Macroinvertebrate, Fish, and Physicochemical Differences Between An Acid Mine Drainage Impacted Stream and a Kentucky Wild and Scenic River
McMurray SE and Schuster GA. 2001. Macroinvertebrate, Fish, and Physicochemical Differences Between An Acid Mine Drainage Impacted Stream and a Kentucky Wild and Scenic River. Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science. 62(2):125-141
ABSTRACT: Acid mine drainage (AMD) causes a myriad of impacts to macroinvertebrates and fishes and causes changes in the chemical properties of water. During 1991 and 1992 macroinvertebrate, fish, and physicochemical data were collected and compared from two Kentucky watercourses: Bear Creek, an AMD impacted stream, and Rock Creek, a Kentucky Wild and Scenic River. Macroinvertebrates, fishes, and physicochemical data were also collected from Bear Creek in 1994 to determine if reclamation efforts had been successful. Three replicate 0.09 m2 Surber samples (900 um mesh) supplemented with qualitative sampling in available habitats were used for macroinvertebrate sampling. Fishes were collected with a 3.4 X 1.2 m seine (0.3 cm mesh) in all available habitats. Water samples for physicochemical analysis were collected with either grab or depth-integrated techniques. Significant differences (Mann-Whitney U, P< 0.05) were found between the macroinvertebrate taxa richness, total number of individuals, EPT, %EPT, %Chironomidae and mHBI values; the fish IBI values; and 13 of the 25 physicochemical variables examined from the streams. Reclamation occurred at three locations in the Tennessee portion of the Bear Creek watershed, but no improvements in water quality in the Kentucky portion were observed.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- McMurray, Stephen; Schuster, Guenter
- Units
- BISO
- Keywords
- acid mine drainage, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Bear Creek, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, BISO, fish, macroinvertebrate, physiochemical, Rock Creek, SER, Southeast Region, water quality