River Ecosystem Assessment Group 2

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River Ecosystem AssessmentGroup 2

• Josh Parenti
• Tristan Bond
• Brady Russell
• Laura Kingsbury
• Robert Michalow

• Jason Workman
• Chandra Inglis-Smith
• Ryan Braham
• Norse Angus
• Eric Nieman

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Birch River Ecosystem Assessment Group 2.1

• Josh Parenti
• Tristan Bond
• Brady Russell

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Description of Birch River Study

• Assessment of Ecosystem was done above the falls
• Weather and Time
• 145 p.m.
• Cloudy
• 26 C
• Basin Area
• 29.2 km2

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Description of Birch River Study (cont)

• Watershed
• Part of the Elk River watershed
• Second order stream

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Description of Birch River Study (cont)

• Geology
• Pottsville Sandstone

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Stream Flow and Water Quality

• Stream Flow
• Discharge rate of 0.948 m3/s
• Water Quality
• CaH Ratio - 1077.012
• Ph - 7.65
• H concentration - .0276
• Ca concentration - 27.4
• Conductivity - 390.5
• Fecal Coliform Bacteria - 2
• Toatal Aluminum - 0.05
• Total Iron - 0.07

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RVHA

• Epifaunal Substrate/Available cover
• Score of 13/20
• Embeddedness
• Score of 14/20
• Velocity/Depth Regime
• Score of 16/20
• Sediment Deposition
• Score of 13/20
• Channel Flow Status
• Score of 14/20
• Channel Alteration
• Score of 13/20
• Frequency of Riffles (or bends)
• Score of 18/20

• Bank Stability
• Left Bank
• Score of 3/10
• Right Bank
• Score of 6/10
• Vegetative Protection
• Left Bank
• Score of 6/10
• Right Bank
• Score of 5/10
• Riparian Vegetative Zone Wiidth
• Left Bank
• Score of 5/10
• Right Bank
• Score of 2/10

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RVHA (cont)

• Reference condition according to the EPA for the
  RVHA is 170
• Total RVHA score for the Birch River was 128/200
• The final component score is a 36

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Benthic Macroinvertebrates

• Most Predominant Groups
• Stonefly
• Mayfly
• Caddisfly
• Common Netspinner
• Midge Larva

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Benthic Macroinvertebrates (cont)

• Total WVSCI score
• 89.2
• Total Acid SCI
• 76.9
• The final Rating is an Excellent Score

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Fishes

• Most Predominant Fishes
• Northern Hogsucker
• Creek Chub
• River Chub
• Final IBI Component Score
• 75
• Final Rating is an OK Stream

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Summary

• Overall Site Condition
• General impact has a rating of 69
• Acid (precip) has a rating of 75
• Acid (AMD) has a rating of 67
• The overall assessment of the Birch River
  watershed gives the stream a moderately
  impaired rating

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Craigs RunEcosystem AssessmentGroup 2.2

• Laura Kingsbury
• Robert Michalow

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Overall Description of Site

• New River watershed
• 2nd order stream
• Basin Area 7.77km2
• Geology Pottsville sandstone

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RVHA
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Stream Flow and Water Quality
Using EPA defined protocols we tested the flow
and quality of the water flowing in Craigs run

• Discharge smallest stream we sampled (compare
  with Cranberry 1.8m3/s)
• pH VERY surprising to be this basic
• CaH ratio is excellent (100)
• Conductivity excellent (
• Mn Fecal NO DATA

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Benthic Invertebrates

• EPA EMAP protocols followed (modified by picking
  in the field!)
• 18 total taxa found
• Nearly 50 were web spinners (tolerant)
• 10 midges (tolerant)
• 10 Capniidae stoneflies (tolerant)
• 10Heptageniidae mayflies (sensitive)

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Fishes

• Taxa
• Only 2 taxa found, 13 individuals
• Cyprinidae (Black-nose dace)
• Salmonalidae (Brook trout)
• Component Scores
• Reduction in score
• Tolerant species in black nose dace
• No sensitive species (Sculpin)
• Total Coldwater IBI 60
• MAH IBI 62

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Summary

• Craigs Run is a wild wonderful looking
  tributary of the Williams River!
• Due to its geological origins, it is a naturally
  acidic stream system and the biota within the
  stream has either evolved to deal with that or
  happily invaded because it could! (ex. Brook
  Trout, Capnid stoneflies Crayfish)

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• We were surprised to find the pH over 7
  especially since we were sampling in the rain
  (normally acidic precipitation) and that the
  water runs over sandstone that has no buffering
  capacity.
• The area does not fall within a coal mining zone
  so AMD would not be a stressor to this system.
• Great little trib. but would need more
  assessments to its health throughout the
  year.why no Sculpin?

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Stream Ecosystem AssessmentGroup 2.3 Cranberry
(above Rough Run)

• Jason Workman
• Chandra Inglis-Smith
• Ryan Braham

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Cranberry Short Summary

• Williams River? New River Watershed
• Stream Order 3rd Order
• Basin Area 134.45 KM2
• Geology consists of Mauch Chunk Shale
  Pottsville Sandstone
• Visual Conditions 60 cloud cover and 31C

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Cranberry WVSCI
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Cranberry Above Rough Run
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Rapid Visual Habitat Assessment
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Cranberry (above Rough Run)Conclusion

• Our site kicked ass
• The local geology makes the area susceptible to
  acid precipitation, but the Dosing station (800
  tons/yr) in the North Fork and Dogway buffer the
  system.
• The bug and habitat data below dosing stations
  are indicative of a historically excellent Brook
  Trout fishery.

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Stream Ecosystem AssessmentSouth Fork of
Cranberry River Group 2.4

• Norse Angus
• Eric Nieman

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Cranberry Watershed Description

• The sample area drains 45.81km2
• This area is well forested with minimum
  development and light impacts(gravel roads,
  dosing stations, recreational uses).
• The S. Fork of the Cranberry is located in a WMA
  in the Mon. National Forest.
• The Cranberry drains Northwest into the Gauley
  River at Woodbine.
• The S. Fork is a 3-4th order stream with shale
  and sandstone dominating the geological
  formations.

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Stream Flow and Water Quality
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RVHA
Epifaunal Substrate 16 Embeddedness 16 Vel./
Depth Regime 14 Sediment Deposition 18 Channel
Flow 18.5
Channel Alteration 19.5 Freq. of Riffles 17 Bank
Stability 20 Veg. Protection 20 Riparian Veg.
Zone 20 Avg. TOTAL 178
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Benthic Invertebrates
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Fishes
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South Fork Cranberry Summation

• very little watershed problems
• known acid rain effects.
• High quality cold water stream.
• Geology buffering the acid problems
• Low fish score
• Subjective collecting methods

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Super Secret Post-Conclusion Conclusion

• Cost of Tuition, Food and Lodging 730.00
• Cost of Alcohol 437.80
• Cost of Higher Learning Priceless