Transcript An Update on USGS Activities

Stream Flow, Habitat, and Biological
Assessments of Big Cypress Bayou
An Update on USGS Activities
J. Bruce Moring, Ph.D.
U.S. Geological Survey
Austin, Texas
[email protected]
512.927.3585 (office)
512.940.0505 (cell)
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.
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.
Stream Flow, cont. …

Tasks Completed
-Began evaluation of the accuracy of prescribed flows to
maintain connectivity and aquatic diversity in the lowflow channel.
-Developed preliminary ratings for four USGS sites
-Provided stage data from Jan 07 release from LOP to
USACE for travel-time analysis.
Evaluating Flow Building Blocks for the Low-Flow Channel
Instream Flow Building Blocks
Big Cypress Creek/ Caddo Lake
20,000 cfs for 2-3 days
Every 10 years
*For channel migration
6,000-10,000 cfs for 2-3 days
Every 3-5 years
*Maintain aquatic habitat in floodplain
* Riparian seed dispersal
* Inhibition of upland vegetation for both creek & lake
*Seed dispersal
* Vegetation removal
Floods
6,000 cfs for 2-3 days
Every 2 years
•For channel maintenance and
floodplain connectivity
High Flow
Pulses
1,500 cfs for 2-3 days
3-5X a year every year
* 1 occurring in March for Paddlefish
* Sediment transport, oxbow connectivity
•Waterfowl habitat flushing
(Includes December)
Low Flows
Key
Wet Year
Avg Year
Dry Year
40 – 536 cfs
Maintain biodiversity and connectivity (backwater & oxbows)
268-347 cfs
Pre-dam median
390 - 79 cfs
Benthic drift & dispersal, fish spawning
35 - 40 cfs
Fish habitat
40 - 117 cfs
Pre-dam median
90 cfs
Fish habitat
218 – 49 cfs
Spawning habitat
13 - 6 cfs
Maintain aquatic diversity
40 - 90 cfs
Fish habitat
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT NOV
DEC
USGS Reaches
BC00 – Big Cypress below Jefferson (Rainey’s)
BC01 – Big Cypress above Hwy 59 (Sander’s)
BC02 – Big Cypress near Lynn Oil Field (Locke’s)
BC03 – Big Cypress below Lake O’ The Pines (Thomas Camp)
BC00
1500 cfs
536 cfs
40 cfs
13 cfs
6 cfs
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!
- Consider a controlled release from LOP in late summer 07
to evaluate accuracy of prescribed high summer base and subsistence
flows.
-Acquire highly accurate elevations (± 5 cm) using RTK GPS at the 7 USACE xsections that are instrumented and convert all stage data to elevations to
support HEC modeling of extent of inundation of backwater areas.
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 Sander’s Ranch) and
an adjacent reach on Black Cypress Bayou.
Geomorphic/Habitat, cont. …

Tasks Completed
-Measured and compared
basis geomorphic and
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.
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 by adding
USACE x-sections.
Aquatic Biota

Objectives
-Baseline (pre-release of prescribed flows) assessment of the fish
assemblage in Big Cypress Bayou at four USGS study reaches
between LOP and the confluence of Black Cypress Bayou.
-Mesohabitat-specific (i.e., riffle-run-pool) assessment of fish and
benthic macroinvertebrate (emphasis on FW mussels) taxa richness
and relative abundance in a primary reach on Big Cypress (BC01)
and an adjacent reach on Black Cypress (BL01).
Mesohabitat Assessments




Complete mesohabitat assessments of fish and benthics in conjunction with
late summer ‘07 releases from LOP.
Evaluate fish occurrence and distribution in each mesohabitat at primary
reach during summer high base flow (40-100 cfs) vs. summer low
base/subsistence flow (6-20 cfs).
Accomplish baseline mesohabitat-specific fish and mussel surveys during
summer 07 subsistence flows in Big Cypress and paired reach on Black
Cypress Bayou.
Other opportunities during late summer release?
- Sediment transport (e.g., bed and suspended load)
- Drift and dispersal of benthic macroinvertebrates in relation to flow.
- Monitor temperature before, during , and after period of release.
Cumulative total of 42 species From Four USGS reaches
in Big Cypress Bayou
Fish from USGS assemblage surveys
Bigmouth buffalo, Blackstripe topminnow, Blacktail shiner, Bluegill,
Bluehead shiner, Bluntnose darter, Bowfin, Brook silverside, Bullhead minnow, Chain pickerel,
Channel catfish, Common carp, Dollar sunfish, Dusky darter, Flathead catfish, Freckled madtom,
Freshwater drum, Gizzard shad, Golden topminnow, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish,
Largemouth bass, Logperch, Longear sunfish, Pirate perch, Pugnose minnow, Red shiner,
Redbreast sunfish, Redear sunfish, Redfin shiner, Scaley sand darter, Smallmouth buffalo, Spotted
bass, Spotted gar, Spotted sucker, Spotted sunfish, Swamp darter, Threadfin shad, Warmouth,
Weed shiner, Western mosquitofish, White crappie
72 species of fish known historically from Big Cypress Bayou
Species historically known from Big Cypress but not collected at USGS reaches
Arkansas darter, Yellow bullhead, Flier, Lake chubsuckker, Mud darter, Slough darter,
Harliquin darter, Cypress darter, Eastern redfin darter, Western starhead
topminnow, Blackspotted topminnow, Cypress minnow, Mississippi silvery
minnow, Longnose gar, Orangespotted sunfish, Spotted sunfish, Common shiner,
White bass, Yellow bass, Golden shiner, Pallid shiner, Emerald shiner,
Blackspot shiner, Ironcolor shiner, Spottail shiner, Tailight shiner, Mimic shiner, Tadpole
Madtom, Blackside darter, Creek chubsucker
Aquatic Biota, cont. …

Tasks Completed
IBI Metric Component
BC03
Total # fish species
-Baseline fish assemblage
Surveys at 4 USGS
Study sites
-Individual component
metrics and IBI score
very similar to Black
Cypress Bayou
(Black Cypress nr Jefferson
IBIs 48 – 56, TCEQ 2005)
BC01
BC00
26
29
28
27
4
5
6
6
17
18
20
15
# of sunfish species
6
5
6
6
# of intolerant species
2
2
4
2
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
51.00
53.00
55.00
55.00
# of native cyprinid species
# of benthic invertivore species
% of indv as tolerant species*
-Post Jan 07 release fish
survey of Oxbow Lake
that was connected with
over-bank flow during
January release
BC02
Regional IBI SCORE
AQUATIC LIFE USE
* excluding western mosquitofish
High
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
Cluster Analysis: Big Cypress vs. Black Cypress nr Jefferson at Hwy 59
(used fish species presence-absence input file)
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 et al. @ TSU).
- Emphasis on addressing species gain/loss, and number of
obligate riverine obligate vs. generalists.
-Mesohabitat-specific fish and mussel 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 done in conjunction with
summer low-flow releases from LOP.
Proposed Schedule: May - Sept 2007
Task
May
Flows-Ecology Meeting in Jefferson
16
Flows-Ecology Meeting in Austin
Field trip(s) to establish locate new NGS benchmarks
and install temporary benchmarks for USGS/USACE
monuments
Acquire elevations using RTK PGS at USGS/USACE
X-section monuments, benchmarks and other
features
Meso-habitat biological surveys of primary reaches
on Big Cypress and Black Cypress
Elevation data, ratings, etc .. available to USACE and
others
Fy07 project summary, data and PowerPoint
presentations to CLI
June
July
Aug
Sept
6
25 - 29
16 - 27
13 - 24
31
30
BC03 (Thomas Camp)
COE16 (USACE
X-section below
Jefferson and just
above confluence
of Black Cypress
Bayou