Responses of a wetland ecosystem to the controlled introduction of invasive fish

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136368/1/fwb12900_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136368/2/fwb12900.pd

Post-project evaluation of Tule Ponds in Fremont, California : Integration of stormwater treatment and wetland restoration

Stormwater can contaminate water supplies and cause biological impacts to streams, estuaries, and coastal zones due to excess sediment, nutrients, pesticides, or heavy metals. Best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater control are implemented with greater frequency now that municipalities are required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit according to Clean Water Act revisions. After BMP construction, however, engineers and hydrologists rarely conduct follow-up assessments or evaluations. For this project, we evaluated the effectiveness of the Tule Ponds in Fremont, a constructed permanent wetland designed to simultaneously treat urban runoff and provide wildlife habitat. Using survey measurements of the pond dimensions and elevations, wildlife observations, and conversations with the site manager, we analyzed the success of the original wetland design. While our findings indicate the ponds did not function exactly as intended, they still succeeded in reaching overall intended objectives. The ponds catch, retain, and treat stormwater; however, the banks were unstable and have eroded, and the system dries out almost every summer due to infiltration into the ground. Based on current BMP guidelines, the ponds are too deep in winter, their banks are too steep, and emergent vegetation is insufficient. These factors may limit the ability of the wetland to support aquatic wildlife, and may limit contaminant removal. In addition, excess pond depth and algal growth result in low oxygen levels. Still, the site is populated with common birds (Canada geese, mallards and egrets), amphibians (bullfrogs and Pacific treefrogs), and insects (dragonflies and damselflies). We examine trade-offs between multiple use aims of this wetland system. In addition, because the site is only accessible through scheduled classroom field trips and is not generally open to the public, Tule Ponds may represent a missed opportunity for broader public education about urban ecology and stormwater management

Baxter Creek Gateway Park: assessment of an urban stream restoration project

This study describes a post-project evaluation of the Baxter Creek Gateway Restoration Project located in a small, urbanized section of creek in the City of El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California. The project was conducted to restore sinuosity, provide aquatic and riparian habitat, and enhance public access to a 700-foot section of channelized stream. Our assessment of this project’s performance (completed less than a year after the project was constructed) evaluated the restoration effort’s progress and provides a baseline for future assessments of the project as it matures. Assessment approaches and techniques included physical surveys of the creek’s longitudinal (long) profile and several cross sections, facies mapping of the creek’s bed structure, estimation of a sediment budget for the site’s drainage basin, observations of site users, interviews with community stakeholders, visual evaluation of vegetation success rates, and photo documentation of current site conditions.Although the restoration project is new and some intended features will take years to develop, we evaluated the project based on the proposed goals that we could measure and interpret with only two to three days of field work. We found that the creek’s planform was similar to the plans but detected some bank erosion as well as bed material transport from the upstream to downstream end of the project. The current sediment yield for the urban catchment is much less than during historical conditions. Based on bed structure measurements, sediments will need to be managed at the site as common flows were predicted to move gravels and cobbles in the restored reach. The quality of potential vegetative and aquatic habitat within the project site had increased as a result of the restoration, but the site’s surrounding culverted creek and urbanized landscape limit the feasibility of fish and amphibian colonization. Exotic riparian vegetation grew prolifically despite the fact that crews removed all vegetation during construction, planted only natives, and a citizen group frequently removed invasives. The multi-use trail and interpretive signs contributed to a successful recreational community space, but the trail will need improvements in connectivity beyond the project site before it can serve as a viable segment of the intercity Ohlone Greenway trail system. The current monitoring plan for the restoration is well written and includes important abiotic and biotic factors, but we also recommend installing a permanent stream gauge at the site, monitoring flood overflow conveyance in adjacent streets, conducting physical surveys of the long profile and established cross sections, and regular facies mapping

Comorbid chronic pain and opioid misuse in youth: Knowns, unknowns, and implications for behavioral treatment

Chronic pain and opioid misuse are both common in pediatric populations and associated with a range of negative adverse outcomes that may persist into adulthood. While the association between chronic pain, opioid prescribing, and opioid-related adverse consequences is reasonably well established in adults, the relation in pediatric patients is not well understood and the long-term impact of opioid exposure during childhood is yet to be fully revealed. The present review draws from the available literature on chronic and acute pediatric pain prevalence and treatment, opioid misuse, and adolescent substance use to address knowns and unknowns of co-morbid pediatric chronic pain and opioid misuse. Additionally, gaps in knowledge regarding the prevalence and etiology of co-occurring chronic pain and opioid misuse in youth are identified. Hypothesized, modifiable risk factors associated with both pediatric pain and opioid misuse are considered. Due to a lack of empirically supported integrated treatments for co-morbid chronic pain and opioid misuse in youth, this review examines the evidence base and best practices from both the chronic pain and opioid treatment literature to guide treatment recommendations for these co-morbid conditions in youth. Recommendations are then provided to promote screening and mitigate risk of chronic pain and opioid misuse across a range of pediatric settings. Lastly, a comprehensive agenda to prevent and treat chronic pain and opioid misuse in adolescents and young adults is discussed