Integrated Aquatic Community and Water Quality Monitoring of Wadeable Streams in the Klamath Network – Annual Report: 2009 results from pilot project in Redwood National and State Parks

Dinger, Eric

2009 results from Pilot Project in Redwood National and State Parks. In 2009, the Klamath Inventory and Monitoring Network initiated a pilot project of wadeable stream monitoring protocols in Redwood National and State Parks. The purpose of the project was to field test draft standard operating protocol methods for evaluation of suitability and feasibility. This report serves as a draft example of the expected types of data to be reported from the final implementation of the protocol. A total of 22 stream sites on 11 streams were visited from 18 August to 30 September 2009. The methods based on the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EPA EMAP) protocols. These methods were largely successful and a prominent finding was the need to use electrofishing to obtain the best data on vertebrate distribution. The streams of Redwood National and State Parks were characterized by low acid neutralizing capacity, with several streams having values below NPS and EPA threshold of 20 mg/l. However, this is likely the result of both small watershed and local geology. It does highlight the susceptibility of the streams to acidification from acid rain or acid mines. Among other water quality standards, there were no exceedances in: Chloride, Total nitrogen, pH, Sodium, or Sulfate. A total of 17,677 individual macroinvertebrates from 153 distinct genera were identified by the contract laboratory. A total of five amphibian species were observed: Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Rana boylii), Olympic Salamander (Rhyacotriton olympicus), Pacific Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus), Tailed Frog (Ascaphus truei), and Western Toad (Bufo boreas). Of these, the Pacific Giant Salamander was the most ubiquitous (17 sites) and the Olympic Salamander was the rarest (single site: Godwood Creek). Eight distinct fish species were observed snorkeling, however, and life stages prohibited the identification of all species (Table 6). Species confirmed were: Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki), Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and Three Spine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Lamprey ammocetes (larval fish) were observed only when electrofished, but the life stage prevented species identification. Sculpin was also observed, but no confirmed species identification was made. Results of the Northern California Coastal IBIs suggest that the streams of REDW are all at least in “Good” condition, with some sites in the “Very Good” category. The application of the EPA threshold of “52” to indicate impairment (<52: unimpaired; ≥52 impaired) from Stoddard et al. (2005) shows that no sites within REDW are impaired based on macroinvertebrate assessment.

Integrated Aquatic Community and Water Quality Monitoring of Wadeable Streams in the Klamath Network – Annual Report: 2009 results from pilot project in Redwood National and State Parks

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