Natural Resources and Conservation Commons^™

Rivernet Watershed Access Lab Program Overview, Kevin Curry, Kim Mccoy

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Brief presentation on the history of the RiverNet Watershed Access Lab Project and the achievements of the many participating teachers and hundreds of students throughout Southeastern Massachusetts.

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 12 - Mitigation Of The Negative Impacts On Biodiversity And Fisheries Values Of The Refurbishment Of Waroona Dam, South-Western Australia (Final Report For The Water Corporation Of Western Australia), Brett Molony, Stephen Beatty, Chris Bird, Vinh Nguyen

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

In addition to the supply of water for agriculture, irrigation dams of south-western Australia are important systems for recreational activities, including fishing (Molony & Bird 2002, Molony et al. 2002a). Lake Navarino (the reservoir created by Waroona Dam, figures 1 and 2, approx. 115° 55 E 32° 51 S) is the first major public access reservoir south of the Perth Metropolitan Area and is an important component of the Recreational Marron (Cherax tenuimanus') Fishery (RMF) (Molony 2001a, 2002a, 2003a, Molony & Bird 2002, Beatty et al. 2003a). Further, it is the most northerly irrigation dam that is regularly stocked with …

Cesu Agreements: Beyond Traditional Science Applications, Margaret N. Rees

Presentations (PLI)

Partnering with four federal land-management agencies

• Bureau of Land Management
• National Park Service
• U.S. Forest Service
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Monitoring Temporal Change In Riparian Vegetation Of Great Basin National Park, E. A. Beever, D. A. Pyke, J. C. Chambers, F. Landau, S. D. Smith, K. Murray

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Disturbance in riparian areas of semiarid ecosystems involves complex interactions of pulsed hydrologic flows, herbivory, fire, climatic effects, and anthropogenic influences. We resampled riparian vegetation within ten 10-m × 100-m plots that were initially sampled in 1992 in 4 watersheds of the Snake Range, east central Nevada. Our finding of significantly lower coverage of grasses, forbs, and shrubs within plots in 2001 compared with 1992 was not consistent with the management decision to remove livestock grazing from the watersheds in 1999. Change over time in cover of life-forms or bare ground was not predicted by scat counts within plots in …

An Inventory Of Rangelands In Part Of The Broome Shire, Western Australia, W E. Cotching

Technical Bulletins

The inventory of rangelands in part of the Broome Shire in Western Australia was undertaken by DAFWA between 1989 and 1990. It describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the natural area’s resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The survey of part of the Broome Shire …

The Use Of Discontinuities And Functional Groups To Assess Relative Resilience In Complex Systems, Craig R. Allen, L. Gunderson, A. R. Johnson

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

It is evident when the resilience of a system has been exceeded and the system qualitatively changed. However, it is not clear how to measure resilience in a system prior to the demonstration that the capacity for resilient response has been exceeded. We argue that self-organizing human and natural systems are structured by a relatively small set of processes operating across scales in time and space. These structuring processes should generate a discontinuous distribution of structures and frequencies, where discontinuities mark the transition from one scale to another. Resilience is not driven by the identity of elements of a system, …

Factors Affecting Regional Variation In Growth Of Channel Catfish, Bart W. Durham, Kevin L. Pope, Gene R. Wilde

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

We related the length at age of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, an indirect measure of growth, to three climatic and five morphoedaphic variables in 144 Texas reservoirs. Growth of channel catfish ages 3 through 6 was negatively related to longitude, a factor that explained as much as 34% of the variation in length at age. Channel catfish length at age was not significantly related to latitude, conductivity, morphoedaphic index, mean depth, and maximum depth in all age-classes. Among age-7 channel catfish, length at age was positively related to reservoir area, which explained 35% of the variation in growth. A …

Forever Earth Program: An Overview, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (DM)

• Education
• Scientific studies and research
• Water quality monitoring
• Command post activities

Internal Phosphorus Loading In Spring Lake: Year 2, Dr. Alan Steinman, Dr. Rick Rediske, Mrs. Lori Nemeth

Scientific Technical Reports

Experimental and desktop studies were conducted during 2004 to better understand the factors affecting internal phosphorus (P) loading in Spring Lake, Michigan. A prior study in 2003 resulted in estimates that between 55 and 65% of the total phosphorus entering the water column of Spring Lake, on an annual basis, originated via internal loading from the sediments. The results from the current study indicated the following:

Phosphorus release rates were no different at alum concentrations of ≥ 15 mg alum/L compared to 24 mg/L. However, the higher alum concentration is likely to provide greater spatial coverage over the sediments in …

Accuracy Of Neural Network Classifiers In Humid Tropical Areas, Genong Yu

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research develops a better understanding of the use of neural networks in the context of tropical land cover characterization using multiple scale remotely sensed data. Results of the research contributed to developing a robust neural network classifier suitable to use for humid tropical land cover classification in areas such as Altamira, Brazil. Research was focused upon the following: (1) performance ofneural networks with different ancillary data- such as DEM (digital elevation model) and its derivatives; (2) effect of spatial scale on neural network classifiers using remote sensing data from IKONOS, Landsat TM, ASTER, and MODIS; (3) accuracy of neural …

Karst Of Western Cuba: Observations, Geomorphology, And Diagenesis, Larry D. Seale, Limaris R. Soto, Lee J. Florea, Beth Fratesi

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

In Cuba, we observed many karst features in a variety of hydrogeologic settings. These hy-drogeologic settings occur in close proximity only because of the complex tectonic history of the is-land. We observed caves within rocks ranging from Pleistocene to Jurassic, and representing a range of diagenetic ages from eogenetic to teloge-netic. Our observations are from the western one-third of the island of Cuba; however, we believe they are representative of hydrogeologic settings found throughout the island.

An Initial Study Of Town Brook, West Yarmouth, Ma

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Students from the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School began a study this year of Town Brook in West Yarmouth, MA. This year’s activity was the start of what is intended to be a multi-year study of the brook and its associated ponds. The focus of the study was to examine the physical and biological characteristics of the brook as a means of helping to determine the fitness of the brook for the re-introduction of herring to the system.

Town Brook lies within a town conservation area and is supplied water from Little Sandy Pond. The pond is a kettle pond with …

Effects Of Runoff From Downtown Middleboro On The Nemasket River

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The Nemasket River Watershed has an area of approximately 7.5 square miles. Historically this river has been used for commerce and transportation, fishing and recreation and, more recently, as a sink for wastewater effluent and urban runoff.

Our investigation was to determine what effects, if any, the runoff from “urban” Middleboro was having on the water quality just downstream from the town center and it’s aquatic life.

Our hypothesis was that the downstream location would be impacted from the increased runoff from the urban setting. The increase in pollution would be due to the increase in imperviousness of the urban …

A Water Quality Study Of The Braintree Farm River

Watershed Access Lab Projects

This water quality study was conducted on the Farm River in Braintree, Massachusetts. The Farm River is classified as a Class B, Warm Water Fisheries River. The river drains an area of 7.9 square miles and is part of the Fore River Watershed (a sub watershed of the Boston Basin), which includes parts of eight surrounding cities and towns. It is a 2.7 mile segment that originates from an outlet of the Great Pond in the Blue Hills of Braintree. At the Braintree Golf Course, it joins with the Cochato River to form the headwaters of the Monatiquot.

During the …

Marina Bay: A Glimpse At The Neponset River Watershed

Watershed Access Lab Projects

This presentation was prepared as an overview of a six-month study conducted by the eighth-grade Girls’ Environmental Group at Atlantic Middle School in North Quincy. Due to lack of additional staff and large numbers of students, this smaller group of 15 girls was formed as an after school group which also sometimes met on Saturdays for the purpose of sampling. The girls decided that their goal for the group was to learn how to monitor a specific environmental site, and to learn more about their own neighborhood. This included acquiring an understanding of history of the area, both in terms …

Ten Mile River Study

Watershed Access Lab Projects

In the past year, North Attleboro High School’s environmental science class has been conducting an intense study of the Ten Mile River. The focus of our study is to find out detailed information regarding the biological, physical, and chemical state of the river.

The Ten Mile River is the main river within North Attleboro. It runs down to Narragansett Bay and flows through many other local towns. The watersheds are located in North Attleboro and Plainville. The river begins at Cargill Pond in Plainville and flows 61 miles through North Attleboro, Attleboro, Plainville, and Seekonk before going into Rhode Island. …

Third Herring Brook Watershed

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Six freshman students from Norwell High School examined the Third Herring Brook Watershed during the spring of 2004. The students were split into three groups, each group taking a different topic. One set studied Nitrate and Phosphorus levels, another studied temperature, pH and physical characteristics of the watershed, while the third performed Fecal coliform tests. All levels were determined to be acceptable, although there is evidence that the contamination levels between site 1 (upstream) and site 2 (downstream) increase, possibly due to the stream passing by athletic fields, high school sewage treatment and a commercial use property.

Samples were sent …

How Does Land Use Affect The Chemistry Of The Water Of Fall Brook

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The purpose of this study was to find out how land use affects the water quality of Fall Brook. Fall Brook runs from Tispaquin Pond to the Nemasket River, and we tested two sites for NO₃ –N, Nitrate, and PO₄-P, Reactive Phosphorous. Fall Brook begins at Gibbs Road, and samples of the water were taken from Wareham Street, and Old Bridge Street. Residential areas, a farm, and an active cranberry bog are some of the surroundings at the Wareham Street site. The site at Old Bridge Street runs through agricultural areas and an Ocean Spray Plant.

Our …

Eel River Examination

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The purpose of our study was to observe the changes in the Eel River over the course of a school year. These changes were to include the river’s profile, depth, flow, phosphorus and nitrogen compound loads, temperature, pH, and levels of oxygen. This examination was conducted by an after school group comprised of a dozen 7th and 8th grade students of Judy Bradley and Sharon Jeffery from Plymouth South Middle School.

Eel River has been the site of human habitation and use since ancient times. Native Americans used the area as a seasonal village. Artifacts and human remains have been …

A Closer Look: Second Herring Brook

Watershed Access Lab Projects

No abstract provided.

Turbidity: An In-Depth Look At Long Pond

Watershed Access Lab Projects

In the summer of 2003, I noticed that the clarity of the water of Long Pond seemed murky with a brownish hue. I remembered as a kid being able to travel around the pond and see the bottom. Back then the water seemed much clearer, which is what provoked me to look further into the causes of the increase of turbidity of Long Pond.

To measure turbidity I used a simple Secchi disk that I made out of the bottom of a bucket and some rope. The rope was marked every six inches and was fourteen feet in overall length. …

The Agawam River Study

Watershed Access Lab Projects

No abstract provided.

Do We See Feces?: Loon Pond 2003-2004

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Loon Pond is a small spring fed pond about thirty-two feet deep. The pond’s surface area is 0.69 square miles and the sub-basin is 3.10 square miles. The deepest point is thirty-eight feet. The pond provides the residents with recreational opportunities, such as swimming, fishing, and canoeing. Loon Pond’s shore is a mixture of forest and low density residential. There are 35 homes around the pond, the majority being summer residences.

This past summer (2003) the pond was closed to swimming due to an enterococci count of 121 colonies/100ml as reported in the New Bedford Department Laboratory Division Recreational Water …

Friedman's Bugwatch Water Quality Study - An Update

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Bugwatch is a water quality study program that has been conducted at Friedman and Martin Middle Schools in Taunton since 2000. Friedman volunteered to participate in this previously federally-funded water quality study of two local tributaries that discharge into the Taunton River. These tributaries are Church Brook and the Cotley River located in the eastern portion of Taunton. We may add the Three Mile River; which is located behind Friedman, to our study program at a later date.

Bugwatch is one major educational activity conducted in our Outdoor Education Program each year. During the fall, our Outdoor Education students capture …

Milfoil: Man's Best Friend

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Fall Brook is located off of Route 140 in Lakeville, about two miles away from Apponequet High School. It is a third order stream with a sub-basin area of 10.31 square miles and flows into Long Pond. Fall Brook has been studied previously due to a milfoil infestation along some of its reaches. We chose to study whether this infestation has progressed further downstream and if there is any effect on the water quality.

Data collected for nutrients, pH, DO and temperature do not indicate that conditions have changed appreciably since 2002-2003 (year of last study). Nutrient data showed overall …

The Quequechan River Project: A Study Of The Effects Of Burying A River Underground

Watershed Access Lab Projects

No abstract provided.

Hanson Riverwater Iii: Indian Head River Study Year 3

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The Indian Head River is part of the large and complex system of streams and rivers, which contribute to the South Coastal Plain Watershed. A portion of the river forms the border to the Town of Hanson from where it flows into the main stem of the North River. Further upstream, the river is called the Drinkwater which itself drains into Factory Pond directly upstream of our study site A.

Historically the Indian Head, its headwaters and tributaries provided an important fishery for alewives, shad and rainbow smelt. However, the river suffered much the same as other river systems in …

Assonet River: Foaming At The Mouth

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Assonet River has a stream order of three, with tributaries including Cedar Swamp and Holloway Brook. The sub-basin area of the river is around 29.8 square miles and is part of the Taunton River Watershed. The land use of the surrounding area is largely domestic, ranging from low density to high density housing. The Assonet River is used for canoeing, fishing, swimming, boating and other forms of aquatic recreation. The river runs closely along the main transportation routes 140 and 79. The river has four dams, which alter the turbidity and flow. Historically, these dams were used to power mills. …

Draft Plan Of Management For The Kalbarri Blue Holes Fish Habitat Protection Area., Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

The overall objective of the proposed FHPA and the associated Plan of Management is to conserve and protect a portion of the near-shore reef ecosystem in the vicinity of the Blue Holes, and to manage activities within the area, to promote the observation and protection of fish living within the area. Strong community commitment has already been demonstrated, and this is crucial in the implementation of the proposed management plan

Light & Dark: The Hidden Wonders Of Buck Creek, Lee J. Florea

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

As early morning mists rise from the banks of its supple waters, beams of light penetrate the Buck Creek valley illuminating its beauty. While light illuminates most of the land, there are secret places, nestled within the forest where darkness reigns supreme. Places beyond the touch of the sun, beyond the influence of seasons. Here time is measured not in cycles of light but by the flow of water and fall of rock. These are the caves, conduits for water past and present. Nestled in the hills of south-central Kentucky the caves along Buck Creek provide the lifeblood for a …