-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
1/32
Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream
Restoration at Purcell Park
Shanna K. Murphy
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
2/32
Impaired Waters in Virginia
Out of 18,492 VA rivers assessed for WQS:
29% (5,347): Non-Impaired
71% (13,145): Impaired
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
3/32
Blacks RunBackground Information
Located in the South Fork Shenandoah
River Basin
Comprised of 12,255 acres
Over 8 miles of the 10.74-mile stream
flows through urban development
before entering a primarily rural area in
the lower portion
GIS Land Use Assessment:
-Urban/Suburban: 66%-Pasture/Hayland: 16%
-Cropland: 9%
-Forest: 8%
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
4/32
We live in the Blacks Run watershed before we get out to the riveror the bay. This is our home, and our stream. The bigger picture is
important, but so is taking care of our back yard.
-Thanh Dang
Public Works Planner (2009)
Blacks Run was placed on VAs list of impaired waters in 1996
In 2006, VDEQ completed TMDLs for the impairments:
Fecal Coliform TMDLErosion & runoff from agricultural livestock
Untreated human waste disposal
Wildlife
Residential & urban land runoff
Aquatic Life TMDLOverabundance of sediment & phosphorus
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
5/32
Urban Stream SyndromeThe consistent observation of a streams ecological degradation
that drains urban land.
Flashy hydrographs
Alterations in channel structure
Excessive nutrient and sediment
contamination
Decline in biological diversity
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
6/32
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
7/32
In March of 2009, a massive restoration
project took place on approximately 4,750 ft.
of Blacks Run and two neighboring
tributaries.
Reestablished
the naturalmorphology of the
stream
Steep and
eroding banks
were scaled back
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
8/32
Approximately 3,500
native trees andvegetation were
planted
Rock and log
structures wereadded to the
channel
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
9/32
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
10/32
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
11/32
Continue efforts at measuring and quantifying the
direct impacts of the restoration on Blacks Run by
implementing a number of stream quality assessment
techniques.
Characterize the post-restoration condition
Compare the data to previous studies to determine
whether or not Blacks Run can meet its designated
usages
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
12/32
The Sites
1 Urban Site
2 Restoration Sites
1 Rural Site
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
13/32
Site #1: BR-Bike
Exclusively urban setting
Upstream of the restoration
Artificially straightened
channel
Diverted
underneath
parking lot
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
14/32
Site #2: BR-Park
Located at the restoration
in Purcell ParkDownstream of BR-Bike
Site #3: SC-ParkLocated at the restoration
at the confluence with
Seiberts Creek
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
15/32
Site #4: BR-CWB
Located downstream
from the restoration
Primarily rural
setting
Crop Field
Livestock Pasture
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
16/32
Measurement Category Collected Data Frequency
General Water Quality
Temperature, pH,
Dissolved Oxygen, Specific
Conductivity, Water Levels
Bimonthly
NutrientsTotal Chloride, Nitrate-Nitrogen, Total Sulfate,
Total Phosphorus
Bimonthly
Macroinvertebrate Benthic Macro Counts Annual
Riparian BufferSpecies, Height,Condition, GPS
Coordinates
Annual
Fish Species Species and Numbers Biannual
Collected Data
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
17/32
General Water Quality Data
Water quality parameters were measured and recordedtwice a month at each site:
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Temperature
pH
Specific Conductivity (SC)
Water Levels
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
18/32
Water Levels
Water levels taken as reference to storm events
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
19/32
Temperatures ranged
between around 1C- 25C
Urban sitehigher in
summer, lower in winter
Rural sitehigher in winter,
lower in summer
31
C
maximum
7.61 7.10
10.63
6.48
21.47 21.43
18.21
23.34
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
BR-PARK SC-PARK BR-BIKE BR-CWB
Temperature(Celsius)
Site
Winter vs. Summer Average TemperatureWinter
Summer
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
20/32
5.0 mg/Lminimu
m
10.1910.67
8.21
11.76
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
BR-PARK SC-PARK BR-BIKE BR-CWB
mg/L
Site
Average DO
DO decreases in
summer due to warmer
temperatures and visa
versa
Levels consistently
increase moving
downstream
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
21/32
8.32
8.22
7.75
8.41
7.40
7.60
7.80
8.00
8.20
8.40
8.60
BR-PARK SC-PARK BR-BIKE BR-CWB
pH
Site
Total Average pH
6.5-9.5
Urban site continuously had
the lowest pH levels, both in
the bi-monthly measurements
and the average of the 19-
month sampling period.
Increased carbon dioxide
levels lower the pH of water
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
22/32
0.664
0.679
0.638
0.582
0.520
0.540
0.560
0.580
0.600
0.6200.640
0.660
0.680
0.700
BR-PARK SC-PARK BR-BIKE BR-CWB
ms/cm
Site
Average SC
Almost all
measurements fell
outside the healthyrange
Rural site consistently
held the lowest average
.150-.500
ms/cm
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
23/32
Essential nutrient for
algae and aquatic plants
EPA WQC recommends 0.1 mg/L for aquatic life and0.01 mg/L for max diversity
Considered a limiting factor for plant and aquatic
life
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
24/32
0.041
0.023
0.049
0.029
0.000
0.010
0.020
0.030
0.040
0.050
0.060
BR-PARK SC-PARK BR-BIKE BR-CWB
mg/L
Site
Average Phosphorus
0.1
mg/L
0.01
mg/L
Federa
l
WQC
Max
Diversity
Lowest average = SC-Park
with 0.023 mg/L
Highest average = BR-Bike
with 0.049 mg/L
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
25/32
Ion Chromatography
Nutrient Analysis &
Each water sample was
analyzed for major
anions using a Dionex
Ion Chromatograph
Three primary anions were
found in each sample:
Nitrate
Sulfate
Chloride
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
26/32
11.16
6.29
13.93
7.22
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
BR-PARK SC-PARK BR-BIKE BR-CWB
mg/L
Site
Average Nitrate
WQS
10 mg/L
Samples frequently exceeded
the Federal standard
BR-Bike held the highest
average nitrate at 13.93, and
SC-Park was the lowest at
6.29
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
27/32
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Survey
Sensitive to changes in
the ecosystem
Most live in an aquatic
environment for over ayear
Class I Pollution Intolerant Highly Sensitive
Class II Somewhat Pollution Tolerant Found in clean and slightly polluted waterways
Class III Pollution Tolerant Found in polluted, as well as clean, waterways
Easy to collect and analyze as water quality indicators
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
28/32
SitePopulation Density
(2011)
Population Density
(2012)
BR-
PARK5.25 11.75
SC-PARK 7.25 14
BR-BIKE 11.75 4.25
BR-CWB 16.5 19
SiteDate of
Survey
VA SOS
Multimetric Index
Ecological Condition
BR-PARK
(Restoration
1)
11/2/11 4 Unacceptable
10/5/12 6 Unacceptable
SC-PARK
(Restoration2)
11/2/11 9 Acceptable
10/5/12 8
Gray Zone
Unable to
Determine
BR-BIKE
(Urban)
11/2/11 4 Unacceptable
10/5/12 4 Unacceptable
BR-CWB(Rural)
11/2/11 2 Unacceptable
10/5/12 4 Unacceptable
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
29/32
Riparian Buffer Survey
Prevent erosion
Enhance aquatic and
terrestrial habitat
Temperature regulation
Alive Dead Good Fair Poor
288 118 141 129 18
71% 29% 35% 32% 4%
Fish Species Survey
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
30/32
Fish Species Survey
SpeciesUrban(2008)-DGIF
Urban(2013)
Park(2008)-DGIF
Park(2013)
Rural(2008)-DGIF
Rural(2013)
CommonShiner
0 40 44 15 15 37
BluntnoseMinnow
0 9 66 49 23 5
WhiteSucker
0 10 16 12 8 0
GreenSunfish
0 0 2 10 0 0
BlueheadChub
0 28 18 25 8 18
Redbreast
Sunfish0 0 14 5 6 19
YellowBullhead
0 0 0 2 4 2
BlacknoseDace
11 116 49 6 0 0
Long-Nosed Dace
0 2 0 0 0 0
MarginedMadtom
0 0 0 0 0 1
FatheadMinnow
0 0 11 0 0 0
BandedKillifish
0 0 6 0 0 0
SPT 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 11 205 226 124 71 82
SpeciesTotal 1 6 9 8 7 6
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
31/32
Aquatic life is still fairly poor due to excessive
nutrient and pollutant loads.
19 months of monitoring has shown that BR-
Bike consistently has the lowest
macroinvertebrate and fish diversity, pH, and
DO and the highest nitrate and phosphorus
levels.
BMPs, better land use practices, volunteer
clean-up days, and future monitoring are
essential
-
7/27/2019 Quantifying the Effects of the Blacks Run Stream Restoration at Purcell Park
32/32
Acknowledgments
Dr. Robert Brent
Erica Harriman
WC Price &
Fred Copithorn
Dr. Benzing
Louise Finger &
Steve Reeser
from Virginia DGIF
Friends & Family