Aquatic Invertebrate Monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield: 2005-2007 Trend Report

Bowles, David

In the late 1980’s, the National Park Service (NPS) began an intensive program to monitor water quality and invertebrate community structure in prairie streams at several midwestern parks. Included in this baseline study was Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield (WICR). Preliminary monitoring was conducted at WICR from 1988 to 1989 at Wilson’s Creek and a tributary, Skegg’s Branch. Following this baseline year, monitoring was not conducted again until 1996, but it has since been conducted annually. An additional tributary, Terrell Creek, was included for monitoring beginning in 2006. Since 2006, monitoring at WICR has been based on a monitoring protocol developed by the Heartland Network using revised methodology from previous protocols. The objectives of current monitoring are to: 1) determine the status and trends of invertebrate species diversity, abundance, and community metrics, and 2) relate the invertebrate community to overall water quality through quantification of metrics related to species richness, abundance, diversity, and region-specific multi-metric indices as indicators of water quality and habitat condition. Water quality, habitat, and invertebrate community metrics varied considerably among sampling years and streams sampled. However, it is not clear whether or not the observed variation is biologically important. Based on the invertebrate community metrics reported here, the water quality of Wilson’s Creek within WICR is judged as impaired, while water quality of Skegg’s Branch and Terrell Creek is judged to be generally good. Wilson’s Creek is impacted from a combination of urbanization and treated effluent from a wastewater treatment plant. It is listed as a 303d stream by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources due to an unspecified contaminant. Skegg’s Branch although historically having high water quality, may be starting to experience the effects of urbanization associated with the growth of Republic, Missouri where this stream originates. Because observed impairment is attributed to activities in the watersheds outside the park boundaries, there are few available options to park management for mitigating this situation. The long history and continuing efforts of aquatic invertebrate monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield provides a sound tool to recognize both deterioration and chronic decline of water quality.

Aquatic Invertebrate Monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield: 2005-2007 Trend Report

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