. This species' habitat often includes slow to swift, shallow gravel riffles in cooler streams. Additionally, the species favors sloped rock riffles and crevasses which provide ample shelter from predators. Upstream of Mainville, there are some riffles and small rapids. A sluice box is essentially a man made channel with riffles set in the bottom. The adult Arctic lamprey spawns in the gravel of riffles. Eggs are laid in gravel in riffles. Human interference of stream or river flow decreases sediment sizes, resulting in less riffles. Darby Creek tends to be a fast stream with some riffles. The cross-overs are marked by riffles, or shallow beds, while at the apices are pools. Clutches are guarded by males under large, flat rocks in pools or crests of riffles. These fish are benthic feeders that like to feed in riffles and rifle margins.