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Ecological Impacts of Status Report Concept on the Housatonic River Floodplain Ecosystem
Robert P. Brooks, Ph.D.
12-13 September 2012
Pittsfield, MA
Remediation done in the upper 2 miles is not appropriate for the PSA
ACEC Designation, 30 March 2009
ACEC Designation recognizes Primary Study Area has:
• Regionally Significant Biodiversity and Wildlife Habitat • Exceptional Number of State Listed Species and Certified
and Potential Vernal Pools • Large Areas of Relatively Unfragmented Wildlife Habitat • Regionally Significant Bird Habitat and Migratory Corridor for
over 200 species
5
Housatonic River - Species of Concern
control,… the protection of fisheries, and the
Also, from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s ACEC designation:
“…the wetland resource areas…are significant to the protection of groundwater supply …, flood control,… the protection of fisheries, and the protection of wildlife habitat – all of which are public interests defined in the Wetlands Protection Act …”.
Floodplain forests are “highly distinctive and intrinsically important”
because they have: 1) high biological diversity 2) high productivity 3) high habitat dynamism3) high habitat dynamism
Hughes 2003
“
The Nature Conservancy’s Massachusetts Office in a comment letter on the ACEC designation, stated:
“…floodplain forests along the Housatonic … are …floodplain forests along the Housatonic … are among the most threatened, globally significant wetland community types in New England” …
Hydrorogbca~
Exohange Pat hrways
H EAO\fllATER
I I I I
u;pstr:-eam I - ........ ~I
~--------~ I
~------L, I ~
I ' h'i lls[ope
Constratnedl 1\eaoh
FLOODPLA.I N
U n:constratned Reach
Yetter (in press)
Yetter (in press)
As stated clearly in the Revised CMS (October 2010), remedial actions will cause:
• changes in soil composition, chemistry, and stratigraphy
As presented in the Revised CMS (October 2010), remedial actions will cause: • changes in soil composition, chemistry, and
stratigraphy • changes in floodplain hydrology (including,
flood flows, water tables, water quality, microhabitats)microhabitats)
•
As stated clearly in the Revised CMS (October 2010), remedial actions will cause: • changes in soil composition, chemistry, and
stratigraphy • changes in floodplain hydrology (including,
flood flows, water tables, water quality) • changes in vegetation structure, composition, changes in vegetation structure, composition,
succession, and function
Trees are very importance for maintaining the hydrology and function of floodplain forests.
Hughes 2003
•
As stated clearly in the Revised CMS (October 2010), remedial actions will cause: • changes in soil composition, chemistry, and
stratigraphy • changes in floodplain hydrology (including,
flood flows, water tables, water quality) • changes in vegetation structure, composition, changes in vegetation structure, composition,
succession, and function • changes in wildlife populations, communities,
migration patterns, and survivorship
•
As stated clearly in the Revised CMS (October 2010), remedial actions will cause: • changes in soil composition, chemistry, and
stratigraphy • changes in floodplain hydrology (including,
flood flows, water tables, water quality)• changes in vegetation structure, composition, changes in vegetation structure, composition,
succession, and function • changes in wildlife populations, communities,
migration patterns, and survivorship • changes in landscape and corridors conditions
and patterns (fragmentation)
Fig. A shows forest connectivity, Fig. B is fragmented (Hughes 2003).Most proposed remediation activities will fragment forests and reduce connectivity.
Hydrorogbca~
Exohange Pat hrways
H EAO\fllATER
I I I I
u;pstr:-eam I - ........ ~I
~~------~ I
J I
I
___ L
h'ills[ope
Constratnedl 1\eaoh
' I
FLOODPLA.I N
U n:constratned Reach
Yetter (in press)
Yetter (in press)
Ecological restoration to recover critical ecosystem services has been widely attempted, but the degree of actual recovery of ecosystem functioning and structure from these efforts remains uncertain.
Overall, mitigation sites displayed lower potential to perform a characteristic wetland function than reference wetlands.
TilE RIVERINE EJCOSYSTEM SYNTHESIS
L tJ ,.,_ R _•lief G,rus~~lnutls
mubilc FPZ
' I (A)
lioi • \ 1 ... 1 .......
uoeon~b".ained lo\\land FPZ
..... "
, I ,
. , I ndering I•PZ -
.. I I
' l I
1~ •11abr 11rh t' PZ I
' I floodplain F P z,
pla1,,4 Fore. t
Functional Process Zones (FPZs)
Thorp et al. 2006
Temporary Taxa
Specialized Floodplain Taxa
Natural River & Floodplain
Organic, Standing Water Taxa
Stream Taxa
Permanent, Lentic Taxa
S. Yetter
mov
MA Alt Status Report Concept
Pre-Remediation EPC (ppm) 83
Re al Area (ac) 0.6 11
EXAMPLE - EA 19 Summary MA Alt vs. Status Report Concept
Removal Area (ac) 0.6 11
Removal Volume (cy) 1,000 17,000*
Post-Remediation EPC (ppm) 23 38
Direct Contact IMPG
Attainment
10-5 Cancer
10-4 Cancer
Non-cancer
Examples of movements of wildlife using all portions of a riparian corridor, from stream to upland.
23 Forman 1995
Vernal pools in forested floodplain settings along the Housatonic support species of concern, such as Jefferson Salamanders.
Photo by Bill Byrne
SPECIES WITH STRONG SITE FIDELITIES
25J. McDonald
Riparian species require natural & vertical banks
M. DanzenbakerM. Konchar R. Brooks
SPECIES WITH STRONG SITE FIDELITIES
Cavity dwelling wildlife require a variety of tree sizes
R. Brooks
J. McDonald
Wide-ranging species found in
Primary Study Arearequire suitable,
continuous habitats, in both
mature forests and riverine ecosystems
26
Diverse patterns and processes contribute to the species pool of riverine landscapes.
Ward et al. 2002
Conclusions
Implementation of the Status Report Concept will severely impact critical riparian species and habitats.
Attempts to replace mature floodplain forests, forested vernal pools, and other sensitive floodplain forested vernal pools, and other sensitive floodplain habitats and functions are not ecologically feasible or desirable, and will cause severe alterations to existing ecosystems.