Evaluation of Aquatic Ecosystem Health Evaluation of Aquatic Ecosystem Health Using a Multi-metric Index of Biological Using a Multi-metric Index of Biological

Integrity for Okanagan StreamsIntegrity for Okanagan Streams

Benthic invertebrates are sedentary Benthic invertebrates are sedentary and integrate aquatic impacts and integrate aquatic impacts (chemical, physical, biological). (chemical, physical, biological).

Integration over long time periods.Integration over long time periods.

Benthic invertebrates are a direct Benthic invertebrates are a direct measure of the ecosystem to be measure of the ecosystem to be protected and not surrogate such as protected and not surrogate such as a chemical concentration, physical a chemical concentration, physical habitat measure etc.habitat measure etc.

Benthic Invertebrates

21 Benthic invertebrate measures or 21 Benthic invertebrate measures or metrics tested for predictable response to metrics tested for predictable response to increasing environmental disturbance e.g.increasing environmental disturbance e.g.

Decrease in total # taxaDecrease in total # taxa Decrease in plecoptera, ephemeroptera and Decrease in plecoptera, ephemeroptera and

trichopteratrichoptera Increase in % tolerantsIncrease in % tolerants Increase in dominanceIncrease in dominance Decrease in % predators, clinger, and Decrease in % predators, clinger, and

intolerant taxaintolerant taxa

Local evaluation or calibration to find Local evaluation or calibration to find metrics which respond within study area.metrics which respond within study area.

Index of Biological Integrity used in US, Index of Biological Integrity used in US, Japan, Europe- Fish, Birds and PlantsJapan, Europe- Fish, Birds and Plants

Benthic-Index of Biological Integrity

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#

•22 low elevation streams sampled 1999 to 2001

• Streams chosen to represent a gradient of conditions from low to high human influence.

•Candidate streams chosen and ranked thru discussions with agency staff; satellite image interpretation and habitat evaluation using Alaska Stream Condition Index (ASCI) evaluation process

•Sampled in early October

•3 replicate surber samples

•Sampled in low to moderate gradient riffles

•Water quality

•Sediment quality

Kelowna

Bellevue

McDougall

Powers

Peachland

Trepanier

Greata

Eneas

Trout

Chute

Naramata

OkanaganOkanagan StreamsStreams

NameName ASCI ASCI ScoreScore

LoggedLogged UrbanizationUrbanization OtherOther

PeachlandPeachland 193193 5.45.4 00 Low agLow ag

McDougallMcDougall 178178 <5<5 <2 (rural)<2 (rural) Low agLow ag

ChuteChute 196196 <5<5 00 Low agLow ag

BX ups BX ups VernonVernon

158158 <10<10 <5 (rural)<5 (rural) Low agLow ag

KelownaKelowna 8383 highhigh highhigh Mod agMod ag

BX @ 25BX @ 25thth 7171 highhigh highhigh UndergrndUndergrnd

Ellis nr mthEllis nr mth 9090 highhigh HighHigh Channel’dChannel’d

EneasEneas 8787 highhigh highhigh AgricAgric

Kelowna BX @ 30th

Eneas

Trout nr mthShuttleworthPrairieEllis

GreataBellevuePowersTrapanierInkameep x2Trout upsShortsColdstream upsNaramataShingle

PeachlandChuteMcDougall upsBX ups

Number of Plecoptera Taxa in Okanagan Streams

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

0 1 2 3 4 5

Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

No

. Ple

cop

tera

Tax

a

5

3

1Urban

low impact

low-mod impact

high impact

Perlidae

Acroneuria lycoris

Number of Ephemeroptera Taxa in Okanagan Streams

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

0 1 2 3 4 5

Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

No

. E

ph

em

ero

pte

ra

5

3

1

Ephemerella grandis

Ephemerellidae

Number of Clinger Taxa in Okanagan Streams

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

0 1 2 3 4 5

Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

No

. Clin

ger

Tax

a

5

3

1

Elmidae sp.

Coleoptera

Percentage of Tolerant Benthic Invertebrates in Okanagan Streams

0123456789

101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233

0 1 2 3 4 5Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

% T

ole

ran

t T

axa

5

1

3

Culicidae

Number of Intolerant Taxa in Okanagan Streams

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

0 1 2 3 4 5

Watershed Rank (good=4 poor=1); - shows median

No

. In

tole

ran

t T

axa

5

3

1

Limnephilidae larva and case

Percent Predators in Okanagan Streams

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

0 1 2 3 4 5

Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

% P

reda

tors

5

3

1

Chloroperlidae

Chloroperla coloradensis

Number of Long Lived Benthic Invertebrate Taxa in Okanagan Streams

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

0 1 2 3 4 5

Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

No

. Lo

ng

Liv

ed T

axa

5

3

1

Megaloptera

Sialis sp.

Number of Benthic Invertebrate Taxa in Okanagan Streams

0123456789

1011121314151617181920212223242526272829

0 1 2 3 4 5

No

. Tax

a

5

3

1

Watershed Rank (good=4; poor=1); - shows median

Metric Cut-Off ValuesMetric Cut-Off Values

Metric Scoring Cut-off Points 1 3 5 Total Number Taxa <9 9-19 >19

Average Number Plecoptera Taxa <1 1-3 >3 Average Number Ephemeroptera Taxa <2 2-4.25 >4.25

Percent Tolerant Taxa >7 2-7 <2 Average Number Clinger Taxa <4 4-8 >8

Total Number of Long Lived Taxa <2 2-4 <4 Number of Intolerant Taxa <0.5 0.5-2 >2

Percent Predator <0.8 0.8-2.8 2.8

Okanagan Mulit-metric Okanagan Mulit-metric ScoreScore

Stream ConditionStream Condition

35-4035-40 ExcellentExcellent

29-3429-34 GoodGood

20-2820-28 FairFair

13-1913-19 PoorPoor

8-128-12 Very PoorVery Poor

8 Metric Okanagan B-IBI

11 33 55 PeachlandPeachland BX @30th BX @30th

Total # TaxaTotal # Taxa <9<9 9-199-19 >19>19 2727 55 13.813.8 33

Av. # PlecopteraAv. # Plecoptera <1<1 1-31-3 >3>3 3.93.9 55 00 11

Av. # EphemeropteraAv. # Ephemeroptera <2<2 2-2-4.254.25

>4.25>4.25 4.84.8 55 1.51.5 11

% Tolerant taxa% Tolerant taxa >7>7 2-72-7 <2<2 1.51.5 55 11.411.4 11

# Clinger Taxa# Clinger Taxa <4<4 4-84-8 >8>8 10.310.3 55 3.93.9 11

Total # Long Lived taxaTotal # Long Lived taxa <2<2 2-42-4 >4>4 4.34.3 55 1.31.3 11

# Intolerant Taxa# Intolerant Taxa <0.5<0.5 0.5-20.5-2 >2>2 3.33.3 55 00 11

% Predators% Predators <0.8<0.8 0.8-0.8-2.82.8

>2.8>2.8 2.42.4 33 0.70.7 11

Metric TotalsMetric Totals 3838 1010

Sampling Location 8 Metric IBI Score Stream Condition

Peachland Cr d/s PID Intake 38 Excellent

Chute Cr @ Glenfir Rd 38 Excellent

BX Cr nr Pleasant Valley Rd 38 Excellent

McDougall Creek @ Shannon L Rd 36 Excellent

Coldstream Cr ups Mun. Res. 34 Good

Trout Cr ups Mun. Res 32 Good

Trepanier Cr @ Hwy 5C overpass 32 Good

Bellevue Cr @ Lakeshore Rd. 32 Good

Lambly Cr @ Westside Rd 30 Good

Greata Cr 29 Good

Inkameep Cr ups 28 Fair

Inkameep Cr nr mth 28 Fair

Shorts Cr @ park 28 Fair

Powers Cr nr mth 24 Fair

Trout Cr nr Hwy 97 bridge 24 Fair

Shingle Cr ups mth 22 Fair

Shuttleworth Cr @ Willow St. 20 Fair

Prairie Cr nr mth 18 Poor

Ellis Cr nr mth 18 Poor

Eneas Cr dns Rosedale 16 Poor

Kelowna Cr ups Pandosy 14 Poor

BX Cr at 30th Ave 10 Very Poor

B-IBI Next StepsB-IBI Next StepsIncorporate August/September 2002 dataIncorporate August/September 2002 dataMultivariate and other analysis of data setMultivariate and other analysis of data setTest a Family level B-IBI for more rapid assessment Test a Family level B-IBI for more rapid assessment work or stewardship group usework or stewardship group useDetermine utility in compliance monitoring, and stream Determine utility in compliance monitoring, and stream assessment and restoration programsassessment and restoration programsReporting to public through SOE, Living Rivers reporting.Reporting to public through SOE, Living Rivers reporting.Collaborative aquatic ecosystem assessments Collaborative aquatic ecosystem assessments integrating expertise in water quality, habitat/watershed integrating expertise in water quality, habitat/watershed GIS, and aquatic invertebrates.GIS, and aquatic invertebrates.