HR: 1330h
AN: NB33G-11    [Abstracts]
TI: Stream Habitat Modeling to Support Water Management Decisions for the North Fork Shenandoah River, Virginia
AU: Averett, A
EM: aweimer@vt.edu
AF: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, 100 Cheatham Hall, Blackburg, VA 24061-0321 United States
AU: Persinger, J W
EM: jason.persinger@mdc.missouri.gov
AF: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, 100 Cheatham Hall, Blackburg, VA 24061-0321 United States
AU: * Orth, D J
EM: dorth@vt.edu
AF: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, 100 Cheatham Hall, Blackburg, VA 24061-0321 United States
AB: The Shenandoah River and its tributaries, the North Fork and South Fork, represent an excellent model of a multiple use river. Due to documented fish kills, frequent low flow events, and proximity to the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, there is growing concern regarding the sustainability of this natural resource. In 1999, a four-year IFIM (Instream Flow Incremental Methodology) study was initiated to evaluate the response of hydraulics and fish habitat to low flow conditions in the North Fork Shenandoah River (NFSR) basin. Habitat suitability criteria were developed onsite for guilds of riffle, fast generalist, pool-run, and pool-cover fishes. Habitat responses to stream flows were quantified for these habitat guilds and habitat conditions conducive to nuisance algal blooms. In addition, we compared usable habitat conditions under baseline and alternative hydrologic time series corresponding to water use restrictions. Model results were used to identify aquatic conservation flows and establish a stepwise process for implementing aquatic conservation flow management in the NFSR basin. This process will facilitate the adoption of water use conservation measures at appropriate times during future extreme droughts.
DE: 1812 Drought
DE: 1884 Water supply
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly