Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of the upper Clear ...€¦ · Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of the upper Clear Creek Watershed and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area,

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of the upper Clear

Creek Watershed and Whiskeytown National

Recreation Area, California

Jason T. May and Larry R. Brown California Water Science Center

Sacramento, California

Acknowledgements•

Funding–

NPS/USGS Clean Water Monitoring Program

–

Burned Area Response Program (DOI)

•

Colleagues–

USGS: Roger Hothem, Marissa Bauer, Skylar Feltman, Darrin Bergen, and Bonnie Trejo

–

UMT-Johnnie Moore/Hieko

Langner–

NPS Staff: Jennifer Gibson, Windy Bunn, Brian Rassmussen, Russ Weatherbee, numerous seasonal aides and volunteers

•

Labs–

CAL-ABL–

Andy Rehn & Peter Ode–

Portland State:–

Yangdong

Pan

–

Rhithron & Associates–

University of Montana-

biogeochemistry lab

Local Support-French Gulch Hotel and

Community

History USGS projects in Clear Creek/Whiskeytown NRA

•

Trace metals Reconnaissance 2002-03–

(30 sites)

–

Delineation of metals hot spots•

Aquatic resource inventory/condition 04-05–

(21 sites)

–

Document current status of aquatic resources•

Effects of French Fire (Aug-04) on aquatic resources 04-06

- (9 sites)*Assess possible changes in metals deposition/accumulation*Assess possible in community structure/IBI scores

Bed Sediment data from 2002

French Fire

Legacy impactshistorical gold miningLoggingHigh Fire FrequencyAlteration of hydrologyfor infrastructure

Post-fire salvage logging in French Gulch watershed

Current possible impactsCommercial mining and associated wasteHigh Fire FrequencyPost-fire Salvage loggingRecreational mining,

(i.e. Suction Dredging)

Sites/collection methods•

21 sites total :

•

17-fall 04; 9-spring 05; 21-fall 05; 9-Spring/Fall 06

•

2 macroinvertebrates (BMI) sample types:EMAP-

Reach Wide Sample-RWS-(11 sq ft 500cnt)

EMAP-Targeted Riffle Sample-TRS-

(8 sq ft 500cnt)

•

Fish Community sample, 3-pass depletion at most sites

•

1 Periphyton sample Top-rock Scrape method:–

AFDM, Chl-a and Pheophytin- analyzed triplicate

•

Habitat-NAWQA 11 transects; pebble counts•

Bed Sediment chemistry-triplicate samples at fire sites.•

Metals analyses in periphyton, insects, and fish•

Water chemistry: Major ions, Metals (except HgT), and Nutrients

Clear Creek upstream of Reservoir

CCAR

CLCR3

CLCR4

Low TributariesFRG

South side

North West side

WL

BR1BO1

South Side High Tributaries

BO2

BR2

CY3

Analyses•

Environmental data-PCA

•

NMS/DCA-community patterns•

BEST/CCA-community-environment relations

•

Macroinvertebrates samples were scored by North Coastal California BMI-IBI developed by DFG-ABL (Rehn

et al 2005)

•

Comparison of BMI method types and indicators

•

Analyzed metals patterns over time

PCA of Environmental Parameters

-10 -5 0 5 10PC1

-5

0

5

10

PC2

BOCR1-F-5

BOCR2-F-5

BRAN1-F-5

BRAN2-F-5

CCAR-F-5

CLCR1-F-5

CLCR2-F-5

CLCR3-F-5CLCR4-F-5

CLN1-F-5

CLN2-F-5

CYCR1-F-5

CYCR3-F-5

FRGL-F-5

GRZL-F-5

MLCR1-F-5

PGBCR-F-5

RTGL-F-5

SCRP-F-5

WKCR1-F-5

WLCR2-F-5

Bed sediment chemist ry: Sr, Si

Clear Creek DS Reservoir

Clear Creek US Reservoir

South Side Tribs-Lower

South Side Tribs-Upper

Upper CCTribs

Water chemistriy Ba,Ca,Cu,F, Mg, Ni, So4,Bed sediment Chemist ry: Zn

Habia

t: Disc

harg

e,Ve

locity

, Cha

nnel

Widt

h,De

pth,

Open

Cano

py,V

elocit

yBe

dSed

imen

t Che

mist

ryFe

, Mg,

Mn,

VHa

bitat

: Elev

., Grad

ient,R

iparia

nco

ver,

(24.7%)

(18.7%

)

Fall 04- Spring 05 NMS By BMI MethodSampType

TARGETED RIFFLEREACHWIDE

Similarity45

BOCR

BOCR

BOCR2

BOCR2

BRAN1

BRAN1

BRAN1

BRAN1

BRAN2

BRAN2

CCAR

CCAR CLCR1 CLCR1CLCR2

CLCR2

CLCR3

CLCR3

CLCR3

CLCR3

CLCR4

CLCR4

CLCR4

CLCR4

CLN1

CLN1

CLN1

CLN1

CLN2

CLN2

CYCR1CYCR1

CYCR3

CYCR3

FRGL

FRGL

FRGL

FRGLGZGL

GZGL

MLCR1

MLCR1

PGBCR1PGBCR1

RTGLRTGL

SCRP

SCRP

WKCR1

WKCR1

WLCR2

WLCR2

2D Stress: 0.2

3D stress0.17

BMIs Targeted Riffle Only NMS: community difference amongst years = seasons

Year20042005

Similarity45

BOCR1-F-4

BOCR2-F-4

BRAN1-F-4

BRAN2-F-4

CLCR1-F-4

CLCR2-F-4

CLCR3-F-4

CLCR4-F-4

CLN1-F-4

CYCR1-F-4

CYCR3-F-4

FRGL-F-4

GRZL-F-4

MLCR1-F-4

PGBCR-F-4

WKCR1-F-4

WLCR2-F-4

BRAN1-S-5

CCAR-S-5CLCR3-S-5

CLCR4-S-5

CLN1-S-5

CLN2-S-5

FRGL-S-5

RTGL-S-5

SCRP-S-5

2D Stress: 0.17TRS ONLY

CC US reservoir

CC DS reservoir

BEST/CCA-Environmental Parameters influencing Community Patterns

FISHF04, S05, F05

BMIReach WideF04, S05

BMITargeted Riffle

F04, S05

ALGAEF04, S05

CV_Velocity CV_Velocity CV_Velocity CV_Velocity

Gradient Gradient Gradient Gradient

Elevation Mean Algal AFDM Mean Algal AFDM Mean AFDM

Substrate size Total Nitrogen Total Nitrogen Total Phosphorus

%Riffle Water: Cu, K, Ni Chl-a/Pheophytin Chl-a/Pheophytin

Depth Channel Width Water: Cl, Ni, Zn

Water: Ni

North Coast CA BMI-IBIDeveloped based on 257 sites throughout Northern Coastal California Region

screened 65 metrics on landscape and local stressors to come with 8 metrics for the IBI

Clear Creek Watershed

North Coast IBI Metrics**EPT Richness

Coleoptera RichnessDiptera Richness

% Intolerant Individuals% Non-Gastropoda Scraper

Individuals% Predator Individuals

% Shredder Taxa% Non-Insect Taxa

(**Rehn et al, 2005 Draft., CA-ABL)

Correspondence of BMI methods according to IBI Scores (rescaled to 0-100)

WLCRWLCR

CLCR3CLCR4

CLCR4

Correspondence of Algal and BMI Indicators

IBITRS

IBIRWS

AlgaeNMS 1

AlgaeNMS 2

TRSNMS 1

TRSNMS 2

RWSNMS 1

RWSNMS 2

IBITRS 1

IBIRWS 0.818 1

AlgaeNMS1 -0.504 -0.377 1

AlgaeNMS2 -0.37 -0.382 -0.001 1

TRSNMS1 0.197 0.327 0.234 -0.208 1

TRSNMS2 0.595 0.511 -0.619 -0.624 0.001 1

RWSNMS1 -0.226 -0.37 -0.141 0.319 -0.925 -0.17 1

RWSNMS2 0.692 0.632 -0.681 -0.571 -0.122 0.888 0 1

What about the fire?

So What about the fire ?

Burn Severity Map

WHIS-Lake

FRGL before the French Fire

1month after the Fire

FRGL Spring/Fall 05

FRGL Spring/Fall 06

Metals deposition & accumulation

patterns over time

Mercury in Sediment Over Time Mercury 2003-2006

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

HgT

(mg/

kg) d

ryw

eigh

t

Spring 2003, before fireFall 2004, 1 month post-fireSpring 2005, 9 months post-fireFall 2005, 13 months post-fireSpring 2006

Ingersoll et al. 2001PEC 1.06 mg/kg

BRAN1 CCAR CLCR3 FRGL RTGL CLN1 CLN2 CLCR4SCRP

RegionalReference

Proximity to Whiskeytown Lake

McDonald et al 2000 PEC 1.06 mg/kg

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Seasonal patterns, CLCR3 gradually increasing over time

051

1.52

2.53

3.54

4.5

00.050.1

0.150.2

0.250.3

0.350.4

0.45

U.S. EPA WQ Criteria

Riffle Sculpin

BRAN1 CCAR CLCR3 FRGL RTGL CLN1 CLN2 CLCR4Before fireSpring 2005, 9 months post-fireFall 2005, 13 months post-fire

Before fireSpring 2005, 9 months post-fireFall 2005, 13 months post-fire

µg/g

)dry

weigh

t(µ

g/g)w

etwe

ight

Tota

l Mer

cury

Arse

nic

•Patterns for mercury in fish are consistent amongst trout and sculpins

and

appear to be relatively stable over time. CLN2 was the most elevated site within the fire study sites.

Community patterns over time

(North Coast IBI from Rehn et al . 2005)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100N

C IB

I S

core

Adju

sted to 1

00%

BRAN1 CCAR CLCR3 FRGL SCRP RTGL CLN1 CLN2 CLCR4

Index of Biotic Integrity ScoresBefore fireFall 2004, 1 month post-fireSpring 2005, 9 months post-fireFall 2005, 13 months post-fireSpring 2006

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Contrast to what was seen in SoCAL, SD fire sites

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Bioma

ss of

fish (

kg fis

h/hec

tare)

RegionalReference

Low-Med FireIntensity

Med-High FireIntensity

BRAN1 CLN1 FRGL

Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrousus)

Riffle sculpin (Cottus gulosus)

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Fish showed a significant decrease in numbers and biomass at FRGL a moderately to high intensity burn site.

Pacific Giant Salamander showed an inverse trend to fish suggesting potential recruitment event and possible use of refugia

by

the salamanders in interstitial spaces that would not be available to fish

Red-Fall04

Gold-Spring 05

Green-Fall 05

Summary of Results• Most sites are in Whiskeytown NRA are in good

condition based on the BMI community data• Consistency of indicators both on the basis of

environmental drivers and amongst community measures

• Seasonal differences in BMI composition • IBI scores were minimally affected by seasons or

methods • Conclusion about the fire:

– Metal deposition/accumulation patterns difficult to attribute to fire

– Persistence of invert. community and quick recovery of fish

Thank you

Water Striders (Gerridae)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

As(µ

g/g)

dryw

eight

Dragonflies (Gomphidae)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

As(µ

g/g)

dryw

eight

Stoneflies (Perlidae)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

As(µ

g/g)

dryw

eight




Arsenic

Before fireFall 2004, 1 month post-fireSpring 2005, 9 months post-fireFall 2005, 13 months post-fireSpring 2006



0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

HgT

(µg/

g) w

etw

eigh

t

0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.1

HgT

(µg/

g)w

etw

eigh

t

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14Hg

T(µ

g/g)

wet

wei

ght


Dragonflies (Gomphidae)

Water Striders (Gerridae)

Stoneflies (Perlidae)



Total MercuryBefore fireFall 2004, 1 month post-fireSpring 2005, 9 months post-fireFall 2005, 13 months post-fireSpring 2006



Comparison of Bass Data between Whiskeytown and Trinity Lakes

Draft Data-Subject to Revision Do not Cite

Whiskeytown Lake USGS 2005-DFG 2006 Collections

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

total length (mm)

HgT

(ug/

mg

ww

)

WHIS-BRN-BG WHIS-BRN-BRB WHIS-BRN-LMB

WHIS-BRN-SMB WHIS-BRN-SPB WHIS-BRN-SPM

WHIS-CC-BKT WHIS-CC-SPB_LMB WHIS-CC-SPM

WHIS-CC-SS USGS-BASS

WHIS-BRN- Brandy Creek area of the LakeWHIS-CC- Creek Arm of the Lake

BG-bluegill, BKT-brook trout, BRB-brown bullhead,LMB-largemouth bass, SMB-smallouth bass, SPB-spotted

bass, SPM-Sacramento pikeminnow,SS-Sacramento sucker

Fire Sites-Targeted Riffle: Difference in abundance between years of major taxa

Year20042005

BRAN1-F-4

CLCR3-F-4 CLCR4-F-4

CLN1-F-4

FRGL-F-4

BRAN1-S-5

CLCR3-S-5

CLCR4-S-5

CLN1-S-5

FRGL-S-5

2D Stress: 0.08

TRS ONLY

Fall 2004

Spring 2005

SpeciesAve.

AbundAve.

AbundAve.Diss

Baetis sp. 7.76 16.38 2.65

Glossosoma sp. 0.27 7.17 2.12

Hydropsyche sp. 9.65 3.87 1.81

Simulium sp. 5.51 6.92 1.34

Tvetenia sp. 1.69 5.6 1.21

Gumaga sp. 5.3 2.34 1.16

Macroinvertebrate collection methods

•3‐

2ft2

areas

composited at each of 3 transects•18ft2

total area

•11‐

1ft2

areas

composited at each site•11ft2

total area

•2‐

1ft2

areas at

each of 4 riffles•8 ft2

total area

TRSRWS

Mean Substrate Size Over Time

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Mea

n Su

bstra

te S

ize

BRAN1 CCAR CLCR3 FRGL SCRP RTGL CLN1 CLN2 CLCR4

Before fireFall 2004

Fall and Spring2005Fall and Spring 2006

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of the upper Clear ...€¦ · Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of the upper Clear Creek Watershed and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area,

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