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Ecological Implications of Verde River Flows

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Ecological Implications of Verde River Flows Ecological Implications of Verde River Flows February 2008 Ecological Implications of Verde River Flows Prepared by Jeanmarie A. Haney, The Nature Conservancy Dale S. Turner, The Nature Conservancy Abe E. Springer, Northern Arizona University Juliet C. Stromberg, Arizona State University Lawrence E. Stevens, Museum of Northern Arizona Philip A. Pearthree, Arizona Geological Survey Vashti Supplee, Audubon Arizona Prepared in cooperation with the Arizona Water Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Verde River Basin Partnership. February 2008 Dedicated to Laurie Wirt (1958-2006) The Verde River Ecological Flows report is dedicated to the memory of Laurie Wirt. Laurie worked as a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey. Laurie believed that good science should guide decision-making about water resources, and she was tireless in her pursuit of scientific data to document the nature of the hydrologic connection between the Big Chino aquifer and the upper Verde River. Laurie always had time for interested citizens as well as fellow scientists. Laurie brought warmth and happiness, as well as increased hydrologic fluency, to a whole range of people. Laurie died pursuing one of her passions – white water kayaking. She is deeply missed and frequently remembered. This report is available online at: http://vrpartnership.com/ http://azconservation.org/ Suggested citation: Haney, J.A., D.S. Turner, A.E. Springer, J.C. Stromberg, L.E. Stevens, P.A. Pearthree, and V. Supplee. 2008. Ecological Implications of Verde River Flows. A report by the Arizona Water Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and the Verde River Basin Partnership. viii + 114 pages. Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 By Jeanmarie A. Haney Chapter 2 Background: Hydrology of the Upper and Middle Verde River ................................................................. 5 By Abe E. Springer and Jeanmarie A. Haney Chapter 3 Background: Fluvial Geomorphology and Flood History of the Verde River ........................................... 15 By Philip A. Pearthree Chapter 4 Background: Stream Flow Regimes and Riparian Vegetation of the Verde River ...................................... 33 By Juliet C. Stromberg Chapter 5 Background: Wildlife and Flow Relationships in the Verde River Watershed ........................................... 51 By Lawrence E. Stevens, Dale S. Turner, and Vashti Supplee Chapter 6 Workshop Results: Steps Toward Understanding Ecological Response to Hydrologic Variation in the Verde River .................................................................................................................................... 71 By Dale S. Turner and Jeanmarie A. Haney Chapter 7. Synthesis: Verde River Flows and Ecosystem Water Needs ....................................................................... 89 By Jeanmarie A. Haney and Dale S. Turner Appendix 1. Workshop Participants ........................................................................................................ 97 Appendix 2. Verde River Fish Habitat Needs ........................................................................................... 99 Appendix 3. Ecological Significance of the Flow Regime Categories ...................................................... 106 Appendix 4. Review Comments and Responses ..................................................................................... 108 Figures 1-1. Regional hydrologic context of the Verde River ......................................................................................2 1-2. An initial conceptual ecological model for the Verde River .....................................................................3 1-3. Conceptual flow-ecology response curve ................................................................................................4 2-1. Verde River Watershed ...........................................................................................................................7 2-2. Locations of known springs along the upper Verde River from Sullivan Lake to Sycamore Creek ...........8 2-3. Comparison of annual deviations for rainfall at selected gages and snowfall from selected gages in the upper and middle Verde River watersheds ..................................................................................12 2-4. Monthly median flow at the three gages in the study area.....................................................................12 2-5. Mean daily streamflow for the Verde River near Paulden, Clarkdale, and Camp Verde .........................13 2-6. Base flow in the Verde River from the mouth of Granite Creek to the gaging station near Camp Verde .........................................................................................................................................13 2-7. Cumulative departure from average winter base flow ............................................................................14 3-1. Watershed and locations of stream gages and paleoflood study sites ......................................................15 3-2. Examples of canyon and alluvial reaches of the Verde River ..................................................................17 3-3. An example of riffles and pools of the low flow channel, within the much larger flood channel covered with fresh sediment and little vegetation .................................................................................18 3-4. Pools and riffles are characteristic of the low-flow channel ....................................................................19 3-5. Gravel bars of alternating orientation deposited in the flood channel form the architecture of the system through which the low-flow channel flows ..........................................................................20 3-6. Variations in low-flow channel width (riffles and pools) and flood channel width for the Sycamore Creek confluence canyon reach and the Tuzigoot-Dead Horse Ranch State Park alluvial reach ............21 3-7. Examples of the flood channel..............................................................................................................23 3-8. Annual peak discharges for the 4 stream gages on the Verde River above Horseshoe Reservoir .............25 3-9. Historical channel changes on the Verde River near Cottonwood .........................................................27 3-10. Channel changes in the canyon reach above and below the confluence with Sycamore Creek .............28 3-11. Human impacts to the river in the Clarkdale area ..............................................................................31 4-1. Schematic of general changes in riparian vegetation with changes in water availability and flood intensity/frequency along Southwestern desert rivers ...........................................................................34 4-2. Means for the seasonal maximum depth to groundwater at sites occupied by common tree and shrub species along the Upper San Pedro River ..............................................................................................37 4-3. Abundance of Fremont cottonwood and tamarisk in the floodplain of the San Pedro River as a function of the degree of stream flow intermittency at the site .............................................................38 4-4. Examples of stream flow-riparian vegetation response curves, based on data from the San Pedro River ...................................................................................................................................................42 4-5. Schematic diagram of some changes in riparian vegetation of Southwestern desert rivers in response to declines in surface flow and water table level ...........................................................................................43 5-1: Percent of native fish spawning, egg production, and larval rearing across the year in the Verde River basin ....................................................................................................................................................56 5-2: Comparative niche analysis of native Verde River fishes as a function of depth and velocity preferenda, and trophic position ..........................................................................................................57 5-3: Cumulative habitat use score for amphibians and reptiles across the array of Verde River habitat types ........................................................................................................................................60 5-4: Cumulative habitat use score for Verde River bird species across the array of habitat types ...................61 5-5: Cumulative habitat use score for Verde River mammals across the array of habitat types ......................64 v 5-6. Cumulative habitat use score for Verde River vertebrates, excluding fish, across the array of habitat types ........................................................................................................................................66 6-1. Hypothetical response of several woody species and associated wildlife to groundwater depth ..............76 6-2. Hypothetical response of Goodding willow to groundwater depth .......................................................77
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