Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network wadeable stream monitoring: Water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate summary report (2008–2013)

Tzilkowski, C.; Marshall, M.; Weber, A.

Freshwater water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities are indicators of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem health; consequently, they were chosen to be “Vital Signs” in the National Park Service’s Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network (ERMN). The ERMN sampled core water quality parameters (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance) and BMI communities at 81 stream reaches throughout the network from 2008–2013 while the ERMN was developing a protocol to implement long-term ecological monitoring of wadeable streams. Stream reaches (i.e., sites) were sampled using United States Geological Survey (USGS) methods (i.e.., Richest Targeted Habitat Sampling). Twenty eight reaches (35%) were chosen in consultation with park staff to fill important data gaps or support ongoing park initiatives. The remaining 52 reaches (65%) were selected by ERMN staff and were placed on wadeable streams defined as perennially flowing streams within the parks’ authorized boundaries that had upstream drainage area <100 km2. In many cases, data in this report provided the only known assessment of BMI communities and/or water quality for the respective, and often remote, stream reaches. In other instances, these data augment ongoing water quality monitoring programs and/or provide current information for previously (state) assessed waters. Water quality and BMI data collected by the ERMN often supported state-assigned designated uses for the respective streams; however, there were cases when water quality samples exceeded impairment criteria. Moreover, BMI community assessments suggested potential (undocumented) poor ecological integrity of some stream reaches. This information should help resource managers, in cooperation with other stakeholders (e.g., states), to achieve the fundamental NPS mission of maintaining or improving ecological conditions of park resources. Not only do findings in this report provide information for contemporary management decisions (e.g., refinement of stream designated uses), they also provide a baseline for future condition comparisons to be made.

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network wadeable stream monitoring: Water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate summary report (2008–2013)

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