Post on 18-Dec-2015
Rivers and PeopleMaintaining nature’s benefits
Environmental Flow Science, Opportunities and Barriers
Jeanmarie Haney jhaney@tnc.org
SummarySituational analysisFreshwater ecosystem servicesHow human’s have changed Arizona’s riversHow The Nature Conservancy does its workThe natural flow paradigmThe science of environmental flowsDiscussion
Damsel fly
U.S Census
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025 2050
Po
pu
lati
on
(M
illio
ns)
Year
U.S Census
Arizona’s Population in 2000
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025 2050
Po
pu
lati
on
(M
illio
ns)
Year
U.S Census
AZDept.
Economic
Security
Arizona’s Future Population
Red Rock Crossing with Cathedral Rock
Kayaking the Verde River through Cottonwood
Golf course – Verde Santa Fe, Cottonwood
Orchards and pasture in Camp Verde
Flowing Rivers
Past
Choices for Our Changing Rivers
Flowing Rivers
Lost Rivers
Human Footprint
Present
Choices for Our Changing Rivers
Flowing Rivers
Lost Rivers
Threatened Rivers
Human Footprint
Future Choices
Choices for Our Changing Rivers
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all
life depends.
TNC’s Role
Promote water management that
considers human and ecosystem water needs
San Pedro River basin, Cochise County
Science and Policy
ScienceWhere water comes fromWhere it is goingHow much water do the rivers needMeeting human and ecosystem needs
PolicyUnderstand community valuesDevelop collaborative partnershipsSupport integrated water
management
Cottonwood
Ecosystem Water Needs
What are the spatial and temporal patterns of surface and sub-surface water needed to maintain the integrity and long-term viability of riparian and aquatic ecosystems?
The provision of water in sufficient quality, quantity, timing and duration to maintain freshwater ecosystems and their benefits.
The allocation of water to achieve a desired environmental condition.
Environmental Flows
Definition from World Conservation Unit
Rivers and Groundwater
Environmental Flow Components
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Day of Year
Riv
er F
low
(cf
s)
Low Flow High Flow Pulses Large Flood Extreme Low Flow Small Flood
ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW COMPONENTS
Day of Year
Str
ea
mflo
w (
cfs)
Low flow
High flow
pulse
Large flood
Extreme low flow
Small flood
Magnitude, frequency, duration, timing, rate of change
Streamflow Regime
For each:
Output from TNC’s IHA
software
Minimum Integrity Threshol
ds
Natural Ranges of Variation
Tying Biologic Needs to Hydrologic Conditions
1
10
100
1000
10000
100000
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
Dis
ch
arg
e, c
fs
Paulden Clarkdale Camp Verde
The Verde River – three USGS gages
Verde River Measured and Adjusted Discharge
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
51 49 46 42 41 41 40 39 38 38 38 37 35 33 32 29 28 27 24 22 19 17 16 16 13 10 7 3
Miles Upstream from Camp Verde gage
Dis
char
ge,
cfs
Measured Streamflow Reconstructed Streamflow
Cot
tonw
ood
Ditc
h
Ver
de (
Woo
ds)
Ditc
h
OK
Ditc
h
Eur
eka
Ditc
h
Dia
mon
d S
Ditc
h
Tun
ne
l Div
ersi
on
Cla
rkd
ale
gag
e
Cottonwood Ditch return flows
Oak
Cre
ek
Bea
ver
Cre
ek
W. C
lear
Cre
ek
Cam
p V
erd
e g
age
Hickey Ditch
Bea
sley
Fla
ts
Data from Bills, D. 2008. Summer base flow evaluation of the Middle Verde River.
How do we DO it?2003: Global review found 207 methodologies
applied in 44 countries in six world regions.
Tharme, R.E. 2003. A global perspective on environmental flow assessment: River Res. Applic. 19: 397–441
Poff, et al 2009. The ecological limits of
hydrologic alteration (ELOHA): a new framework
for developing regional environmental flow
standards. Freshwater Biology: 1365-2427
2009
Water ChemistryAll Water Chemistry Regimes
Water Temperature Regime
Water-Borne Organic Matter Regime
Water Turbidity/Clarity Regime
key ecological factors ofBiological
Composition andStructure,& Biotic
Interactions
ClimatePrecipitation Temperature
Regime
Precipitation Chemistry Regime
Precipitation Event Regime
Freeze/Thaw RegimeEnergy InputsSolar Radiation Influx Regime
Geothermal Energy Regime
Sediment & GeomorphologyBed Sediment Porosity-Texture
Regime
Bed/Bank Sediment Chemistry Regime
Bed Sediment Erosion-Deposition Regime
Coarse Organic Matter Accumulation Regime
HydrologyWater Flow Regime
Water Elevation Regime
Water Circulation Regime
Surface/Groundwater Exchange Regime
Ice Transport Regime
ConnectivityDrainage Channel
Connectivity Regime
Flood Inundation-Recession Connectivity Regime
Generic Freshwater Integrity Diagram
Non-Native Species!
Verde River Ecological Flows WorkshopExperts created conceptual models of hydrology-biology relationships
Authors
• Jeanmarie Haney– The Nature
Conservancy • Dale Turner
– The Nature Conservancy
• Abe Springer– NAU, PI
• Julie Stromberg– ASU
• Larry Stevens– Museum of N. Arizona
• Phil Pearthree– Arizona Geological
Survey• Vashti Supplee
– Audubon Arizona
www.azconservation.org
speckled dace
Sonora sucker
Bald Eagle
Skipper butterfly
Ruby spot damsel fly
Wood duck
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
©Jack Mills
Critical Thresholds Ecological processes and states have “natural
ranges of variation”
Critical thresholds can be defined from an understanding of the natural ranges of variation
If a key ecological factor exceeds these limits, target will lose its integrity
You can not restore target integrity so long as an altered factor remains outside a critical threshold
Flow-ecology response curves for native fish and garter snake
Flow-ecology response curves for cottonwood (seedlings and mature trees), tamarisk, and mesquite
Well Point Installation
Campbell Ranch
Middle Verde
Three Study Sites
- riparian vegetation
- fish
- aquatic insects
West Clear Creek
Phase II
0
2
4
6
0 50 100 150 200 250
Distance (m)
Ele
vati
on
(m
)
Cross section Vegetation plots Piezometers Interpolated MaxGW InterpolatedAvgGW
Phase II
• Vegetation measured in plots (stream edge to terrace)
• For each plot:- depth to water table
interpolated- flood frequency estimated
Depth-to-water for riparian trees and shrubsvaries among species and functional types
Goodding’s willow Fremont cottonwood Desert willow Netleaf hackberry
Salix gooddingii Populus fremontii Chilopsis linearis Celtis laevigata var. reticulata
Verde River
Ma
xim
um
se
aso
na
l de
pth
to
wa
ter
tab
le (
m)
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
Hydric pioneersXericpioneer
Mesicpioneer
e.g. cottonwood, willow
e.g. tamarisk, boxelder, ash, ailanthuse.g. mesquite, walnut, hackberry
Phase II
Low-flow channel zone, pre-monsoon season
Stream flow permanence (%)
0 20 40 60 80 100
He
rb
ace
ou
s w
etla
nd
pe
re
nn
ial co
ve
r (
%)
0
20
40
60
80
100San Pedro R.Hassayampa R.Verde R.Cienega Ck.Santa Cruz R.Regression line
Stream flow permanence (%)
0 20 40 60 80 100
He
rb
ace
ou
s s
pe
cie
s r
ich
ne
ss (
no
. p
er m
2)
0
2
4
6
8
Low-flow channel zone, pre-monsoon season
Stream flow permanence (%)
0 20 40 60 80 100
He
rb
ace
ou
s w
etla
nd
p
ere
nn
ia
l co
ve
r (%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100San Pedro R.Hassayampa R.Verde R.Cienega Ck.Santa Cruz R.Regression line
Stream flow permanence (%)
0 20 40 60 80 100
He
rb
ace
ou
s sp
ecie
s rich
ne
ss (n
o. p
er m
2)
0
2
4
6
8
Low-flow channel zone, pre-monsoon season
Stream flow permanence (%)
0 20 40 60 80 100
He
rb
ace
ou
s w
etla
nd
p
ere
nn
ial co
ve
r (%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100San Pedro R.Hassayampa R.Verde R.Cienega Ck.Santa Cruz R.Regression line
Stream flow permanence (%)
0 20 40 60 80 100
He
rb
ace
ou
s sp
ecie
s ric
hn
ess (n
o. p
er m
2)
0
2
4
6
8
Streamside herbaceous species
Linear responseThreshold response
Phase II
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.60
5
10
15
20
25
f(x) = 3.4919911574491 x + 4.76335305110757R² = 0.135439750844352
f(x) = 0.691156221821468 x + 2.21117126793202R² = 0.119744677750793
Log10 DenLinear (Log10 Den)Total No. Spp
Velocity (m/s)
Velocity (m/s)
Den
sity
/m2 o
rS
pecie
s R
ich
ness
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
Velocity consistently positively related to macroinvertebrate variables
Phase II
©Jeanmarie Haney/TNC
Hydrology- fish relationships
Fish Sampling Site Distribution
050
100150200250300350400450
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f S
amp
lin
g S
ites
13 native + 30 nonnative fish species in watershed
Conclusions: Verde River flows and biodiversityVegetation Water table decline- thresholds of mortality of
cottonwood, willow, shifts to shrubbier species
Base flow decline – thresholds of mortality of bulrush, other streamside wetland plants
Increased stream intermittency- species richness and total cover show linear response
Birds Decline of obligate riparian birds as forests decrease in structural complexity
Aquatic invertebrates
Velocity positively correlated to density, species richness and diversity.
Fish Habitat-flow associations, native/non-native competition
Determining flow-ecology associations
Habitat models
Multivariate analyses
Hydrological and biologic metrics
Hydraulic models
Phase III - USGS
How does stream flow affect habitat availability?
U.S. ExamplesTexas “Environmental flow standards”
Connecticut “Flow regulation for all rivers and stream systems”
Florida “Minimum flows and levels”
Michigan “Withdrawals from new large capacity wells cannot decrease flows such that stream functionally would be impaired.”
The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
Alan Kay
Verde River – Dead Horse Point State Park
Verde River – Beasley Flat
Jeanmarie Haney
jhaney@tnc.org
nature.org
azconservation.org
Example Freshwater Conservation Targets
Gila River riverine habitat Gila Basin fish community: Gila chub, spikedace,
loach minnow, desert pupfish, Gila topminnow, longfin dace, desert sucker, Sonoran sucker
Fremont cottonwood / Goodding willow forestMesquite bosqueGiant sacaton grassland Riverine marshRiparian scrubGroundwater fed cienegas
A Framework for Assessing Target Integrity
Identify the “Key Ecological Factors” for each conservation target
Identify one or more “Indicators” for each factor
Identify critical conservation “Thresholds” and “Management Goals” for these indicators
“Rate” target integrity using the indicators to assess target status
Key Ecological Factors
Those critical features of the target and its environment that we must maintain, in order to ensure its long-term integrity
• SizeAbundance or area
• ConditionBiological compositionSpatial structure Biotic interactions
• Landscape contextEnvironmental regimes and
constraints Environmental connectivity
Key Ecological Factors