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At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources
USGS2018

Measuring and evaluating ecological flows from streams to regions: Steps towards national coverage

Living aquatic communities are largely determined and maintained by the volume and quality of flowing waters, both within lotic systems and in receiving waters of coastal systems. However, flow is one of the most frequently and extensively altered features of rivers and streams; alteration effects are likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Lotic systems vary and different fish species need different environmental conditions, and distinct problems are evident at various spatial scales. New synoptic flow and biological information now make it possible to evaluate the effects of altered flows throughout the Great Lakes Region at scales from the stream reach to the Region. We used estimates of river and streamflow and observed fish abundances to develop tools that specify the response of fish to alterations in those flows. We fit the logistic model to a cumulative fish abundance curve as a function of yield providing an empirical means to develop models of the response of cumulative fish abundance to flows. Response zones of yield for each species in each system type (based on size and thermal class) illustrate how criteria may be developed that can be used in decision‐making for management of flows. In our example application, we evaluate both the general response of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) abundances (and fish diversity) to changes in flows and assess the sensitivity of each stream fish community to flow alteration. Mapping stream sensitivity to flow alteration throughout the US Great Lakes Region with a multiscale spatial framework showed how regional variability in sensitivity for any fish species or assemblage may be evaluated and provides managers with information to help determine where the best opportunities for protection or restoration of streamflows and associated communities exist. These results provide valuable tools and critical information to managers responsible for balancing water uses and maintaining high quality lotic ecosystems. These methods may be applied to any geographic region and can be extended nationally or globally, where flow, temperature, fish and landscape data are available.

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, ↗
USGS2009

Using propensity scores to estimate the effects of insecticides on stream invertebrates from observational data

Analyses of observational data can provide insights into relationships between environmental conditions and biological responses across a broader range of natural conditions than experimental studies, potentially complementing insights gained from experiments. However, observational data must be analyzed carefully to minimize the likelihood that confounding variables bias observed relationships. Propensity scores provide a robust approach for controlling for the effects of measured confounding variables when analyzing observational data. Here, we use propensity scores to estimate changes in mean invertebrate taxon richness in streams that have experienced insecticide concentrations that exceed aquatic life use benchmark concentrations. A simple comparison of richness in sites exposed to elevated insecticides with those that were not exposed suggests that exposed sites had on average 6.8 fewer taxa compared to unexposed sites. The presence of potential confounding variables makes it difficult to assert a causal relationship from this simple comparison. After controlling for confounding factors using propensity scores, the difference in richness between exposed and unexposed sites was reduced to 4.1 taxa, a difference that was still statistically significant. Because the propensity score analysis controlled for the effects of a wide variety of possible confounding variables, we infer that the change in richness observed in the propensity score analysis was likely caused by insecticide exposure.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗
USGS1987

Snowpack ion accumulation and loss in a basin draining to Lake Superior

The objective of this study was to relate winter precipitation ionic inputs, snowpack retention, and change in first-order stream chemistry with spring snowpack melt. During winter 1982–83, measurement of precipitation inputs, snowpack concentration and loading, and streamwater concentration and discharge of Ca2+, K+, H+, NO3−, and SO42− from a 176-ha watershed reveals that only H+ might be lost from the snowpack before first thaw. Above-freezing soil temperature beneath the snowpack may be a factor in H+ loss. An initial 1-d thaw resulted in loss of over one third (6 eq∙ha−1) of the snowpack Ca2+. Over one half the snowpack load of K+, H+, NO3−, and SO42−, was lost in a subsequent midwinter freeze–thaw period. Snowpack loading of ionic species was reduced by 70–90% before peak spring melting and stream discharge. Ecosystem H+ retention and biological uptake of NO3− further mitigate ionic "pulses" in streamwater. Sulfate discharge exceeds bulk inputs, which suggests significant dry deposition input and little forest soil retention of this anion. The snowpack was relatively small, which limits wider application of these results to the region.

Lake Superior↗
USGS1990

Influence of exchange flow between the channel and hyporheic zone on nitrate production in a small mountain stream

Variation in local exchange of flows between the channel and hyporheic zone produced temporally shifting concentration gradients of dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and ammonium in subsurface waters of a small, gravel-cobble bed stream. Channel water advected laterally supplied dissolved oxygen, and groundwater supplied ammonium to support hyporheic nitrification. Nitrate production was highest in sediment slurries from aerobic hyporheic sites, was absent at nearly anoxic sites, and was stopped by nitrification inhibitors (chlorate and nitrapyrin). Ammonium amendment to sediment slurries only slightly enhanced nitrate production indicating that sorption competed with biota for available substrate. Nitrate concentration increased from 75–130 μg N/L during 9 d of ammonium amendment to a hyporheic subsurface flow. Ammonium concentration rose slowly relative to a sulfate tracer initially, and declined slowly after cutoff as ammonium desorbed. Nitrate levels remained elevated for 6 d after cutoff as desorbed ammonium became biotically available. Interactions between the channel's hydrology, lithology, and biology such as we observed in nitrate production are probably more common than reported. However, the magnitude of the resulting nutrient flux will depend on factors which determine the depth and lateral extension of suitable hyporheic habitat.

California↗
USGS2020

Restoration of rapids habitat in a Great Lakes connecting channel, the St. Marys River, Michigan

Aquatic habitat has been extensively altered throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes to increase navigation connectivity. In particular, the St. Marys River, a Great Lakes connecting channel, lost >50% of its historic rapids habitat over the past century. In 2016, the natural flow was restored to the Little Rapids area of the St. Marys River. The goal of our study was to evaluate physical and ecological responses to the restoration of the Little Rapids area. Extensive habitat and biological data were collected prior to restoration (2013 and 2014), and after restoration (2017 and 2018). Measured parameters included total suspended solids, current velocity, benthic macroinvertebrates, and larval, juvenile, and adult fishes. Total suspended solids stayed low (<4 mg/L) following restoration, with the exception of a single construction‐related event. Pre‐restoration data indicated that all measured velocities were below the target flow rate of 0.24 m/s, whereas 70% of the measured habitat was above the target flow post‐restoration. Abundance and richness of benthic macroinvertebrates were reduced following restoration (>90% reduction). We observed a 45% increase in richness of larval fish 2 years after restoration and a 131% increase in catch per unit effort. For adult fishes, the proportion of individuals with a preference for fast‐moving waters increased from 1.5 to 45% in the restored area, and from 7 to 15% upstream of the restored area; a similar response was observed for lithophilic spawners. The physical and biological conditions of the Little Rapids improved and resembled conditions typical of rapids habitat extent in other areas of the river and other systems.

Michigan↗
USGS2016

Using large-scale flow experiments to rehabilitate Colorado River ecosystem function in Grand Canyon: Basis for an adaptive climate-resilient strategy

Adaptive management of Glen Canyon Dam is improving downstream resources of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park. The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (AMP), a federal advisory committee of 25 members with diverse special interests tasked to advise the U.S. Department of the Interior), was established in 1997 in response to the 1992 Grand Canyon Protection Act. Adaptive management assumes that ecosystem responses to management policies are inherently complex and unpredictable, but that understanding and management can be improved through monitoring. Best known for its high-flow experiments intended to benefit physical and biological resources by simulating one aspect of pre-dam conditions—floods, the AMP promotes collaboration among tribal, recreation, hydropower, environmental, water and other natural resource management interests. Monitoring has shown that high flow experiments move limited new tributary sand inputs below the dam from the bottom of the Colorado River to shorelines; rebuilding eroded sandbars that support camping areas and other natural and cultural resources. Spring-timed high flows have also been shown to stimulate aquatic productivity by disturbing the river bed below the dam in Glen Canyon. Understanding about how nonnative tailwater rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), and downstream endangered humpback chub ( Gila cypha ) respond to dam operations has also increased, but this learning has mostly posed “surprise” adaptation opportunities to managers. Since reoperation of the dam to Modified Low Fluctuating Flows in 1996, rainbow trout now benefit from more stable daily flows and high spring releases, but possibly at a risk to humpback chub and other native fishes downstream. In contrast, humpback chub have so far proven robust to all flows, and native fish have increased under the combination of warmer river temperatures associated with reduced storage in Lake Powell, and a system-wide reduction in trout from 2000-06, possibly due to several years of natural reproduction under limited food supply. Uncertainties about dam operations and ecosystem responses remain, including how native and nonnative fish will interact and respond to possible increased river temperatures under drier basin conditions. Ongoing assessment of operating policies by the AMP’s diverse stakeholders represents a major commitment to the river’s valued resources, while surprise learning opportunities can also help identify a resilient climate-change strategy for co-managing nonnative and endangered native fish, sandbar habitats and other river resources in a region with already complex and ever-increasing water demands.

Arizona↗
USGS2005

Effects of removing Good Hope Mill Dam on selected physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of Conodoguinet Creek, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

The implications of dam removal on channel characteris-tics, water quality, benthic invertebrates, and fish are not well understood because of the small number of removals that have been studied. Comprehensive studies that document the effects of dam removal are just beginning to be published, but most research has focused on larger dams or on the response of a sin-gle variable (such as benthic invertebrates). This report, pre-pared in cooperation with the Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Association, provides an evaluation of how channel morphol-ogy, bed-particle-size distribution, water quality, benthic inver-tebrates, fish, and aquatic habitat responded after removal of Good Hope Mill Dam (a small 'run of the river' dam) from Conodoguinet Creek in Cumberland County, Pa. Good Hope Mill Dam was a 6-foot high, 220-foot wide concrete structure demolished and removed over a 3-day period beginning with the initial breach on November 2, 2001, at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time. To isolate the effects of dam removal, data were collected before and after dam removal at five monitoring stations and over selected reaches upstream, within, and downstream of the impoundment. Stations 1, 2, and 5 were at free-flowing control locations 4.9 miles upstream, 2.5 miles upstream, and 5 miles downstream of the dam, respec-tively. Stations 3 and 4 were located where the largest responses were anticipated, 115 feet upstream and 126 feet downstream of the dam, respectively Good Hope Mill Dam was not an effective barrier to sedi-ment transport. Less than 3 inches of sediment in the silt/clay-size range (less than 0.062 millimeters) coated bedrock within the 7,160-foot (1.4-mile) impoundment. The bedrock within the impoundment was not incised during or after dam removal, and the limited sediment supply resulted in no measurable change in the thalweg elevation downstream of the dam. The cross-sec-tional areas at stations 3 and 4, measured 17 days and 23 months after dam removal, were within 3 percent of the area measured before removal. Some of the impounded silt/clay at station 3 and other sed-iment in the work area downstream of the dam were initially entrained over the 3-day removal period and deposited on sub-strate at station 4. Remaining silt/clay at station 3 and deposits at station 4 were transported downstream by the flows mea-sured over the 23 months after removal (daily mean flow ranged from 38 to 5,180 cubic feet per second). The median bed-parti-cle size at station 3 increased by approximately 32 millimeters in the 23-month period after removal. Bed-particle-size distri-bution at station 4 became finer when silt/clay was initially deposited but coarsened as high flows flushed it downstream; median bed-particle size was 77.7 millimeters before removal compared to 31.3 millimeters 17 days after removal and 99 mil-limeters 23 months after removal. Good Hope Mill Dam had either no effect on water-quality characteristics or the effect was so small it was masked by sea-sonal and periodic variability. Measurements of daily mean temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, pH, and specific conductance on a short time scale (every 15 minutes) indicate the daily range of temperature was suppressed under impounded conditions and daily extremes of temperature, dis-solved-oxygen concentration, pH, and specific conductance at station 2 were out of phase by approximately 12 hours with station 3. Once the dam was removed, the pattern at station 3 shifted and converged with the pattern at station 2. The offset before removal may be related to a lag time resulting from a decrease in velocity through the impoundment. Total nitrogen and suspended-sediment concentrations increased upon the initial dam breach but were within the range of concentrations measured from March 2001 through April 2002 over varying flow conditions at station 1. Total nitrogen concentration at station 4 was 4.66 milligrams per liter upon the initial breach of the dam,

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2001

The aquatic fate of triclopyr in whole-pond treatments

The aquatic fate of the triethylamine salt formulation of triclopyr (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyloxyacetic acid) was determined in whole-pond applications in closed (no water exchange) systems in California, Missouri and Texas in two studies conducted in 1995 and 1996. These studies determined dissipation rates of triclopyr and its principal metabolites, 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol (tcp) and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-methoxypyridine (tmp) in water, sediment and finfish. Ponds at each site containing a healthy biological community were treated at 2.5 mg AE litre-1 triclopyr. Water and sediment samples were collected through 12 weeks post-treatment, and non-target animals were collected through 4 weeks post-treatment. Dissipation rates for triclopyr, TCP and TMP were similar at each of the study sites, despite differences in weather, water quality, biotic community, light transmission and geographic location. Half-lives of triclopyr in water ranged from 5.9 to 7.5 days, while those of TCP and TMP ranged from 4 to 8.8 and 4 to 10 days, respectively. Levels of triclopyr and TCP declined in sediments at half-lives ranging from 2.8 to 4.6 days and 3.8 to 13.3 days, respectively. No TMP was detected in sediment. Triclopyr and TCP cleared from fish in relation to concentrations found in the water column. TMP levels in fish were generally an order of magnitude higher than levels of triclopyr and TCP, particularly in the visceral portion of the animals. No adverse effects on water quality or on the non-target biotic community were found following triclopyr applications. Results of these studies were comparable to those of triclopyr dissipation studies conducted in reservoirs, lakes and riverine systems in Georgia, Florida, Minnesota and Washington, indicating that the degradation and dissipation of triclopyr and its metabolites are similar in representative systems throughout the USA. ?? 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pest Management Science↗
USGS2014

Correlation of gene expression and contaminat concentrations in wild largescale suckers: a field-based study

Toxic compounds such as organochlorine pesticides (OCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) have been detected in fish, birds, and aquatic mammals that live in the Columbia River or use food resources from within the river. We developed a custom microarray for largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and used it to investigate the molecular effects of contaminant exposure on wild fish in the Columbia River. Using Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) we identified 72 probes representing 69 unique genes with expression patterns that correlated with hepatic tissue levels of OCs, PCBs, or PBDEs. These genes were involved in many biological processes previously shown to respond to contaminant exposure, including drug and lipid metabolism, apoptosis, cellular transport, oxidative stress, and cellular chaperone function. The relation between gene expression and contaminant concentration suggests that these genes may respond to environmental contaminant exposure and are promising candidates for further field and laboratory studies to develop biomarkers for monitoring exposure of wild fish to contaminant mixtures found in the Columbia River Basin. The array developed in this study could also be a useful tool for studies involving endangered sucker species and other sucker species used in contaminant research.

Oregon;Washington↗
USGS2015

Mercury and methylmercury in reservoirs in Indiana

Mercury (Hg) is an element that occurs naturally, but evidence suggests that human activities have resulted in increased amounts being released to the atmosphere and land surface. When Hg is converted to methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic ecosystems, MeHg accumulates and increases in the food web so that some fish contain levels which pose a health risk to humans and wildlife that consume these fish. Reservoirs unlike natural lakes, are a part of river systems that are managed for flood control. Data compiled and interpreted for six flood-control reservoirs in Indiana showed a relation between Hg transport, MeHg formation in water, and MeHg in fish that was influenced by physical, chemical, and biological differences among the reservoirs. Existing information precludes a uniform comparison of Hg and MeHg in all reservoirs in the State, but factors and conditions were identified that can indicate where and when Hg and MeHg levels in reservoirs could be highest. As part of a statewide monitoring network for Hg and MeHg in Indiana streams, 66 water samples were collected from four reservoir tailwater sites (downstream near the dams) on a quarterly schedule for 5 years. The reservoirs were Brookville Lake, Cagles Mill Lake, J. Edward Roush Lake, and Mississinewa Lake. Particulate-bound Hg concentrations were significantly lower in tailwater samples than in samples from free-flowing streams in the statewide network. (Free-flowing streams were not affected by dams and were not upstream from these reservoirs.) These data indicated the reduced flow velocity of water upstream from dams was allowing particulate-bound Hg to settle out of the water in the reservoir pools. The concentration ratios of MeHg to Hg were significantly higher in the tailwater samples than in samples from free-flowing streams, and the MeHg to Hg ratios were significantly higher in summer than in other seasons. To evaluate the conditions related to MeHg formation, pools of three reservoirs (Brookville Lake, Monroe Lake, and Patoka Lake) were investigated during summer hydrologic conditions. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were measured from the water surface to the lake bottom at 10 to 17 transects across each reservoir to identify three thermal strata, defined by water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, and depth. Depth-specific water samples were collected from these thermal strata throughout each reservoir, from the headwaters to the dam and from the tailwater. Mercury concentrations higher than 0.04 nanogram per liter (ng/L) were detected in all 53 samples, and MeHg concentrations higher than 0.04 ng/L were detected in 53 percent of the samples. The investigation found a zone of water below 8 or 9 meters, with temperatures less than 18 degrees Celsius and dissolved oxygen less than 3.5 milligrams per liter, extending through nearly half the reservoir area in Monroe Lake and Patoka Lake. This zone had abundant dissolved MeHg and concentration ratios of dissolved MeHg to Hg that ranged from 25 to 82 percent. This zone also had water with pH less than 7 and decreased dissolved sulfate, conditions indicating sulfate reduction by microorganisms that promoted a high potential for the conversion of Hg to MeHg. Reservoir outflow came from this zone at Monroe Lake and contributed to a tailwater concentration ratio for dissolved MeHg to Hg of 56 percent. Reservoir outflow at Patoka Lake was not from this zone, and dissolved MeHg was not detected in the tailwater. In contrast, samples from the summer pool at Brookville Lake had no MeHg detections even though Hg was detected, probably because the water pH higher than 7 inhibited sulfate reduction and did not promote the conversion of Hg to MeHg. Mercury and MeHg concentrations and the concentration ratios of MeHg to Hg in water varied among the six reservoirs in Indiana, and the differences were related to a combination of factors that could apply to other reservoirs. In areas with moderate to high rates of atmospheric Hg wet and dry deposition, Hg runoff and transport to streams and reservoirs was potentially highest for reservoirs with heavily forested watersheds in steep terrains of near-surface bedrock. Methylmercury concentrations and concentration ratios of MeHg to Hg were highest for reservoirs with the longest summer pools and highest inflow-to-outflow retention times, where water-chemistry conditions favoring sulfate reduction promoted conversion of Hg to MeHg. Methylmercury (reported as Hg) in fish-tissue samples collected for the State fish consumption advisory program was used to describe MeHg food-web accumulation and magnification in the reservoirs. The highest percentages of fish-tissue samples with Hg concentrations that exceeded the criterion of 0.30 milligram per kilogram for protection of human health were from Monroe Lake (38 percent) and Patoka Lake (33 percent). A review of the number and size of fish species caught from these two reservoirs resulted in two implications for fish consumption by humans. First, the highest numbers of fish harvested for potential human consumption were species more likely to have MeHg concentrations lower than the human-health criterion (crappie, bluegill, and catfish). Second, although largemouth bass were likely to have MeHg concentrations higher than the human-health criterion, they were caught and released more often than they were harvested. However, the average size largemouth bass (in both reservoirs) and above-average size walleye (in Monroe Lake) that were harvested for potential human consumption were likely to have MeHg concentrations higher than the human-health criterion.

Indiana↗
USGS2025

Evaluating large wood additions as a scalable method of urban stream restoration

Urbanization is associated with increased erosion and habitat homogenization in stream ecosystems. This habitat degradation often has biological consequences, such as decreased species richness. Conventional stream restoration practices are costly, and projects are limited to small areas with easy access. A scalable, low-cost method of stream restoration is needed to address the widespread degradation occurring in urban streams. Large wood (LW) is an important element in stream ecosystems that is typically abundant in forested watersheds but scarce in urban streams. LW can reduce water velocities, generate pool habitat, decrease erosion, and provide cover for aquatic organisms. In this study, we performed experimental LW installations to assess the capacity of LW restoration to improve habitat and reduce sediment transport in an urban headwater stream in Cincinnati, Ohio. We tracked the geomorphic effects of these installations using a before-after-control-impact study design in four 60-m reaches, two treatment and two control, over a 1.5-year period to investigate the following questions: (1) Will unanchored LW additions remain stable in a flashy urban stream? (2) Will LW additions increase the availability of pool habitat? (3) Will wood additions increase bed stability and modify sediment size distributions? We found that LW installations rapidly increased pool habitat availability (size) around stable jams, but a majority of the LW jams were frequently mobilized and reconfigured by high-flow events. LW additions had no significant impact on the probability of stream bed mobilization, likely due to the instability of LW; however, the distance particles traveled once mobilized significantly decreased. While LW additions can increase the availability of pool habitat in urban headwater streams, further investigation is needed to understand the stability of such structures and the environmental context where these additions will be most beneficial.

Ohio↗
USGS2005

Effects of Surface-Water Diversions on Habitat Availability for Native Macrofauna, Northeast Maui, Hawaii

Effects of surface-water diversions on habitat availability for native stream fauna (fish, shrimp, and snails) are described for 21 streams in northeast Maui, Hawaii. Five streams (Waikamoi, Honomanu, Wailuanui, Kopiliula, and Hanawi Streams) were chosen as representative streams for intensive study. On each of the five streams, three representative reaches were selected: (1) immediately upstream of major surface-water diversions, (2) midway to the coast, and (3) near the coast. This study focused on five amphidromous native aquatic species (alamoo, nopili, nakea, opae, and hihiwai) that are abundant in the study area. The Physical Habitat Simulation (PHABSIM) System, which incorporates hydrology, stream morphology and microhabitat preferences to explore relations between streamflow and habitat availability, was used to simulate habitat/discharge relations for various species and life stages, and to provide quantitative habitat comparisons at different streamflows of interest. Hydrologic data, collected over a range of low-flow discharges, were used to calibrate hydraulic models of selected transects across the streams. The models were then used to predict water depth and velocity (expressed as a Froude number) over a range of discharges up to estimates of natural median streamflow. The biological importance of the stream hydraulic attributes was then assessed with the statistically derived suitability criteria for each native species and life stage that were developed as part of this study to produce a relation between discharge and habitat availability. The final output was expressed as a weighted habitat area of streambed for a representative stream reach. PHABSIM model results are presented to show the area of estimated usable bed habitat over a range of streamflows relative to natural conditions. In general, the models show a continuous decrease in habitat for all modeled species as streamflow is decreased from natural conditions. The PHABSIM modeling results from the intensively studied streams were normalized to develop relations between the relative amount of diversion from a stream and the resulting relative change in habitat in the stream. These relations can be used to estimate changes in habitat for diverted streams in the study area that were not intensively studied. The relations indicate that the addition of even a small amount of water to a dry stream has a significant effect on the amount of habitat available. Equations relating stream base-flow changes to habitat changes can be used to provide an estimate of the relative habitat change in the study area streams for which estimates of diverted and natural median base flow have been determined but for which detailed habitat models were not developed. Stream water temperatures, which could have an effect on stream ecology and taro cultivation, were measured in five streams in the study area. In general, the stream temperatures measured at any of the monitoring sites were not elevated enough, based on currently available information, to adversely effect the growth or mortality of native aquatic macrofauna or to cause wetland taro to be susceptible to fungi and associated rotting diseases.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2025

Assessing spatial variability of nutrients, phytoplankton, and related water-quality constituents in the California Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta at the landscape scale—Comparison of four (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022) spring high-resolution mapping surveys

Executive Summary This report summarizes results from boat-based, high-resolution water-quality mapping surveys completed before, during, and after upgrades to the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility (EchoWater Facility), the regional wastewater facility for the City of Sacramento and surrounding areas, near Elk Grove, California. Surveys were completed in the tidal aquatic environments of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta) in spring (May or June) 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. In each survey, a suite of in situ sensors were used to continuously (one measurement per second) measure water-quality conditions, nutrients, phytoplankton abundance, and species composition. In addition to in situ data collection, discrete water samples were collected about every 2 miles while underway for determination of phosphate, ammonium, and nitrate concentration. The boat stopped at about 30 locations to collect discrete samples for a suite of additional analytes, including phytoplankton enumeration. The four surveys represent snapshots in time across different phases of the EchoWater Facility Biological Nutrient Reduction (BNR) upgrade. The May 2018 survey represents conditions before the upgrade. The second survey (June 2020) represents conditions after implementation of the Nitrifying Sidestream Treatment. The third survey (May 2021) was completed immediately after the completion of the BNR upgrade and represents a transitional period, and the final survey (May 2022) represents post-upgrade conditions. Relevant hydrologic and climatic context such as water-year type, X 2 position (the distance from the Golden Gate Bridge to the point upstream where bottom salinity is 2 parts per thousand; Jassby and others, 1995), water export to import ratio, and management actions like the Delta Cross Channel gate operations are presented for each survey so they may be considered in comparisons among surveys. Differences in water-quality parameters, like turbidity, temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) improve understanding of nutrient cycling and phytoplankton dynamics. Because the Delta is a complex system, we divided the study area into hydrologic zones to better examine general trends and obtain a broadscale view of differences among the 4 study years. Results are presented for each survey and parameter using box plots to compare the different hydrologic zones. We also present each parameter using contour maps by survey to display gradients across the system. The most evident change to water quality in the Delta across surveys is related to the EchoWater Facility BNR upgrade, which included nitrification and denitrification processes. Through this upgrade, effluent ammonium (NH 4 + ) concentrations were reduced by more than 95 percent (from about 2,000 micromolars [μM] to below the reporting limit of 35 μM), and nitrate (NO 3 − ) concentrations increased from near zero to about 500 μM; therefore, the concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; the sum of NH 4 + and NO 3 − ) in the effluent was reduced by about 75 percent between May 2018 and May 2022. The BNR upgrade resulted in a reduction in NH 4 + concentrations in aquatic habitats immediately below the facility, designated as the “north Delta tidal transition zone” (Bergamaschi and others, 2024), from about 30 μM pre-upgrade to near zero during the 2022 spring survey, whereas effluent NO 3 − increased from median concentrations of about 7 μM to about 15 μM. Because of the reduced effluent nitrogen loads and variability in Sacramento River nitrogen loads from upstream sources, DIN concentrations in the north Delta tidal transition zone decreased from a median of 53.3 μM in 2018 to 35.3 μM in 2020, 20.7 μM in 2021, and 11.3 μM in 2022 during the spring surveys. The changes in DIN concentration and form observed in the north Delta tidal transition zone after the EchoWater Facility upgrade extended downstream but were rapidly altered by hydrologic mixing, biogeochemical processes, and other nutrient source inputs. Most of the Delta indicated near-zero concentrations of NH 4 + 1 year after the completion of the EchoWater Facility upgrades represented by the 2022 survey. Exceptions to this finding were observed in the San Joaquin River near Stockton and in Suisun Bay, indicating there are NH 4 + inputs to these locations from other sources (for example, Stockton Regional Wastewater Control Facility and Central Contra Costs Sanitary District wastewater treatment plants or agricultural and urban runoff). Although there was an increase in NO 3 − concentrations in the north Delta tidal transition zone after the upgrade, increases in NO 3 − in other zones were not apparent, presumably because nitrification of effluent derived ammonium was no longer a source of NO 3 − . Concentrations of DIN in many Delta zones were lower in 2022 compared to 2018 and 2020, with concentrations near or below what is considered potentially nitrogen limiting conditions for phytoplankton growth in the North Delta tidal transition zone and the Cache Slough complex channel system. Unrelated to the EchoWater Facility upgrade, NO 3 − and therefore DIN concentrations increased in the San Joaquin River near Stockton and in adjacent water bodies by survey date (likely associated with increasing drought conditions). The Mokelumne River had low DIN concentrations, except in 2018 when the Delta Cross Channel was open, which allowed nutrient-rich Sacramento River water to flow into this section of the river. Data from these surveys also support the hypothesis that nutrient drawdown during phytoplankton blooms may create localized nitrogen limiting conditions. The BNR upgrade resulted in lower effluent phosphate (PO 4 3− ) concentrations, which lowered PO 4 3− concentrations in some zones of the Delta during the four spring surveys; however, PO 4 3− concentrations throughout the Delta remained above 0.3 μM, indicating that primary productivity was not limited by phosphorous availability. DIN and PO 4 3− decreased after the upgrade in many areas of the Delta, and the DIN to dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIN:DIP) ratio remained similar to pre-upgrade conditions and was often below the Redfield Ratio of 16, indicating nitrogen is more likely to limit phytoplankton growth than phosphorous. Inputs of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the EchoWater Facility are a minor source of this constituent to the Delta, so the upgrade had little to no effect on DOC concentrations across the Delta. Because phytoplankton abundance and species composition in the Delta are shaped by multiple factors other than nutrients (for example, light availability, temperature, salinity, and predation), it is important to consider these factors (as well as long-term monitoring) in addition to the EchoWater Facility upgrade. Although phytoplankton populations were low across much of the Delta during the spring surveys, several localized phytoplankton blooms (defined here as greater than 15 micrograms per liter [μg/L] of chlorophyll) provide insight into conditions that may favor the growth of beneficial and harmful species.

Callifornia↗
USGS2007

Diurnal variability in riverine dissolved organic matter composition determined by in situ optical measurement in the San Joaquin River (California, USA)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration and composition in riverine and stream systems are known to vary with hydrological and productivity cycles over the annual and interannual time scales. Rivers are commonly perceived as homogeneous with respect to DOM concentration and composition, particularly under steady flow conditions over short time periods. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of short term variability ( < 1 day) on DOM dynamics. This study examined whether diurnal processes measurably altered DOM concentration and composition in the hypereutrophic San Joaquin River (California) during a relatively quiescent period. We evaluated the efficacy of using optical in situ measurements to reveal changes in DOM which may not be evident from bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurement alone. The in situ optical measurements described in this study clearly showed for the first time diurnal variations in DOM measurements, which have previously been related to both composition and concentration, even though diurnal changes were not well reflected in bulk DOC concentrations. An apparent asynchronous trend of DOM absorbance and chlorophyll-a in comparison to chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence and spectral slope S290-350 suggests that no one specific CDOM spectrophotometric measurement explains absolutely DOM diurnal variation in this system; the measurement of multiple optical parameters is therefore recommended. The observed diurnal changes in DOM composition, measured by in situ optical instrumentation likely reflect both photochemical and biologically-mediated processes. The results of this study highlight that short-term variability in DOM composition may complicate trends for studies aiming to distinguish different DOM sources in riverine systems and emphasizes the importance of sampling specific study sites to be compared at the same time of day. The utilization of in situ optical technology allows short-term variability in DOM dynamics to be monitored and serves to increase our understanding of its processing and fundamental role in the aquatic environment. Copyright ?? 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hydrological Processes↗
USGS2017

Meteorological drivers of hypolimnetic anoxia in a eutrophic, north temperate lake

Oxygen concentration is both an indicator and driver of water quality in lakes. Decreases in oxygen concentration leads to altered ecosystem function as well as harmful consequences for aquatic biota, such as fishes. The responses of oxygen dynamics in lakes to climate-related drivers, such as temperature and wind speed, are well documented for lake surface waters. However, much less is known about how the oxic environment of bottom waters, especially the timing and magnitude of anoxia in eutrophic lakes, responds to changes in climate drivers. Understanding how important ecosystem states, such as hypolimnetic anoxia, may respond to differing climate scenarios requires a model that couples physical-biological conditions and sufficiently captures the density stratification that leads to strong oxygen gradients. Here, we analyzed the effects of changes in three important meteorological drivers (air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity) on hypolimnetic anoxia in a eutrophic, north temperate lake using the anoxic factor as an index that captures both the temporal and spatial extent of anoxia. Air temperature and relative humidity were found to have a positive correlation with anoxic factor, while wind speed had a negative correlation. Air temperature was found to have the greatest potential impact of the three drivers on the anoxic factor, followed by wind speed and then relative humidity. Across the scenarios of climate variability, variation in the simulated anoxic factor was primarily due to changes in the timing of onset and decay of stratification. Given the potential for future changes in climate, especially increases in air temperature, this study provides important insight into how these changes will alter lake water quality.

Ecological Modelling↗
USGS2017

Uptake and disposition of select pharmaceuticals by bluegill exposed at constant concentrations in a flow-through aquatic exposure system

The increasing use of pharmaceuticals has led to their subsequent input into and release from wastewater treatment plants, with corresponding discharge into surface waters that may subsequently exert adverse effects upon aquatic organisms. Although the distribution of pharmaceuticals in surface water has been extensively studied, the details of uptake, internal distribution, and kinetic processing of pharmaceuticals in exposed fish have received less attention. For this research, we investigated the uptake, disposition, and toxicokinetics of five pharmaceuticals (diclofenac, methocarbamol, rosuvastatin, sulfamethoxazole, and temazepam) in bluegill sunfish ( Lepomis macrochirus ) exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations (1000–4000 ng L –1 ) in a flow-through exposure system. Temazepam and methocarbamol were consistently detected in bluegill biological samples with the highest concentrations in bile of 4, 940, and 180 ng g –1 , respectively, while sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, and rosuvastatin were only infrequently detected. Over 30-day exposures, the relative magnitude of mean concentrations of temazepam and methocarbamol in biological samples generally followed the order: bile ≫ gut > liver and brain > muscle, plasma, and gill. Ranges of bioconcentration factors (BCFs) in different biological samples were 0.71–3960 and 0.13–48.6 for temazepam and methocarbamol, respectively. Log BCFs were statistically positively correlated to pH adjusted log K ow (that is, log D ow ), with the strongest relations for liver and brain ( r 2 = 0.92 and 0.99, respectively), implying that bioconcentration patterns of ionizable pharmaceuticals depend on molecular status, that is, whether a pharmaceutical is un-ionized or ionized at ambient tissue pH. Methocarbamol and temazepam underwent rapid uptake and elimination in bluegill biological compartments with uptake rate constants ( K u ) and elimination rate constants ( K e ) at 0.0066–0.0330 h –1 and 0.0075–0.0384 h –1 , respectively, and half-lives at 18.1–92.4 h. Exposure to mixtures of diclofenac, methocarbamol, sulfamethoxazole, and temazepam had little or no influence on the uptake and elimination rates, suggesting independent multiple uptake and disposition behaviors of pharmaceuticals by fish would occur when exposed to effluent-influenced surface waters.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2013

Importance of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska for aquatic birds

We used data from aerial surveys (1992–2010) of >100,000 km 2 and ground surveys (1998–2004) of >150 km 2 to estimate the density and abundance of birds on the North Slope of Alaska (U.S.A.). In the ground surveys, we used double sampling to estimate detection ratios. We used the aerial survey data to compare densities of birds and Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), the major nest predator of birds, on the North Slope, in Prudhoe Bay, and in nearby areas. We partitioned the Prudhoe Bay oil field into 2 × 2 km plots and determined the relation between density of aquatic birds and density of roads, buildings, and other infrastructure in these plots. Abundance and density (birds per square kilometer) of 3 groups of aquatic birds—waterfowl, loons, and grebes; shorebirds; and gulls, terns, and jaegers—were highest in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPRA) and lowest in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Six other major wetlands occur in the Arctic regions of Canada and Russia, but the largest population of aquatic birds was in the NPRA. Aquatic birds were concentrated in the northern part of the NPRA. For example, an area that covered 18% of the NPRA included 53% of its aquatic birds. The aerial surveys showed that bird density was not lower and fox density was not higher in Prudhoe Bay than in surrounding areas. Density of infrastructure did not significantly affect bird density for any group of species. Our results establish that the NPRA is one of the most important areas for aquatic birds in the Arctic. Our results and those of others also indicate that oil production, as practiced in Prudhoe Bay, does not necessarily lead to substantial declines in bird density or productivity in or near the developed areas.

Alaska↗
USGS2010

Structured decision-making and rapid prototyping to plan a management response to an invasive species

We developed components of a decision structure that could be used in an adaptive management framework for responding to invasion of hemlock woolly adelgid Adeleges tsugae on the Cumberland Plateau of northern Tennessee. Hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive forest pest, was first detected in this area in 2007. We used a structured decision-making process to identify and refine the management problem, objectives, and alternative management actions, and to assess consequences and tradeoffs among selected management alternatives. We identified four fundamental objectives: 1) conserve the aquatic and terrestrial riparian conservation targets, 2) protect and preserve hemlock, 3) develop and maintain adequate budget, and 4) address public concerns. We designed two prototype responses using an iterative process. By rapidly prototyping a first solution, insights were gained and shortcomings were identified, and some of these shortcomings were incorporated and corrected in the second prototype. We found that objectives were best met when management focused on early treatment of lightly to moderately infested but relatively healthy hemlock stands with biological control agent predator beetles and insect-killing fungi. Also, depending on the cost constraint, early treatment should be coupled with silvicultural management of moderately to severely infested and declining hemlock stands to accelerate conversion to nonhemlock mature forest cover. The two most valuable contributions of the structured decision-making process were 1) clarification and expansion of our objectives, and 2) application of tools to assess tradeoffs and predict consequences of alternative actions. Predicting consequences allowed us to evaluate the influence of uncertainty on the decision. For example, we found that the expected number of mature forest stands over 30 y would be increased by 4% by resolving the uncertainty regarding predator beetle effectiveness. The adaptive management framework requires further development including identifying and evaluating uncertainty, formalizing other competing predictive models, designing a monitoring program to update the predictive models, developing a process for re-evaluating the predictive models and incorporating new management technologies, and generating support for planning and implementation.

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management↗