Iowa Rivers Information System Inventory, Modeling, and Evaluation of Basin, In-Stream Habitat, and Fishery Resource Relationships Kevin Kane, Iowa State University Iowa Rivers Information System IRIS Goals Provide a consistent base layer for locational accuracy Document the health of Iowas riverine environments through data coordination Track biodiversity locally within a global perspective l Helping to direct management, protection, restoration, and educational efforts within Iowas river resources l Prioritizing conservation efforts Easy accessibility to all information Iowa Rivers Information System IRIS Overview IRIS (DNR/GSB & ISU) IOWATER Mussel Survey Many, many others DNR EPD In-Stream Habitat ISU/DNR Fisheries DNR GSB Nature Mapping Watershed/ Stream Bio-Prediction Aquatic GAP ISIS Reach Valley Seg Dyn. Seg. Iowa Rivers Information System Three Major Responsibilities Build the spatial database for IRIS with the DNR's GIS Section using the National Hydrographic Dataset (NHD) including: l coding stream IDs, l watersheds, l stream names, l stream length, l stream route and order, and l boundaries, l counties, l TRS (public land survey), l USGS quads, etc. Iowa Rivers Information System Three Major Responsibilities Collecting and adding specific data attributes to the IRIS spatial structure. These attributes will include: stream access sites, bankside land cover, EPA BIOSTORET Cross-Index, bridges, Biological Stream Character Rating, channelization, dams and levees, elevation, fish kills, historic sites, lake endpoints, stewardship (natural and recreation areas), and water sampling stations. The original listing of these attributes are taken from the "Illinois Streams Information System - ISIS Users Manual", Johnston, et al, 1999. Iowa Rivers Information System Three Major Responsibilities Integrating IRIS into a GIS environment where queries can be done for location or attribute information from a user's desktop. This will involve writing programming code in an ArcView environment using Avenue, Visual Basic, or C++. ArcIMS Consistent Hydrologic Base Layer Iowa Rivers Information System Consistent Spatial Database Using National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Two phases of development: l Phase I Reach based inventory l Phase II Dynamic Segmentation model Linkages by reach to other attribute databases Iowa Rivers Information System Iowa Rivers Information System Phase I Reach Based Percent Cropland By Reach Iowa Rivers Information System Phase II Dynamic Segmentation Begin Reach End Reach Begin Sample End Sample Attribute Database Coordination Iowa Rivers Information System IRIS Coordination IRIS (DNR/GSB & ISU) IOWATER Mussel Survey Many, many others DNR EPD In-Stream Habitat ISU/DNR Fisheries DNR GSB Nature Mapping Watershed/ Stream Bio-Prediction Aquatic GAP ISIS Reach Valley Seg Dyn. Seg. Iowa Rivers Information System Spatial Database Comparisons Iowa Rivers Information System Attribute Data Comparisons Tracking Biodiversity & Prioritizing Conservation Efforts Iowa Rivers Information System Watershed / Stream Bio-prediction General Approach Step 1. Classify Iowas riverine resources into distinct valley segment types Step 2. Assess the relative conservation status of each valley segment type and develop initial conservation priorities (quality and quantity) Step 3. Predict the biological potential of each valley segment Step 4. Revise initial conservation priorities using biological information Step 5. Identify valley segments which are both biologically significant and of relatively high quality Iowa Rivers Information System Developing a Digital Data Layer of Valley Segment Types Purpose l Delineate distinct stream environments l Evolutionary and Ecologically Meaningful Units (See EDUs below) l Serve as the habitat template for predicting biological potential Protocol l The Nature Conservancys Aquatic Community Classification Framework l Based on Ecoregions and Watersheds aka EcoDrainage Units (EDUs) Iowa Rivers Information System Examples of Distinct Valley Segment Types * Ecoregion: Des Moines Lobe * Basin: Des Moines * River Size: Medium * Structure: Unconfined valley * Flow: Perennial * Temperature: Warm * Gradient: Moderate * Substrate: Fine * Hydrograph: Stable Factors / Variables: Iowa Rivers Information System Species Habitat Affinity Database Iowa Rivers Information System Species Habitat Affinity Database Iowa Rivers Information System Species Habitat Affinity Database Iowa Rivers Information System Predicting the Biological Potential of each Valley Segment Habitat Affinity Database Statewide Known Distributions by Hydrologic Unit Valley Segment Datalayer Iowa Rivers Information System Predicted Distribution for Species X By Watershed and Reach Iowa Rivers Information System Predictive Modeling Habitat Affinity Databse Historic and Sampled Distributions Predictive Model Watershed Influence to Habitat Classifying Rivers Accessibility to Information Iowa Rivers Information System ISIS - Illinois Stream Information System Iowa Rivers Information System ISIS - Illinois Stream Information System Iowa Rivers Information System ISIS - Illinois Stream Information System Iowa Rivers Information System ISIS - Illinois Stream Information System Iowa Rivers Information System IRIS ArcIMS Application Iowa Rivers Information System Applications Landcover Buffer Iowa Rivers Information System Applications Landcover Buffer Iowa Rivers Information System Percent Cropland By Reach Applications Landcover Buffer Iowa Rivers Information SystemCredits Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership National Gap Analysis Program Illinois Stream Information System Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources Iowa State University