Assessing the effects of Hurricane Irene on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in

the Upper Esopus CreekAlexander J. Smith, Barry P. Baldigo, Mike R.

McHale

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

OutlineProject Background

“Quantitative Assessment of Water Quality in the Upper Esopus Creek: fish, macroinvertebrates, periphyton, turbidity and nutrients”

Response to Hurricane Irene

Current Results

Next steps

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Upper Esopus Creek ProjectObjectives

Assess water quality and identify sources of: Turbidity Nutrients

Quantify the impacts of: Shandaken Portal Village of Phoenicia (septic systems) Turbidity and Nutrients

Methods 20 sites in August 2009, 2010, and 2011 Biological communities Water chemistries and discharge

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Precipitation

August 29

August 28

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Hurricane Irene FloodingFlood recurrence

interval was 100-500 years

Irene ~ 80,000 cfsAve. ~ 300 cfs

One of the worst in recorded history for the Esopus Creek drainage

Irene

Lee

Pre-Irene Post-Irene

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Sampling Month

Aug-2009 Aug-2010 Aug-2011 Sept-2011 Nov-2011

Bio

logi

cal A

sses

smen

t P

rofil

e S

core

(B

AP

)

0.0

2.5

5.0

7.5

10.0Non-impacted

Slightly Impacted

Moderately Impacted

Severely Impacted

Condition Assessment - BAP

Multimetric Spp. RichnessEPT RichnessBiotic IndexModel Affinity

Sampling Month

Aug-2009 Aug-2010 Aug-2011 Sept-2011 Nov-2011

Spe

cies

Ric

hnes

s

0

10

20

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50

Sampling Month

Aug-2009 Aug-2010 Aug-2011 Sept-2011 Nov-2011

Hils

enho

ff's

Bio

tic I

ndex

(H

BI)

0

2

4

6

8

10Sampling Month

Aug-2009 Aug-2010 Aug-2011 Sept-2011 Nov-2011

May

fly/S

tone

fly/C

addi

sfly

Ric

hnes

s (E

PT

)

0

5

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25

Sampling Month

Aug-2009 Aug-2010 Aug-2011 Sept-2011 Nov-2011

Per

cent

Mod

el A

ffin

ity (

PM

A)

0

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Sample Processing Effort

Sampling Month

Aug-2009 Aug-2010 Aug-2011 Sept-2011 Nov-2011

Per

cent

of

Sa

mpl

e S

orte

d

0

20

40

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100

Transform: Log(X+1)Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity

MonthAugNovSept

Similarity20

2D Stress: 0.21

Community Structure

Transform: Log(X+1)Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity

Acentrella turbida

0.4

1.6

2.8

4

AugAug

Nov

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Nov Sept

Aug

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AugAugAug

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AugAugAug

NovSept

2D Stress: 0.21

Transform: Log(X+1)Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity

Baetis flavistriga

0.3

1.2

2.1

3

AugAug

Nov

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Nov Sept

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NovSept

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Aug

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SeptAugAug

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AugAugAug

NovSept

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AugAugAug

NovSept

2D Stress: 0.21

ConclusionsAlthough significant impacts to diversity, the

Upper Esopus is a resilient system

Water quality assessment not necessarily the best indicator of recoveryMultivariate ordination of community data

shows a more complete picture

Monitoring is complete, full analysis and work up by spring/summer 2013