Golf Course Reach of Ithan Creek: A Case Study for Watershed Protection and Restoration
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Transcript of Golf Course Reach of Ithan Creek: A Case Study for Watershed Protection and Restoration
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Golf Course Reach of Ithan Creek: A Case Study for Watershed Protection and Restoration
_________________________
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A Reach of a Creek through a Golf Course: Two Questions
____________________________• How can best practices for turf lawn
maintenance be encouraged or better regulated on golf courses?
• What is the best way to carry out stream bank restoration if it is to occur?
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Typical Pennsylvania Streams of Centuries Ago
_______________________________
www. Landstudies.com
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For several centuries
in the mid-Atlantic
states, erosion from
agriculture delivered
tons of sediment to
streams
and sediment built
up behind mill dams.
www.ohiobarns.com
Shaping Banks over Time through Erosion, Sedimentation, and Erosion
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Sediments Accumulate behind Dams and Spread Both Upstream and Parallel to the Stream flow
_________________________________________
http://www.vtwaterquality.org/wqd_mgtplan/images/DamEffects02.jpg
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• In the past the land denuded by farmers melted away as
erosion and filled flood plains with sediments
• Now, rapid and forceful stormwater run-off occurs due to
impervious surfaces
• Banks erode,
particularly
alluvial sediments
• Result = Streams
deeply incised.
www.bucknell.edu
Shaping Banks over Time by Erosion, Sedimentation, and Erosion
____________________________________________
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Streams Cut Down through Alluvial Sediments
Walter and Merritts, Science Jan 18, 2008
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Deeply Incised Stream in New Sediments
Walter and Merritts, Science Jan 18, 2008
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www.bucknell.edu
Familiar steep, straight
(or undercut) banks
--Probably not the way
that streams looked
prior to European
colonization of this part
of the country.
Shaping Banks through time by erosion, sedimentation, and erosion.
______________________________________________
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Ithan Creek Matches this pattern
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• Ithan Creek stretches that are deeply incised.
• Radnor Valley Country Club wished to restore the banks of the Ithan Creek where it ran through their property.
• Studied macroinvertebrates and fish in Ithan Creek where it courses through Radnor Valley Country Club.
• Compared golf course reach to upstream section of creek through forested area that belongs to Conestoga Swim Club upstream.
Our Study of A Golf Course area of the Ithan Creek
vs. A Forested Area___________________________________________
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Darby Creek Watershed
http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/portals/39/siteimages/Civil/RSM/watershed.jpg
RadnorValleyCountry Club onIthan Creek
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Upstream forested area Ithan Creek
Thus there is food and shelter formacroinvertebrates
Through the swim club- the streambed is free stone, boulders, logs, branches, and leave packs with riffles, runs and deep pools.
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The shallow grass roots allow erosion.
Any rocks are buried in coarse sand.
There is no habitat for any invertebrates except burrowers such as worms.
Downstream in the grassy area
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METHODS• Fish
surveyed by seining
• Macroinvertebrate IBI score
PA DEP scoring system between 0 and 100 calculation based on:Total taxaIntolerant taxaShannon diversity index Modified Beck’s indexHilsenhoff biotic indexEPT taxa
• A stream with a score over 90 =an “A” Stream
• Developed by Chalfant et al., 2007 PA DEP
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RESULTSFish use both sections of the stream
• Several species of minnows and shiners, plus white suckers, abundant blacknose dace, and in a deep area with submerged vegetation-the banded killifish.
• Fish cruise back and forth ---
– Hide under the rocks and logs in the deep pools and upstream forested area.
– Can be seen in the golf course section in multi-species schools.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Whr8IyfE4n4/UV8e_SwWK3I/AAAAAAAAAEA/NbYgkSPcZR4/s1600/banded_killifish.jpg
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Average IBI scores over two years
15.2 16.3
24.2
30.1
30.5
16.4
45.543.7
Feb April July Oct
Forested Reach
Grassy Reach
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Total IBI scores over two years out of a possible score of 100- values similar to those found by
PA DEP in same watershed
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Feb April July Oct
RVCC
CSC
Forested Reach
Grassy Reach
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Average Total Taxa Forested vs. Grassy Areas
0
5
10
15
20
25
February April July October
Forested Reach
Grassy Reach
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Grassy vs. Forested Area Average EPT over two years
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
February April July October
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Conclusion from Golf Course vs. Forested Reach Study
• Overall, IBI scores are low, but similar to PA DEP scores in same geographical area.
• The forested area of the stream supports a vibrant community that could colonize the restored area downstream if the restoration occurs.
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Bottom Line • Lack of riparian buffer has led to significant erosion
of the golf course soils.
• The eroded sediment have apparently covered the free stone streambed that previously provided habitat for the macroinvertebrate community.
• The golf course reach does not support a healthy aquatic macroinvertebrate community.
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Questions to Consider
• How can best practices for turf lawn maintenance be encouraged or better regulated on golf courses?
– How to convince clubs to use less pesticides and herbicides?
– Riparian buffer an obvious aid--How to convince the club members that wild is beautiful?
– Or should this be regulated?
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Second Question
• What is the best way to carry out restoration if it is to occur?
How to transition between a restored reach and the adjacent properties?
What to do with sediments removed?
What type of bank restoration given that current streams are so far from their originalform?
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Acknowledgements
• Thank you to Radnor Valley Country Club and Conestoga Swim Club for permission to study Ithan Creek on their properties and Gary Kleiman for facilitating the study at RVCC
• Thank you to Adam DiCaprio, Rachael Vietheer, Matt Dougherty, and Sarah Polekoff for their contributions to this research project.
• This research was supported by VanSant and Mellon Funds at Ursinus College.
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Photo Credits: • Radnor Valley Country Club and Conestoga Swim Club:
Kate Goddard LandStudiesSarah Wadsworth Gary Kleiman
• Incised stream www.bucknell.edu
• Forested creek http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3pF9LvECRF8/UcuOjRYdzQI/AAAAAAAAJMA/cQ1bHy48wEc/s1600/darby-creek-2.jpg
Permits: All collections done under PA Fish and Boat Commission Scientific Collection Permit No. 254, Aquatic Educator Permit Type 1 No. 32, and a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Studies Referenced:
Walter, Robert C., and Dorothy J. Merritts. "Natural streams and the legacy of water-powered mills." Science 319.5861 (2008): 299-304.
PA DEP Macroinvertebrate Studies of Philadelphia Area Watersheds http://DCVA.org
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http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/techguide/wpb/Streambank_and_Shoreline_Stabilization_Guidance_Book_Revised_April_2011.pdf
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Kent Park, Drexel Hill PA October 2012 photo by Sarah Polekoff
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