Central Alaska Network Flowing Waters Program: 2008 Annual Report

Simmons, Trey

The 2008 field season marked the third year of development of the flowing waters portion of the Central Alaska Network (CAKN) Inventory and Monitoring Program, also known as the Vital Signs Program. Data collection occurred in both Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST) and in Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA). The purposes of the study were to: 1) continue to refine field protocols and logistics related to the collection of relevant data in DENA and WRST streams and rivers; 2) evaluate the feasibility of using the generalized random tessellation stratified survey design to select synoptic sampling sites in WRST; and 3) implement the long-term flowing water monitoring program. The data collected included biological (benthic macroinvertebrate and diatom samples, fish identity and size, riparian vegetation type), physical (extensive channel geometry, substrate, etc.) and chemical (collected in situ as well as in water samples for later analysis) information. Data were collected during a total of 40 site visits across the two park units. Continuously recording temperature data loggers were deployed at 18 sites, and a continuously recording pressure transducer was deployed at one site, with data collected from early June to late September. In DENA, another sixteen previously unreported macroinvertebrate taxa were documented, bringing the two-year total to 31 taxa. Network-wide, the program has now documented 147 unique macroinvertebrate taxa and 360 unique diatom species. Of the 400 potential sampling sites selected using GRTS, 95 were rejected using remotely sensed data. 116 of the remaining 305 potential sampling sites selected were evaluated in the field in 2008, most by helicopter overflights. Of these, 33 (28%) were either sampled or deemed to be probably sampleable.

Central Alaska Network Flowing Waters Program: 2008 Annual Report

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