Testing-and Further Development of RiVPACS - Phase 3. Developmentof New RIVPACS Methodologies- Stage1 Research and Development Technical Report E71 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY All pulps used in production of this paper is sourced from sustainable managed forests and are elemental chlorine free and wood free Testing and Further.Developmentof RIVPACS Phase 3. Technical Report ,E7 1 J F:Wright, R T Clarke, R J M Gunn, J H Blackburn and J Davy- Bowker Research Contractor: Institute of Freshwater Ecology Further copies of thii report are available from: Environment Agency R&D Dissemination Centre, c/o WRc,-Frankland Road, Swinddn; Wilts SN5 SYF WC tel: 01793-865000 fax: 01793-514562 e-mail: [email protected] .‘. Publishing Organisation Environment Agency Rio House Waterside Drive Aztec West Almondsbury Bristol BS32 4UD Tel: 01454 624400 Fax: 01454 624409 ISBN 1 85705 064 9 0 Environment Agency 1999 All rights reserved. No part of this document may be produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, ele@ronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the Environment Agency. The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the Environment Agency. Its officers, servants or agents accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from the interpretation or use of the information, or reliance on views contained herein. Dissemination Status Internal: Released to Regions External: Released to Public Domain Statement of Use This report provides staff with information on the first years work on this project. It includes a report on the International Conference held in Oxford in September 1997, progress on the development of use of abundance data for biological quality assessment and the reviews of methodology for sampling in Deep waters and canals. Research Contractor This document was produced under R&D Project El -007 by: Institute of Freshwater Ecology River Laboratory East Stoke WAREHAM Dorset BH20 6BB Tel: 01929 462314 Fax: 01929 463180 Environment Agency’s Project Manager The Environment Agency’s project Manager for R&D Project El-007 was: Mr Brian Hemsley-Flint - North East Region R&D Technical Report E7 1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research project was funded. by the Environment Agency ,under Project El-007. We would like to thank the Agency for continuing to support the development of RIVPACS. In particular, we are grateful, for the help and guidance provided by the Agency’s designated. Project manager Mr Brian Hemsley-Flint and the Management Support Officer Dr Mike Briers during the study, and for further practical assistance received from Dr Roger Sweeting and Dr John Murray-Bligh in the early stages of the project. We also thank the Area Biologists-within each Region of the Environment Agency who, without exception,completed our questionnaire on sampling methods in deep rivers and canals.- Their cooperation and ideas on practical sampling issues were crucial in helping us to propose realistic procedures. We also benefited from the information provided in.the additional questionnaires completed by staff within SEPA in Scotland and IRTU in Northern Ireland.. Staff of British Waterways, English Nature and Pond Action all provided-useful advice and information and we are grateful to each one of these organisations. R&D Technical Report E7 1 i R&D Technical Report E7 1 ii CONTENTS page Acknowledgements i -: List of Tables iv List of Figures vii . List of Appendices v111, Executive,Summary ix Key Words”‘. xi- 1. Introduction .. 1 1.1 I Background 1 1.2 Objectives 1 2. International Workshop, .Book and Open seminar on RIVPACS 5 2.1 Introduction 5. 2.2 Objectives 5. 2.3 The International Workshop 6 2.4 Progress with the Book ‘. 2.5 Open Seminar on RIVPACS ;. 3. Development of the use of abundance data for biological quality 11 assessment 3.1 Introduction 11 3.2 Development of abundance-based indices-. 13 3.3 Modifications and additions to RJYPACS. software 16 I 3.4 Critical lower limits of indices for the RIVPACS III reference sites 17 : 3.5 Assessment of effects of sampling variation on the values of abundance-based 18 quality indices 4. Re-evaluation.of methods for collecting samples -from deep waters for 27 RIVPACS 4.1 Introduction 27 4.2 Objectives 27 4.3 Literature review of sampling devices and protocols-for deep rivers 29 : 4.4 Current Environment Agency procedures for. deep rivers 31 4.5 Appraisal of future options 39 4.6 Proposals for future sampling in deep rivers 58 5. Development of RIVPACS methodology for canals 67.. 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Objectives FT 5.3 Brief review of canals and their macroinvertebrate fauna: 67 5.4 Current Environment Agency procedures for canals 78 5.5 Appraisal of future options. 84 5.6 Proposals for future sampling in canals 88 6. References 95 Appendices 99, .. R&D Technical Report E7 1 -’ 111 ‘i LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1. Contents of the book based on the-RIVPACS International Workshop : held at Jesus College, Oxford between 16 and 18 September 1997. 9 Table 2.2 Status of the 24 chapters comprising the book on the RIVPACS Intemational:Workshop, as of December.1998 8 Table 3.1. Log abundance categories used to store raw family abundance data, 11 Table 3.2 Method of calculating the expected log abundance of individual taxa 11 Table 3.3. BMWP scores of all taxa in RIVPACS III 13 Table 3.4 The critical lower 5 percentile values of the abundance-based indices Q 14-Q 17 for, each of the three single seasons samples -for the 6 14 RIVPACS III reference sites. 17 Table 3.5. Characteristics of the stratified random selection of the 16 BAMS study. sites in terms-of (a) their quality bands as defined by range of O/E BMWP quality index values; (b) RIVPACS group environmental type and (c) the full list of the 16 sites selected for replicate sampling. 19 Table 3.6 Mean, standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (%CV =.. SD/mean) of the values of the abundance-based quality index 414 observed in replicate single season samples for each BAMS study site. 20 Table 3.7 Mean, standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (%CV = SD/mean) of the values of the abundance-based quality index 414 observed in replicate single season samples for each BAMS study site. 21. Table 3.8 Mean, standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (%CV =. SD/mean) of the values of the abundance-based quality index 416 observed in replicate single season samples for each BAMS study: site. 22. Table 3.9 Mean, standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (%CV = SD/mean) of the values of the abundance-based quality index Q17 observed in replicate single season samples for each BAMS study site. 23 Table 3.10 Regression of Log variance against Log mean for each abundance-based quality index (Each regression is based on n = 16 sites x 3’ single seasons = 48 observations). Log Variance = a + b Log Mean; r2 = % of variation’ in Log variance explained, p = significance probability for test of b=O. 22 .’ Table 3;ll Correlation of each-abundance-based quality index with O/Efor number: of BMWP taxa and O/E for.ASPT (based on n = 16 sites-x 3 single seasons = 48 observations). :. 23. Table 4.1 Sampling methods for deep river sites employed by. each area of the Environment Agency .as reported in the response to Question ,2. 33 R&D Technical Report E7 1 iv Table 4.2 Responses to Question 5 on some of the practical advantages and disadvantages of alternative procedures for sampling in deep water. 37 .. Table 4.3 Surnrnary of qualitative samplers suitable for different types of sub- strata in deep rivers. + = sampler is suitable; F = sampler sometimes fails. Airlift samplers used at an airflow ~200 1 mine’. (Data from Table 4 in Drake and Elliott 1982). 46 Table 4.4 R.Calder at Methley Bridge Raw data for each sampling method employed in a preliminary field trial on 8.10.98 49 Table 4.5 R.Calder at Methley Bridge The taxa from three replicate marginal sweep samples combined with the taxa from each of the other three sampling methods 50 Table 4.6 R.Aire at Allerton Bywater Raw data for each sampling method employed in a preliminary field trial on 8..10.98 51 Table 4.7 R.Aire at Allerton Bywater 8.10.98 The taxa from three replicate marginal sweep samples combined with the taxa from each of the other three sampling methods 52 Table 4.8 Families of macroinvertebrates in margin (kick/sweep) and benthic (dredge) samples at six sites along the R.Thames in 1984. Numbers for each taxon represent the sum of the log categories of abundance from samples taken in spring, summer and autumn. 54 Table 4.9 Number of families of macroinvertebrates in margin (kick/sweep) And benthic (dredge) samples at six sites along the R.Thames in 1984 (three seasons combined) 56 Table 4.10 Total number of BMWP taxa collected by pond-netting (5 x 15 set sampling units combined) in three zones and both banks of the R Thames at Didcot. 57 Table 5.1 Total length of canals in each Environment Agency Region, together with an indication of chemical quality, based on the 1990 RQS scheme and results. (Adapted from National Rivers Authority, 1991). 69 Table 5.2 Estimated length and number of canal SSSIs designated primarily for their channel interest (English Nature, 1995) in each Environment Agency Region. 70 Table 5.3 Allocation of 174 canal sites which were sampled during the 1990 River Quality Smey to the eight Regions within the Environment Agency.