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Comparison of Methods for Determining Streamflow Requirements for Aquatic Habitat Protection at Selected Sites on the Assabet and Charles Rivers, Eastern Massachusetts, 2000–02By Gene W. Parker, David S. Armstrong (U.S. Geological Survey), and
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Four methods used to determine streamflow requirements for habitat protection at nine critical riffle reaches in the Assabet River and Charles River Basins were compared. The methods include three standard setting techniques—R2Cross, Wetted Perimeter, and Tennant—and a diagnostic method, the Range of Variability Approach. One study reach is on the main stem of the Assabet River, four reaches are on tributaries to the Assabet River (Cold Harbor Brook, Danforth Brook, Fort Meadow Brook, and Elizabeth Brook), three are on the main stem of the Charles River, and one is on a tributary to the Charles River (Mine Brook). The strength of the R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter methods is that they may be applied at ungaged locations whereas the Tennant method and the Range of Variability Approach require a period of streamflow record for analysis.
Fish community assessments conducted at or near riffle sites in flowing reaches of the Assabet River and Charles River Basins were used to indicate ecological conditions. The fish communities in the main stem and tributary reaches of both the Assabet and Charles River Basins indicated degraded aquatic ecosystems. However, the degree of degradation differs between the two basins. The extreme predominance of tolerant, generalist species in the Charles River fish community demon-strates the cumulative impacts of flow, habitat, and water-chemistry degradation, combined with the effects of nearby impoundments and changing land use.
The range of discharges for nine ungaged riffle reaches defined by the median R2Cross 3-of-3 criteria, R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria, and Wetted-Perimeter streamflow requirements, was 0.86 cubic foot per second per square mile, 0.18 cubic foot per second per square mile, and 0.23 cubic foot per second per square mile, respectively. Application of R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter methods to sites with altered streamflows or at sites that are riffles only at low to moderate flows can result in a greater variability of streamflow requirements than would result if the methods were applied to riffles on natural channels with unaltered streamflows. The R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria and the Wetted-Perimeter streamflow requirements for the Assabet and Charles River sites show narrower interquartile ranges and lower median streamflow requirements than for 10 index streamflow-gaging stations in southern New England. This is especially evident for the R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria and Wetted-Perimeter results that were close to half of the flow requirements determined at the 10 southern New England stations.
The R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter methods were also compared to the Range of Variability Approach analysis and the Tennant Method. The median R2Cross 3-of-3 criteria streamflow requirement for the nine riffles is close to the 75th percentile of the monthly mean flows during the summer low-flow period from six streamflow-gaging stations near the Assabet and Charles River Basins having mostly unaltered flow. This streamflow requirement is close to the median Tennant 40-percent-flow requirement for good habitat condi-tion for the same six nearby stations. The R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria and Wetted-Perimeter results were less than the 25th-percentile of monthly mean flows during the summer months for the six stations. These streamflow requirements are in the poor habitat range as indicated by a Tennant analysis of the same six stations. These comparisons indicate that the R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter methods underestimate streamflow requirements when applied to sites in smaller drainage areas and channels that are runs at higher flows.
Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
Description of Study Sites
Methods for Determining Streamflow Requirements for Aquatic Habitat Protection
Water-Surface-Profile Modeling
R2Cross Method
Wetted-Perimeter Method
Range of Variability Approach
Tennant Method
Streamflow Requirements for Aquatic Habitat Protection
Assabet River near Westborough
Cold Harbor Brook near Northborough
Danforth Brook at Hudson
Fort Meadow Brook near Hudson
Elizabeth Brook near Stow
Nashoba Brook at West Concord
Charles River near Hopkinton
Mine Brook near Franklin
Charles River at Medway
Fish-Community Sampling and Assessment
Sampling Results
Assabet River Basin Sampling
Charles River Basin Sampling
Fish-Community Assessments
Comparison of Streamflow Requirement Methods
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References Cited
Appendix 1: Water-Surface-Profile Model Documentation.
1–2. Maps showing:
1. Location of major river basins in Massachusetts
2. Location of study sites and six streamflow-gaging stations near the Charles and Assabet River Basins
3. Photographs showing A, Riffle and B, pooled reaches on the Charles River at Medway, on August 1, 2001, during a period of low flow
4. Diagram showing A, stream channel for River Station 133.7; B, graph of relation between altitude and wetted perimeter; and C, graph of relation between wetted perimeter and discharge at Fort Meadow Brook near Hudson
5–14. Photographs showing:
5. Assabet River near Westborough, upstream view
6. Cold Harbor Brook near Northborough, upstream view
7. Danforth Brook at Hudson, upstream view
8. Fort Meadow Brook near Hudson, upstream view
9. Elizabeth Brook near Stow, downstream view
10. Nashoba Brook at West Concord, downstream view
11. Charles River near Hopkinton, upstream view
12. Mine Brook near Franklin, downstream view
13. Charles River at Medway, downstream views of the study reaches: A, the upstream riffle; and B, the downstream riffle
14. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife personnel barge electrofishing for the fish-community assessment
15. Pie chart of target fish community for the Quinebaug River
16. Map showing location of fish-sampling sites and habitat study sites in the Charles and Assabet River Basins
17. Pie chart of fish species habitat-use classifications: A, main stem free-flowing sites on the Assabet River, 2000–01; and B, main stem free-flowing sites on the Charles River, 2000–01
18–20. Box plots comparing:
18. Streamflow requirements determined by the R2Cross 3-of-3 criteria, R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria, and Wetted-Perimeter methods for all cross sections analyzed
19. R2Cross, 3-of-3 criteria, R2Cross, 2-of-3 criteria, and Wetted-Perimeter method streamflow requirements determined at 9 riffle sites in the Assabet and Charles River Basins and at 10 streamflow-gaging stations in southern New England reported in Armstrong and others (2004)
20. Drainage area at 9 riffle sites in the Assabet and Charles River Basins at 10 streamflow-gaging stations in southern New England reported in Armstrong and others (2004), and six streamflow-gaging stations near the Assabet and Charles River Basins
21. Graph of quartiles of mean monthly discharges for the period 1976–2000 for six streamflow-gaging stations compared with median streamflow requirements estimated by the R2Cross 3-of-3 criteria, R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria, and Wetted- Perimeter methods for nine riffles in the Assabet and Charles River Basins
1. Locations and characteristics of riffle reaches, Assabet and Charles Rivers, Massachusetts
2. R2Cross hydraulic criteria for four hydraulic parameters for protection of aquatic habitat
3. Streamflows required for habitat protection determined by means of the R2Cross 3-of-3 criteria method
4. Streamflows required for habitat protection determined by means of the R2Cross 2-of-3 criteria method
5. Streamflows required for habitat protection determined by means of the Wetted- Perimeter method
6. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at the Assabet River near Westborough
7. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Cold Harbor Brook near Northborough
8. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Danforth Brook at Hudson
9. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Fort Meadow Brook near Hudson
10. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Elizabeth Brook near Stow
11. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Nashoba Brook at West Concord
12. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Charles River near Hopkinton
13. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Mine Brook near Franklin
14. Hydraulic characteristics at critical cross sections meeting R2Cross and Wetted- Perimeter method criteria for habitat protection at Charles River at Medway
15. Percentages of fish in each habitat-use classification sampled in flowing reaches of several river basins in Massachusetts
16. Number of each species and percent of total number of fish collected in the main stem, tributaries, and headwaters of the Assabet and Charles River Basins, by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife from 1999 through 2001
17. Summary of R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter streamflow requirements for nine riffle sites included in analysis, Assabet and Charles River Basins
18. Streamflow requirements estimated by the Tennant method from the combined records of six streamflow-gaging stations near the Assabet and Charles River Basins
19. Flow statistics determined for Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration approach for six streamflow-gaging stations near the Assabet and Charles River Basins
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Report (9.8 MB)--78 pages
The citation for this report, in USGS format, is as follows:
Parker, G.W., Armstrong, D.S., and Richards, T.A., 2004, Comparison of methods for determining streamflow requirements for aquatic habitat protection at selected sites on the Assabet and Charles Rivers, Eastern Massachusetts, 2000–02: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5092, 72 p.
For more information about USGS activities in Massachusetts-Rhode Island District, visit the USGS Massachusetts-Rhode Island Home Page.
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