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BIOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM Comal Springs/River Aquatic Ecosystem

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BIOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM Comal Springs/River Aquatic Ecosystem HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN BIOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM Comal Springs/River Aquatic Ecosystem ANNUAL REPORT December 2018 Prepared for: Prepared by: Edwards Aquifer Authority BIO-WEST, Inc. 900 East Quincy 1812 Central Commerce Court San Antonio, Texas 78215 Round Rock, TX 78664 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. vi INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 8 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Study Location .......................................................................................................................... 10 Comal Springflow ..................................................................................................................... 11 Low-flow Sampling .................................................................................................................. 11 HCP Species-specific Triggered Sampling ............................................................................... 11 Critical Period High-Flow Sampling ........................................................................................ 11 Water Quality Sampling and Fixed Station Photography ......................................................... 11 Water Temperature Thermistors ........................................................................................... 12 Water Quality Grab Samples ................................................................................................ 12 Fixed Station Photography .................................................................................................... 12 Texas Master Naturalist Monitoring ..................................................................................... 12 Aquatic Vegetation Mapping .................................................................................................... 12 Fountain Darter Sampling ......................................................................................................... 15 Drop-net Sampling ................................................................................................................ 15 Dip-net Sampling .................................................................................................................. 16 Dip-net Timed Surveys .................................................................................................... 16 Random-station Dip Netting ............................................................................................ 16 Visual Observations .............................................................................................................. 16 Fish Community Sampling ....................................................................................................... 17 Comal Springs Salamander Visual Observations ..................................................................... 18 Macroinvertebrate Sampling ..................................................................................................... 18 Drift-net Sampling ................................................................................................................ 18 Comal Springs Riffle Beetle ................................................................................................. 19 Benthic Macroinvertebrate Rapid Bioassessment .................................................................... 19 OBSERVATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 21 Comal Springflow ..................................................................................................................... 21 Water Quality Results ............................................................................................................... 27 Temperature Thermistors ...................................................................................................... 27 Water Quality Grab Samples ................................................................................................ 28 Texas Master Naturalist Monitoring ..................................................................................... 28 Aquatic Vegetation Mapping .................................................................................................... 32 HCP Full System Mapping ................................................................................................... 32 Upper Spring Run Reach ...................................................................................................... 33 Landa Lake Reach................................................................................................................. 35 Old Channel Reach ............................................................................................................... 36 Upper New Channel Reach ................................................................................................... 37 Lower New Channel Reach .................................................................................................. 38 Fountain Darter Sampling Results ............................................................................................ 39 Drop Nets .............................................................................................................................. 39 Dip Nets ................................................................................................................................ 43 Visual Observations .............................................................................................................. 44 Fish Community Sampling ....................................................................................................... 45 BIO-WEST, Inc. Comal Monitoring December 2018 i Annual Report Comal Springs Salamander Visual Observations ..................................................................... 46 Comal Macroinvertebrate Sampling ......................................................................................... 49 Drift-net Sampling ................................................................................................................ 49 Comal Springs Riffle Beetle ................................................................................................. 51 Benthic Macroinvertebrate Rapid Bioassessment .................................................................... 52 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 54 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 55 APPENDIX A: CRITICAL PERIOD MONITORING SCHEDULES APPENDIX B: AQUATIC VEGETATION MAPS APPENDIX C: DATA AND GRAPHS APPENDIX D: DROP NET RAW DATA BIO-WEST, Inc. Comal Monitoring December 2018 ii Annual Report List of Figures Figure 1. Fish community, water quality, and Fountain Darter timed dip-net surveys within the Comal River study area........................................................... … 13 Figure 2. Invertebrate, Comal Springs salamander, Texas Master Naturalist, and biomonitoring (includes aquatic vegetation mapping, drop net sampling, presence/absence dip-net sampling, and macroinvertebrate community sampling) sample areas within the Comal River study area. .................................. 14 Figure 3. Mean monthly discharge in the Comal River 2016–2018, with historical period of 1934–2018 as dashed line........................................................................ 21 Figure 4. Cross-section and flow partitioning (M9) discharge collection locations in the Comal River. ........................................................................................................... 23 Figure 5. Measured discharge for Spring runs 1, 2, and 3. Averages represent April/May values (spring) and October/November values (fall) from 2003 to 2018. *Note y-axis differences for discharge. ................................... ……24 Figure 6. Measured discharge for the Old Channel and Upper Spring Run reaches. Averages represent April/May (spring) and October/November values (fall) from 2003–2018 for the Old Channel, and 2011–2018 for Upper Spring Run. *Note differences in y-axis for discharge………...…………..25 Figure 7. Water temperature (°C) data at Comal headwaters from 2000 to 2018. ................. 27 Figure 8. Annual average dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations at five sites on the Comal River system (2015–2018). .............................................................. 29 Figure 9. Annual average pH values at five sites on the Comal River system (2015–2018). 29 Figure 10. Average recreational use counts at the Elizabeth Avenue site (2006–2018). ......... 30 Figure 11. Average recreational use counts at the Upper Spring Run site (2006–2018). ........ 30 Figure 12. Average recreational use counts at the Landa Lake Park Gazebo site (2006– 2018). ...................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 13. Average recreational use counts at the New Channel site (2006–2018). ............... 31 Figure 14. Average recreational use counts at the Union
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