Progress 09/01/04 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Major activities in the final year of our USDA grant focus largely on data synthesis and wrapping up project activities. However, we continued to monitor consequences of dam removal at Big Spring WI. This work included: multiple nutrient addition experiments and analysis and modeling resultant data, development of a nutrient mass balance before and after dam removal, and general monitoring of physical and chemical conditions following completion of all restoration activities at Big Spring. These efforts have provided training opportunities to one graduate student and 2 undergraduates. As a result of this experience, one of the undergraduates is now pursuing an independent research project as a formal undergraduate thesis related to this study. Project PI's and students were involved in a number of activities ranging from giving talks at scientific meetings, organizing a meeting on aging infrastructure for the North Carolina Institute for Emerging Issues (Doyle), offering informal advice to individuals and organizations interested in dam removal (Stanley and Doyle), reviewing research proposals for state and federal funding agencies related to dam removal (Stanley), to being interviewed for CNN Money (Doyle) over the past year. Presentations at meetings in 2009 include: Powers, S.M. and E.H. Stanley. 2009. Aquatic controls of inter-annual variability in river phosphorus yields. 57th annual meeting, North American Benthological Society, Grand Rapids, MI. Stanley, E.H. 2009. Effects of dam removal on nutrient retention in agriculturally dominated streams. USDA-CSREES National Water Conference, St. Louis, MO. Major outputs from the entire life of the project include: two major databases (a database of U.S. infrastructure and a GIS-based database of contemporary and historic dams in Wisconsin); a simulation model of benthic light availability in rivers (BLAM); validation of newly emerging methods for measuring nutrient uptake in large stream systems; multiple talks at meetings and invited seminars; media interactions and policy briefings on aging infrastructure and dam removal; and extensive training opportunities for several undergraduate and graduate students that were critical for their subsequent professional success. PARTICIPANTS: PI/PDS: Emily Stanley and Martin Doyle- responsible for project oversight and management, student advising, guidance of research activities. GRADUATE STUDENTS: Stephen Powers- conducted thesis research related to the project and were responsible for baseline monitoring and database management activities. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: Alex Bilgri, Robert Johnson, Page Mieritz- assisted with field and laboratory research activities. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: Inter-Fluve Inc. TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Graduate and undergraduate students received hands-on experience with multiple facets of research through grant-supported activities, such as acquisition of skills needed for analyzing water chemistry, operation of field and laboratory equipment, public presentations, manuscript preparation, etc. Students both assisted with overall project goals and a subset of students also conducted their own independent research projects. TARGET AUDIENCES: Stream and river researchers, federal and state resource management agencies (particularly the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources), private companies involved in river restoration activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
We have learned a great deal about the effects of dam removal on nutrient dynamics and stream and river ecosystem processes as a result of the research supported by this grant. In particular, it has highlighted the role of reservoir sites in modulating riverine nutrient budgets, highlighted the central role of sediment transport and light availability in affecting many ecological processes, and has pointed to the need to address aging State and national infrastructure. A graduate student who was involved in this project is now an environmental consultant developing expertise in mitigation banking, including dam removal as a mitigation activity. And although it is difficult to connect cause and effect, the frequent contacts the PI's receive from agencies, environmental advocacy groups, and concerned citizens about dam removal indicates that lessons we have learned in Wisconsin and North Carolina are influencing decision makers facing this issue throughout the country.
Publications
- Please note that this list includes papers that have now been accepted but previously were listed as in review in our 2007/10 to 2008/09 report Stanley, E.H., S.M. Powers, and N.R. Lottig. 2010. The evolving legacy of disturbance in stream ecology: concepts, contributions and coming challenges. Journal of the North American Benthological Society in press. Powers, S.M., E.H. Stanley, and N.R. Lottig. 2009. A comparison of pulse and plateau phosphorus dynamics in streams. Limnology and Oceanography Methods 7:498-508. Julian, J.P, S.Z. Seegert, S.M. Powers, E.H. Staley, and M.W. Doyle. Light as a first-order control on ecosystem structure in a small Midwestern stream. In review.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Major activities over the past year centered on monitoring physical and chemical effects of the removal of a dam from Big Spring, a groundwater-dominated creek draining an agricultural watershed in central Wisconsin, and continued processing of results and dissemination of research findings. Field monitoring during the 2008 dam removal included measurements of stage, discharge, channel form, suspended sediment, inorganic and total nutrients, and nutrient uptake capacity. Researchers involved in the project have presented results at scientific meetings and invited seminars, interacted with the media, and given policy briefings. Talks: Julian, J.P. 2008. Light in Rivers: Hydrogeomorphic controls and ecological consequences. Meeting of the Young Researchers in Earth Science, New Orleans, LA. Julian, J.P., M.W. Doyle, and E.H. Stanley. 2008. Basin-scale hydrogeomorphic controls on riverine light availability. American Association of Geographers, Boston, MA. Julian, J.P., E.H. Stanley, and M.W. Doyle. 2008. Benthic light availability model (BLAM): Application to basin-scale gross primary productivity in rivers. Ecological Society of America annual meeting, Milwaukee, WI. Maxted, J.T., M.W. Diebel, and E.H. Stanley 2008. Effects of dams on stream connectivity and access to source populations for aquatic species restoration. Ecological Society of America annual meeting, Milwaukee, WI. Powers, S.M., E.H. Stanley, and N.R. Lottig. 2008. Interpreting nutrient uptake metrics in streams from short-term enrichments using dynamic transport modeling. 93rd Annual Meeting, Ecological Society of America, Milwaukee, WI. Valett, H.M., J.M. O'Brien, S.K. Hamilton, E.H. Stanley, and A.J. Burgin. 2008. Streams, wetlands and lakes as nutrient processing domains. 56th Annual Meeting, North American Benthological Society, Salt Lake City, UT. Invited seminars: Plenary speaker, 56th Annual Meeting, North American Benthological Society, Salt Lake City, UT (Stanley) Department of Geography, University of Oklahoma (Julian) School of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University (Julian) Media interactions: Earth Magazine (American Geological Institute) GeoTimes Discovery Channel News North Carolina News Radio Wisconsin Dells Events Doyle, M.W., Need for fixes can't be ignored. Raleigh News and Observer op-ed Policy Briefings: US Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR) (staff) - National Infrastructure Bank Act US Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT) (staff) - National Infrastructure Bank Act NC Leadership Forum - Future of water infrastructure in North Carolina PARTICIPANTS: PI/PDS: Emily Stanley and Martin Doyle- responsible for project oversight and management, student advising, guidance of research activities. GRADUATE STUDENTS: Stephen Powers- conducted thesis research related to the project and were responsible for baseline monitoring and database management activities. Jason Julian- Dr. Julian was not supported by the grant during the reporting period, but continued to work on project-related research. PROJECT TECHNICIAN: Mark Lochner, responsible for field and laboratory equipment maintenance, sample analysis, and supervision of undergraduate hourly employees. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: Alex Bilgri, Nathan Braun, Robert Johnson, Ryan Kroiss- assisted with field and laboratory research activities. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: Inter-Fluve Inc. TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Several graduate and undergraduate students have received hands-on experience with multiple facets of research through grant-supported activities, such as acquisition of skills needed for analyzing water chemistry, operation of field and laboratory equipment, etc. Students both assisted with overall project goals and a subset of students also conducted their own independent research projects. TARGET AUDIENCES: TARGET AUDIENCES: Stream and river researchers, federal and state resource management agencies (particularly the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources), private companies involved in river restoration activities. EFFORTS: We have not developed specific educational programs in the course of conducting our research. However, we routinely incorporate research results into lectures (Stanley: Limnology, Ecology of River and Streams; Doyle: Watershed Restoration, Eco-hydraulics, Floodplain Processes, Field Methods, Fluvial Geomorphology, Environmental Geography, Julian: Landscape Ecology, Introduction to Physical Geography). Students working on this project have received extensive training in field and laboratory methods and equipment use and are given the opportunity to apply these newly acquired skills. Both undergraduates and graduate students have developed substantial technical expertise relevant to research and environmental management and problem solving. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Major results of this study have included development and application of a model of benthic light availability, evaluating a new method for studying stream nutrient dynamics under non-steady-state conditions, and detailed studies of dam and infrastructure distribution. The benthic light model has provided a new tool for managers to assess ecological effects of dam removal and agriculture (among other influences) on optical water quality of rivers, and more broadly, has highlighted the basic importance of light availability in limiting primary production in streams and rivers. The method assessment for measuring the fate of pulsed nutrient inputs will greatly broaden the times and places where stream ecologists can measure nutrient uptake dynamics. Finally, our study on dam removal led us to ask questions about the number and distribution of dams in Wisconsin, and then later about the distribution of infrastructure (dams, bridges, railroads, etc.) across the U.S. This analysis has revealed the massive growth in infrastructure over the past 50 years, and highlighted the looming problem of paying for repairs or removal of this infrastructure (well illustrated by the case of dams and dam removal). It has drawn interest from several policy makers, and suggested that targeted removal of dams, bridges, etc. may provide valuable opportunities for environmental restoration. These and other facets of research sponsored by NRI funding have resulted in multiple publications describing infrastructure, light dynamics, pulsed nutrient inputs to streams, among others. In addition to science and policy outcomes, students involved in this project have benefited from funding. Notably, one of the two graduate students has moved into the Ph.D. program, and the second has recently begun a faculty position at the University of Oklahoma.
Publications
- (1) Doyle, M.W., and D. Havlick 2009. Infrastructure in the environment. Annual Review of Environment and Resources: in press.
- (2) Julian, J.P., E.H. Stanley, and M.W. Doyle. 2008. Basin-scale consequences of agricultural land use on benthic light availability and primary production along a 6th-order temperate river. Ecosystems 11:1091-1105.
- (3) Powers, S.M., E.H. Stanley, and N.R. Lottig. 2009. A comparison of pulse and plateau phosphorus dynamics in streams. Limnology and Oceanography Methods: in review.
- (4)Riggsbee, J.A., C.H.Orr, D.M. Leech, M.W. Doyle, and R.G. Wetzel. 2008. Suspended sediments in river ecosystems: Photochemical sources of dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, and adsorptive removal of dissolved iron. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences 113:G03019.
- (5) Stanley, E.H., S.M. Powers, and N.R. Lottig. 2009. The evolving legacy of disturbance in stream ecology: concepts, contributions and coming challenges. Journal of the North American Benthological Society. Accepted pending revision.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Major activities supported by USDA funds over the past year include: multiple field nutrient addition experiments and analysis and modeling resultant data, analyzing data on light dynamics in rivers and developing a model of riverine light availability, and mentoring one undergraduate and two graduate students whose research was supported by our grant. The undergraduate student graduated with honors through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences from the University of Wisconsin in 2007 and is now attending graduate school. One of the two graduate students (J.P. Julian) received his Ph.D. in Geography at University of North Carolina and is now using skills and models developed during his USDA-supported graduate research in his post-doctoral appointment. The PI's and students involved in the project attended a variety of scientific meetings and presented talks based on supported research at these meetings, and were asked to give several invited seminars. From these
various activities, key products include: database on U.S. infrastructure; GIS-based database of dams in Wisconsin; simulation model of benthic light availability in rivers (BLAM); graduate student skill development in OTIS modeling, GIS application and modeling; and the following talks/presentations/seminars: URL: http://limnology.wisc.edu/personnel/emstan/DamRemoval.html TALKS: Julian, J.P., Doyle, M.W., and Stanley, E.H. 2007. Light in Rivers: Hydrogeomorphic Controls and Spatial Trends. North American Benthological Society, 55th Annual Meeting, Columbia, SC. Powers, S.M., J.P. Julian, and E.H. Stanley. 2007. Retention and propagation of experimental phosphorus and sediment pulses in an agricultural stream. 55th annual meeting, North American Benthological Society, Columbia, SC. Riggsbee, J.A., Julian, J.P., Doyle, M.W., and Wetzel, R.G. 2007. Effects of Suspended Sediments on Downstream Biogeochemistry following Dam Removal. North American Benthological Society, 55th Annual
Meeting, Columbia, SC. INVITED SEMINARS: Wisconsin Wetlands Association Plenary speaker (Stanley) Chaos and Complex Systems Seminar Series, University of Wisconsin (Stanley) Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of Wisconsin (Stanley) Department of Biology, Wright State University (Stanley) University of Maryland - Baltimore County, IGERT Water in Urban Program (Doyle) Chesapeake Biological Laboratory - University of Maryland (Doyle) Appalachian Laboratory - University of Maryland (Doyle) Duke University, Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Science (Doyle) Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland (Julian) Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland (Julian) MEDIA COVERAGE: Christian Science Monitor Endeavors Science Scientific American High Country News POLICY BRIEFINGS: NC Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Bill Ross - Federal dam re-licensing programs and potential flooding associated with aging reservoirs US Army Corps of
Engineers (Wilmington District) - Modified definition of stream restoration for NC Outer Coastal Plain Compensatory Mitigation (invited presentation to state and federal agency personnel)
PARTICIPANTS: PI/PDS: Emily Stanley and Martin Doyle, responsible for project oversight and management, student advising, guidance of research activities; GRADUATE STUDENTS: Jason Julian and Stephen Powers, conducted dissertation and thesis research related to the project and were responsible for baseline monitoring and database management activities; UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: Alex Bilgri, Nathan Braun, David Mark, and Sarah Zahn assisted with field and laboratory research activities; Zahn also conducted an independent research project related to the project; PROJECT TECHNICIAN: Mark Lochner, responsible for field and laboratory equipment maintenance, sample analysis, and supervision of undergraduate hourly employees. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: Inter-Fluve Inc. TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Several graduate and undergraduate students have received hands-on experience with multiple facets of research through grant-supported activities through assistance with research and conducting
their own independent research projects.
TARGET AUDIENCES: TARGET AUDIENCES: Stream and river researchers, federal and state resource management agencies (particularly the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources), private companies involved in river restoration activities. EFFORTS: We have not developed specific educational programs in the course of conducting our research. However, we routinely incorporate our result into our lectures (Stanley: Limnology, Ecology of River and Streams; Doyle: Watershed Restoration, Eco-hydraulics, Floodplain Processes, Field Methods, Fluvial Geomorphology, Environmental Geography
Impacts
In the broadest sense, the act of doing research results in a change in knowledge of the researcher that informs his/her future research, teaching, and service activities. This has certainly been true for us through this project. For example, our interest in sediment transport associated with dam removal led us to investigate the role of suspended sediments carried by rivers in controlling light availability to primary producers (algae, plants growing on the stream bed). This work highlighted the un-appreciated role of light availability in rivers and how efforts to control nuisance algal and plant growth need to incorporate this control into decision-making frameworks. A second example involves a graduate student affiliated with the project using his research expertise after graduation in his professional capacity to head up a dam task force for his employer- a consulting firm specializing in environmental restoration. We expect that there are other outcome/impacts
that are currently developing, but may not be immediately apparent.
Publications
- Doyle, M.W. 2008. Water worries. Issues in Science and Technology, National Academy of Sciences, Winter, in press and available on line at http://www.issues.org/24.2/forum.html Doyle, M.W., and E.H. Stanley. 2008. Stream ecosystem response to dam removal. In Dam Removal, American Society of Civil Engineers Monograph, in press. Doyle, M.W., E.H. Stanley, D. Havlick, M.J. Kaiser, G. Steinbach, W. Graf, and G. Galloway. 2008. Aging infrastructure and ecosystem restoration. Science 319:286-287. Julian, J.P. 2007. Hydrogeomorphic controls on light availability in rivers. Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Geography, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Julian, J.P., M.W. Doyle, S.M. Powers, E.H. Stanley, and J.A. Riggsbee. 2008. Optical water quality in rivers. Water Resources Research, accepted pending revisions. Julian, J.P., M.W. Doyle, and E.H. Stanley. 2008. Empirical modeling of light availability in rivers. Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences,
accepted pending revisions. Julia
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
We are using a BACI design to identify significant changes in several physical and ecological response variables in Big Spring, Wisconsin and in both the Little River and Deep River in North Carolina. Field monitoring is being complemented with experiments and simulation modeling of light availability and nutrient dynamics to explore scenarios of change that may occur following dam removal. Removal of dams in both North Carolina rivers was completed in 2005. A detailed spatial and temporal water chemistry study in the Little River demonstrated the variability in magnitude and timing of transport of sediments vs. nutrients and organic carbon from the reservoir site. Further, transport of materials from the reservoir associated with each phase of dam removal was relatively small compared to transport by floods, suggesting that removing a dam in multiple stages (rather than removing the dam all at once) should minimize sediment and nutrient inputs to downstream reaches.
A manuscript describing these results and conclusions has been submitted for publication and is currently in review. Detailed measurements of suspended sediment dynamics before, during, and after both North Carolina removals were used to develop a benthic light availability model for rivers (BLAM). Development of this model illustrates the utility of dam removal as an experiment for understanding riverine dynamics- especially of nutrient-rich systems typical of agricultural landscapes in which light, rather than nutrients, control primary production. In Wisconsin, the removal of the Big Spring dam has once again been delayed due to legal debates and is now targeted for fall 2007. Thus, we are continuing our pre-removal sampling regime, and may try to identify a second Wisconsin site to expand our original goal from a study of 2 removals to a study of 4 removals. Further, monitoring at Big Spring has been supplemented by additional studies of macrophyte biomass, nutrient uptake
potentials by these macrophytes, and in-situ nutrient and sediment addition experiments to determine how phosphorus inputs are attenuated by suspended sediments loads. These latter experiments are inspired by the observation that the impoundment may retain sediments but not nutrient pulses during rain events, and can modify the timing and magnitude of nutrient pulses as they move downstream. We have observed episodic increases in P at this site that both are and are not accompanied by similar increases in suspended sediments. Pulses of P alone may be common in some agricultural watersheds where leaching of manure during small rain events or during snowmelt can mobilize dissolved nutrients but not particulate material. Ongoing monitoring will be intensified during spring and early summer to determine the frequency, intensity, and physicochemical characteristics of such nutrient pulses in this agriculturally dominated watershed. Additional experiments are planned for this summer in
which we determine how the form of phosphorus loading (e.g., pulsed vs. prolonged; accompanied by low vs. high suspended sediment loads) modify the in-stream capacity to retain this added nutrient.
Impacts
This project is generating information about how dams and dam removal can affect core aspects of ecosystem health in rivers, including habitat structure, water quality, and light availability. Further, if the decision is made to remove a dam, our findings suggest that a staged removal should decrease downstream impacts of this management action. In addition to improving our general understanding of the consequences of dam removal and how to minimize these consequences, this study has also revealed how pulses of nutrients may be generated and modified in agriculturally-dominated streams, and in particular, our findings indicate that dissolved inputs of phosphorus even during minor rain events are possible, adding to problems of nutrient losses from the watershed. Awareness of these pulsed inputs emphasizes the need for additional or alternative management practices to reduce nutrient loading in these systems. Finally, we have been able to use studies of dam removal to
develop a model of light availability to streams, which should be of use to managers concerned with issues such as eutrophication or temperature management (e.g., for coldwater fishes).
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
The first phase of our study has focused on establishing pre-removal conditions in two rivers slated for dam removal. Sites originally identified for study had to be replaced; however, as expected, other sites were available in Wisconsin and North Carolina. In Wisconsin, we have been studying Big Spring Creek, an agriculturally-dominated system in the central part of the state. The river was impounded by a 5-m dam in 1895, but the reservoir is now drawn down in anticipation of dam removal in summer 2006. Pre-removal studies have included detailed surveys of channel slope, cross sectional form, bed sediment composition and volume, water chemistry monitoring above, within, and below the reservoir; phenological studies of macrophytes downstream from the reservoir; and stream stage monitoring. Sediment studies included detailed analysis of particle size and nutrient content of reservoir deposits. This work has revealed that the Big Spring impoundment has been an effective
sediment and nutrient (especially nitrogen) trap, and has had a profound physical effect on the downstream reach due to sediment starvation. The system is nutrient-rich (TN >2 mg/L, TP >0.02 mg/L) but dissolved organic carbon poor, and fine clays and silts in the system appear to have strong effects on downstream solute dynamics. In North Carolina, we have been characterizing the physical and chemical attributes of Deep River, a large urbanized system in an agriculturally rich region of the central Piedmont. The river was impounded by Carbonton Dam (6-m high) in 1921. The impoundment was dewatered in October 2005 and the dam was removed in December 2005. Pre-removal data collection included surveys of channel slope, cross section, and bed sediment composition; water chemistry above and below the reservoir; biomass measurements of in-channel vegetation; water column light surveys; stream stage monitoring; and a sediment budget for the system. Like Big Spring Creek, the downstream reach
of Deep River has been starved of sand for almost 100 years. Post-removal sediment monitoring has indicated that the former impoundment significantly increases suspended sediment concentrations downstream and most of this increase was due to erosion of tributaries responding to a lower base level. Average pre-removal concentrations (in mg/L) for upstream (US) and downstream (DS) are as follows: total dissolved nitrogen (US = 0.93, DS = 2.10), soluble reactive phosphorus (US = 0.13, DS = 0.12), and dissolved organic carbon (US = 5.7, DS = 5.9). We are currently analyzing water samples to determine the effect dam removal has on downstream concentrations of phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon. Overall, we have been able to develop detailed descriptions of key physical and ecological variables in two disparate systems, and thus are poised to be able to document channel adjustments, and sediment and nutrient dynamics in response to the removal. Differences between Big Spring Creek and Deep
River are allowing us to infer inter-site effects of dam removal on downstream riverine ecosystems and to understand interdependent relationships between river morphology and ecological processes.
Impacts
This project will generate information about how dams and dam removal can affect core aspects of ecosystem health in rivers, including habitat structure and water quality. Decisions to repair or remove dams are often delayed because resource management agencies and dam owners lack basic information about how a removal may change the river and its surrounding environment, or how long the effects of the removal might last. Recent dam failures have demonstrated that these delays may have costly and potentially dangerous consequences. In addition to assisting with the decision-making process, this study should also draw attention to habitat or water quality changes that may require mitigation during or after the removal.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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