May 20-25, 2007
"Bridging the Gaps, Naturally"

Coming Up Next: ICOET 2009 in Minnesota!

Abstracts: Fisheries & Aquatic Ecosystems

A Strategic Approach for the Identification and Correction of Fish Passage on National Forest Lands for the Pacific Northwest

• David Heller, Regional Fisheries Program Leader, USDA Forest Service, PNW Region, Portland, OR, Phone: 503-808-2994.

A multi-year, cooperative program for the identification, prioritization and correction of fish passage at road- stream crossings (more than 4,000 sites on a land base of 24 million acres)sites has been developed and is being implemented over the last five years.

A comprehensive assessment of fish passage, at road-stream crossings, was completed for all 17 of the National Forests in the states of Oregon and Washington. The assessment took 3 years to plan and complete. More than 5,100 crossings, representing 82% of all crossings on fish bearing streams, were evaluated in the field. Initial determinations were made to identify which crossings would pass all species and life stages of fish found in the respective streams. Juvenile coho salmon were used as the target species for evaluation and a matrix integrating a variety of crossing characteristics including crossing type, crossing structure gradient, outlet drop height, a ratio of crossing structure width to bank full width, etc. was utilized to categorize sites into three categories (passable, not passable and need further investigation). Results indicate that 68% of all road-stream crossings (bridges included) impair, to some degree, upstream passage for at least one species/life stage of fish. Considering only culvert crossing structures, about 90% are impassable. It is estimated that more than 3,000 miles of habitat for fish is affected. This represents about 15% of the total miles of fish bearing streams on National Forest System lands of the Pacific Northwest Region. The assessment has provided the foundation for a more systematic and strategic approach to improve fish passage as part of the Regional Aquatic Restoration Program.

A cooperative process to prioritize river basins and treatment sites is being used to guide selection of sites for remediation. Regional design standards have been established for replacement crossings and 2 design assistance teams have been created to improve the effectiveness and cost efficiency of new structures. More than 250 sites have been treated over the last 5 years. Increasingly, cooperative funding is being used to increase the number of sites being treated.

A basic protocol for monitoring post treatment effectiveness is currently being revised to provide more quantitative results for post project monitoring. Additional research on the biological response of aquatic organisms, including non game and juvenile fish, during a full range of flows,is needed.

Review of the Influences of Road Crossings on Warmwater Fishes Movement and Fish Communities in Ouachita Mountain Streams, Ouachita National Forest

• Richard Standage, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ouachita National Forest, Hot Springs, AR, Phone: 501-321-5247.
• Charles Gagen, Fisheries and Wildlife Science Program, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR, Phone: 479-964-0814.

Several studies have measured the influence of road crossings on fish movement and on fish communities within the Ouachita National Forest. In an initial study, passage of more than a hundred darters through a baffled pipe and over a grouted rip-rap ramp was documented over nine weeks. A broader study of fish movements associated with nine crossings ranging from natural-bottomed fords to piped crossings showed that natural ford and box culverts allowed unrestricted fish passage, but other designs were associated with reduced passage or none at all. Six piped crossings were examined in more detail including three that were modified in an attempt to improve fish passage. Fish were less likely to move across reaches with these low-water bridges compared to nearby natural reaches without low-water bridges. Average species richness was higher for fish communities downstream of the crossings compared to upstream (12.5 versus 6.3). Two rip-rapped low-water crossings were the only ones where upstream fish passage was detected. In a study of leopard darters, only one individual was detected moving downstream through a low-water crossing and none were found moving upstream. In an extensive study of twenty-one randomly selected low-water crossings, species richness was greater downstream versus upstream (9.4 versus 7.1, respectively). Total abundance (total number of all individuals of all species) was also significantly lower in the combined upstream reaches versus the combined downstream reaches. New box culvert installations indicated limited success in upstream passage, though detection of marked fish was quite low. Watershed-scale road and crossing densities were not significantly related to diversity and abundance of warmwater fishes or smallmouth bass density and biomass. Another study looking strictly at the effects of low-water crossings on stream geomorphology found stream widening upstream, stream incision downstream and changes in substrates when compared to a representative reach without a crossing. Work continues in designing, constructing and monitoring crossings that will pass fish.

Juvenile Salmon Passage in Sloped-Baffled Culverts

• David Thurman, Grad. Res. Asst., Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA.
• Alex Horner-Devine, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA.
• Ryan Morrison, Grad. Res. Asst., Albrook Hydraulics Labo, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA.
• Rollin Hotchkiss, Prof., Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT.

The connectivity of river drainages has been decreased by the installation of roadway culverts, particularly for the salmonids of the Pacific Northwest. Thousands of culverts within the State of Washington have been designated by the state DOT as fish passage barriers. Though it is well known that the anadromous salmon travel upstream to spawn, recent evidence suggests that juvenile salmon also travel upstream to seek preferred habitats for feeding, which may ultimately improve their survival at sea. Retrofitting culverts is an economical solution that has been initially implemented to improve adult salmon passage. Baffles increase water depth for low flow conditions and reduce velocities for higher flowrates. To determine the effect of baffles on upstream passage of juveniles, sloped-baffles were studied at a culvert test bed near Tenino, Washington. Using an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV), 3-D velocity fields were collected in a full-sized 12.2 m (40’) long, 1.8 m (6’) diameter corrugated culvert. The culvert slope, baffle spacing, and baffle height were varied to observe flow regime trends that describe conditions suitable for fish passage. This project is unique from other hydraulic studies in that biological testing was conducted in conjunction with the hydrodynamic measurements. Biologists randomly selected 100 juvenile Coho salmon from the on-site rearing facility and allowed the fish to ascend the culvert during a three hour period. The movement of the fish was recorded with video cameras and the passage rate was determined.

Results indicate that there is considerable spatial variability in the flow created by the baffles within the culvert. The flow is asymmetric, consisting of a jet traveling over the low side of the baffle and an area of re-circulating water on the high side of the baffle. The asymmetry decreases as the discharge increases and the mean water height surpasses the baffle height. The diversity of flow structures created by this asymmetry is important because it increases the number of reduced velocity paths that fish may travel. The fish passage success rates are also consistent with the trends of asymmetry: as the culvert discharge increases fish are limited to fewer possible paths, and passage rates decrease. The results suggest that both the structure of the flow and the average speed of the flow affect the passage rate. We present a scaling equation that relates the occurrence of flow structures to the independent study parameters in order to provide guidance in baffle implementation. Recommendations for future work include further biological interpretation and testing, so that the hydraulic and biological results may be more closely coupled.

Protecting and Enhancing River and Stream Continuity

• Scott Jackson, Dept. of Natural Resources Conservation, Univ. of Mass., Amherst, MA, Phone: 413-545-4743.
• Alison Bowden, The Nature Conservancy, Boston, MA, 617-227-7017.
• Brian Graber, American Rivers, Northampton, MA, Phone: 413-585-5896.

As long linear ecosystems, rivers and streams are particularly vulnerable to fragmentation. There is growing concern about the role of road crossings – and especially culverts – in altering habitats and disrupting river and stream continuity. The River and Stream Continuity Project began in the year 2000 with a startup grant from the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative. The University of Massachusetts took the lead in convening a group of people from a variety of agencies and organizations who were concerned about the impact of road-stream crossings on fish and other aquatic organism passage. In 2005, three of the organizations/agencies that were key players in initiating and implementing the project joined to create the River and Stream Continuity Partnership. Founding members of the Partnership include: Univ. of Mass. Extension at Amherst, Mass. Riverways Program (Mass. Dept. of Fish and Game), and The Nature Conservancy.

Members of the Partnership have made a commitment to the ongoing implementation of the River and Stream Continuity Project, including updates and revisions to the MA River and Stream Crossing Standards, coordination and implementation of volunteer assessments, management of the Continuity database, and projects to upgrade or replace substandard crossing structures. Since its beginning, the River and Stream Continuity Project has:

• Developed "Massachusetts River and Stream Crossing Standards" to facilitate river and stream continuity as well as fish and wildlife passage. These standards are referenced in federal and state regulations and policies affecting road-stream crossings.
• Created a field protocol for volunteer assessment of road-stream crossings, including data forms, instructions, and training materials
• Developed a system for scoring crossing structures for their effects on river and stream continuity and aquatic organism passage based on volunteer assessments
• Created an online database for data on road-stream crossings collected by volunteers. All crossings are geo-referenced and information from the database can be easily used in a GIS to depict the location and score of all assessed structures in participating states
• Developed a statewide GIS coverage prioritizing all mapped stream segments in Massachusetts into three categories based on information about their importance for fish and wildlife.
• Conducted volunteer assessments of road-stream crossings in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire.
• Initiated demonstration projects to mitigate known barriers to aquatic organism passage on high-priority streams
• Developed workshops, presentations and other educational material on the subject of river and stream continuity and the Massachusetts River and Stream Crossing Standards

Top of page

Combining Aquatic and Terrestrial Passage Design into a Continuous Discipline

• Sandra Jacobson, Wildlife Biologist, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Arcata CA, Phone: 541-678-5240.
• Robert Gubernick, Engineering Geologist, USDA Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, Petersburg, AK, Phone: 907-772-5840.
• Michael Furniss, Hydrologist, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest Research Stations, Arcata, CA, Phone: 707-825-2925.

Transportation planners occasionally notice a curious lack of consistency and communication between hydrologists, fisheries biologists and wildlife biologists regarding passages designed for their respective specialties. Several substantial differences in treatments between aquatic and terrestrial passages at highways masks the majority of similarities. At one end of the continuum, aquatics passages can be characterized by a total containment within a watercourse, with no need for modification of the shape or size of water conveyance structure as long as the structure maintains hydrological functionality. At the opposite end of the continuum terrestrial passages can be intentionally designed to avoid water conveyance entirely. Between these two extremes lie similarities in the need for functional streamcourses that allow passage for all age classes of fish and wildlife, as well as high water events. Our paper discusses the common mistakes made when considering only one passage category and suggests remedies designed to integrate the needs of terrestrial and aquatic organism passages. Our paper also discusses the professional basis for the occasional forgetfulness in dealing with other disciplines using lessons learned on this topic by the USDA Forest Service as an interdisciplinary land management agency.

Inventory and Sediment Modeling of Unpaved Roads for Stream Conservation Planning

• Ethan Inlander, Ozark Rivers Project Manager, Ozark Highlands Office, The Nature Conservancy, Fayetteville, AR, Phone: 479-973-9110.
• Alan Clingenpeel Forest Hydrologist, Ouachita National Forest, Hot Springs, AR, Phone: 501-321-5246.
• Michael Crump, Forest Hydrologist, Ozark – St. Francis National Forest, Russellville, AR, Phone: 479-964-7513.
• Matthew Van Epps, Assoc. Director, Watershed Conservation Resource Ctr., Little Rock, Arkansas, Phone: 501-352-5252.
• Sandi Formica, Exec. Director, Watershed Conservation Resource Ctr., Little Rock, AR, Phone: 501-352-5252.

The streams and rivers of the Ozark Plateaus are an unrivaled natural resource for the region. They provide habitat to some of the North America’s most abundant and rich biodiversity, while also serving as water sources for human drinking, agricultural, and recreational needs. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has identified several priority watersheds through its Ozarks Ecoregional Conservation Assessment of 2003, where it focuses its on the ground conservation planning and implementation efforts.

Sedimentation from unpaved roads is a primary threat to water quality in Ozark streams. TNC has partnered with various organizations including the US Forest Service (USFS), the Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC), and others to develop a multi-phased approach to address the impacts of unpaved roads on these priority watersheds.

The first step in the approach utilizes advanced GIS/GPS technologies to develop a detailed vehicle-based road inventory of the target watershed or subwatershed. Sub-meter differential GPS with customized data dictionaries are used to characterize the location and function of sediment-producing and conveying features of the road infrastructure, including the road surface, prism and slope, ditches, bars, lead-offs, culverts, crossings, and outlets. The road inventory yields a comprehensive geodatabase and map series of the mapped features.

A stratified random sample of the inventoried road network is then measured to generate sediment yield predictions on ten percent of the road network. Detailed field measurements are collected with differential GPS and customized data dictionaries. The data are entered into the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model, a process-based erosion prediction model developed by multiple federal agencies over the past 20 years. With sediment yields predicted for sample sites, erosion predictions are then extrapolated for the entire study watershed using the road inventory geodatabase.

Once sedimentation yields are predicted for each road segment in the entire study area, priority sub-watersheds are identified in the GIS using watershed sediment accumulation tools. These sub-watersheds with high potential for sediment yield may be compared to species inventory data, stream bank erosion surveys, and other land use information to set priorities for conservation planning and prioritization efforts. Priority infrastructure maintenance improvements are also identified through features that were flagged in the road inventory geodatabase as needing repair or replacement.

Road maintenance workshops are held with USFS engineers, county road crews, and other partners to transfer the inventory information, present the findings of the study and to demonstrate best management practices for road maintenance.

Since 2004, TNC and its partners in the Arkansas have worked in three priority Ozark watersheds to inventory over 600 miles of unpaved roads and 3000 associated point features in an area greater than 900 square miles. The area comprises over thirty 6th level (12-digit) HUCs.

Assessment of Freshwater Mussel Relocation as a Conservation Strategy

• Andrew Peck, Arkansas State Univ., Jonesboro, AR, Phone: 870-680-8472.
• John Harris, Arkansas Highway and Transportation Dept., Environmental Division, Little Rock, AR, Phone: 501-569–2285.
• Jerry Farris, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Arkansas State Univ., Jonesboro, AR, Phone: 870-972–3079.
• Alan Christian, Arkansas State Univ., Jonesboro, AR, Phone: 870-972-3296.

Over the last 30 years, relocation of freshwater mussels has been used as a conservation strategy for potential impacts from bridge construction and dredging operations. Improved methods have effectively increased relocated mussel survivorship rates of target species from ~ 50% to ~ 90% under ideal circumstances. Success to date is largely based upon survivorship rates without consideration of relocation activity effects upon fitness and behavioral traits of mussels.

In 2003, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) funded research to: 1) determine the success of mussel relocation efforts associated with highway construction projects by investigating survivorship, movements, mortality, fitness (as indicated by condition factor), and fecundity of relocated and non-relocated adults and sub-adults, 2) determine success of mussel propagation efforts by investigating survivorship of juveniles returned to identified habitats and used for population enhancement (recruitment), and 3) determine impacts at highway construction sites by comparing pre- and post-construction mussel assemblage abundance and composition, sediment deposition downstream of the construction, and individual mussel fitness.

This project seeks, in part, to use the data acquired in the formulation of a programmatic biological assessment / biological opinion streamlining initiative for P. capax that will be proposed to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the ATHD and FHWA. Biochemical composition (i.e. condition factor) and movement (i.e. displacement) were monitored for two species of freshwater mussels subjected to relocation activity, the federally endangered P. capax and a species with a different life history, Quadrula quadrula and compared with control (i.e. non relocated) populations. Trends were identified in condition factor, through repeated measures ANOVA, associated with short (glycogen), moderate (lipid), and long term energy stores (proteins, RNA:DNA ratios) sampled pre- and post-relocation. Behavioral trends (i.e. displacement) between native and relocated populations of the two species were measured in both short-term (weeks) and long-term (quarterly) intervals. Results pertaining to population enhancement strategies, specifically field methodologies used for in-situ rearing of juvenile P. capax along with growth and survival rates of field reared and lab reared individuals are presented.

Habitat Restoration and Mitigation on the Impact of a Transportation Network on Hyporheic Organisms Dwelling in the Upper Ganges, India

• Ramesh Sharma, Professor and Head, Department of Environmental Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar-Garhwal, Uttaranchal, India, Phone: 91-1370-267740.

Integrated ecosystem approach is essential to offset adverse impact of transportation network on aquatic habitats in the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan mountains. It is a cause of concern that the poorly designed network of roads and trails in mountain areas are expanding, without giving due consideration to natural processes of ecosystem function and climatic severity in the Himalayas. These effects have been quantified for a period of three-year (January 2003 - December 2005) for hyporheic biodiversity (microphytobenthos, microzoobenthos and macrozoobenthos) inhabiting upper Ganges, India. Transportation network of 495 km long passing along the upper Ganges, a project of 250 million US dollars, is one of the most important networks in the mountain region of Garhwal Himalaya. Hyporheic organisms are instrumental for self purification of infiltrated water through filtration, sedimentation, deposition and biological decomposition. Hyporheic biodiversity is less known or not at all known in Africa, Latin America, Australia and East Asia. Construction of roads and their widening along the upper Ganges, through massive cutting of mountain slopes, and disposal of tons of the cut material downhill into the waterways has resulted in intensive accumulation of soil, woody debris into the aquatic ecosystem from accelerated erosion, gulling and landslides resulting in drastic changes in the physico-chemical and biological profile of the hyporheic biotope. Detrimental effects on conductivity, bottom substrate composition, dissolved oxygen and hyporheic organisms of upper Ganges have been documented. Subsequent to construction and widening activities of roads along the upper Ganges, a decline of 61% in annual mean density, 45% in alpha diversity and 21% in Shannon Wiener index of hyporheic microphytobenthos was recorded during a three-year period. Hyporheic microphytobenthos of upper Ganges were represented by thirteen genera (Diatoma, Navicula, Nitzchia, Pinnularia, Synedra, Acnanthes, Amphora, Coconeis, Cymbella, Fragilaria, Gomphonema, Gryosigma and Hantzchia) of Bacillariophyceae, seven genera (Hydrodictyon, Microspora, Pootococcus, Tetraspora, Spirogyra, Ulothrix and Cladophora) of Chlorophyceae, five genera (Anabena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Polycystis and Rivularia) of Myxophyceae and four genera (Gonatozygon, Closterium, Cosmarium, Desmidium) of Desmidiaceae. A decline of 18% in mean annual density, 6% in alpha diversity and 7% in Shannon Wiener index of hyporheic microzoobenthos was estimated. Hyporheic microzoobenthos were represented by seven genera of Rotifera (Ascomorpha, Asplanchna, Brachionus, Lecane, Philodina, Trichocera and Rotaria), nine genera of Copepoda (Diaptomus, Epischura, Cyclops, Mesocyclops, Microcyclops, Achnanthocyclops, Phyllognathopus, Bryocamptus and Parastenocanis) and one genera each of Cladocera (Ceriodaphnia), Ostracoda (Cypridopsis) and Malacostraca (Stygobromus). A depletion of 43% in annual mean density, 38% in alpha diversity and 9% in Shannon Wiener index of macrozoobenthos was computed. Hyporheic macrozoobenthos of upper Ganges were represented by seven genera (Ecdyonurus, Rhithrogena, Ephemerella, Caenis, Baetis, Heptagenia and Cloeon) of Ephemeroptera, nine genera (Hydropsyche, Psychomyia, Polycentropus, Leptocella, Glossoma, Hydroptila, Rhyacophila, Limniphilius, Mystacides) of Trichoptera, eleven genera (Chryogaster, Philorus, Tendipes, Limnophora, Forcipomyia, Pentaneura, Tabanus, Simulium, Dixa, Atherix, Antocha) of Diptera, three genera (Psephanus, Heterlimnius, Dinutes) of Coleoptera, four genera (Architestes, Octagomphus, Epicordula and Symptrum) of Odonata and two genera (Perla and Isoperla) of Plecoptera. Most of the members of hyporheic organisms, sensitive to disturbance were completely missing at the impacted sites. The environmental degradation of hyporheic zone, decline in quantity and missing of sensitive hyporheic organisms are believed to have been caused by increased in water temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids and biological oxygen demand, accompanied by a decline in dissolved oxygen, accumulation of fine silt and suspended solids blocking interstitial spaces in the hyporheic zone. We have recommended the following mitigation measures to restore habitat quality and protection of hyporheic organisms: 'functional habitat' recovery by physical reconstruction of channels based on geomorphological principles, removal of obstructions (gravel mining, and dredging in the impacted site), protecting of riparian vegetation, natural recovery of watersheds, sustainable approaches to road construction and widening, proper drainage of water saturated mountain slopes and spring runoff during heavy precipitation, sealing of side drains against water penetration into the underground alongside fragile sections of the highway, construction of check dams for protection of steep gullies and side erosion of the river bed for maintaining rich heterogeneity of river bed habitats, following minimum flow principle in the river and the establishment of strong co-ordination among transport planners, geologists, civil engineers, structural engineers, environmental biologists.

Top of page