You are here:
Science to inform policy and management of non-perennial streams
Citation:
Fritz, K. Science to inform policy and management of non-perennial streams. Department of Biology Seminar Series, University of Oklahoma, Virtual, OH, April 13, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
Segments of streams that cease surface flow at some point in time and space are called non-perennial stream reaches. Despite non-perennial streams representing most of stream miles in the U.S., they are understudied and largely overlooked. In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the connections to downstream waters and effort to better map, assess the ecological condition and services of non-perennial streams. This presentation will describe studies that quantify how non-perennial streams are functionally connected to downstream waters and how invertebrates and algae can be useful in distinguishing perennial and non-perennial streams to inform water resource management decisions (e.g., jurisdictional determinations, applying water quality standards, riparian buffer rules).
Description:
Invited seminar presentation for the University of Oklahoma's Biology Seminar Series. The presentation will start by providing a brief description of my position within U.S. EPA's ORD and non-perennial streams. The remaining presentation will then describe two studies to inform policy and management of non-perennial streams. The first study measured how forest, non-perennial streams, that flow only in response to rain (ephemeral), are functionally connected to downstream waters through the storage and delayed transport of energy resources (deciduous leaves and wood) to downstream consumers. The second study informs the development of Streamflow Duration Assessment Methods (SDAMs), which are rapid, field-based tools for classifying stream reaches as ephemeral, intermittent or perennial to inform water resource management, such as mapping, jurisdictional determinations, and application of appropriate water quality standards. Because flow duration can a have strong impact on distribution and abundance of biota, biological characteristics of streams are commonly used in SDAMs. The second study identifies invertebrate and algal indicators of small forested streams that can be used to distinguish flow duration classes and compares taxonomic and numeric resolutions affects the relative accuracy of classifications.
