Ecosystem Flow Recommendations for the Delaware River Basin

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Ecosystem Flow Recommendations for the Delaware River Basin Ecosystem Flow Recommendations for the Delaware River Basin Report to the Delaware River Basin Commission Upper Delaware River © George Gress Submitted by The Nature Conservancy December 2013 THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Ecosystem Flow Recommendations for the Delaware River Basin December 2013 Report prepared by The Nature Conservancy Michele DePhilip Tara Moberg The Nature Conservancy 2101 N. Front St Building #1, Suite 200 Harrisburg, PA 17110 Phone: (717) 232‐6001 E‐mail: Michele DePhilip, [email protected] Suggested citation: DePhilip, M. and T. Moberg. 2013. Ecosystem flow recommendations for the Delaware River basin. The Nature Conservancy. Harrisburg, PA. Table of Contents Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................. iii Project Summary ................................................................................................................................... iv Section 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Project Description and Goals ............................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Approach ........................................................................................................................ 2 Section 2: Project Area and Basin Characteristics .................................................................... 6 2.1 Project Area .................................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Physiography, Climate, and Vegetation............................................................................. 6 2.3 Major Habitat Types .................................................................................................................. 8 Size. ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 Temperature. ................................................................................................................................. 10 Source of flow and flow stability. ........................................................................................... 11 Section 3: Flow Components and Hydrologic Characterization .......................................... 13 3.1 Flow Components ..................................................................................................................... 13 High flows and floods. ................................................................................................................ 13 Seasonal flows. ............................................................................................................................. 13 Low flows. ....................................................................................................................................... 14 3.2 Flow Statistics ............................................................................................................................ 14 3.3 Hydrologic Characteristics of Major Habitat Types ...................................................... 20 Section 4: Defining Ecosystem Flow Needs ............................................................................... 23 4.1 Fish ................................................................................................................................................. 24 4.2 Mussels ......................................................................................................................................... 29 4.3 Aquatic Insects and Crayfish ............................................................................................... 31 4.4 Reptiles and Amphibians ....................................................................................................... 35 4.5 Floodplain, Riparian, and Aquatic Vegetation .............................................................. 36 4.6 Birds and Mammals ................................................................................................................ 38 4.7 Floodplain, Island and Channel Maintenance ............................................................... 39 4.8 Water Quality and Temperature ........................................................................................ 40 Table 4.7 Summary of Flow Needs in Each Season – Delaware River Basin ............ 42 i Section 5: Flow Recommendations and Supporting Information ...................................... 44 5.1 Structure and Principles for Flow Recommendations ................................................. 44 5.2 Using Literature to Support Recommendations ............................................................ 46 5.3 Using Hydrologic Analysis to Support Recommendations ........................................ 55 5.4 Flow Recommendations and Discussion of Supporting information .................... 58 Table 5.3 Flow Recommendations for all Habitat Types – Delaware River Basin ... 60 5.3.1 Flow recommendations for Headwaters (< 4 –10 mi2) ...................................... 61 5.3.2 Flow Recommendations for Creeks (~4-10 to 40 mi2) ...................................... 65 5.3.3 Flow recommendations for Small Rivers (40-200 mi2)...................................... 67 5.3.4 Flow recommendations for Medium Tributaries and Large Rivers (>200 mi2) .................................................................................................................................................... 69 Section 6: Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 72 6.1 Potential Applications .............................................................................................................. 73 6.2 Limitations ................................................................................................................................... 74 6.3 Future Analysis and Research ............................................................................................. 75 Literature Cited ..................................................................................................................................... 76 List of Appendices ................................................................................................................................ 97 ii Acknowledgments First, we thank Chad Pindar and Erik Silldorff of the Delaware River Basin Commission. Chad served as project manager and Chad and Erik served as our primary contacts within the Commission, helped to initiate the project and provided invaluable input through completion. We thank all who generously contributed their time, invaluable expertise and resources through each of our technical workshops, in‐person meetings, phone calls and other means of consultation. We especially thank Bob Tudor, Dave Kovach, Eric Engle, Bob Limbeck, Greg Cavallo, Hernan Quniodoz (Delaware River Basin Commission); Mark Hartle, Daryl Pierce, and Doug Fischer (Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission); Mary Ann Furedi and Greg Podniesinski (Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program); Hoss Liaghat and Tony Shaw (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection); Brian Henning, John Vile, Robert Somes, Jeanette Bowers‐Altman, Jeff Hoffman, Leslie McGeorge, Ian Snook, Shawn Crouse, Pat Hamilton, Vic Poretti, Chris Smith (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection); Mark Woythal, Jeff Loukmas, Bob Angyal, Mike Flaherty, Kathy Hattala, Chris Van Maaren, Brenan Terrier, Fred Henson, Andy Kahnle (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation); Greg Wacik (US Army Corps of Engineers – Philadelphia District); Matt Fisher (Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control); Jonathan Kennen, Heather Galbraith, Carrie Blakeslee, Jeff Cole, Kelly Maloney, and Kirk White (U.S. Geological Survey); Rich Evans and Don Hamilton (US National Park Service); Jim Kurtenbach (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency); Angela Padeletti (Partnership for the Delaware Estuary); Laura Craig (American Rivers); Dave Strayer (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies); Rich Horwitz (Academy of Natural Sciences); Dave Arscott and Willy Eldridge (Stroud Water Research Center); and Jason Taylor (Cornell University). We thank our colleagues from The Nature Conservancy, Colin Apse, Su Fanok, and George Schuler, who helped facilitate workshops and provided regional expertise. iii Ecosystem Flow Recommendations for the Delaware River Basin Report by The Nature Conservancy to the Delaware River Basin Commission —December 2013 We customized the Ecological Limits of Hydrological Alteraon The project area includes all tributary rivers and streams in (ELOHA) framework to develop flow recommendaons for the the Appalachian Plateau, Ridge and Valley, New England, Delaware River basin. Our approach is cost‐effecve, relavely and Piedmont Provinces and the non‐dal poron of the fast, and addresses mulple taxonomic groups over a large geo‐ mainstem. The study did not address streams in the Coastal graphic area. This project followed the general model of other pro‐ Plain Province. jects that developed flow recommendaons for large rivers, most specifically the Susquehanna River, the Upper Ohio River in West‐ ern Pennsylvania, and the Great
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