| Abstract: |
This project was designed to meet the needs of CLEAR researchers as well as the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The objective was to fill a current fluvial geomorphologic void in the Stressor Identification process executed by the DEP to try to identify probable causes of impairments to stream systems. The current system of water quality assessment involves analyzing macroinvertebrate (Rapid Bioassessment Protocols) and fish assemblages from streams to ascertain whether the stream meets the Aquatic Life Use Support guidelines for quality, and if not, utilizing Stressor ID procedures to determine the most likely causes of the unsatisfactory conditions. Thus, the goal of this project was to create a repeatable primarily geospatial methodology using ArcGIS 9.2 software and complementary fieldwork to assess the geomorphic condition of streams. The methodology was calibrated on a sample set of streams across the state on a gradient ranging from unimpaired to impaired as determined from the biotic data. Statistical analyses were run to determine the relationship between geomorphology and biology, and the most critical geomorphic measures were isolated. Preliminary results indicate that poor geomorphic conditions also lead to reduced ecologic diversity, and that watershed land use is one of the most influential parameters. |