Trask River Watershed Study

Examining water quality responses to forest management

Sherri JohnsonUSFS, Pacific Northwest Research StationCorvallis

Trask River Watershed StudyNutrients, Temperature,

Sediment

Nutrient CriteriaNeed for ecologically meaningful reference criteria, especially for forested watersheds

Sediment and forest managementFollowing early harvest, significant changes have occurred for harvest and road practices, and there are still concerns over forest management and water quality.

Coordinated sampling to

examine:• Background variability

• On site responses to harvest

• Propagation to downstream fish sites

Management influences• 4 years pre-harvest (2008-2011)• 4 years post-harvest (2013-2016)

Brief findings and

considerations for

monitoring

Increase in maximum stream temperatures at sites with reduced riparian cover

Trask River Watershed Study Stream temperature

CC_No Buffer CC_Buffer

0

4

8

12

16

20

1 31 61 91 121

Daily summer stream temperatureGSDS

2007

2010

2013

2014

Trask River Watershed StudySummer stream

temperature

Pre Post

Distributions can be useful summaries for comparison of temperature across sites and time

Distributions can be useful summaries for comparison of temperature across sites and time

June July Aug Sept

Tem

per

atu

re

Tem

per

atu

re (

OC

)

Tem

per

atu

re (

OC

)

Trask River Watershed Study Stream temperature

Fixed effects: Year, Trt, Year*Trt; Random effects: SiteRemoved 2012 data, Included all Reference sites

5th Percentile 25th Percentile 75th Percentile50th Percentile 95th Percentile

CC with no buffer streams showed increases in all temperature groups in summer

Trask River Watershed Study Nutrients

Background variability: N and P respond differently among basins and to storms

• Nitrogen concentrations highest in fall storms

• Spring similar across basins • Phosphorus concentrations not as responsive to storms

• High variability across basins• Pothole Creek highest P

Phosphorus

Nitrogen

Trask River Watershed Study Nutrients

Higher dissolved inorganic nitrogen (primarily nitrate) at low flows at headwater harvested sites

CC_No Buffer CC_Buffer

SUMMER

WINTER

SAND

SUMMER

SAND

WINTER

From P. DeVries

Deposited

Date

Oct Nov

Dec Jan

Feb Mar

Apr May

Jun Jul

Aug Sep

Turb

idity (

NT

U)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Suspended

Many metrics:- Composition – organic, inorganic- Particle size and distribution- Duration and magnitude

Trask River Watershed Study Instream sediment

Trask River Watershed Study Instream sediment

Sediment• What should we measure?

• How should we measure it?

• What is best way to relate it to a biological effect?

• How do we know how much is too much? Or too little?

Impact for insects, amphibians, fish Type Outcome

Reduced quality and amount of breeding habitat Deposited Reduced growth and survival

Burying egg masses Deposited Mortality

Clogging gill structures Suspended Changes to behavior; reduced survival

Behavioral modification increases predation risk Suspended and deposited

Reduced survival

Reduced access to food resources, reduced amount of food resources

Suspended and deposited

Reduced growth, survival

Trask River Watershed Study Deposited sediment

Deposited sediment on stream beds was not higher at harvested sites

CC_NB CC_B

Trask River Watershed StudySuspended sediment

yields

Bywater-Res et al. 2017, Journal of Hydrology

Suspended Sediment YieldsPre Post

Variability and geology dominate background levels of sediment yields

13

5 sampling locations

New road GS3

Road improvement GS2

Trask River Watershed StudySuspended sediment

above and below roads

Arismendi et al. 2017, Water Resources Research

Roads and Sediment Yields

Dif

fere

nce

in

tu

rbid

ity (

NT

U)

Pre Road Post-

Improve Harvest

New road (GS3) Reference (PH3)

• Minimal increases in sediment & turbidity

• Local disturbances important in headwaters

• Natural variability within/between streams

Road upgrade (PH4)

Dr. Ivan Arismendi

Trask River Watershed StudySuspended sediment

above and below roads

Pre Road Post-

Improve Harvest

Pre Road Post-

Improve Harvest

Arismendi et al. 2017, Water Resources Research

15

Trask River Watershed Study Suspended sediment

Arismendi et al. 2017, Water Resources Research

Time

period

Site

(below-above) C = 0.2 C = 1 C = 3 C = 5 C = 10

low

transport

period

(C = 3)

high

transport

period

(C = 3)

before GUS3 NA NA NA NA NA 0.875 1

PH2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

reference PH31 0.973 1 1 1 1 1 1

PH4 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.769

UM2 0.002 1 1 1 1 0.997 1

RI GUS3 0.726 1 1 1 1 1 1

PH2 < 0.001 1 1 1 1 1 1

reference PH31 < 0.001 0.068 1 1 1 1 0.809

PH4 0.031 0.977 1 1 1 1 1

UM2 0.296 1 1 1 1 1 1

RI+FHH GUS3 0.002 0.974 1 1 1 1 1

PH2 0.287 1.000 1 1 1 1 1

reference PH31 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.001 1 1 < 0.001

PH4 0.001 0.008 0.234 0.865 1 1 0.258

UM2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.875

Turbidity (NTU)

Challenges for measuring Suspended Sediment and Turbidity

• Most meaningful parameter will depend upon the question and aquatic system impact of concern

• High natural variability requires large data set to detect a change over time

• Turbidity is not the same as suspended sediment

• Turbidity should be considered a relative measure; relationship to SSC or SSL varies among sites and over time at a site

• Consistent methodology critical,

values can vary by instrument type

Challenges of Bed Sampling

• Bed characteristics dictate sampling method

• Sampling method affects sampling results

• Spatial variability– Bed material is vertically stratified

– Varies across channel

– Varies with gradient, habitat type, etc.

• Volumetric samples on coarse beds need to be large

• Some “rapid methods” may not be reliable

• Bed sampling is complex and labor-intensive

Crucial to link questions, potential responses and metrics

Monitoring water quality

Trask River Watershed Study Trask Publications- Journals

Type Year Topic Area Citation

Journal 2011 Temperature response aquatic insects

Li, J.L., S.L. Johnson, and J. Sobota. 2011. Three responses to small changes in stream temperature by autumn-emerging aquatic insects. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 30(2): 474-484.

Journal 2012 Songbird diets in headwater forests

Hagar, J.C., J. Li, J. Sobota, and S. Jenkins. 2012. Arthropod prey for riparian associated birds in headwater forests of the Oregon Coast Range. Forest Ecology and Management 285:213-226.

Journal 2013 Songbird habitats in riparian areas

Jenkins, S. R., M. B. Betts, M. M. Husa and J. C. Hagar. 2013. Habitat selection by juvenile Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) in headwater riparian areas, Northwestern Oregon, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 305: 88-95

Journal 2015 Modeling trout responses to environmental regimes

Penaluna, BE, S.F. Railsback, J.B. Dunham, S.L. Johnson, R.E. Bilby, and A.E. Skaugset. 2015. The role of geophysical template and environmental regimes in controlling stream-living trout populations. Can J. Fish. Aquat. Sci 72: 893-901.

Journal 2015 Modeling trout response to forest harvest and climate

change

Penaluna, B.E., J. B. Dunham, S.F. Railsback, I. Arismendi, S.L. Johnson, and R.E. Bilby. 2015. Local variability mediates vulnerability of trout populations to land use and climate change. PLoS ONE 10(8): e0135334. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0135334.

Journal 2017 Sediment delivery from forest roads to headwater streams

Arismendi, I, J. D. Groom, M. Reiter, S. L. Johnson, L. Dent, M. Meleason, A. Argerich, and A. E. Skaugset. 2017. Suspended sediment and turbidity after road construction / improvement and forest harvest in streams of the Trask River Watershed Study, Oregon. Water Resources Research 53: doi:10.1002/2016WR020198.

Journal 2017 Amphibian movement and forest harvest

Chelgren, N. C. and M. J. Adams. 2017. Inference of timber harvest effects on survival of stream amphibians is complicated by movement. Copeia 105 (4): 714-727

Journal 2017 Influence of lithology on sediment delivery to streams

Bywater-Reyes, S, C. Segura, and K. D. Bladon. 2017. Geology and geomorphology control suspended sediment yield and modulate increases following timber harvest in temperate headwater streams. Journal of Hydrology 548: 754-769.

Trask River Watershed Study Trask Publications – Theses

Type Year Topic Area Citation

MS Thesis 2008 In-stream fish cover Anderson, H. 2008. Transferability of models to predict selection of cover by coastal cutthroat Trout in small streams of Western Oregon.

MS Thesis 2008 Landscape context for Trask WSS Bax, T.V. 2008. Setting the landscape context for paired watershed studies in western Oregon.

MS Thesis 2010 Seasonal fish diet Raggon, M. 2010. Seasonal variability in diet and consumption by cottid and salmonid fishes in headwater streams in Western Oregon.

MS Thesis 2010 Riparian forest structure Haxton, Z. 2010. An examination of several methods of quantifying forest structure in headwater riparian forests of Western Oregon.

MS Thesis 2010 Songbird habitat selection Jenkins, S.R. 2010. Post-breeding habitat selection by songbirds in the headwaters of the Trask River, Northwestern Oregon.

MS Thesis 2011 Fish species competition Ramirez, B.S. 2011. Experimental analysis of intra- and interspecific competitive interactions between cutthroat trout and sculpins in small streams.

PhD Dissertation

2013 Modeling trout responses to forest harvest, and climate change

Penaluna, Brooke. 2013. New Insights on an Old Topic: Understanding the Effects of Forest Harvest on Trout in the Context of Climate.

MS Thesis 2017 Influences of fish growth Jensen, L. R. 2017. Factors influencing growth and bioenergetics of fish in headwater stream subject to forest harvest.

MS Thesis 2017 Stream chemistry and variability Steadman, C.L. 2017. Natural variability of nitrogen and phosphorus in a forested headwater stream system in the Oregon Coast Range.

General References- Bed sediment, turbidity and suspended sediment

Church M. 1992. Channel morphology and typology. In The Rivers Handbook, ed. P Calow, GE

Petts, 1:126–143. Oxford: Blackwell Sci. 526 pp.

Bunte, K. and S.R. Abt, 2001. Sampling Surface and Subsurface Particle-Size Distributions in

Wadable Gravel- and Cobble-Bed Streams for Analysis in Sediment Transport, Hydraulics,

and Streambed Monitoring. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort

Collins, CO, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-74, 428 pp. [Online] Available:

http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs/gtr_74.html

USFS Turbidity Threshold Sampling Research Web Pages: http://gis.fs.fed.us/psw/topics/water/tts/

Anderson, C.W., 2004, Turbidity (Version 2.0, 8/2004): U. S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water

Resources Investigations Book 9, Chapter A6, Section 6.7, 64 p.,

http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FieldManual/Chapter6/6.7_contents.html

Anderson, C.W., and Rounds, S.A., 2010, Use of Continuous Monitors and Autosamplers to Predict

Unmeasured Water-Quality Constituents in Tributaries of the Tualatin River, Oregon: U. S.

Geological Survey Scientific-Investigations Report 2010–5008, 76 p.

http://igswwtwigs01.gs.doi.net/webdev/sir20105008/index.html

Davies-Colley, R.J., and Smith, D.G., 2001, Turbidity, suspended sediment, and water clarity— A

review: Journal of the American Water Resources Association, v. 37: 1085– 1101

Lewis, J., Eads, R.E., and Klein, R., 2006, Comparisons of Turbidity Data Collected with Different

Instruments USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station PSW Agreement #

06-CO-11272133-041, 27 p.

http://gis.fs.fed.us/psw/topics/water/tts/Tprobe%20final%20report.pdf

General Refereces - Biotic Responses to Sediment – Also see review in Arismendi et al 2017 (Trask)

Bahls, L.L. 1993. Periphyton bioassessment methods for Montana streams. Water Quality Bureau, Helena MT.

Bryce, S.A., G.A. Lomnicky and P.R. Kaufmann. 2010. Protecting sediment-sensitive aquatic species in mountain streams through the

application of biologically based streambed sediment criteria. JNABS 29(2)657-672.

Cummins, K.W. and G.H. Lauff. 1969. The influence of substrate particle size on the microdistribution of stream macrobenthos.

Hydrobiologia 34:145-181.

Hawkins, C.P., M.L Murphy, and N.H. Anderson. 1982. Effects of canopy, substate composition and gradient on the structure of

macroinvertebrate communities in Cascade Range streams of Oregon. Ecology 63(6) 1840-1856.

Rabeni, C.F., K.E. Doisy and Leanna D. Zweig. 2005. Stream invertebrate community functional responses to deposited sediment.

Aquatic Science 67:395-402.

Relyea, C.D., G.W. Minshall and R.J. Danehy. 2012. Development and validation of an aquatic fine sediment biotic index. Environmental

Management, 49:242-252.

Waters, T.F. 1995. Sediment in streams: sources, biological effects and control. American Fisheries Society Monograph 7.

Bisson PA, Bilby RE. 1982. Avoidance of suspended sediments by juvenile coho salmon. North American Journal of Fisheries

Management 2:371-374.

Bryce SA, Lomnicky GA, Kaufmann PR, McAllister LS, Ernst TL. 2008. Development of biologically based sediment criteria in mountain

streams of the western United States. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 28:1714-1724.

Gregory, RS, Levings CD. 1998. Turbidity reduces predation on migrating juvenile Pacific salmon. TAFS 127:275-285.

Harvey BC, White JL, Nakamoto RJ. 2009. The effect of deposited fine sediment on summer survival and growth of rainbow trout in riffles

of a small stream. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29:434-440.

Henley, WF, Patterson MA, Neves RJ, Lemly AD. 2000. Effects of sedimentation and turbidity on lotic food webs: a concise review for

natural resource managers. Reviews in Fisheries Science 8(2):125-139.

May CL, Lee DC. 2004. The relationships among in-channel sediment storage, pool depth, and summer survival of juvenile salmonids in

Oregon Coast Range streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:761-774.

Molinos JG, Donohue I. 2009. Differential contribution of concentration and exposure time to sediment dose effects on stream biota.

Journal of the North American Benthological Society 28:110-121.

Newcombe CP, Jensen JOT. 1996. Channel suspended sediment and fisheries: a synthesis for quantitative assessment of risk and

impact. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 16:693-727.

Sear, D.A., and P. DeVries (Editors). 2008. Salmonid spawning habitat in rivers: Physical controls, biological responses, and approaches

to remediation. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 65, Bethesda, Maryland.

Suttle KB, Power ME, Levine JM, McNeely C. 2004. How fine sediment in riverbeds impairs growth and survival of juvenile salmonids.

Ecological Applications 14:969-974.

Light

Temperature

Nutrients

Primary producers

(Algae, Bryophytes)

Detritus,

Leaf Litter,

Organic Matter

Invertebrates

Stream

Flow

Amphibians

Fish

Geomorphology

& Soils

Turbidity &

Sediment

Riparian

Vegetation

Trask River Watershed StudyStudy compartments

and linkages

Trask core funding has also leveraged additional onsite research:• Mercury bioaccumulation following forest harvest• e-DNA for determining species distributions

Trask River Watershed Study Additional Studies

Additional Trask studies:

- Stream nutrients pre and post harvest

- Particle size distributions (d50, d84)

- Invertebrate responses to suspended and benthic sediment

- Food web/trophic linkages using natural abundance isotopes as a tracer

- Peak flow and recession curve responses to harvest

- Sediment sources and fates in streams following disturbance

- Carbon fluxes and detritus dynamics after harvest

- Instream productivity and metabolism

- Fish growth and use of cover

Many Bed Sediment Metrics Related to Salmon Habitat

• Grain Size Distribution

• % Embeddedness

• % Fines < Specific Grain Size

• Geometric Mean Diameter (dg)

• Fredle Index (Fi)

• Permeability/Porosity

• Apparent Velocity

• Scour Depth