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Stream Ecosystem Assessment: Birch River, Craig's Run, Big Rough Run, South Fork Cranberry River

This report details the ecosystem assessments of four stream sites: Birch River, Craig's Run, Big Rough Run, and South Fork Cranberry River, conducted in August 2003. Each assessment includes general description, geology, water quality parameters, and rapid visual habitat evaluations. Findings highlight varied ecological conditions across the sites, with Birch River showing healthy conditions, while Big Rough Run reveals significant impacts from acidic waters. This comprehensive evaluation aims to provide insights for conservation and management efforts in these vital aquatic ecosystems.

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Stream Ecosystem Assessment: Birch River, Craig's Run, Big Rough Run, South Fork Cranberry River

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  1. Stream Ecosystem AssessmentGroup 1 Camp Caesar August 2003

  2. Group 1 Study Sites • Birch River • Craig’s Run • Big Rough Run • South Fork Cranberry River

  3. Birch River – General Description • Watershed • Elk River • 48.41 km^2 • Mixed (Ag., Forest, Residential) • Moderate NPS; low local erosion • 3rd Order • Perennial • Coldwater stream • LB: Forest (Sycamore, Alder);RB: Narrow Riparian Zone (due to road) • Low LWD • Aquatic Veg. (Sedge: 2%, Biofilm: 85%) • Sediment Type – Boulder/Cobble Bed

  4. Birch River – General Description • Geology • Stream origin: Non-Glacial Montane • Rock types: • Pottsville sandstone – low buffering cap. • Conemaugh shale – moderate buffering cap.

  5. Birch River – General Description • Sampling Conditions • Cloud Cover: 90% • Air Temp: 75 F • Hvy rainfall in last several days • Visual Condition • High canopy cover • Low erosion stream banks adj. road

  6. Birch River - Stream Flow • Channel Data • Wetted width = 9 m • Avg depth = 0.28 m • Cross sectional area = 2.45 m^2 • Avg velocity = 0.36 m^2 • Discharge Q = 1.05 m^3/sec

  7. Birch River – Water Quality

  8. Birch RiverEPA Rapid Visual Habitat Assessment • Epifaunal Substrate/Vegetative Cover • Embeddedness • Velocity/Depth Regime • Sediment Deposition • Channel Flow Status • Channel Alteration • Frequency of Riffles • Bank Stability • Vegetative Protection • Riparian Vegetative Zone Width 15 14 20 15 17 13 20 9/9 6/6 7/5 Total = 156 (78%)

  9. Birch River – Benthic Invertebrates

  10. Birch River – Fish

  11. Birch River – Overall Condition Score

  12. Group 1.4Sue Byrd & Renee Fleshman Big Rough Run Stream Assessment

  13. Big Rough RunGeneral Description • Cranberry River • 6.99 km2 basin area (1.05 m3/s) • Pottsville Sandstone • Cranberry Wilderness • Impacted by road

  14. Big Rough RunWater Quality • pH= 4.96 • Conductivity = 27 µs/cm3 • Total Hardness = 34 mg/l CaCO3 • Alkalinity = 0 mg/l CaCO3 • Indicates sterile acidic conditions

  15. Big Rough RunEPA Rapid Visual Habitat Assessment • Epifaunal Substrate/Vegetative Cover • Embeddedness • Velocity/Depth Regime • Sediment Deposition • Channel Flow Status • Channel Alteration • Frequency of Riffles • Bank Stability • Vegetative Protection • Riparian Vegetative Zone Width 19 12 16 9 7 12 20 7/7 9/9 9/6 Total = 142 (71%)

  16. Big Rough Run – Benthic Invertebrates

  17. Big Rough Run(Absence of Fish)

  18. Big Rough Run

  19. Stream Ecosystem AssessmentGroup 1.2CRAIGS RUN Camp Caesar August 2003

  20. Craigs Run – General Description • Williams/Gauley Watershed • 8.71 km2 Basin Area (Discharge = 0.04m3/s) • Forest Land Use (Monongahela National Forest) • Aggrading Stream: Cobble/Gravel • Mauch Chunk & Pottsville Geology

  21. Craigs Run – Water Quality • pH – 7.47 • Conductivity – 32 microsiemens/cm^3 • Total Hardness – 17 mg/L CaCO3 • Alkalinity – 20 mg/L CaCO3 • Data Indicates Relatively Sterile Basin

  22. Craigs RunEPA Rapid Visual Habitat Assessment • Epifaunal Substrate/Vegetative Cover • Embeddedness • Velocity/Depth Regime • Sediment Deposition • Channel Flow Status • Channel Alteration • Frequency of Riffles • Bank Stability • Vegetative Protection • Riparian Vegetative Zone Width 18 19 10 5 7 14 19 6/4 8/8 10/10 Total = 138 (69%)

  23. Craigs Run– Benthic Invertebrates

  24. Craigs Run - Fish

  25. CRAIGS RUN

  26. Stream Ecosystem AssessmentGroup 1.3(G. Boyd, A. Dobson, D. Redgate) South Fork Cranberry River August 2003

  27. South Fork Cranberry River – General Description • Cranberry River • 45.81 km2 basin area (1.07 m3/s) • Mauch Chunk Shale & Sandstone • Cranberry Wilderness • Dominated by headwater bog – humic acids

  28. South Fork Cranberry River – Water Quality • pH= 7.53 • Conductivity = 34.75 µs/cm3 (Average) • Total Hardness = 1 mg/l CaCO3 • Alkalinity = 0.4 mg/l CaCO3 • Circum-neutral, softwater stream

  29. South Fork Cranberry River -EPA Rapid Visual Habitat Assessment • Epifaunal Substrate/Vegetative Cover • Embeddedness • Velocity/Depth Regime • Sediment Deposition • Channel Flow Status • Channel Alteration • Frequency of Riffles • Bank Stability • Vegetative Protection • Riparian Vegetative Zone Width 16 16 15 15 16 17 19 9/8 9/9 9/9 Total = 166 (83%)

  30. South Fork Cranberry River – Benthic Invertebrates

  31. South Fork Cranberry River – Fish

  32. South Fork Cranberry River

  33. Summary • Birch River • Craig’s Run • Big Rough Run • South Fork Cranberry River

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