Transcript Stream Geomorphic Assessment: Muddy Brook vs. Alder Brook Joe Kelly, Alison Selle, Sarah Stein, Kristin Williams.

Stream Geomorphic Assessment:
Muddy Brook vs. Alder Brook
Joe Kelly, Alison Selle, Sarah
Stein, Kristin Williams
Project Description
• Chose Alder Brook as attainment stream
– Similar watershed characteristics
– Similar land use history
• Paired outlet, middle, and upstream reaches
– Evaluate stream condition within the stream
and between paired reaches
Site Description
Muddy Brook
Alder Brook
Reach 3
Muddy
–
–
–
–
Starts at Shelburne Pond
Unconfined land
Relatively undeveloped
Agriculture on adjacent
land
– Wetlands
– Grass/shrub buffer, one
forested area
Alder Brook
–Spring fed
– Unconfined land
– Relatively undeveloped
– Narrow grass/shrub buffer on
right bank, forested on left bank
Reach 2
Muddy Brook
– Wide riparian buffer, dense
shrub area, also forest area
– High beaver activity
– Relatively high residential
development in watershed
Alder Brook
– Some beaver activity
– Pasture land and some
residential development
– Grass/shrub buffer
Reach 1
Muddy Brook
– Enters into Allen Brook
– Relatively high urban
development in watershed
– Agriculture on adjacent
land
– Grass buffer, with forested
area near airport
Alder Brook
– Enters into Winooski River
– Agriculture on adjacent
land
– Route 117: culvert, highly
trafficked
– Grass buffer near road,
shrub/forested buffer
upstream
Methods
•
•
•
•
•
•
Study of site through orthophotos and Terrain Navigator
Windshield survey for both streams conducted
Further on site field surveys conducted for both streams
Data compiled into the ACCESS database
Conversations with Dr. Breck Bowden
Data compiled and resulting graphs analyzed
Phase 1 Results:
Stream Condition
Average Condition Index of Attainment
and Impaired Stream Reaches
Condition Index
0.8
Condition
Index
Condition Index of Attainment and
Impaired Reaches
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
downstream
Alder
Steam Name
Muddy
middle
Reaches
upstream
Alder
Muddy
Adjustment Processes
Phase 1 Average Adjustment Processes
for Attainment and Impaired Streams
8
6
Alder
4
Muddy
2
0
Deg
Agg Wide
Plan
Adjustment Process
RHA Adjustment
Scores
Phase 1 Score
10
Average RGA Adjustment Scores for
Attainment and Imparied Streams
20
15
Alder
10
Muddy
5
0
Deg
Agg
Wide
Plan
Adjustment Process
Land Use Impacts
Land Use Im pact for Alder and Muddy
Brook
% of
Maximum
Score
1
0. 8
0. 6
0. 4
0. 2
0
do wnstream
middle
upstream
Stream Reaches
Alder
Muddy
In-stream Modification
In-stream Modification for Alder and
Muddy Brook
% of
Maximum
Score
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
downstream
middle
upstream
Alder
Stream Reaches
M uddy
Floodplain Modification
% of Miximum
Score
Floodplain Modification for Alder and
Muddy Brook
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
do wnstream
middle
Stream Reaches
upstream
Alder
M uddy
Windshield Survey
% of Maximum
Score
Windshield Survey for Alder and
Muddy Brook
1
0. 8
0. 6
0. 4
0. 2
0
downs t r eam
mi ddl e
S t r e a m Re a c he s
ups t r eam
Alder
M uddy
RGA and RHA Results
Condition Index
Average Condition Factor for RHA and RGA in
Attainment and Impaired Stream Reaches
1
0.8
Alder
0.6
Muddy
0.4
0.2
0
RHA
RGA
RHA Condition Scores for
Attainment and Impaired Reaches
RGA Condition Scores for Attainment
and Impaired Reaches
1
0.6
Alder
0.4
Muddy
0.2
0
downst ream
middle
upst ream
RGA Score
RHA Score
1
0.8
0.8
0.6
Alder
0.4
Muddy
0.2
0
do wnstream
Reaches
middle
Reaches
upstream
RGA/RHA Comparison
RHA Condition Indexes vs. RGA
Condition Indexes
RGA
1
y = 0.8251x + 0.1054
R2 = 0.8939
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
RHA
0.8
1
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RHA Score
Rapid Habitat Assessment Scores
Average RHA Impact Scores for
Attaiment and Impaired Streams
20
15
10
5
0
Habitat Category
Alder
Muddy
Conclusions
 Alder Brook scored as “Good” for Phase 1, RGA and RHA
 Muddy Brook scored as “Fair” for Phase 1, RGA and RHA
 High correlation between RGA and RHA
 Reach-to-reach comparisons showed varying conditions
- Both impacted by urban and agricultural development in the
lower reach, though Alder actually scored lower
 Impairment in Muddy Brook could be partially caused by
development adjacent to reaches not included in the study
 Flow alteration is likely occurring in the middle and lower reach of
Muddy Brook as well as the lower reach of Alder Brook
Recommendations for Improvement
Larger riparian buffers with higher quality
vegetation

 Storm water management practices
 Zoning regulations
 Enforcement of BMPs: agriculture, golf course,
residential areas
Limitations to the Study
 Need more clearly defined buffer vegetation categories
 Utility of Phase 1: windshield survey needed to complete ‘remote
sensing’
 Historic range of variability
- Muddy Brook originates from Shelburne Pond,
Alder Brook originates from a spring

Applicability of Protocol with different original ‘reference’ conditions
- Observations suggested that Alder would not support healthy
benthic macroinvertebrates
Thank You!
Source: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/rivers/docs/assessmenthandbooks/rv_apxbphase1-2databaseinstr.pdf
We would like to acknowledge:
Dr. Breck Bowden, Alex Hackman,
Carl Cappelletti, Bill Gill, Mike Kline
Questions?