Defining Ecosystem Flow Requirements for the Bill Williams River, Arizona Edited by Patrick B. Shafroth and Vanessa B. Beauchamp Open-File Report 2006–1314 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 2006 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Suggested citation: Shafroth, P.B., and Beauchamp, V.B., 2006, Defining ecosystem flow requirements for the Bill Williams River, Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2006-1314, 135 p. Also available online at: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/products/publications/21745/21745.pdf Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. Cover photograph courtesy of Patrick Shafroth, U.S. Geological Survey ii Contents Chapter 1. Background and Introduction By A. Hautzinger, P.B. Shafroth, V.B. Beauchamp, and A. Warner ................................................................1 Study Area Description ..................................................................................................................................................2 Flow-Biota Relations.......................................................................................................................................................3 Flow Categories ...............................................................................................................................................................6 Flow Timing................................................................................................................................................................6 Flow Magnitude ........................................................................................................................................................6 Chapter 2. Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology By P.K. House, P.B. Shafroth, and V.B. Beauchamp..........................................................................................9 Regional Hydroclimatology............................................................................................................................................9 Surfacewater Hydrology................................................................................................................................................9 Big Sandy and Santa Maria Rivers .....................................................................................................................10 Bill Williams River...................................................................................................................................................10 Effects of Alamo Dam Operation on the Bill Williams River Flow Regime ...................................................12 Representative Crosssections and Stage-Discharge Curves ........................................................................17 Fluvial Geomorphology .................................................................................................................................................17 Longitudinal Profile ................................................................................................................................................17 Predam Condition ...................................................................................................................................................19 Postdam Geomorphology......................................................................................................................................21 Conceptual Framework for Assessing Postdam Geomorphic Change on the Bill Williams River ..........23 Beaver Dams ...........................................................................................................................................................26 Groundwater Dynamics ...............................................................................................................................................27 Water Quality .................................................................................................................................................................29 Chapter 3. Streamflow-Biota Relations: Riparian Vegetation By P.B. Shafroth and V.B. Beauchamp ..............................................................................................................31 Floodflows.......................................................................................................................................................................31 Baseflows and Alluvial Groundwater Conditions....................................................................................................32 Bill Williams River Vegetation Dynamics..................................................................................................................32 Relationships Between Flow Components and Cottonwood Life History...........................................................34 Application of the Recruitment Box to the Bill Williams River..............................................................................36 Seed Germination ...................................................................................................................................................36 Early Seedling Survival..........................................................................................................................................36 Later Seedling Survival..........................................................................................................................................36 Extension of Cottonwood Flow Models to Other Woody Riparian Species .......................................................36 Flow Connections to Taxa with Warm Season Phenology....................................................................................38 Flow Connections to Herbaceous Plants..................................................................................................................38 Chapter 4. Streamflow-Biota Relations: Birds By C.E. van Riper III and C.E. Paradzick .............................................................................................................41 General Responses of Major Bird Groups to Flood Flows and Low Flows.........................................................41 Deepwater and Shallowwater Birds...................................................................................................................41 iii Predators and Scavengers ...................................................................................................................................42 Gamebirds................................................................................................................................................................42 Forestbirds ...............................................................................................................................................................42 Specific Examples of Flow-Avian Biota Relationships in the Bill Williams River ..............................................43 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher ........................................................................................................................43 Yellow-Billed Cuckoo.............................................................................................................................................45 Chapter 5. Streamflow-Biota Relations: Fish and Aquatic Macroinvertebrates By D.A. Lytle ............................................................................................................................................................51 Relationships Between Habitat and Species Composition ...................................................................................51 Lotic Versus Lentic Habitats.................................................................................................................................51 Overview of Aquatic Organisms in the Bill Williams River Below Alamo Dam .................................................54 Aquatic Invertebrates Below Alamo Dam .........................................................................................................54 Fish Below Alamo Dam..........................................................................................................................................54 Relationships Between Flow Events and Species Distributions ..........................................................................54 Resistance Versus Resilience..............................................................................................................................54 Evolutionary Adaptations to Flood and Drought ...............................................................................................55 Examples of Flow-Biota Relationships in the Bill Williams River .........................................................................56