Module 10/11 Stream Surveys

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Module 10/11Stream Surveys

• Stream Surveys September 2004Part 2 Habitat
  Assessment

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Objectives

• Students will be able to
• identify accepted sampling methods used in
  streams.
• explain the influence of velocity and current on
  organism distribution in a stream.
• categorize stream bed substrates.
• Describe physical, chemical and biological
  parameters used to assess the quality of stream
  habitats.

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Stream assessments

• Water quality
• Habitat
• Hydrologic
• Biological
• Watershed

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Habitat assessments
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Habitat Assessments

• Determine and isolate impacts of pollution
  sources
• Interpret biological data
• Screen for impairments

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Habitat Scales - review
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Where to sample

• Reach Length
• 30 times mean stream width
• Minimum of 100 meters in length
• Avoid bridges, dams, culverts etc.
• Localized effects on the stream
• Both upstream and downstream of the structure.
• Locate reach nearby to specifically address
  changes from structures

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Transect Measurements

• Necessity of measuring habitat variables in both
  pool and riffles and why
• Slide to be completed by 3/31/04

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Pool-Riffle-Run Sequences
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Current velocity

• Varies horizontally and vertically across the
  streambed
• Current is the most important factor that
  determines where many organisms are found
  in streams and therefore govern differences in
  communities in various parts of a given stream.
• Velocity of the current is determined by the
  steepness of the surface, roughness of the stream
  bed, and depth and width of the stream bed.

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Substrate
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Visual estimation of surface substrate

• of silt/clay, sand, gravel, cobble, boulder and
  bedrock
• Fast, simple
• Prone to error
• Slide to be completed by 3/31/04

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Substrate

• Sieves
• Especially for lt2mm
• Sample size bucketful
• 3 samples
• Slide to be completed by 3/31/04

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Substrate - Pebble counts

• 100 individual pebbles randomly selected from
  stream bed
• Measure intermediate axis
• Plot results as a histogram
• (Wolman 1954)

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Pebble Count results
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Embeddedness

• Measure of fine sediment deposition in the
  interstitial spaces between rocks
• High embeddedness values indicate habitat
  degradation

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Substrate

• Embeddedness General guidelines
• 0 no fine sediments even at base of top layer
  of gravel/cobble
• 25 rocks are half surrounded by sediment
• 50 rocks are completely surrounded by sediment
  but their tops are clean
• 75 rocks are completely surrounded by sediment
  and half covered
• 100 rocks are completely covered by sediment

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Wentworth Scale of particle sizes
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Woody debris

• Extremely important for habitat
• Difficult to quantify

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EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBP)

• The RBPs include a set of cost-effective, yet
  scientifically valid, stream quality indicators
  that include
• Physical habitat assessment
• Water Quality assessment
• Biological surveys
• Easily and quickly obtained
• Compares data with standards fromunaffected site

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RBP - parameters

• Stream characterization
• Watershed features
• Riparian vegetation
• In-stream features
• Large woody debris
• Aquatic vegetation
• Water quality
• Sediment/substrate

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RBP stream characterization

• Is stream flow perennial, intermittent? Are there
  any tidal influences?
• Is the temperature regime considered warm water
  or coldwater?
• Stream origin glacial, montane, wetland, bog

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RBP watershed features

• What is the predominant land use type within the
  watershed?
• Are there any local nonpoint pollution sources?
• Any signs of local watershed erosion ?

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RBP riparian vegetation

• Width of the vegetation zone on either side of
  the stream

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RBP in-stream features

• reach length
• stream width
• reach area
• velocity
• canopy
• high water mark
• riffles, runs, pools
• channelization
• dams

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RBP large woody debris and aquatic vegetation

• Large woody debris
• Aquatic vegetation
• periphyton
• macrophytes

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RBP water quality

• Temperature, EC, DO, pH, and turbidity
• Water odors
• Water surface oils
• Turbidity-visual assessment

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RBP sediment and substrate

• Odors
• Oils
• Deposits
• Inorganic substrate components
• Organic substrate components

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Visual-Based Habitat Assessment (VHA)

• This protocol rates habitat parameters for each
  sampling reach on a scale from 0 to 20 (highest).
  
• The rankings are then totaled and compared to a
  reference condition to provide a final habitat
  ranking.
• Habitat evaluations are made on
• In-stream habitat
• Channel morphology
• Bank structural features
• Riparian vegetation

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VHA - Habitat for aquatic insects and other
creatures
Poor

• Look for the amount and variety of structures in
  the stream, such as
• rocks
• fallen trees
• undercut banks
• logs and branches
• The more diverse the structure the better.

Very good
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1b. Habitat for Aquatic Insects and Other
Creatures

• Look for
• The amount and variety of structures in the
  stream, such as
• Rocks
• Fallen trees
• Undercut banks
• Logs and branches
• A lot of diverse structure is good

Mary Kay Corazalla, U of MN
Very good
Poor
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2a. Embeddedness

• Look for
• How much silt, sand, or mud cover rocks and snags
  or is embedded among the rocks?
• Lots of silt reduces insect habitat and fish
  shelter, spawning areas, and egg incubation areas

Poor
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2b. Pool Substrate Condition

• Look for
• Type and condition of bottom of stream in pool
  area
• Healthy stream has
• Firm sediment types, such as sand, gravel, rather
  than soft clay or silt
• Aquatic plants
• Lots of variety

Mary Kay Corazalla, U of MN
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3a. Velocity and Depth Regimes

• Look for
• Lots of variety in depths and flow rates as you
  move downstream
• Look for a combination of
• Slow-deep
• Slow-shallow
• Fast-deep
• Fast-shallow
• Provides more habitat for aquatic insects and fish

Poor
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3b. Pool Variability

• Look for
• Mixture of types of pools
• Large-shallow
• Large-deep
• Small-shallow
• Small-deep
• A variety of pool types means good habitat

Very good
Poor
Peggy Morgan, FL DEP
William Taft, MI DNR
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4a. Sediment Deposition

• Look for
• How much sediment has been deposited in the
  stream channel as
• Islands
• Points, bars
• Shoals
• Pools filling in
• Lots of sediment means lots of human impacts on
  stream

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4b. Sediment Deposition

• How much sediment has been deposited in the
  stream channel as
• Islands
• Points, bars
• Shoals
• Pools filling in
• Lots of sediment means lots of human impacts on
  stream

Poor
Very good
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5a. Channel Flow Status

• Look for
• How full is the channel?
• If too much of the streambed is exposed, habitat
  is limited and probably poor

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5b. Channel Flow Status

• How full is the channel?
• If too much of the streambed is exposed, habitat
  is limited and probably poor

James Stahl, IN DEM
Very good
Water is not reaching both banks leaving much of
channel exposed.
Poor
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6a. Channel Alteration

• Look for
• Human-caused changes in the stream channel, such
  as
• Deepened
• Straightened
• Diversions
• These alterations mean less habitat

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6b. Channel Alteration

• Human-caused changes in the stream channel, such
  as
• Deepened
• Straightened
• Diversions
• These alterations mean less habitat

Very good
John Maxted, DE DNREC
Poor
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7a. Frequency of Riffles

• Look for
• Frequency of riffles as you look up or downstream
• Riffles are excellent habitat for aquatic insects
  and fish
• Lots of riffles means good habitat

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7b. Channel Sinuosity
Sinuosity refers to the curviness of the stream

• Look for
• The number of twists and turns you see in the
  stream
• A curvy stream
• Has more habitat
• Is more stable during storms, thus reducing
  erosion

Very good
Poor
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8a. Bank Stability
Stable streambank

• Look for
• Condition of banks
• No vegetation
• Crumbling banks
• Overly steep banks
• Exposed tree roots
• Exposed soil
• Presence of eroded stream banks means poor
  conditions for aquatic life

Unstable streambank
MD Save Our Streams
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8b. Bank Stability

• Look for
• Condition of banks
• No vegetation
• Crumbling banks
• Overly steep banks
• Exposed tree roots
• Exposed soil
• Presence of eroded stream banks means poor
  conditions for aquatic life

Peggy Morgan, FL DEP
Very good
Poor
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9a. Bank Vegetation

• Look for
• Amount of vegetation on banks of stream
• Lots of vegetation
• Holds soils
• Absorbs water, thus reducing bank erosion
• Absorbs nutrients (through roots)
• Provides shade for stream
• Good to have gt90 vegetative cover on banks and
  in riparian area

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9b. Bank Vegetative Protection

• Look for
• Amount of vegetation on banks of stream
• Lots of vegetation
• Holds soils
• Absorbs water, thus reducing bank erosion
• Absorbs nutrients (through roots)
• Provides shade for stream
• Good to have gt90 vegetative cover on banks and
  in riparian area

Peggy Morgan, FL DEP
Very good
MD Save Our Streams
Poor
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10a. Riparian Vegetative Zone Width

• Look for
• Width of riparian zone (vegetated area adjacent
  to stream)
• Wider riparian area helps
• buffer pollutants
• Control erosion
• Provide habitat
• Regulate nutrient inputs

Very good
Poor
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10b. Riparian Vegetative Zone Width

• Look for
• Width of riparian zone (vegetated area adjacent
  to stream)
• Wider riparian area helps
• buffer pollutants
• Control erosion
• Provide habitat
• Regulate nutrient inputs

MD Save Our Streams
Very good
Poor
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2. Low Gradient Streams

• Less steep, slower moving

Low Gradient Streams
Low gradient streams are dominated by deep areas
(pools) interspersed with shallower segments of
river (glides). The stream bottom is typically
made of up fine sediments and occasional coarser
material (gravel or larger).
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Stream surveys - references

• Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations
  Reports
• http//water.usgs.gov/pubs/twri/
• National Field Manual for the Collection of
  Water-Quality Data
• http//water.usgs.gov/owq/FieldManual/
• Rapid bioassessment protocols for wadeable
  streams
• http//www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/rbp/