2010 South Carolina Water Resource Conference. Informing strategic water planning to address natural resource, community and economic challenges

Chow, Alex T

Hitchcock, Daniel R

Jayakaran, Anand D

Osier, Elizabeth

Park, Dara M

Smoot, Zachary T

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

27.52828.52929.5300 5 10 15 20 25 30Elevation (m) Width (m) Bankfull elevation 020406080Fish Captured Fish Species Electrofishing Data - Jeffries Creek DNR Pass 3Pass 2Pass 1Methods Flow and water quality measurements at 17 sites in the  Lower Pee Dee River basin was  initiated in fall of 2009.  Monitoring includes the  measurement of flow rates,  physiochemical parameters, fecal  coliform, nutrient concentrations, stream geomorphology, and fish species composition. Monitoring sites were chosen to represent a range of drainage basin areas in order to better represent the area of study. Determining environmental flow regime in the Pee Dee watershed, SC. Stream geomorphology Stream geomorphology was measured per Harrelson et al., 1997. Measurements were made with a total station at wadeable sites and a depth profiler at non-wadeable sites. Bed materials were sampled and characterized at all 17 sites with sieves used to characterize coarse grains, and a particle size analyzer for fines.   Fish and water quality Fish make great indicators of an ecosystem’s health because of their relatively high trophic level and dependence on organisms of lesser trophic levels. Indices  of population composition will be calculated as possible means of analyzing species composition collected through electrofishing. Another indicator of ecological stability is water quality.  Water samples from each site are taken bi-monthly and analyzed for Total Suspended Solids(TSS), Total Volatile Solids(TVS), Total Nitrogen(TN), PO4, NH3, NO3, Total Kjeldahl Phosphorous(TkP), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen(TkN), Non-Purgable Organic Carbon (NPoC),and Fecal Coliforms. Landuse Landuse by watershed was derived from NLCD 2001 datasets. The predominant landuse within the study watersheds was forest (33% of drainage area). The percentage of impervious land cover by watershed will also be assessed. Conclusions In order to protect the State’s surface waters, regulations are expected to establish allowable withdrawal rates. By establishing EFRs in surface waters, South Carolina can reasonably legislate water withdrawal strategies that will ensure stream ecological health while ensuring that human needs are met. Ultimately, a well-informed development and implementation of a Pee Dee EFR will enhance and protect South Carolina’s Pee Dee river, while setting  a precedent for similar watersheds in the region. References Harrelson, C.C; Rawlins, C.L.; Potyondy, J.P. 1994. Stream channel reference sites: an illustrated guide to field technique. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-245. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 61 p. Acknowledgments The Pee Dee Endowment Fund;  Paul Conrads, USGS; Brian Williams, Leah Gregory, and Jeff Vernon, Clemson University. Flow characteristics Stage data are  measured using water level loggers at 11 sites.  These data will be converted to flow rates using a rating curve, generated by measuring stream velocity and water surface slope at various flow stages. A current profiler and a wading flow velocity meter were  used  to measure velocity profiles at a cross section. The remaining 6 sites are located in the Lower Pee Dee subwatershed.  and are gaged by the USGS. Depth (m) Track (m) River Surveyor velocity and depth profile   Stream Stability Bed Material  Stream Slope Bankfull  dimensions Flow Characteristics Frequency  duration Drainage  Area Ecological  Stability Water quality Fish Land Use  ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW REGIME (EFR) Statistical Methods A multivariate approach will be performed using measurements of stream form, flow, landuse and watershed size as independent variables, and measures of fish and water quality as dependent variables. In order to determine statistically significant relationships, data reduction of environmental variables will be carried out using principal components analyses and regression techniques. 14% 8% 20% 25% 33% GRASSLANDDEVELOPEDAGRICULTUREWETLAND/OPENWATERFORESTIntroduction The Pee Dee river basin drains 15, 000 km2 from southern Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. With increasing population density and intense droughts in the region, demands placed on this natural resource are fast approaching an ecological tipping point. There is a need to develop environmental flow requirements (EFRs) that preserve ecosystem integrity while meeting anthropogenic demands. While river ecosystems depend on the magnitude , frequency and duration of flow; humans depend primarily upon a relatively constant water supply.  As a result of anthropogenic intervention,  many streams lack the minimum flow and variation necessary to sustain natural processes. This study aims to determine statistically significant  relationships between hydrological,  ecological and geomorphic data collected  from 17 sites in the Pee Dee watershed in  order to determine EFRs for the watershed. This  poster outlines the project, however data are  preliminary and serve only to illuminate our approach. 27.52828.52929.545 55 65 75 85 95 105 115Elevation (m) Channel Distance (m) Ham’s Creek bed water srf050010001500200025003000350040000.00.51.01.52.01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17E. coli (MPN) Nutrient Concentration (ppm) Site Number  Nutrients and E. coli NH3NO3PO4TKNTKPE. coliZachary T. Smoot1, Anand D. Jayakaran2, Dara M. Park3, Daniel R. Hitchcock2, Alex T. Chow2 and Elizabeth Osier4  1-Graduate student, 2- Asst. Professor in Biosystems Engineering, 3- Asst. Professor in the  School of the Environment and Sustainable Agriculture; Clemson University, 4- Region 2 Coordinator, SCDNR. 0123450 100 200Water Level Above Sensor (m) Time (days after 07/20/09) Level Logger Data 02004006008001000120014001600180020000 5 10 15 20drainage area (sq km) site number 

Determining Environmental Flow Regime in the Pee Dee Watershed, SC

https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1368&amp;context=scwrc

Determining Environmental Flow Regime in the Pee Dee Watershed, SC

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