Maintaining Biological Connections in the Delaware Basin by Su Fanok and Eric Olsen

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This document discusses maintaining biological connections in the Delaware Basin. It summarizes that everything is connected from species to ecosystems to processes. It provides examples of connections between migratory fish species and their habitats, freshwater mussels and their host fish, and bird species and riparian corridors. Systems like surface and groundwater interactions and the freshwater network are explained. Processes like flows, water quality, and the emerging threat of climate change are discussed. Strategic opportunities are outlined to address threats like habitat conversion and altered flows through actions like habitat protection and restoration, aquatic organism passage, environmental flow management, and building resiliency. Partnerships and prioritization of issues are highlighted.

Education Technology

Maintaining
Biological
Connections
in the
Delaware Basin

Su Fanok, Eric
Olsen
October 28th, 2013
© USGS National Water Census

“The microcosm can reflect the
macrocosm because
everything is connected”
(Virginia Tech, 2011)

CONNECTIONS
Species – Ecosystems - Processes
The Other Side of Connectivity
(Fragmentation)

Strategic Opportunities

Species
Migratory
Fish

The American Eel

CONNECTIONS
Land:Water
Headwaters:Bay
Freshwater:Marine

© Dewayne Fox

Longnose Dace

Tesselated
Darter

Species

Yellow
Perch

Slimy
Sculpin

A. Shad

Freshwater
Mussels

© Ted Walke

Alewife

CONNECTIONS
Water Quality
(intact floodplains)
Connected Rivers
(Host Fish)

Ethan Nedeau/HTTP://WWW:BIODRAWVERSITY.COM

Margaritifera margaritifera
© Joel Berglund

© Dewayne Fox

Species

© Don Falkner

Louisianna
Waterthrush
Loiusianna
Waterthrush

Riparian
Corridors

CONNECTIONS
Longitudinal
Connections

The MidAtlantic
Flyway

(Headwaters:Bay)

Lateral Connections:
(Riparian Corridors:Forests)
High Quality
Headwaters

© Nicholas Tonelli

The
Mainstem
Delaware

© DRBC

Systems
&
Processes
Surface
&
Groundwater
Interactions

“Surface water commonly is hydraulically connected to ground
water, but the interactions are difficult to observe and measure”

Glacial Terrain

Mountain Regions

CONNECTIONS
Land:Water
Baseflows
Water Chemistry
Riverine Valleys

© Winter et al.

The River Continuum Concept
Systems
&
Headwaters
Processes• Steep Slopes

The
Freshwater
Network

CONNECTIONS
Headwaters:Major Rivers
Nutrient Cycling
Energy Dissipation
Biota
Habitats

•
•
•
•

Limited Photosynthesis
Allochthonous Inputs
Macro-Invertebrate diversity
Springs, seeps-cold temps

Transfer Zone
•
•
•
•

Gradient Decreases
Channel Widens
Algae, submerged veg
Limited grH2O -warmer temps

Depositional Zone
•
•
•
•

Energy supplied by upstream DOM
Drifting zooplankton & phytoplankton
Diverse floodplain
Omnivore fish species

Processes
Flow
The
Master
Variable

CONNECTIONS
Ecological Flows
(Drought Flows
Seasonal Low-Flows)

Water Use
Flow Management

The goal is not to create optimal conditions for all species all of
the time; rather, we want to create adequate conditions for all
native species enough of the time

Processes
Water
Quality

CONNECTIONS
Water Quality
Impact of Flow on
Water Quality
Salt Front

Atlantic Sturgeon
spawn in the lower
Delaware where
there is
• High DO
• Hard substrate
• Fresh water

© Dewayne Fox

Sturgeon are
“pinched”
between suitable
habitat and
suitable water
quality

Emerging
Threat
Climate
Change

Resilience: Definition
The capacity for renewal in a dynamic environment
- Gunderson 2000
The ability of a social or ecological system to absorb
disturbances while retaining the same basic structure
and ways of functioning
- IPCC 2007
Network Complexity
– Number of size classes

Physical Diversity
– Length of connected linear miles
– Diversity of Temperatures
– Diversity of Gradients

Ecological Condition
– Lateral connectivity – naturalness of
floodplain
– Unimpeded flow
– Pervious /permeable watersheds
© Anderson and Olivero, The Nature Conservancy

Upstream: Downstream Connectivity
Summary

Strategic
Opportunities
Threats
• Habitat Conversion
• Altered Flows
• Water Quality Impacts

Targets
• Species

• Climate Change

• Habitat Protection &
Restoration
• Aquatic Organism
Passage
• Freshwater Mussel
Restoration,
Reintroduction,
Research
• Environmental Flow
Management

• Ecosystems
• Building Resiliency
• Processes

• What efforts are planned/underway addressing issues
raised?
• What issues should we prioritize for further exploration
and how can that be accomplished?
• What are the obstacles to advancing this work?

• Are there unrealized opportunities that we’re missing?
• Who are the key partners advancing this work?

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