Stream Flow, Geomorphic, and Biological Assessments of Big Cypress Bayou An Update on USGS Activities

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Stream Flow, Geomorphic, and Biological
Assessments of Big Cypress Bayou An Update on
USGS Activities

• J. Bruce Moring, Ph.D.
• U.S. Geological Survey
• Austin, Texas
• jbmoring_at_usgs.gov
• 512.927.3585 (office)
• 512.940.0505 (cell)

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Stream Flow

• Objectives
• Evaluate the accuracy and assumed benefits of
  prescribed flows derived from the flows-ecology
  building blocks.
• Monitor stream flows during prescribed releases
  from Lake O The Pines (LOP).
• Provide the USACE with stage and discharge data
  in support of modeling efforts to evaluate areas
  of inundation during releases from LOP.
• Coordinate with USACE FW District Reservoir
  Control in translating prescribed flows to
  prescribed hydrographs for releases from LOP.

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Stream Flow, cont. .
Eleven sites on Big Cypress Bayou
instrumented with pressure transducers to monitor
stage and temperature.
Pressure transducers at 4 USGS study sites have
been recording since the early winter of 2006.
Seven USACE x-sections were instrumented
with pressure transducers in late Jan 2007 to
record LOP releases.
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Stream Flow, cont.

• Tasks Completed
• -Evaluated accuracy of prescribed flows to
  maintain aquatic diversity.
• - Developed preliminary ratings for four USGS
  sites
• -Provided stage data from Jan 07 release from
  LOP to USACE for travel-time analysis.

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Stream Flow, cont.

• Future Tasks (i.e., planned through Sept 2007)
• -Complete stage to discharge ratings for USGS
  sites and prelim. ratings for 7 USACE x-sections
  that are instrumented with pressure transducers.
• -Determine the variability in high-flow
  pulses and low-flows in Big Cypress Bayou
  required to provide the geomorphic and ecological
  benefits defined in the building blocks with
  differences largely upstream and downstream of
  Jefferson!
• - Emphasis on flows between bankfull
  and subsistence!
• -Acquire highly accurate elevations ( 5 cm)
  using RTK GPS at the 7 USACE x-sections that are
  instrumented and convert all stage data to
  elevations.

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Geomorphic/Habitat

• Objectives
• -Determine basic geomorphic characteristics of
  the low-flow channel at selected sites on Big
  Cypress Bayou between Lake O The Pines and the
  confluence of Black Cypress Bayou.
• -Evaluate the accuracy of prescribed flows as
  they relate to geomorphic features, .e.g.,
  bankfull height, connectivity of geomorphic
  channel units such as riffles runs pools.
• -Compare differences in basic geomorphic
  characteristics between a primary reach on Big
  Cypress Bayou (BC01 at Sanders Ranch) and an
  adjacent reach on Black Cypress Bayou.

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Geomorphic/Habitat, cont.

• Tasks Completed
• -Measured and compared
• basis geomorphic characteristics
• for 4 USGS study reaches.
• -Evaluated the accuracy and
• variability in prescribed flows
• as related to basic geomorphic
• features at 4 USGS study sites.

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Geomorphic/Habitat, cont.

• Future Tasks (i.e., planned through Sept 2007)
• -Complete field assessments of primary reach
  on Big Cypress (BC01) and adjacent reach on
  Black Cypress (BLC01).
• -Expand on comparing variability of channel
  features such as bankfull width and height (and
  bankfull discharge) in Big Cypress Bayou between
  LOP and the confluence of Black Cypress Bayou bay
  adding USACE x-sections.

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Aquatic Biota

• Objectives
• -Baseline (pre-release of prescribed flow) of
  the fish assemblage in Big Cypress Bayou at 4
  USGS study reaches between LOP and confluence of
  Black Cypress Bayou.
• -Mesohabitat-specific (i.e., riffle-run-pool)
  assessment of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate
  (emphasis on FW mussells) taxa richness and
  relative abundance in a primary reach on Big
  Cypress (BC01) and an adjacent reach on Black
  Cypress (BL01).

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Aquatic Biota, cont.

• Tasks Completed

IBI Metric Component BC03 BC02 BC01 BC00
Total fish species 26 29 28 27
of native cyprinid species 4 5 6 6
of benthic invertivore species 17 18 20 15
of sunfish species 6 5 6 6
of intolerant species 2 2 4 2
of indv as tolerant species 15.50 9.28 9.88 19.81
of indv as omnivores 5.25 2.69 0.50 7.74
of indv as invertivores 89.00 94.01 96.82 84.52
of indv as piscivores 4.25 3.29 2.51 7.43
indv/seine haul 0.00 1.75 3.40 0.00
indv/min electrofishing 7.17 5.53 11.71 5.87
of indv as non-native species 0.25 0.30 0.00 0.00
of indv with anomailies 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.31
Regional IBI SCORE 51.00 53.00 55.00 55.00
AQUATIC LIFE USE High Exceptional Exceptional Exceptional
excluding western mosquitofish excluding western mosquitofish
-Baseline fish assemblage Surveys at 4 USGS Study
sites -Post Jan 07 release fish survey of Oxbow
Lake that was hydrologically connected during
release
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Aquatic Biota, cont.

• Future Tasks (i.e., planned through Sept 2007)
• -Compare recent baseline fish data to
  historical data from Big Cypress and Black
  Cypress Bayou (i.e., source, Bonner at al.
  TSU).
• -Mesohabitat-specific fish surveys comparing
  habitat utilization between primary Big Cypress
  reach (BC01) and adjacent reach on Black Cypress
  Bayou (BL01).
• -Comparison of mussel and fish diversity
  between primary reaches on Big Cypress and Black
  Cypress Bayou.

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Schedule May - Sept 2007 Month
Task May June July Aug Sept
Flows-Ecology Meeting in Jefferson 16th
Flows-Ecology Meeting in Austin 6th
Field trip(s) for elevations for USGS/USACE monuments 11th - 22nd
Geomorph/Biological Surveys of Big and Black Cypress 25th - 29th
Elevation data, ratings, etc .. available to USACE 20th
Fy07 project summary, data and PP presentations to CLI 30th
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BC03 (Thomas Camp)
COE16 (USACE X-section below Jefferson and
just above confluence of Black Cypress Bayou