USGS Activities on Big Cypress Creek

J. Bruce MoringU.S. Geological Survey

Austin, Texas512.927.3585

jbmoring@usgs.gov

-Estimate sediment budget and better characterization of sediment composition along entire creek

-Collect baseline geomorphological data to better assess the responses during and following flow releases (includes sediment characteristics, channel cross section and general assessment of channel condition)

-Duration of off-channel connectivity and persistence of water in floodplain required for fish and other aquatic organisms.

-Floodplain habitat mapping and tie to geomorphic features and historical development

-Floodplain inundation and bankfull discharge levels (also see Aquatic ecology)

Research Priorities from May 2005 Workshop

Fluvial Geomorphology

Research Priorities from May 2005 Work Shop

Aquatic Ecology

- How much of floodplain is inundated and how much fish access is available at various flow levels (>2000 cfs?) in various reaches of the creek? (including bankfull discharge level)

- Paddlefish and bluehead shiner ecology (including, is enough spawning area left in Big Cypress Bayou to support viable populations of each)

- Assessment of in-stream habitat availability at different low-flow levels

- Survey of non-game fishes (including 14 spp. of fish not documented recently) and benthic invertebrates (especially mussels) throughout basin.

Data Collection and Research Needs USGS and CLI Prioritized for 1st Year

-Characterize segment and reach-scale channel geomorphologic features and sediment composition in Big Cypress Creek downstream of Lake O’ the Pines in advance of prescribed releases.

-Conduct baseline reach-based assessments of the fish assemblage through the Big Cypress segment in advance of prescribed releases.

-Establish instrumented cross-sections at non-gaged locations for continuous monitoring of stage and temperature in advance of prescribed releases.

-Evaluate building-block prescribed flows in low-flow (i.e., below bankfull) channel in relation to channel features and aquatic habitat.

Site Reconnaissance (October 18-21, 2005)

Instrumented Cross Sections (February 7-9, 2006)

Baseline Fish Assemblage Survey (April 24-27, 2006)

Survey of Channel Features and Cross-Sections (September 18-22, 2006)

BC00

BC00 – Big Cypress below Jefferson (Rainey’s)BC01 – Big Cypress above Hwy 59 (Sander’s)BC02 – Big Cypress near Vickie Lynn Field (Locke’s)BC03 – Big Cypress below Lake O’ The Pines (Thomas Camp)

Pressure Transducer Installation

-Continuous recording (every 20 min) of stage and temperature.-Began recording in March 2006.-Battery check and data download every 2-3 weeks.-Use stage data to help develop stage to discharge rating for site.

Stage time series for same period(April 4 – 20th, 2006)at each site

BC01

BC02

BC03

Fish Assemblage Surveys

Cataraft electofishing Boat electrofishing

Barge electrofishing Seining

At each site - Reach-based fish assemblage survey - Equal sampling effort for electrofishing and seining - Fish Identified and counted on site. - Non-game species vouchered and problematic IDs submitted to University of Texas for verficiation.

Cumulative total of 34 species

Will probably add 5-10 more species whenfinal IDs are completed

Bigmouth buffalo, Blackstripe topminnow, Blacktail shiner, Bluegill, Bowfin,Brook silverside, Chain pickerel, Channel catfish, Common carp, Dusky darterFlathead catfish, Freckled madtom, Freshwater drum, Gizzard shad, Golden topminnow, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Largemouth bass, Logperch,Longear sunfish, Pirate perch, Pugnose minnow, Red shiner, Redbreast sunfish,Redear sunfish, Smallmouth buffalo, Spotted bass, Spotted gar, Spotted sucker,Spotted sunfish, Threadfin shad, Warmouth, Western mosquitofish, White crappie

Bowfin Dusky darter Redbreast sunfish

Pirate perch Flathead catfish

Channel Morphology and Aquatic Habitat

Reach- and transect-based assessmentsSurveyed channel cross-sections to determine - Bankful ht. - Bankfull width - Bank slope or angle - X-section profile for general channel form and HEC-RAS modeling

Transect measures (4 per reach) - Depth, width, habitat cover, velocities, canopy closure, bed substrate

Surveyed Channel and Aquatic Habitat Features - Thalweg profile, mesohabitats, snags, Cypress knees, etc. …

Surveying using total station

Aquatic habitat assessment along a transect

BC01

BC00

Canopy Closure of Channel

Current Velocities (from transect assessment)

BC00 – Velocity and habitatassessment from boat

BC03 – Wading dischargemeasurement

Velocity Profile from Acoustic Doppler (BC00)

BC00

BC01

Bankfull Height

BC00 -Thalweg channel profileusing acoustic doppler unit

BC03 - Thalweg channel profileusing total station, rod and prism

Sediment: Particle Size by Site

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Instream Flow Building BlocksBig Cypress Creek/ Caddo Lake

Low Flows

High FlowPulses

Floods

6,000-10,000 cfs for 2-3 daysEvery 3-5 years

*Maintain aquatic habitat in floodplain* Riparian seed dispersal

* Inhibition of upland vegetation for both creek & lake*Seed dispersal

* Vegetation removal

6,000 cfs for 2-3 days Every 2 years

•For channel maintenance and floodplain connectivity

Key

Dry Year

Avg Year

Wet Year90 cfs

Fish habitat218 – 49 cfs

Spawning habitat13 - 6 cfs

Maintain aquatic diversity40 - 90 cfsFish habitat

268-347 cfsPre-dam median

390 - 79 cfsBenthic drift & dispersal, fish spawning

35 - 40 cfsFish habitat

40 - 117 cfsPre-dam median

40 – 536 cfsMaintain biodiversity and connectivity (backwater & oxbows)

1,500 cfs for 2-3 days3-5X a year every year

* 1 occurring in March for Paddlefish* Sediment transport, oxbow connectivity

•Waterfowl habitat flushing(Includes December)

20,000 cfs for 2-3 daysEvery 10 years

*For channel migration

Evaluating Flow Building Blocks for the Low-Flow Channel

Riffle

Top of riffle elevation (= 7.2 cfs)

Pool

40 cfs

90 cfs

40 cfs

536 cfs

(40-536 cfs)

What’s Next in Big Cypress Big Cypress?

• Complete fish IDs• Compare observed vs. expected fish assemblages. Calc.IBI for

each site.• Continue transducer monitoring and data downloads (every 3 – 4

wks).• Complete channel morph. and habitat assessments (one site

remaining).

Short Term

What’s Next in Big Cypress, cont. ….

• Sediment budget and sediment characterization.• Benthic invertebrate surveys (possible emphasis on mussels).• Get instantaneous discharge measurement during higher flows for

developing site ratings (will coordinate with USGS Forth Worth to “chase” events with a doppler boat or tethered doppler unit).

• Additional fish surveys– Bluehead shiner occurrence and available spawning habitat– Meshohabitat-specific fish surveys

.

Longer Term