The Influence of Urban Stream Syndrome on Freshwater Stream Communities Implications for Restoration

George Guillen, Jenny Oakley and Stephen Curtis Environmental Institute of Houston University of Houston Clear Lake Presented at Urban Riparian Symposium 2/20/2015 February 12, 2015 1 Outline

• Stream Restoration Goals - • Modified Landscapes - LULC • Classical Urban Stream Syndrome • Role of Reservoirs – now and later • Influence of Wastewater – now an later • Invasive Species – interactions • Validation Monitoring

2/20/2015 2

Stream Restoration Project Goals • Water Quality Improvement – Biota – Human Use • Riparian Habitat – Aesthetics – Water Quality • Instream Habitat • Biological Integrity? • Urban Fisheries? • Can these be achieved given the landscape you are working in? 2/20/2015 3

Fish Habitat - What Fish Need • Flowing water or ponds? • Enough water and safe passage? • Thermal refugia? • Instream habitat? • Food supply?

2/20/2015 4 Stream Morphology vs. Species Guilds

Fluvial specialists Fluvial specialists, such are almost always found only in streams and rivers or are described as needing flowing water habitats throughout their life cycle.

Notropis atrocaudalis blackspot shiner

2/20/2015 5 Stream Flow Alteration

Spring spawning period many fish

Exposure of riffle habitat Benefit to predators and filter feeders (mussels

2/20/2015 6 Hydrology – the Master Variable

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2/20/2015 8

SP Bass

Dusky Darter

Blackspot shiner Kolbe and Luedke 2005

2/20/2015 10 Historical solution to deal with increased flooding due to increase in impervious surfaces

2/20/2015 11 2/20/2015 12 2/20/2015 13 Shaded

Partial Shading

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2/20/2015 15 Fish Passage

• American Eel

• Paddlefish

• Blue catfish

2/20/2015 16

2/20/2015 17 Higher Peak Flows

2/20/2015 18 Higher Base Flows – Effluent Dominated

= Fewer riffles = Elevated nutrients

Index of Hydrological Alteration – IHA 7 Output – White Oak at Heights 1937-2012 30 day minimum flow

2/20/2015 19 Urban Flow Regimes – typically favor opportunistic species - generalists

2/20/2015 20 Mims and Olden 2012. The Role of Invasives

• Disturbed habitat • Conducive to invasion • Most are herbivorous • Generalist spawners or mouth brooders • Aggressive • Sources: – Aquarium releases – Aquaculture – Vegetation control – Transplants – Wetland restoration

2/20/2015 21 Role of Invasive Species

2/20/2015 22 Fish Community – Rural Streams

2/20/2015 23 Peach Creek

2/20/2015 24 Longear sunfish Blacktail Redhorse

Brook Silverside Dusky Darter

2/20/2015 25 2/20/2015 26 Scaly Sand Darter Channel Catfish

Madtom

Blacktail Shiner

2/20/2015 27 Slough Darter

2/20/2015 28 Fish Community – Urban Streams

2/20/2015 29 Rummels Creek Cowards Creek

White Oak Bayou

White Oak Bayou

2/20/2015 30 Spotted Gar

Redear Sunfish Carp

2/20/2015 31 Armored Catfish

Spotted Bass

Gizzard Shad

2/20/2015 32 2/20/2015 33

Golden Shiner

2/20/2015 34 PCA Results – Relationship with other Variables (2007)

) Ty pe e c ACB n 4 a

i C oncrete r

a 3 Earthen v Eart/RipRap d

e 2 Went Plast/Cobble

n Emerg i Mg TSS RipRap a

l NTU 1 Bank_veg p Chl a DO Vel UnModEar

x pH Ammon Temp e Slope NO4 Flow 0 Ca Width % Phosp 5 Dep . -1 Sec tube Alk 7 Shade

1 Cond ( -2 2

t

n -3 e n o

p -4 m o

c -5 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 component 1 (20.9% explained variance) Comprehensive Restoration Strategy

• First rehabilitate the watershed if you can • Need to evaluate restoration goals in the framework of existing and plausible changes in watershed characteristics – Demographics –potential for growth – Likely changes in LULC – Likely changes in public works – Future pressures on riparian land

2/20/2015 36 Validation Monitoring

• The need to learn and expand our knowledge base. • Incorporate metrics that address structure and function • E.g. nutrients and attached algae, chlorophyll • Monitor forms of chemicals – breakdown products

2/20/2015 37 Questions?

2/20/2015 38 Complex Feedback Mechanisms between Flow, Water Quality and Geomorphology

Walsh et al. 2005.

2/20/2015 39 Walsh et al. 2005. - Solutions to Urban Stream Syndrome

2/20/2015 40