Ve

Di

ernal Pool Monitoring WorkshopPlum BrookPlum Brook

Saturday, Apr. 6, 2013

D id R C l bDavid R. Celebrezzerector of Air & Water Special Projects

Overview

» OEC’s vernal pool program

Overview

» Monitoring tips

» Common macros of vernal pools

This is a space for a photo or graphic or more text.

DonaDonaations:ations:

SponSpon

Ray Stewart

Mick Micacchion

nsors:nsors:

Anonymous (former workshop participant)

Co‐Co‐hosthost

Who is the OEC?Who is the OEC?

Vernal p l definiti n Vernal pool definition

A mini ecosystem that plays out everythat fills with water, blossoms with lifa plethora of life forms every spring, oevery autumn.

n n

y spring. A small but dynamic, wetland fe and hosts a cacophony of sounds and only to disappear into the forest floor

OEC’s Vernal Pool ProgramOEC s Vernal Pool Program

» Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership (w/listserv) (www.ovpp.org)

» Curriculum

» Educational video» Educational video

» Field guide

» Workshops

» On‐line database

» Waders in the water» Waders in the water

» VP smart phone app!!

VP monitoring appVP monitoring app

» Look up amphibians known to a county

» Record time, temperature, wind, pand precipitation dataplay

» Document landowner and observer information

» Log species and number» Provide a checklist of tools to bring

to the vernal pool» Record disturbances» Send a report via email to the user

and the OEC for submission into database

» Have frog and toad calls on it

» Data emailed to you and OEC

and much more!

99

Wetlands- Historical AspectWetlands Historical Aspect

90+%90+%

MMain Culprits

» Deveimpa

» If wepermp

» Mus

» Avoi

»

Ohio EPA 401 water qualityOhio EPA 401 water quality certification program

eloper/individual must apply for a permit to act a wetland

etland is one acre or more an individual mit is requiredq

t meet certain criteria

d, minimalization, mitigation

Mitigation to “replace” what is impacted

» Not 1

»»

»

Overmostmostsuccarea

OEPA

Ohio EPA 401 water qualityOhio EPA 401 water quality certification program

100% successful

Mitigation banks are not replacing wetlandsMitigation banks are not replacing wetlands that are impacted

2006 study revealed:

» ~82% “poor” or “fair” quality» ~82% poor or fair quality

» ~18% “good” quality

» “Pond-breeding salamanders and forest dependent frog species wereforest dependent frog species were nearly absent…”

rall: “12 banks assessed in Ohio, 3 were tly successful 5 weretly successful, 5 were

cessful in some areas but failed in other as, and 4 were mostly failed.”

» Sign

»

» Submtwate

Solutions: Keep vigilant inSolutions: Keep vigilant in your community

up to mailing list

Contact Chris Bowman at:

» 614-644-2052 or chris.bowman@epa.state.oh.us

» Let him know you want to sign up for the 401 application notices for X county.

mit comments (team up with your local h d )ershed group)

Ti MTips on Moni initoring

How to monitor: DDo’s and Don’ts

Bring a cell phone

Go to the vernal pool during the day to

Bring a flashlight with back up batterie

Bring wading boots or chest waders

Bring your cameraBring your camera

Bring monitoring forms

Bring compassBring compass

Bring frog and toad call CD

Bring ear plugsg p g

Do’sDo s

plan your route

s

Ask for permission to be on the proper

Bring a friend

Do pick up trash if you see it. If you seeor contamination call the Ohio EPA.

Do bring a small aquarium.

Send a copy of the data to OEC

Do call the police

Do have a blast!

Do’sDo s

rty

e a spill

xDon’t Trespass

xDon’t drink the water or eat berries, mushroo

xDon’t liter

xDon’t use hand sanitizer or lotion before goin

Don’t handle amphibians with dry handsxDon’t handle amphibians with dry hands

xDon’t take anything home with you-intentiona

xDon’t disturb egg massesxDon t disturb egg masses

Also…

Don’tsDon ts

oms, etc.

ng into the pool

ally or unintentionally

TT

» If at night

» Once get to the vernal pool cut your flashlight and wait a minute to listen toflashlight and wait a minute to listen tofrogs

H ld fl hli ht th t f i» Hold flashlight over the water for a minfairy shrimp love that!

S i i k i f» Sometimes it takes a minute for your eyto adjust and for the macros to come outheir hiding places.

Tips when monitoringTips when monitoring

o theo the

tute-

yes ut of

Limit the spread of undesirable organisms from

With a sturdy brush, pre‐rinse and scrub the way , pexcess debris (ex. caked on mud).

Using a bleach and water solution (one capful pitems. 

When done rinse the equipment with water anafter the items are dry, rinse and hang dry again.

Do not empty the rinse water near a water bodDo not empty the rinse water near a water bod

Clean off equipment and suppliesClean off equipment and supplies

m one vernal pool to another

aders and boots with water to remove 

per every gallon of water) scrub the 

d let air dry.  If you can still smell bleach 

y (stream creek river wetland)y (stream, creek, river, wetland). 

» Checyouryour

» If a vsee isee i

» Send

OEC’s on-line databaseOEC s on line database

ck to see if any vernal pools are monitored in r arear area.

vernal pool may be impacted contact us to if it has/is being monitoredif it has/is being monitored

d a copy of your data to us.

Macroinvertebrates

invertebrates that you can see withinvertebrates that you can see with

Need to adjust our perspective

h the naked eyeh the naked eye

WWWhat is this?What is this?

WW

A leaf

What is this?What is this?

WW

A leafHome for a caddHome for a cadd

What is this?What is this?

disfly larvadisfly larva

WW

A leafHome for a caddHome for a caddFood for a copep

What is this?What is this?

disfly larvadisfly larvapod

WW

A leafHome for a caddHome for a caddFood for a copepHiding place forHiding place for

What is this?What is this?

disfly larvadisfly larvapodan isopodan isopod

WW

A leafHome for a caddHome for a caddFood for a copepHiding place forHiding place for Water cooling syd ’t l t thdoesn’t let the poohot too fast.

What is this?What is this?

disfly larvadisfly larvapodan isopodan isopod

ystem that l t tol get too

Common Macros of vernal pools

D l tDave-crawl on over tocommon macros!

th P i f tho the Prezi for the

How You Can Get InvolvedHow You Can Get Involved

» Contact local watershed group

J i h OV li» Join the OVPP listserv

» Stay on top of legislation and take action on it by signing up for the OEC’s Action Alerts at www.theOEC.org.

1207 Grandview Avenue, Suite 201Col mb s OH 43212Columbus, OH  43212(614) 487‐7506OEC @theOEC.orgwww.theOEC.org