UNH Thermal WorkshopUNH Thermal Workshop 

or how important isor how important is stream temperature? 

Ralph Abele EPA Region 1February 17, 2011

The Five Major Factors Which Determine the Integrity of Aquatic Resources

High/LowExtremes

Velocity

Land UseD.O.Temperature

AlkalinitySolubilities

AdsorptionFlow

RegimePrecipitation &

Runoff

GroundWater

ChemicalVariables

Hardness

Turbidity

pHNutrients

Organics

BioticFactors

Reproduction

DiseaseParasitismINTEGRITY OF THEWATER RESOURCE

FactorsFeeding

Predation

Competition

Nutrients“Principal Goal of the Clean Water Act

EnergySource

Habitat

Nutrients

Sunlight

Organic Matter

SeasonalCycles

RiparianVegetation

Siltation ChannelMorpholog

Bank Stability

Width/Depth

Structureg

Inputs 1 and 2Production

o o

CurrentSubstrate

Sinuosity

CanopyInstream

Cover

Gradient

Morphology

(Source: Yoder)

Recent  Northeast Temperature ProjectsNew England Association of Environmental Biologists  mtg. 2008 Northeast Aquatic Habitat Classification ‐ NEAFWA funded TNC work (2008)EPA grants to UNH for thermal regimes of Northeast g gStreams and Thermal Impacts  of Stormwater BMPs temperature  work (2009‐ 2011)USGS research: Context‐dependent effects of temperature  b k   (S l li f i li )  h  (i    on brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) growth. (in press, 

Letcher, Conte Lab) Summer Stream Water Temperature Models for Great Lakes Streams: New York USGS (McKenna  Great Lakes SC) (2010 2011)(McKenna, Great Lakes SC) (2010‐2011)RARE Stormwater BMP effectiveness grant (2010)EPA HQ Healthy Watersheds grant –Coldwater Fisheries of N  E l d ( )New England (2011)

Northeast Aquatic Habitat Classification System – Temperature + GradientSystem Temperature + Gradient

Source: Olivero and Anderson, NRC, Northeast Aquatic Habitat Classification System 2008

Degree flow alteration

Reference flows

Ecological response curves

Ecological targets

Enviro. flow targets

Implement program

River types alteration

Statewide mapping based on flow, temp, fish , geology:6 000 ecological segments x 11 ecological river types

curves targetsyp

6,000 ecological segments x 11 ecological river types

(Seelbach,2009)

MA Coldwater Fishery ResourcesBrown trout

In Massachusetts coldwater streams are identified based on the species present Over 800 coldwater streams found statewide through Rainbow trout Over 800 coldwater streams found statewide through fish surveys  by MA DF&WMany segments designated as Cold  Water in state Water Quality StandardsWater Quality Standards

Brook trout

TDRAFTSlimy sculpin

DRAF

Longnose sucker

D

Lake chub

Atlantic salmon (Source: A. Norris,D.Ohman MDF&W)

Stormwater BMP Effectiveness Assessment T lki EPA RAREToolkit – EPA RARE grant

Naomi Detenbeck EPA ORDl i b fi f i l iFocus on evaluating benefits of implementing 

stormwater BMPs to protect biotic integrityBuild upon extensive datasets and Stressor‐Response 

 curves created for original R1 RAREExtension to fish communitiesBuild on UNH BMP Thermal workBuild on UNH BMP Thermal workS‐R curves by Ecol. Unit/flow class

Flow, thermal, clean sediment metricsFish  macroinvertebratemetricsFish, macroinvertebratemetricsUse taxa‐specific regional ranges of habitat variables to infer expected species P/AExtend to dev’t of BCG curves and strataDiagnostic element w comparison of species tolerances w species loss curves

EPA Healthy Watersheds Pilot Project:Coldwater Resources of New England –Coordinated Assessment and ProtectionCoordinated Assessment and Protection

Analyze temperature regime of high quality coldwater streams in Connecticut streams in Connecticut Dr. Jennifer Jacobs, UNH

Develop a multivariate analysis approach to examine effects of land use change, impervious cover and water i hd l    h  di ib i   d  b d   f withdrawal on the distribution and abundance of 

coldwater taxaDr. Matthew Baker UMBC, USGS,MDF&WDr. Matthew Baker UMBC, USGS,MDF&W

USGS study Factors Influencing RiverineUSGS study Factors Influencing RiverineFish Communities in Massachusetts

MMA GIS IC data MDFW Fish DatabaseMMA GIS IC data MDFW Fish Database

Flow AlterationFlow Alteration Statewide Dam database

(Source: USGS)

Potential Stormwater and Coldwater Resource Protection Fact Sheet

Develop a fact sheet for pprotecting and restoring coldwater drainages Focus on BMPs that buffer, Focus on BMPs that buffer, not exacerbate thermal loadingVegetative buffersVegetative buffersIdentify regulatory opportunities through NPDES  di d   i h NPDES coordinated  with state and local water and wetland regulations

Acknowledgementsc o edge e tsSlides prepared by the following individuals are included in this 

t ti  P i i  t    th  i   k l d dpresentation. Permission to use them is acknowledged.

Todd Richards, Alicia Norris, Dana Ohman, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and WildlifeDivision of Fisheries and WildlifeDavid Armstrong,, USGS MA Water Science CenterArlene Olivero, The Nature ConservancyP l S lb h  Mi hi  DNRPaul Seelbach, Michigan DNRJennifer Jacobs, UNHNaomi Detenbeck, US EPA AED,Chris Yoder, Midwest Biodiversity Institute