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USGS2013

Exotic plant colonization and occupancy within riparian areas of the Interior Columbia River and Upper Missouri River basins, USA

Exotic plant invasions into riparia often result in shifts in vegetative composition, altered stream function, and cascading effects to biota at multiple scales. Characterizing the distribution patterns of exotic plants is an important step in directing targeted research to identify mechanisms of invasion and potential management strategies. In this study, we employed occupancy models to examine the associations of landscape, climate, and disturbance attributes with the colonization and occupancy patterns for spotted knapweed ( Centaurea stoebe L.), Canada thistle ( Cirsium arvense L., Scop.), and cheatgrass ( Bromus tectorum L.) in the riparia of headwater streams ( n  = 1,091) in the Interior Columbia River and Upper Missouri River Basins. We found relatively low occupancy rates for cheatgrass (0.06, SE = 0.02) and spotted knapweed (0.04, SE = 0.01), but moderate occupancy of Canada thistle (0.28, SE = 0.05); colonization rates were low across all species (<0.01). We found the distributions of spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, and cheatgrass to exhibit significant associations with both ambient climate conditions and anthropogenic and natural disturbances. We attribute the low to moderate occupancy and colonization rates to the relatively remote locations of our sample sites within headwater streams and urge consideration of means to prevent further invasions.

Interior Columbia River and Upper Missouri River b↗

USGS2020

Trihalomethane precursors: Land use hot spots, persistence during transport, and management options

To meet drinking water regulations, rather than investing in costly treatment plant operations, managers can look for ways to improve source water quality; this requires understanding watershed sources and fates of constituents of concern. Trihalomethanes (THMs) are one of the major classes of regulated disinfection byproducts, formed when a specific fraction of the organic carbon pool—referred to as THM precursors—reacts with chorine and/or bromine during treatment. Understanding the source, fate, timing and duration of the organic compounds that react to form THMs will allow identification of targeted and effective management actions. In this study we evaluated THM precursor contributions from multiple land use categories and hydrologic contexts, including novel data for urban land uses that demonstrate strong potential to release water with high THM formation potential (THMFP; median 618 μg L −1 ): greater than storm runoff integrated across a mixed-use (1/3 natural, 2/3 agricultural) watershed (median 460 μg L −1 ), irrigation runoff from agricultural systems (357 μg L −1 ), or runoff from a natural forested (median 123 μg L −1 ) and shrubland/grassland (median 259 μg L −1 ) watersheds. While individual storm events released high THM precursor concentrations over short periods, dry season agricultural irrigation as well as urban landscapes have the potential to release water high in THM precursors for several months. Experimental bioassays and sampling along 333 miles of the California Aqueduct confirmed bioavailability and photooxidation potential of less than 10% for THM precursors, suggesting that rivers with residence times of days to weeks may act as THM precursor conduits, shuttling THM precursors from hundreds of miles away to drinking water intakes with minimal degradation. This finding has considerable implications for water managers, who may therefore consider THM precursor management strategies that target even sources located far upstream.

California↗

USGS1975

Chemical and biological quality of water in part of the Everglades, southeastern Florida

A comprehensive monitoring network was established in a part of the Everglades to evaluate the quality of water being delivered to Everglades National Park. Physical, chemical, and biological parameters were determined in surface water, bottom sediment, and bulk precipitation (rainfall and dry fallout). The geology of the area, bottom sediment, bulk precipitation, natural, urban, and agricultural runoff, and the characteristics of the hydrologic system in the Everglades influence the type and concentration of each chemical constituent and how it affects the water quality. The quality of surface water in the agricultural area between Lake Okeechobee and the water conservation areas is markedly different from that of other surface water in southeastern Florida. In general, the water in this area is higher in concentrations of most chemical constituents. Man has engaged in cultural activities, both agricultural and urban, which have affected the water quality in the northern and eastern segments of the area of investigation. The quality of the water improves, however, as it flows to the south and east because there is minimal input from man's activities and many of the constituents are assimilated by plants, sorbed on organic material and clay in the bottom sediments, and entrapped within the sediments. Dilution by rainfall and concentration by evapotranspiration are also important factors that influence the quality of surface water in the area of investigation. The area of investigation in the Everglades is a sink for macronutrients, trace metals, and chlorinated-hydrocarbon insecticides. These constituents do not move through the system freely. They become tied up in various complexes and for that reason, the water being delivered to Everglades National Park is of better quality than the water entering the northern edge of the water conservation areas. The various physical and biological processes and chemical reactions combine to improve the water quality as the water flows southward. The data presented in this report may be used as a baseline for determination of future changes in water quality at the several places in the Everglades where recurrent sampling of rainfall, surface water, and bottom sediments was undertaken during the course of the investigation.

Florida↗

USGS1994

Baseline element concentrations in soils and plants, Bull Island, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina, U.S.A.

Baseline element concentrations are given for Spanish moss ( Tillandsia usneoides ), loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ), and associated soils. Baseline and variability data for ash, Al, Ba, C, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, and Zn are reported; however, not all variables are reported for all media because, in some media, certain elements were below the analytical detection limit. Spatial variation in element concentration among and within 0.5 km grid cells are given for each of the media. In general, only a few elements in Spanish moss showed statistically significant landscape patterns, whereas several elements in loblolly pine and in soils exhibited differences among sampling grids. Significant differences in the concentration of three elements in Spanish moss and eight elements (including total S) in loblolly pine were observed between two sampling dates (November and June); however, the absolute amount of these differences was small. Except for perhaps Ni and Pb concentrations in Spanish moss, element levels in all sample media exhibited ranges that indicate natural rather than anthropogenic additions of trace elements.

South Carolina↗

USGS2016

Greenhouse gas emissions from a created brackish marsh in eastern North Carolina

Tidal marsh creation helps remediate global warming because tidal wetlands are especially proficient at sequestering carbon (C) in soils. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) losses can offset the climatic benefits gained from C storage depending on how these tidal marshes are constructed and managed. This study attempts to determine the GHG emissions from a 4–6 year old created brackish marsh, what environmental factors governed these emissions, and how the magnitude of the fluxes relates to other wetland ecosystems. The static flux chamber method was used to measure GHG fluxes across three distinct plant zones segregated by elevation. The major of soil GHG fluxes from the marsh were from CO 2 (−48–192 mg C m -2 h -1 ), although it was near the lower end of values reported from other wetland types having lower salinities, and would mostly be offset by photosynthetic uptake in this created brackish marsh. Methane flux was also low (−0.33–0.86 mg C m -2 h -1 ), likely inhibited by the high soil SO 4 2− and soil redox potentials poised above −150 mV in this in this created brackish marsh environment. Low N 2 O flux (−0.11–0.10 mg N m -2 h -1 ) was due to low soil NO 3 − and soil redox conditions favoring complete denitrification. GHG fluxes from this created brackish marsh were generally lower than those recorded from natural marshes, suggesting that C sequestration may not be offset by the radiative forcing from soil GHG emissions if projects are designed properly.

North Carolina↗

USGS2017

Macroclimatic change expected to transform coastal wetland ecosystems this century

Coastal wetlands, existing at the interface between land and sea, are highly vulnerable to climate change. Macroclimate (for example, temperature and precipitation regimes) greatly influences coastal wetland ecosystem structure and function. However, research on climate change impacts in coastal wetlands has concentrated primarily on sea-level rise and largely ignored macroclimatic drivers, despite their power to transform plant community structure and modify ecosystem goods and services. Here, we model wetland plant community structure based on macroclimate using field data collected across broad temperature and precipitation gradients along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast. Our analyses quantify strongly nonlinear temperature thresholds regulating the potential for marsh-to-mangrove conversion. We also identify precipitation thresholds for dominance by various functional groups, including succulent plants and unvegetated mudflats. Macroclimate-driven shifts in foundation plant species abundance will have large effects on certain ecosystem goods and services. Based on current and projected climatic conditions, we project that transformative ecological changes are probable throughout the region this century, even under conservative climate scenarios. Coastal wetland ecosystems are functionally similar worldwide, so changes in this region are indicative of potential future changes in climatically similar regions globally.

Nature Climate Change↗

USGS2014

Hydrologic alteration affects aquatic plant assemblages in an arid-land river

We evaluated the effects of long-term flow alteration on primary-producer assemblages. In 1962, Flaming Gorge Dam was constructed on the Green River. The Yampa River has remained an unregulated hydrologically variable river that joins the Green River 100 km downstream from Flaming Gorge Dam. In the 1960s before dam construction only sparse occurrences of two macroalgae, Cladophora and Chara , and no submerged vascular plants were recorded in the Green and Yampa rivers. In 2009–2010, aquatic plants were abundant and widespread in the Green River from the dam downstream to the confluence with the Yampa River. The assemblage consisted of six vascular species, Elodea canadensis , Myriophyllum sibiricum , Nasturtium officinale , Potamogeton crispus , Potamogeton pectinatus , and Ranunculus aquatilis , the macroalgae Chara and Cladophora , and the bryophyte, Amblystegium riparium . In the Green River downstream from the Yampa River, and in the Yampa River, only sparse patches of Chara and Cladophora growing in the splash zone on boulders were collected. We attribute the observed changes in the Green River to an increase in water transparency and a reduction in suspended and bed-load sediment and high flow disturbances. The lack of hydrophyte colonization downstream from the confluence with the Yampa River has implications for understanding tributary amelioration of dam effects and for designing more natural flow-regime schedules downstream from large dams.

Southwestern Naturalist↗

USGS2013

Vegetation classification and mapping, Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

Executive Summary The National Park Service (NPS) Gulf Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network, with the support of the National Park Service Vegetation Inventory completed vegetation classification and mapping for Vicksburg National Military Park (VICK), in Warren County, Mississippi, from 2004 to 2010. VICK is one of more than 250 NPS units to be covered by the Vegetation Inventory. Methods and procedures follow those of the NPS Vegetation Inventory as of August, 2012 ( http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/inventory/veg/index.cfm ). Ecologists collected floristic and environmental data from 45 vegetation field plots and classified and described 13 plant community types corresponding to US National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) associations from these data. This classification was used to map 712 hectares (1,698 acres) of Vicksburg National Military Park, in ten map classes corresponding to vegetation associations and two non-vegetated land cover classes, from a digital orthomosaic created from 1:24,000 color infrared aerial photographs and digital elevation model (DEM) data. Methods used to delineate stands varied according to vegetation type and were a combination of incorporating stand boundaries from an existing map, new “heads-up” interpretation and modeling of digital environmental spatial data. A thematic accuracy assessment collected vegetation data from 118 field observations stratified across the vegetation classes. The overall accuracy of the vegetation map was estimated to be 60.5% at the thematic level of USNVC association and 92.4% at the thematic level of USNVC group. Estimates of areas of vegetation types, as adjusted for mapping error, were calculated for all types mapped and/or observed during the thematic accuracy assessment. An important finding of this study is that the composition of the forests of VICK is substantially different from that described by earlier, more qualitative, accounts. Implications of these findings and possible applications of the data for resource monitoring and management are presented. This report summarizes the methods and general results of the Vegetation Inventory for Vicksburg National Military Park. Appendices include descriptions of vegetation types, a field key to the types, a list of plant species, and accuracy assessment contingency tables. This report is supplemented by the project data, which include: spatial database containing map polygon attributes. Geospatial products are in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection, Zone 15, using the North American Datum of 1983. all field data (plot, observation point, and accuracy assessment point) stored in a Microsoft Access database metadata for all digital products The data and reports produced by this investigation reside at: https://irma.nps.gov/App/ and/or at: http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/

Mississippi↗

USGS2025

Water residence time and water depth influence on nutrient conditions, eutrophication endpoints and habitat quality in backwater lakes of a large floodplain river

Many eutrophication studies focus on the external supply of critical nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, but hydrology and geomorphology can enhance or dampen the effects of excessive nutrient supply. We studied six backwater lakes in the Upper Mississippi River that varied in water residence time and water depth. Eutrophication in these systems is responsible for negative impacts such as cyanobacterial blooms and toxicity, and floating plant and algal mats that disrupt recreational water uses. Increasing backwater residence time was associated with more nitrate removal and a greater likelihood of nitrogen limitation, as well as greater accumulations of duckweed. Backwaters with greater depth and lower nitrogen concentration had less likelihood of filamentous algal accumulations. The median water residence time of backwaters with low duckweed (11.7 days) and no filamentous algae (16.9 days) approached the 12-day target to maintain overwintering conditions in backwaters for fisheries survival, supporting that water residence times in this range would likely improve both winter and summer water quality. Mean depth in backwaters with low duckweed and no filamentous algae was ~1.3 m, while shallower backwaters were more likely to produce duckweed and filamentous algae mats. This indicates that deeper backwaters might reduce the likelihood of eutrophication impacts. Natural resource management at the local level may not always be able to answer global and regional threats, but habitat restoration of hydrology and geomorphology can possibly alleviate or reduce large-scale threats at the local level.

Minnesota, Wisconsin↗

USGS1985

Anomalous 13C enrichment in modern marine organic carbon

Marine organic carbon is heavier isotopically (13C enriched) than most land-plant or terrestrial organic C1. Accordingly, ??13C values of organic C in modern marine sediments are routinely interpreted in terms of the relative proportions of marine and terrestrial sources of the preserved organic matter2,3. When independent geochemical techniques are used to evaluate the source of organic matter in Cretaceous or older rocks, those rocks containing mostly marine organic C are found typically to have lighter (more-negative) ??13C values than rocks containing mostly terrestrial organic C. Here we conclude that marine photosynthesis in mid-Cretaceous and earlier oceans generally resulted in a greater fractionation of C isotopes and produced organic C having lighter ??13C values. Modern marine photosynthesis may be occurring under unusual geological conditions (higher oceanic primary production rates, lower PCO2) that limit dissolved CO2 availability and minimize carbon isotope fractionation4. ?? 1985 Nature Publishing Group.

Nature↗

USGS2023

A recruitment niche framework for improving seed-based restoration

As larger tracts of land experience degradation, seed-based restoration (SBR) will be a primary tool to reestablish vegetation and ecosystem function. SBR has advanced in terms of technical and technological approaches, yet plant recruitment remains a major barrier in some systems, notably drylands. There is an unmet opportunity to test science-based approaches to seed mix design and application, based not only on diversity or local provenance, but on the unique recruitment strategies of species. We lay out a framework that uses a quantitative representation of species' recruitment niches to match them to targeted goals (e.g. drought or invasion resistance) and methods (e.g. precision tools and technologies) in SBR. We first describe how to quantify the recruitment niche with seed and seedling traits tied to observed recruitment responses to environmental factors. We then show how a quantified recruitment niche framework can serve as the foundation to address three major restoration challenges: (1) designing forward-looking seed mixes that increase resilience to future climate and disturbance, (2) accounting for natural recovery in SBR planning, and (3) applying precision seeding practices to maximize restoration success. Finally, we demonstrate these ideas with existing data and discuss key challenges to adoption in SBR practice. While the ideas in this framework are based in ecological theory, they will require substantial testing and refinement by scientists engaged in SBR efforts. If this framework is integrated into research agendas, we believe it has the potential to unify and advance diverse elements of seed-based restoration ecology and improve restoration outcomes.

Restoration Ecology↗

USGS2001

Patterns and processes of wetland loss in coastal Louisiana are complex: A reply to Turner 2001. Estimating the indirect effects of hydrologic change on wetland loss: If the Earth is curved, then how would we know it?

The coastal wetlands of Louisiana comprise a vast expanse of marine to freshwater wetland plant communities interspersed w-ith shallow bays and bayous. These wetlands were built by processes associated with the present-day Mississippi and Atchatfalaya River deltas and older distributaries occupied by the river over the past 7,000 }rears. The high rates of wetland loss identified in this system during the 20th century have serious consequences for living resources (Boesch et al. 1994) and coastal residents, and they affect our ability to maintain navigation and flood control. The restoration and management response to this problem must be grounded in a sound understanding of the causative factors. The system has been highly altered by river levees, roads and railway embankments, impoundments, and canals of many dimensions dredged for a variety of purposes. These changes have been imposed on a landscape that is essentially the result of a delicate natural balance between wetland building processes and compaction, subsidence, and sea-level rise. Many now recognize that coastal wetlands can cope with relatively high rates of subsidence and sea-level rise, as long as the processes that ensure wetland sustainability through vertical accumulation of substrate remain unimpaired (Boesch et al. 2000). The challenge facing both the scientific community and coastal resource managers in Louisiana is to look to the future. We must use our understanding of the problem and how it evolved to develop a multi-use ecosystem management plan, and some efforts have been made by state and federal agencies towards this goal (LCWCRTF & WCRA 1998). The present discussions (Turner 1997, 2001; Day et al. 2000; Gosselink 2001) demonstrate the complexity of the issues faced in Louisiana. While such discourse is common in the scientific community where varied approaches and interpretations are a sign of vitality, it is helpful to be clear about the state of knowledge and what levels of uncertainty exist. We seek to clarify some of the issues that have been raised in the discussion, recognizing that our best-available science cannot yet resolve many of them as completely as all would like.

Louisiana↗

USGS1998

Choosing indicators of natural resource condition: A case study in Arches National Park, Utah, USA

Heavy visitor use in many areas of the world have necessitated development of ways to assess visitation impacts. Arches National Park recently completed a Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) plan. Integral to this plan was developing a method to identify biological indicators that would both measure visitor impacts and response to management actions. The process used in Arches for indicator selection is outlined here as a model applicable to many areas facing similar challenges. The steps were: (1) Vegetation types most used by visitors were identified. Impacted and unimpacted areas in these types were sampled, comparing vegetation and soil factors. (2) Variables found to differ significantly between compared sites were used as potential indicators. (3) Site-specific criteria for indicators were developed, and potential indicators evaluated using these criteria. (4) Chosen indicators were further researched for ecological relevancy. (5) Final indicators were chosen, field tested, and monitoring sites designated. In Arches, indicators were chosen for monitoring annually (soil crust index, soil compaction, number of used social trails and soil aggregate stability) and every five years (vegetation cover and frequency; ground cover; soil chemistry; and plant tissue chemistry).

Environmental Management↗

USGS2000

Applications of imaging spectroscopy data: A case study at Summitville, Colorado

From 1985 through 1992, the Summitville open-pit mine produced gold from lowgrade ore using cyanide heap-leach techniques, a method to extract gold whereby the ore pile is sprayed with water containing cyanide, which dissolves the minute gold grains. Environmental problems due to mining activity at Summitville include significant increases in acidic and metal-rich drainage from the site, leakage of cyanide-bearing solutions from the heap-leach pad into an underdrain system, and several surface leaks of cyanide-bearing solutions into the Wightman Fork of the Alamosa River. In general, drainage from the Summitville mine moves downslope into the Wightman Fork, a small tributary of the Alamosa River, which in turn flows east into the Terrace Reservoir before entering the agricultural lands of the San Luis Valley. The increase in the trace-metal burden of the Alamosa River watershed due to the mining activities at Summitville is of concern to farmers and fisherman, as well as Federal and State of Colorado agencies having responsibility for land stewardship. The environment of the Summitville area is a result of 1) its geologic evolution, that culminated in the formation of precious-metal mineral deposits; and 2) previous metal mining activity. Mining accentuates, accelerates, and pertubates natural geochemical processes. The development of underground workings, open pits, mill tailings, and spoil heaps and the extractive processing of ore enhances the likelihood of releasing chemicals and elements to the surrounding areas and at increased rates relative to unmined areas. Both mined and unmined mineralized areas can produce acid drainage from the formation and movement of highly acidic water rich in heavy metals. This acidic water forms principally through the chemical reaction of oxygenated surface water and shallow subsurface water with rocks that contain sulfide minerals, producing sulphuric acid. Heavy metals can be leached by the acid solution that comes in contact with mineralized rocks, a process that may be enhanced by bacterial action. The resulting fluids may be highly toxic and, when mixed with groundwater, surface water, and soil, may have harmful effects on humans, animals, and plants. Thus, understanding the geologic and hydrologic history of this area is a critical piece of the environmental puzzle in the Summitville area. The Summitville mine operators had ceased active mining and begun environmental remediation, including treatment of the heap-leach pile and installation of a water-treatment facility, when it declared bankruptcy in December 1992 and abandoned the mine site. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) immediately took over the Summitville site under EPA Superfund Emergency Response authority. Summitville has focused public attention on the environmental effects of modern mineral-resource development. Soon after the mine was abandoned, Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Alamosa River water users and private companies, began extensive studies at the mine site and surrounding areas. These studies included analysis of water, soil, livestock and vegetation. The role of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was to provide geologic, hydrologic and agricultural information about the mine and surrounding area and to describe and evaluate the environmental condition of the Summitville mine and the downstream effects of the mine on the San Luis Valley (King 1995).

Colorado↗

USGS1993

A spatial simulation model of hydrology and vegetation dynamics in semi-permanent prairie wetlands

The objective of this study was to construct a spatial simulation model of the vegetation dynamics in semi-permanent prairie wetlands. A hydrologic submodel estimated water levels based on precipitation, runoff, and potential evapotranspiration. A vegetation submodel calculated the amount and distribution of emergent cover and open water using a geographic information system. The response of vegetation to water-level changes was based on seed bank composition, seedling recruitment and establishment, and plant survivorship. The model was developed and tested using data from the Cottonwood Lake study site in North Dakota. Data from semi-permanent wetland P1 were used to calibrate the model. Data from a second wetland, P4, were used to evaluate model performance. Simulation results were compared with actual water data from 1797 through 1989. Test results showed that differences between calculated and observed water levels were within 10 cm 75% of the time. Open water over the past decade ranged from 0 to 7% in wetland P4 and from 0 to 8% in submodel simulations. Several model parameters including evapotranspiration and timing of seedling germination could be improved with more complex techniques or relatively minor adjustments. Despite these differences the model adequately represented vegetation dynamics of prairie wetlands and can be used to examine wetland response to natural or human-induced climate change.

Ecological Applications↗

USGS2013

The relative contribution of methanotrophs to microbial communities and carbon cycling in soil overlying a coal-bed methane seep

Seepage of coal-bed methane (CBM) through soils is a potential source of atmospheric CH 4 and also a likely source of ancient (i.e. 14 C-dead) carbon to soil microbial communities. Natural abundance 13 C and 14 C compositions of bacterial membrane phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and soil gas CO 2 and CH 4 were used to assess the incorporation of CBM-derived carbon into methanotrophs and other members of the soil microbial community. Concentrations of type I and type II methanotroph PLFA biomarkers (16:1ω8c and 18:1ω8c, respectively) were elevated in CBM-impacted soils compared with a control site. Comparison of PLFA and 16s rDNA data suggested type I and II methanotroph populations were well estimated and overestimated by their PLFA biomarkers, respectively. The δ 13 C values of PLFAs common in type I and II methanotrophs were as negative as −67‰ and consistent with the assimilation of CBM. PLFAs more indicative of nonmethanotrophic bacteria had δ 13 C values that were intermediate indicating assimilation of both plant- and CBM-derived carbon. Δ 14 C values of select PLFAs (−351 to −936‰) indicated similar patterns of CBM assimilation by methanotrophs and nonmethanotrophs and were used to estimate that 35–91% of carbon assimilated by nonmethanotrophs was derived from CBM depending on time of sampling and soil depth.

FEMS Microbiology Ecology↗

USGS1996

Environmental setting of benchmark streams in agricultural areas of eastern Wisconsin

This report describes the environmental setting of 20 benchmark streams in agricultural areas of eastern Wisconsin that are part of the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Benchmark streams are defined as those that show minimal adverse effects from human activity, and they were selected on the basis of field reconnaissance and the following criteria: (1) available invertebrate or fisheries data that indicated good to excellent water quality, (2) instream habitat restoration for fisheries enhancement, and (3) land management to protect riparian vegetation. Information gathered from these benchmark sites can be used as a standard of reference to compare the health of other streams in agricultural areas on the basis of aquatic-biota communities, habitat, and water-quality characteristics. The information included in this report serves as background information that will be useful for a series of studies at these benchmark-stream sites in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Four relatively homogeneous units (RHU's) in agricultural areas that differed in bedrock and surficial geology were selected for study. RHU 1 (clayey surficial deposits over carbonate bedrock) and RHU 3 (sandy-till surficial deposits over carbonate bedrock) are in adjacent agricultural areas in the Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains ecoregion. RHU 20 (sandy/sand and gravel surficial deposits over igneous and metamorphic bedrock) and RHU 26 (sandy/sand and gravel surficial deposits over sandstone bedrock) are in adjacent areas of agriculture and mixed forests in the North Central Hardwood Forests ecoregion. Differences in land use/land cover, and riparian vegetation and instream habitat characteristics are presented. Summaries of field measurements of water temperature, pH, specific conductance and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, total organic plus ammonia nitrogen, dissolved ammonium, nitrate plus nitrte as nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, and atrazine are listed. Concentrations of dissolved oxygen for the sampled streams ranged from 6 A to 14.3 and met the standards set by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) for supporting fish and aquatic life. Specific conductance ranged from 98 to 753 u,Scm with values highest in RHU's 1 and 3, where streams are underlain by carbonate bedrock. Median pH did not vary greatly among the four RHU's and ranged from 6.7 to 8.8 also meeting the WDNR standards. Concentrations of total organic plus ammonia nitrogen, dissolved ammonium, total phosphorus, and dissolved orthophosphate show little variation between streams and are generally low, compared to concentrations measured in agriculturally-affected streams in the same RHU's during the same sampling period. Concentrations of the most commonly used pesticide in the study unit, atrazine, were low in all streams, and most concentrations were below trn 0.1 u,g/L detection limit. Riparian vegetation for the benchmark streams were characterized by lowland species of the native plant communities described by John T. Curtis in the "Vegetation of Wisconsin." Based on the environmental setting and water-quality information collected to date, these streams appear to show minimal adverse effects from human activity.

Wisconsin↗

USGS2015

Wind River subbasin restoration: Annual report of U.S. Geological Survey activities January 2014 through December 2014

Executive Summary The Wind River subbasin in southwest Washington State provides habitat for a population of wild Lower Columbia River steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss , which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. No hatchery steelhead have been planted in the Wind River subbasin since 1994, and hatchery adults are estimated to be less than one percent of adults in any year (Thomas Buehrens, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, personal communication). Numerous restoration actions have been implemented in the subbasin, including the removal of Hemlock Dam on Trout Creek in 2009. We used Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging and a series of instream PIT-tag interrogation systems (PTIS) to investigate life-histories, populations, and efficacy of habitat restoration actions for these steelhead. Data from our study, and companion work by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will contribute to Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) Research Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) Program Strategy of Fish Population Status Monitoring ( www.cbfish.org/ProgramStrategy.mvc/ViewProgramStrategySummary/1 ), specifically the sub-strategies of: 1) Assessing the Status and Trends of Diversity of Natural Origin Fish Populations and to Uncertainties Research regarding differing life histories of a wild steelhead population, 2) Assessing the Status and Trend of Adult Natural Origin Fish Populations, and 3) Monitoring and Evaluating the Effectiveness of Tributary Habitat Actions Relative to Environmental, Physical, or Biological Performance Objectives. During summer 2014, we PIT-tagged steelhead parr in headwater areas of the Wind River subbasin to investigate life-history diversity, specifically to compare fate of those juvenile steelhead that move downstream prior to smolting with those that remain in their natal areas until smolting. A series of instream PTISs monitored movement of these fish. We added a new multi-antenna PTIS on Trout Creek and made improvements to two of our smaller tributary PTISs during 2014. Detections at the instream PTISs showed trends of parr emigration during summer and fall, in addition to the expected movement of parr and smolts in spring. Long-term monitoring of PIT-tagged fish will provide information on contribution of various life-history strategies to smolt production and adult returns, as well as helping to identify factors influencing parr movement. Movements of PIT-tagged adult steelhead were tracked with our instream PTISs. These data will contribute to a better understanding of timing and distribution of spawning by this population of wild steelhead within the Wind River subbasin. Additionally, these data have provided information on timing of adult movements to various parts of the watershed, which is allowing us to assess adult use of tributary watersheds within the Wind River subbasin. These data are contributing to evaluating steelhead response to the removal of Hemlock Dam from Trout Creek. Hemlock Dam, which was located at rkm 2.0 of Trout Creek, was removed in summer 2009 and had contributed to hydrologic impairment of Trout Creek and potentially caused some deterrent to upstream adult steelhead migration. Evaluating restoration efforts is of interest to many managers and agencies so that funding and time are allocated for best results. The evaluation of various life-histories of Lower Columbia River steelhead within the Wind River subbasin provides information to better track populations, and more effectively direct habitat restoration and water allocation planning. Increasingly detailed Viable Salmonid Population information (Crawford and Rumsey 2009), such as that provided by PIT-tagging and instream PTISs networks like those we build and operate in the Wind River subbasin, provide data to better inform policy and management, as life-history strategies and production bottlenecks are identified and understood.

Washington↗