©2007 KBS
Great Rivers Study
- Timeframe: 2006 - 2008
- Location: Missouri River along the Kansas border.
- Point-of-Contact: Debbie Baker
The Great Rivers of North America, including the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers, account for a large proportion of the available water resources within the United States and are disproportionately impaired. Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture, alterations of hydrological patterns, reductions in floodplain quality and quantity, and invasive species are some of the many disturbances that threaten the integrity of Great River Ecosystems (GRE) (Benke, 1990; Karr and Chu, 2000; Justic et al., 2003). Relative to other aquatic habitats such as wadeable steams and lakes, limited effort has been directed towards the development of bioassessment tools for great rivers. Consequently, effective bioassessment tools must first be developed and demonstrated for these important ecosystems before local, regional, or national assessment programs can be designed and implemented (McDonald et al., 2004).
To assist with this effort, the Central Plains Center for BioAssessment (CPCB) sampled 8 Lower Missouri River reference sites using Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program – Great River Ecosystems (EMAP-GRE) protocols (Angradi et al. 2006). From a 500-m reach at each site we measured habitat parameters and collected water chemistry, sediment, periphyton, and macroinvertebrates, and fish, and continued to collect fish at an additional 500-m reach.
 |
 |
Don Huggins boldly takes his 100th macroinvertebrate
kick sample as Geoff Warlick cheers him on, near Atchison, KS. |
Alex Bartlett joyfully drives the boat down the
Mighty Mo. |
Additional Macroinvertebrate Collections
We are in the process of identifying the macroinvertebrate collected for
a special study within this project. The current EMAP-GRE protocols include
sampling macroinvertebrates in two habitats using two methodologies: 1)
near-shore littoral areas with a kick net and 2) main channel snags by boat
with a modified kick net (Angradi et al., 2006). In order to compare variability
in samples collected using these two methodologies the CPCB collected additional
samples at each site after the completion of all littoral GRE-EMAP sampling
procedures.
Facilitating Methods Transfer
Finally, the CPCB has proposed to develop a plan for transferring EMAP bioassessment
methodology to state and tribal river water quality and resource management
agencies within USEPA Region 7. The plan will identify state, tribal, Federal,
and NGO personnel, agencies, and groups with management, monitoring, and
assessment responsibilities for the Missouri River. Current assessment and
monitoring activities, scientific studies, and management actions affecting
water quality and biotic integrity of the river will be summarized. This
information will be used to promote the use of EMAP methods on the river.
As part of the plan, a one-day technology transfer-training workshop may
be proposed. This workshop could complement work of the existing USEPA Region
7 Biological Technical Advisory Group. The objective would be to familiarize
the state water quality management agencies with sampling designs and protocols
employed by EMAP-GRE to better enable utilization of GRE data for future
water quality assessment of the Missouri River.
Data
Not available at this time. For further information, please contact Debbie Baker
Analysis, Results, or Reports
For further information, please visit the EPA website or contact Debbie Baker
Map of the reaches from Blair, NE to the Kansas border (pdf).
Map of the reaches the Kansas border to Boonville, MO (pdf).
