Effects of a Kentucky flood-control reservoir on macroinvertebrates in the tailwater

J.F. Novotny

doi:10.1007/bf00008681

Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70162150

Effects of a Kentucky flood-control reservoir on macroinvertebrates in the tailwater

J.F. Novotny

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The effects of a flood-control reservoir on downstream macroinvertebrates were assessed by comparing the tailwater community with that of a natural stream. Samples were collected 1.6 and 21.1 km below Barren River Lake dam in 1979, 1980, and 1981 and in a reservoir tributary in 1980 and 1981. An indication of environmental stress in the macroinvertebrate community was observed at both tailwater stations, whereas macroinvertebrates in the natural tributary stream had the characteristics commonly associated with a ‘healthy’ community. Densities of macroinvertebrates in tailwaters were highest during periods of low-stable flows and lowest during fluctuating and high-stable flows. Changes in temperature cycles and water quality were also considered factors in reducing macroinvertebrate abundance in the tailwater. Dominant macroinvertebrate taxa in tailwaters were primarily small organisms with a high tolerance for dynamic living conditions. Of these, aquatic Diptera, Oligochaeta, Caenis, Cheumatopsyche , and Planariidae were most common. The effects of reservoir discharge were most evident near the dam, where macroinvertebrate densities were relatively high and taxonomic diversity was low. Downstream, the impact of the reservoir was moderated, but recovery was judged incomplete.

Explore related subjects

Hydrobiologia Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 36.71576985044291° to 36.96744946416931° latitude; -86.18637084960938° to -85.94329833984375° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

J.F. Novotny. 1985-07-01. Effects of a Kentucky flood-control reservoir on macroinvertebrates in the tailwater. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00008681

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2026

Long-term predictive modeling of stream condition suggests wide-spread changes within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA

Stream ecosystems worldwide face ongoing degradation, underscoring the urgent need for conservation and restoration. Regional analyses of stream condition have been limited by sparse spatial and temporal data, particularly at long time scales. To address this gap, we used observed data to predict annual biological condition for 360,893 small, nontidal stream reaches in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from 1985 to 2023 (39 years). Predictions were generated using random forest models trained on extensive benthic macroinvertebrate data sets and predictors including natural landscape features, land cover, and climate variables. Four biological metrics were assessed: percent Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera excluding Hydropsychidae (EPT-H), percent Ephemeroptera, percent clinger functional group, and the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI). Results revealed degraded biological conditions near Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, with declining trends across all metrics in these urbanized areas. Spatial heterogeneity was evident: IBI and clinger percentages increased in many southern streams but declined in northern streams, whereas EPT-H and Ephemeroptera decreased watershed wide except in the Southeastern Plains bioregion. By 2021, watershed wide IBI improvements were predicted for 0.9–1.1% of stream length, falling short of management goals. This study demonstrates the utility of long-term data and machine learning for predicting stream condition, identifying key stressors, and guiding restoration and conservation site selection.

Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virgin↗

USGS2026

Understanding co-invading species’ ecological strategies and interactions with causal inference and simple dynamic models: Bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and Silver carp (H. molitrix) in the Illinois River, USA

Species interactions among multiple invasive species can present hidden challenges for management and eradication efforts. Bighead and Silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and H. molitrix , respectively) are closely related species that have co-invaded the Mississippi River and many of its tributaries, including the Illinois River. We used a combination of causal inference and dynamic models to test for interspecific interactions in a 10-year data set of hydroacoustic density data from the Illinois River. The results suggest that Bighead and Silver carp are exploiting different ecological strategies; where Bighead carp shows fast initial growth but low equilibrium density and Silver carp had a lower low-density growth rate but larger equilibrium population density. Further, we found evidence for a positive interspecific effect of Silver carp on Bighead carp. The mechanism leading to the observed positive interactions is unknown, but could be an effect of ecological facilitation, differential responses to harvest of both species, or hybridization and introgression. Finally, while these results provide valuable information in the ecological strategies and relationships between these species, simulations of the resulting models suggest that the magnitude of the positive interaction is likely too small to be exploited for innovative multispecies management interventions.

Illinois↗

USGS2026

Spatial and temporal drivers of variability in abundance of two stream fishes

An understanding of how and why animal populations vary in space and time informs effective conservation and management. We used spatial and temporal flow metrics to explore flow-ecology relationships for two fish species, Mountain Sucker Pantosteus platyrhynchus (Cope, 1874) and Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii Girard, 1850, across 64 sites and 8 years in Wyoming, U.S.A. We found variation in Mottled Sculpin and Mountain Sucker abundance was driven to a greater extent by spatial flow metrics (e.g., drainage area, median summer flow) with differing direction of response between species. The opposing responses to spatial variation in median summer flow could reflect the ability of Mountain Sucker to persist in non-perennial habitats, likely due to their relatively high mobility and recolonization capacity. Responses to temporal flow metrics (e.g., previous year spring flow, previous year autumn flow) were weaker but consistent across species likely due to similar reproductive strategies and timing. The lack of stronger flow effects on population variability in both species likely corresponds to high variability in local habitat characteristics that are mediating population response. These findings underscore how considering spatial context informs conservation planning and suggest that flow-ecology relationships may be mediated by species-specific traits and local habitat conditions.

Wyoming↗