Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

UMESC - Scopes of Work For Implementation of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) Element of the Upper Mississippi River System - Environmental Management Program

SCOPES OF WORK FY 2001
For Implementation of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) Element of the Upper Mississippi River System- Environmental Management Program

INTRODUCTION
Authorization
Project Location
Contract Objectives

MONITORING AND ANALYSIS
Aquatic Vegetation Component
Fisheries Component
Macroinvertebrate Component
Water Quality Component
Annual LTRMP Monitoring Summary Report
Fishery Resources of Deep Channels
Statistical Evaluation of Monitoring Data
Bathymetric Mapping for HREP Projects and Pool-wide Planning

APPLIED RESEARCH: LANDSCAPE & HABITAT ANALYSES
Year 2000 Land Cover/Land Use for key pools
Investigation of Remote Sensing Technology for Land Cover

APPLIED RESEARCH: INTEGRATED ANALYSES
Numerical and Statistical Modeling of Aquatic Plant Biomass
Integrated Analysis of Fish Monitoring Data

LTRMP Milestones
 LTRMP Milestones (.pdf file - 16kb) Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

INTRODUCTION

Authorization
Section 1103(e) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 652(e)), Public Law 99-662, as amended (WRDA 1999)

Project Location
PL 99-662 as amended authorizes the LTRMP to monitor the entire UMRS. The USGS conducts the program based at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and through 6 state-operated field stations.

Contract Objectives
This is the contractual scope of work (SOW) for Military Interdepartmental Purchase Requests (MIPRs) Numbers 96514793437938 (Federal) and 96514793637939 (Non-Federal). These MIPRs are issued to the U.S. Geological Survey - Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (USGS-UMESC) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for Fiscal Year 2001 (FY01) to conduct the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP), an element of the Upper Mississippi River System - Environmental Management Program (UMRS-EMP). This SOW specifies FY01 work to be performed, products to be delivered, milestones, and allocation of funding for the following activities:

 

This SOW contains specifications for portions of the FY01 base-funded LTRMP activity. The USGS - UMESC study plan proposals for the work elements are referred by title and in the list of references.

Execution of this scope of work will be monitored via joint Corps and USGS - UMESC quarterly In-Progress Reviews (IPRs) and through existing program coordination mechanisms (Environmental Management Program Coordinating Committee and LTRMP Analysis Team meetings).

MONITORING AND ANALYSIS

Monitoring of selected components of the UMRS ecosystem will be conducted to maintain continuity of LTRMP monitoring records and sampling capabilities. Monitoring will include sampling, data collection, quality checking of data, calculation of summary statistics, archiving of data, statistical analysis of spatial and temporal trends, interpretation of monitoring results, reports on monitoring results, and transfer of data and reports to others. A summary report of fiscal year 2001 monitoring results and interpretation of UMRS ecological conditions will be prepared by September 15, 2002.

Project Title: Aquatic Vegetation Component


One annual increment of stratified random sampling (SRS) of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) will be conducted following the LTRMP study plan and standard protocol (USGS 1999a, Yin et al. 1999).

Objectives

  1. Monitor one annual increment of aquatic vegetation in LTRMP study areas (UMR Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, LaGrange Pool on the Illinois River).
  2. Determine if there are differences in relative abundance and community composition of SAV between strata, within and between study areas.
  3. Determine if there have been changes in relative abundance and community composition of SAV from previous years of monitoring.

Methods
In FY01 vegetation will be sampled using the SRS protocol in Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, and La Grange. The vegetation transects located in selected backwaters that were sampled annually from 1991 to 2000 will not be sampled.

SAV will be sampled from randomly located sites within five aquatic areas strata (SRS sampling) within each LTRMP study area except Open River: 1) main channel border, 2) secondary channels, 3) contiguous backwaters, 4) impounded areas, and 5) isolated backwaters. All sampling sites will be located in <2.5 ft of water depth below project pool elevation. The total number of SAV sampling sites will vary between LTRMP study areas: Pool 4 - 550, Pool 8 - 600, Pool 13 - 550, Pool 26 - 400, LaGrange - 500. Six sub-sampling areas will be visually inspected at each site, and vegetation will be collected with a rake. Data on species relative abundance/frequency of occurrence (0 - 6 scale), water depth, and sediment type will be recorded. Information on river discharge and water surface elevation will be obtained for all pools of the UMR using procedures documented in the LTRMP procedures manual.

Products

 

  1. Year 2000 SAV data will be quality checked and entered into the LTRMP monitoring database.
  2. Summary statistics of year 2000 SAV sampling data will be calculated and quality checked.
  3. Statistical analysis of year 2000 SAV data to detect differences between strata, pools, and previous monitoring years.
  4. A summary of results and interpretation of year 2000 SAV monitoring, to be included in the 2000 LTRMP Monitoring Summary Report.
  5. An annual increment in the LTRMP database of river discharge and water surface elevation.

Milestones

Total Funding: $832,900 (Federal 403,200 & Non-Federal 429,700)

Personnel
Dr. Yao Yin will be the principal investigator in charge of LTRMP aquatic vegetation monitoring.

Project Title: Fisheries Component

One annual increment of stratified random sampling of fish will be conducted, following the LTRMP study plan and standard protocols (USGS 1999b, Gutreuter et al. 1995). The level of effort for fish monitoring in FY2001 and any changes to the sampling protocol will be determined in March 2001 following analysis of previous LTRMP fisheries data (see project "Integrated Analysis of Fish Monitoring Data).

Objectives

 

  1. Measure the relative abundance, community composition, and population structure of fishes within six LTRMP study areas in the UMRS (Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, and the Open River reach of the Upper Mississippi River and the La Grange Pool on the Illinois River).
  2. Determine if relative abundance, community composition, and population structure of fishes differ between strata, within study areas, and between study areas.
  3. Determine if the relative abundance, community composition, and population structure of fishes have changed from previous years of monitoring.

Methods
Fish will be sampled from randomly chosen locations from within aquatic areas strata present within each LTRMP study area:

 

Fish will be sampled with multiple sampling gears. In prior years, sampling has been done with electrofishing, fyke nets, seines, small fyke nets, hoop nets, and small trawls, following standard LTRMP protocols (Gutreuter et al. 1995). Sampling effort with passive gears (e.g., fyke nets and hoop nets) may be reduced in FY 2001, pending the consideration of recommendations to be derived from statistical analyses of the effectiveness of different gears in characterizing community composition and the relative abundance of key fish species. Fish sampling will be conducted during three time periods between June 15 and October 15 in each LTRMP study area.

Products

  1. Fish data will be quality checked and entered into the LTRMP monitoring database.
  2. Summary statistics of fish sampling will be calculated and quality checked.
  3. Statistical analysis to detect differences between strata, pools, and previous monitoring years will be conducted.
  4. A summary and interpretation of results of year 2000 fish monitoring, to be included in the 2000 LTRMP Monitoring Summary Report.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $1,421,100 (Federal 434,900 & Non-Federal 986,200)

Personnel
Mr. Randy Burkhardt and Dr. Barry Johnson will be the principal investigators in charge of LTRMP fish monitoring.

Project Title: Macroinvertebrate Component

One annual increment of macroinvertebrate sampling will be conducted, following the LTRMP study plan and standard protocols (USGS 1999c, Thiel and Sauer 1999). The sampling effort will be the same as that applied during prior years (1993 through 2000).

Objectives

 

  1. Measure the density and community composition of soft-substrate macroinvertebrates within six LTRMP study areas in the UMRS (Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, and the Open River reach on the Upper Mississippi River and the La Grange Pool on the Illinois River).
  2. Determine if macroinvertebrate density and community composition differ between strata within study areas and differ between study areas.
  3. Determine if macroinvertebrate density and community composition have changed from previous years of monitoring.

Methods
Benthic macroinvertebrates will be sampled by ponar dredge and screened in the field. Samples will be preserved and retained for laboratory identification and enumeration. Mayflies (Ephemeroptera), fingernail clams (Sphaeriidae), Corbicula fluminea (Asiatic clam), midges (Chironomidae) and Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra mussel) will be collected, identified, and enumerated. The presence or absence of macroinvertebrates in the classes Odonata, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Diptera, Bivalvia, Oligochaeta, Decapoda, Amphipoda, and Gastropoda will be observed and reported. Approximately 125 macroinvertebrate samples will be collected in each study area. Sample allocation will be based on a stratified random design, where strata include contiguous backwaters (BWC), main channel borders (MCB), impounded areas (IMP), secondary channels (SC), and tributary delta lake (TDL). All sites will be sampled in spring to characterize the benthic community before the emergence of adult mayflies. Pool-wide macroinvertebrate densities will be estimated by pooling data over all strata.

Products

 

  1. Macroinvertebrate density and community composition data for the year 2000, quality checked and entered into the LTRMP monitoring database.
  2. Summary statistics of data on macroinvertebrate density and community composition, served via the UMESC web site.
  3. Statistical analyses of macroinvertebrate monitoring data for the year 2000.
  4. A summary and interpretation of results of year 2000 macroinvertebrate monitoring, to be included in the LTRMP Monitoring Summary Report for the year 2000.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $217,600 (Federal 139,800 & Non-Federal 77,800)

Personnel
Ms. Jennie Sauer will be the principal investigator in charge of LTRMP macroinvertebrate monitoring.

Project Title: Water Quality Component

One annual increment of LTRMP water quality monitoring will be conducted, following LTRMP protocols.

Objectives

 

  1. Measure selected limnological variables within six LTRMP study areas in the UMRS (including Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, and the Open River reach of the Upper Mississippi River and the La Grange Pool on the Illinois River) and in Pools 9, 12, and 14.
  2. Detect differences in water quality among strata within study areas and among study areas.
  3. Detect differences in water quality between sampling episodes.
  4. Determine changes in water quality over the LTRMP period of record.
  5. Complete internal USGS review and publish the LTRMP procedures manual for water quality monitoring.

Methods
A subset of limnological variables (physicochemical characteristics, suspended sediment, and major plant nutrients) will be monitored at stratified-random sites and at fixed locations within each LTRMP study area and at a number of other selected sites. Data for Pool 9 is collected by Upper Iowa University at no cost to LTRMP. Data in pools 12 and 14 are collected by the Bellevue Field Station at the dams and at tributary confluences as outlined in the water quality interim report. A combination of in-situ measurements and grab samples retained for laboratory analysis will be collected. Allocation of sampling effort will be based on four seasonal episodes each year for the stratified-random sampling, and periodic (biweekly or monthly) sampling at fixed sites. The sampling allocation will be the same as that used in FY 2000. Water quality sampling and laboratory analyses will be performed following standard LTRMP protocols. A procedures manual for the water quality component, presently in final stages preparation, will be peer reviewed and published.

Products

 

  1. Six data reports presenting detailed water-quality data for each of the six study areas during the years 1997-1999, available on the UMESC web site.
  2. Water-quality data, quality checked and entered into the LTRMP monitoring database from four water-sampling episodes during FY 2000.
  3. Summary statistics for year 2000 water quality data.
  4. Statistical analysis of year 2000 water quality data.
  5. A summary and interpretation of the results of year 2000 water quality monitoring, to be included in the LTRMP Monitoring Summary Report for the year 2000.
  6. A published Procedures Manual for LTRMP water quality monitoring.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $1,639,400 (Federal 866,200 & Non-Federal 773,200)

Personnel
Dr. David Soballe will be the principal investigator in charge of LTRMP water quality monitoring.

Project Title: Annual LTRMP Monitoring Summary Report

A report summarizing LTRMP monitoring activities during the YR2000 and highlighting annual results will be prepared.

Objectives
Complete and distribute an annual report summarizing LTRMP monitoring activities and interpreting ecological conditions in the UMRS during the year 2000.

Methods
Results of year 2000 monitoring of UMRS hydrology, water quality, fish, macroinvertebrates, and vegetation will be compiled. The report will include selected summary statistics, analyses of spatial and temporal trends, analyses long-term patterns, and a synthesis interpretation of ecological conditions and sampling efforts during the year 2000.

Products
Annual monitoring summary report for the UMRS for the year 2000.

Milestones
September 30, 2001 - Final draft report completed and submitted for USGS review distributed.

Total Funding: $86,100 Federal

Personnel
Drs. Carl Korschgen and Barry Johnson will be the lead UMESC principal investigators responsible for the LTRMP annual monitoring report.

Project Title: Fishery Resources of Deep Channels

Biological production is a primary response of ecosystem processes, and is a primary object of both recreational and commercial fishing. High biological production is also thought to be a key mechanism that supports high species richness, so that production is also of direct importance to non-consumptive conservation efforts. Recent literature suggests that the fishery resources of rivers are more productive than those of lakes. However, there is considerable uncertainty in this conclusion because the fishery resources of large rivers, and particularly those of deep channels, are difficult to quantify.

Historic efforts to measure the abundance of riverine fishes, including past and ongoing standardized fish monitoring by the LTRMP, have been largely restricted to relatively shallow channel borders and back-waters that are easiest to sample. As a result, relatively little is known about the fishery resources of deep channels of the Mississippi River. That information gap is particularly problematic because the navigation channels of large rivers comprise a large fraction of the total aquatic area, and are a major zone of human impact by navigation and water regulation. Therefore, a better understanding of the fishery resources of these deep channels is critical, for example, to assess habitat requirements, to examine effects of anthropogenic stressors, and to manage fishery resources in large rivers. This project will complement traditional LTRMP fish monitoring by providing critical information on fishes that inhabit deeper channels that are not otherwise sampled.

This 5-year project will support integrated research on the fishery resources of the Upper Mississippi River system in support of management concerns. It is complementary to studies of effects of navigation on fishes funded by the Corps, and with new research funded by the USGS into managing pathways of biological production in large rivers and nutrient cycles in floodplains of large rivers.

Objectives
This project will address the two objectives, listed below, as part of a planned 5-year course of study. An additional $157,000 in project funding, beyond that listed below, will be required to fully implement Objective 1, and to collect an annual increment of data under Objective 2, below.

 

  1. Assess the efficiency of trawling for the estimation of abundance and biomass to provide estimates of abundance and biomass that are corrected for escapement from the gear.
  2. Quantify and model spatial and temporal patterns in abundance and biomass of fishes in deep channels and channel borders in relation to channel morphometry and bed slope, pool position, longitudinal gradient, season, and other factors that explain major modes of variation in abundance. Assess consequences of chronic disturbance in the navigation channels using comparisons of abundance between matched segments of navigation channel and morphometrically similar secondary channel and main channel border.

Methods
Objective 1 - Forward-scanning hydroacoustic trawling gear, and/or videography and the feasibility of flume studies will be evaluated for use in estimation of the fraction of fish that escape capture by the trawl. Once an approach is selected, gear avoidance will be quantified, and correction factors for escapement will be estimated.

Objective 2 - A probability-based spatially distributed sampling plan will be developed for trawl surveys. Trawl surveys, from throughout the UMR, will be conducted on an annual basis to estimate and model patterns in abundance and biomass of key fishes. Particular attention will be devoted to identification of potential effects of physical features, river control structures, hydraulic characteristics, and navigation on patterns of abundance and biomass. Abundance will be compared among matched segments of navigation channel, secondary channel, and main channel border to assess potential consequences of chronic disturbance.

Expected Products

 

  1. Quarterly progress reports (last days of December, March, June and September).
  2. Technical presentations at scientific conferences, to program partners, and to river managers.
  3. Publications in refereed journals.

Milestones in FY 2001

 

Total Funding: $136,000 Federal

Personnel
Dr. Steve Gutreuter will be the lead principal investigator for the project. Mr. Brent Knights and Mr. Steve Zigler will be co-investigators.

Project Title: Statistical Evaluation of Monitoring Data

Statistical analysis of LTRMP data will be intensified, and the effectiveness and efficiency of sampling designs for assessing trends and patterns in ecosystem components of the UMRS will be evaluated.

Objectives
This study will support more intensive statistical analyses of the LTRMP component data and a more rigorous statistical examination of the program's sampling framework. These activities are critically needed to guide scientifically defensible modification or expansion of the program's monitoring and analysis efforts. The first objective is to intensify statistical support for ongoing and planned studies that involve synthesis, quantitative analysis, or modeling of program data. The second objective is to complete a more rigorous analysis of the LTRMP sampling framework.

The current program includes a number of ongoing studies and new investigations that involve synthesis, analysis, or modeling of LTRMP and other UMRS data. Other studies are critically examining the program's sampling framework or planning systemic analyses to characterize resources or habitats of the UMRS. Program partners have also recommended including investigations of other biotic groups, such as mussels, wildlife, and imperiled species, into the LTRMP resource-analysis framework. In particular, the design of sampling or research efforts for rare species of special interest to natural resource managers presents a major design challenge for the program.

These ongoing and planned efforts involve application of statistical theory and methodology for sampling design, estimation, hypothesis testing, and predictive modeling. Yet, the program presently lacks the requisite level of statistical support needed for consultation with LTRMP scientists, managers, and partners. The infusion of statistical expertise provided by this project will enhance the scientific defensibility and efficiency of LTRMP studies, will provide needed statistical input during programmatic planning efforts, and will facilitate the timely completion of planned products.

Methods
Statistical expertise will be acquired through cooperative agreements and through recruiting of one or more professional-level statistician positions (GS-11/12 appointment) and associated support staff at UMESC.

Objective 1 - Intensify statistical support for ongoing and planned studies that involve synthesis, quantitative analysis, or modeling of program data. Statistical guidance will be provided to LTRMP principal investigators at all appropriate stages of study planning and execution. Statistical consultations will include active participation in project planning, review of written study plans, critical evaluation of proposed and existing sampling designs, and provision of guidance on proposed methodologies for statistical estimation, hypothesis testing, and modeling.

Objective 2 - Complete a more rigorous analysis of the LTRMP sampling frame-work. More intensive analyses of LTRMP component data will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the program's existing sampling framework. The statistical analyses of redundancy in the component monitoring data will be much more comprehensive than that initiated in 1999.

The spatial adequacy of the existing monitoring program, which focuses on six fixed reaches of the UMRS, will also be examined. This effort will critically examine the present spatial allocation of effort (at the pool or reach scale), in comparison to a more systemic approach to component monitoring. Statistical analyses will also estimate the level of effort needed to meaningfully expand spatial coverage. The analyses completed thus far have not addressed a statistical sampling framework for expanding beyond the existing program reaches and have not critically examined the sampling framework with respect to its effectiveness for identifying linkages between system components, as well as cause-effect relationships.

This study plan represents an initial 1-year increment of work. Additional, sustained out-year effort will be required to provide the full level of statistical support needed for programmatic planning, critical evaluation of proposed and existing sampling designs, and statistical support of LTRMP projects.

Expected Products

 

  1. Recommendations for potential modifications of the LTRMP sampling framework for quantification and analysis of UMRS components.
  2. Project status reports.
  3. Technical presentations at scientific conferences, to program partners, and to river management groups concerning findings and interpretations.
  4. Publications in refereed journals, as appropriate.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $100,000 Federal

Personnel
Dr. Carl Korschgen will be the UMESC point of contact for this effort.

Project Title: Bathymetric mapping for HREP projects and analytical support for HREP projects and pool-wide planning

The proposed work is a focused effort of bathymetric surveys similar to those that LTRMP conducted since 1988. In the past, the LTRMP has assisted in collecting and analyzing bathymetric data at HREP project sites. This proposed work unit will formalize the critical function of bathymetric surveys in support of HREP design and monitoring. Staff will provide analytical support for HREP planning, including pool-wide planning whenever data is available. The GIS coverages created by this work unit will increase the spatial coverage of existing bathymetric data and result in progress towards the goal of a systemic bathymetric coverage. Staff will also develop a strategic plan for completion of a systemic bathymetric database, in anticipation for bathymetric surveys funded as an LTRMP over-target project.

Objectives
The short-term objective is to provide bathymetric data for design and evaluation of HREP project sites. In the long-term, these data will expedite the completion of a systemic GIS bathymetry data set for the UMRS. Provide analytical support for HREP activities. Develop a strategic plan in coordination with the USACE for collection and compilation of systemic bathymetry, in preparation for increased funding levels.

Methods
No major changes to the existing methodology used in the past by LTRMP are anticipated. However, in many cases, the data will be collected at a greater resolution than is needed for the pool-wide mapping in order to meet the needs of HREP planning and evaluation. The data collection methods will be designed to produce data suitable for generating a pool-wide GIS coverage using interpolation between sample points. The partners in the HREP will define survey needs in the three USACE Districts of the UMRS. A prioritization process will be directed by the regional EMP Program Manager (MVR) in consultation with staff from the three UMRS Corps districts and USGS management team.

Products

 

  1. Post-processed data and Arc/Info GIS coverages (grids and shapefiles).
  2. Standard set of products (i.e. data, images) for completed pools available through the UMESC bathymetry web pages.
  3. Additional hardcopy and electronic information, as requested.
  4. GIS analytical support, as requested.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $300,000 Federal

Personnel
Mr. Jim Rogala will be the UMESC principal investigator in charge of bathymetric surveys and GIS database generation.

APPLIED RESEARCH: LANDSCAPE AND HABITAT ANALYSES

A variety of LTRMP applied research efforts will be conducted, designed to assess habitat conditions and habitat forming processes in the UMRS, document historic changes in the UMRS landscape, and to develop predictive tools to aid in planning for river management.

Project Title: Year 2000 Land Cover/Land Use and Aquatic Areas GIS Database

Development of a new Land Cover/Land Use and aquatic areas GIS database would provide an 11-year time step since the 1989 systemic coverage. Once completed this dataset would be invaluable in assessing and evaluating long-term vegetation trends, and habitat changes, in addition to documenting the current state. This umbrella scope of work spans multi-fiscal years with project funding derived from both program base and over-target funds.

Objectives

 

  1. Obtain a complete set of late summer aerial photography for the UMRS aquatic and floodplain areas in True Color and Color Infrared.
  2. Develop a new Year 2000 LCU and aquatic areas GIS database for the entire UMRS.

Methods
Aerial photographs of the entire UMRS were collected in color infrared (CIR) and True Color (TC) in July, August and September of 2000 at 1:24,000 and 1:16,000 scales respectively. The TC aerial photos will be scanned, rectified, mosaicked, compressed, and served via the UMESC Internet site. The CIR aerial photos will be interpreted and automated using a 31-class LTRMP vegetation classification (see Attachment A). The resulting LCU datasets will be reclassified using the LTRMP aquatic areas classification (see Attachment B). Year 2000 land cover/land use and aquatic areas GIS databases will be prepared by or under the supervision of competent and trained professional staff using documented standard operated procedures and will be subject to rigorous quality control (QC) assurances (NBS, 1995). The LTRMP study areas (Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, the southern Open River reach, and the La Grange Pool of the Illinois River) will be processed first.

 

Products

Completed in FY2000

Task A: A complete set of late summer aerial photography (prints and transparencies) acquired for the entire UMRS floodplain in TC and CIR.
Over-Target funded in FY2000 $311,000

FY 2001

Task B: Georeferenced digital TC photo mosaics for each LTRMP study area on the UMRS (key pools and river reaches), served via the UMESC Internet site.

Key Pools: Pools 4, 8, 13, 26; Open River South; Illinois River - La Grange Pool Over-Target funded in FY2000 $75,000

Non-key pools: Pools 1-3, 5-7, 9-12, 14-25; Open River North; Illinois River Pools - Alton, Peoria, Starved Rock, Marseilles, Dresden, Brandon, and Lockport
Over-Target submission in FY2001 $75,000

Task C: Automation of 2000 LCU datasets for key pools (Pools 4, 8, 13, 26; Open River South; Illinois River - La Grange Pool), served via the UMESC Internet site.
Base program funded in FY2001: $216,000

Task D: Automation of 2000 LCU datasets for non-key pools, served via the UMESC Internet site.
Over-Target submission in FY2001 $900,000 Total
Estimated costs:

 

Task E: Automation of 2000 Aquatic Areas datasets for entire UMRS, served via the UMESC Internet site.
Over-Target submission in FY2001 $150,000

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $ 216,000 Federal
$ 1,125,000 Over-Target Submission

Personnel
Mr. Larry Robinson will be the UMESC principal investigator in charge of developing the Year 2000 land use/land cover and aquatic areas GIS databases for the UMRS.

ATTACHMENT A
LTRMP 31-Class General Vegetation Classification, Version 1.0

CODE

CODE DESCRIPTION

HYDRO

HYDROLOGY DESCRIPTION

NVCS

NVCS DESCRIPTION

OW

Open Water

1

Permanently Flooded Non-Forest

n/a

Open Water; Default to Anderson Classification

RFA

Rooted Floating Aquatics

1

Permanently Flooded Non-Forest

V.C.2.N.a.

Permanently flooded temperate or subpolar hydromorphic rooted vegetation

SV

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

1

Permanently Flooded Non-Forest

V.C.2.N.a.

Permanently flooded temperate or subpolar hydromorphic rooted vegetation

DMA

Deep Marsh Annual

2

Semipermanently Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.l.

Semipermanently flooded temperate or subpolar grassland

DMP

Deep Marsh Perennial

2

Semipermanently Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.l.

Semipermanently flooded temperate or subpolar grassland

MUD

Mud

3

Seasonally Flooded Non-Forest

VII.C.4.N.c.

Seasonally/Temporarily flooded mudflats

SMA

Shallow Marsh Annual

3

Seasonally Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.k.

Seasonally flooded temperate or subpolar grassland

SMP

Shallow Marsh Perennial

3

Seasonally Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.k.

Seasonally flooded temperate or subpolar grassland

SM

Sedge Meadow

4

Temporarily Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.j.

Temporarily flooded temperate or subpolar grassland

WM

Wet Meadow

5

Saturated Soil Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.m.

Saturated temperate or subpolar grassland

DMS

Deep Marsh Shrub

6

Semipermanently Flooded Shrubs

III.B.2.N.f.

Semipermanently flooded cold-deciduous shrubland

SMS

Shallow Marsh Shrub

7

Seasonally Flooded Shrubs

III.B.2.N.e.

Seasonally flooded cold-deciduous shrubland

WMS

Wet Meadow Shrub

8

Temporarily Flooded Shrubs

III.B.2.N.d.

Temporarily flooded cold-deciduous shrubland

SS

Shrub/Scrub

9

Infrequently Flooded Shrubs

III.B.2.N.a.

Temperate cold-deciduous shrubland

WS

Wooded Swamp

10

Semipermanently Flooded Forest

I.B.2.N.f.

Semipermanently flooded cold-deciduous closed tree canopy

FF

Floodplain Forest

11

Seasonally Flooded Forest

I.B.2.N.e.

Seasonally flooded cold-deciduous closed tree canopy

PC

Populus Community

11

Seasonally Flooded Forest

I.B.2.N.e.

Seasonally flooded cold-deciduous closed tree canopy

SC

Salix Community

11

Seasonally Flooded Forest

I.B.2.N.e.

Seasonally flooded cold-deciduous closed tree canopy

BHF

Bottomland Hardwood Forest

12

Temporarily Flooded Forest

I.B.2.N.d.

Temporarily flooded cold-deciduous closed tree canopy

CN

Conifers

13

Infrequently Flooded Forest

I.A.8.N.b.

Rounded-crowned temperate or subpolar needle-leaved evergreen forest

PN

Plantation

13

Infrequently Flooded Forest

I.A.8.C.a.

Plantation

UF

Upland Forest

13

Infrequently Flooded Forest

I.B.2.N.a.

Lowland or submontane cold-deciduous closed tree canopy

AG

Agriculture

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

V.C.2.N.b.

Annual row-crop forbs or grasses

DV

Developed

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

n/a

Developed; Default to Anderson Classification

GR

Grassland

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.N.a.

Tall sod temperate grassland

LV

Levee

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

n/a

Levee; Default to Anderson Classification

PS

Pasture

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

V.A.5.C.a.

Perennial Grass Crops

RD

Roadside Grass/Forbs

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

n/a

Roadside Grass/Forb; Default to Anderson Classification

SB

Sand Bar

4

Temporarily Flooded Non-Forest

VII.C.1.N.a.

Temporarily flooded sand flats

SD

Sand

14

Infrequently Flooded Non-Forest

VII.C.1.N.a.

Dunes with sparse herbaceous vegetation

NPC

No Photo Coverage

  

n/a

n/a

No Photo Coverage; n/a

VEGETATION MODIFIERS

Density A = 10-33% B = 33-66% C = 66-90% D = > 90%

Height* 1 = 0-20 ft. 2 = 20-50 ft. 3 = > 50 ft. *Trees only

ATTACHMENT B
Aquatic Areas Classification

CODE

CODE DESCRIPTION

MC

Main Channel

MNC

Main Channel-Navigation Channel

MCB

Main Channel-Channel Border

SC

Secondary Channel

SNC

Secondary Channel-Navigation Channel

SCB

Secondary Channel-Channel Border

TC

Tertiary Channel

TRC

Tributary Channel

SB

Sandbar

CACL

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Abandoned Channel Lake

CTDL

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Tributary Delta Lake

CLLL

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Lateral Levee Lake

CSCL

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Scour Channel Lake

CFDL

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Floodplain Depression Lake

CMML

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Manmade Lake

CBP

Contiguous Floodplain Lake-Borrow Pit

CFSA

Contiguous Floodplain Shallow Aquatic Area

CIMP

Contiguous Impounded Area

IACL

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Abandoned Channel Lake

ITDL

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Tributary Delta Lake

ILLL

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Lateral Levee Lake

ISCL

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Scour Channel Lake

IFDL

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Floodplain Depression Lake

IMML

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Manmade Lake

IBP

Isolated Floodplain Lake-Borrow Pit

IFSA

Isolated Floodplain Shallow Aquatic Area

CD

Closing Dam

WD

Wing Dam

RB

Revetted Bank

N

Non-Aquatic Area

NOPH

No Photo Coverage

EC

Excavated Channel

Project Title: Investigation of Remote Sensing Technology for Land Cover

A land cover/land use GIS database for nearly the entire UMRS has been created through interpretation of 1:15,000 scale aerial photography acquired in 1989. It would be time- and cost-prohibitive to produce a more current, system-wide land cover/land use dataset at the same level of classification detail and using the same protocol. Technologies and classification for a new systemic UMRS land cover/land use and aquatic areas database will be examined, and a process recommended.

Objective
The objective is to determine an improved method for developing the land cover/land use GIS dataset for the UMRS. The alternatives to be explored include using smaller scale aerial photography, which would significantly reduce the number of photos to be interpreted; or using the most recent, digitally-based technologies, which allow a more automated development of the LCU as well as direct incorporation into a GIS.

Initially, three study areas representative of the UMRS will be used in the evaluation. The study areas are each approximately 100km2. They are located in Pools 8 and 22 of the Upper Mississippi River and in the LaGrange Pool of the Illinois River. Aerial photography and satellite (IKONOS) images were acquired for all three study areas in the first year (FY00) of the study. Airborne hyperspectral (AISA) data will be acquired during the second year. The high cost of AISA data will limit FY01 acquisitions to only the LaGrange Pool. Pool 8 (and possibly Pool 22) would be acquired if additional funds become available, or acquisition costs prove to be lower than initial estimates.

Methods
Smaller scale (1:24,000) aerial photography, 4-meter cell resolution multispectral satellite (IKONOS) images, and airborne hyperspectral (AISA) imagery will be assessed for their utility in classifying land cover types along several stretches of the UMRS. In addition, a literature review will be conducted to determine applications of current remote sensing technology to large river floodplain mapping.

Aerial photography (1:15,000 and 1:24,000) and the IKONOS images will be acquired in the late summer of 2000 for portions of Pools 8 and 22 of the UMRS and for a portion of the LaGrange Pool of the Illinois River. All sets of remotely sensed data will be interpreted to a 31-class LCU scheme. It is assumed the larger (1:15,000) scale photography will allow sufficiently accurate interpretation at the 31-class level, so the resulting LCU layer will be the reference layer against which the 1:24,000 photo-interpretation and the IKONOS classification are compared.

AISA image(s) will be acquired in the late summer of 2001, and interpreted to the same 31-class LCU scheme. Aerial photography (1:15,000) will be re-acquired to provide concurrent reference data for the AISA classification.

A literature review will be conducted on the utility of satellite-based and airborne sensors for detecting floodplain cover types. The review will focus on recent studies that present quantified (e.g., contingency tables) not qualified (e.g. "this sensor appears promising") results. Where the technology is too new to have generated peer-reviewed literature, it will be evaluated on the basis of technological potential, cost, and logistics (e.g. scheduling constraints).

Products

 

  1. A set of 1:24,000 CIR aerial photographs of selected study areas collected in August.
  2. Four LCU datasets based on the 1:15,000 and 1:24,000 aerial photography and multi-/hyperspectral data will be produced for the study areas.
  3. A brief report will document the protocols used and evaluate the 1:24,000 dataset based on accuracy and production time.
  4. A review of recent literature describing applications of digitally-based sensors for mapping floodplain LCU and the cover types they are capable of mapping accurately. Comparisons of practical advantages and disadvantages of each sensor.
  5. An accuracy assessment of the LCU classifications derived from year 2000, 4-meter multispectral, satellite (IKONOS) data, year 2001, and hyperspectral airborne (AISA) data.
  6. A Project Status Report for each of the two (IKONOS and AISA) digitally-based classifications.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $ 80,000 (Federal $ 55,000 & COE Contract Est. $ 25,000)

Personnel
Pete Joria will be the UMESC principal investigator in charge of research on new methods for developing land use/land cover data for the UMRS.

APPLIED RESEARCH: INTEGRATED ANALYSIS

Project Title: Numerical and statistical modeling of aquatic plant biomass

American wildcelery (Vallisneria Americana) and sago pondweed (Potomogeton pectinatus) represent a substantial proportion of the submersed aquatic plant community in the UMRS and are important to fish and wildlife species. Plant ecologists at the COE Waterways Experiment Station developed numerical models (Best, E. P.H., and W.A. Boyd. 2000. VALLA (Version 1.0): a simulation model for growth of American wildcelery. Instruction report E-2000 In press. Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS) for American wildcelery and sago pondweed which predict production of biomass. We will further develop this modeling approach to make the models spatially explicit by incorporating existing environmental data (climate, water depth, water transparency ) into a spatial platform for 2 to 3 UMR Pools for which relevant input data sets exist.

Objectives
The objective of the work is to develop and evaluate numerical and statistical models of American wildcelery and sago pondweed biomass. Models will allow ability to predict annual productivity of these two species, in terms of plant, seed, and tuber biomass, and their potential to maintain presence in subsequent years.

Methods
To develop and refine these models, the following input data will be compiled: site-specific environmental information, plant species and initial biomass (above ground leaves and seeds and below ground tubers/turions). Field data are currently available from previous or ongoing studies through LTRMP, UMESC, or WES programs. If data availability is sufficient, generative propagation will be incorporated into the most recent model versions. The models will be used to quantify effects of temporal changes in variables such as climate (latitude, irradiance, and temperature), water depth, water transparency, and biomass removal (due to herbivory, mechanical harvesting, or extreme wave action, as examples) on plant biomass dynamics over 1- to 5-year periods. The models will be useful in evaluating effects of both past and future changes in environmental conditions on plant biomass and survival. An analysis of the sensitivity of these models to changes in the environmental data will be used to evaluate consequences of changes in (river) management for biomass and persistence of these species.

Another model incorporating empirical/statistical analyses will be developed on a spatially defined grid (GIS). Using this model the spatial distribution of wildcelery and sago pondweed will be projected as a probabilistic event in terms of presence or absence, with and without abundance as a weighting factor. Variables in the model will include water depth, water transparency, total suspended solids, current velocity, wind fetch, and sediment type. Potential habitat will be projected (from the past), by this modeling approach which generates spatial presence or absence information, with and without probability assessment.

The outcomes of both the numerical and statistical modeling approaches will be evaluated to determine potential effects of UMRS management on distribution, biomass production and persistence of American wildcelery and sago pondweed. Products will be especially relevant for establishing goals and evaluating future HREPs and for future integration with other LTRMP components and other fish and wildlife studies.

Products

 

  1. A UMESC/WES Project Status Report will be written describing progress made during FY2000.
  2. Two technical reports will be written, one on statistical model development (UMESC), and one comparing the outcomes of both the numerical and statistical modeling approaches (UMESC/WES). The latter report will include recommendations pertaining to river management, information needs, and monitoring of submersed aquatic vegetation.

Milestones

 

Total Funding: $100,000 Federal

Personnel
Dr. Yao Yin will be the UMESC principal investigator, Mr. Jim Rogala, and Mr. Kevin Kenow will be UMESC co-investigators. Dr. E.P.H. Best will be the WES principal investigator.

Project Title: Integrated Analysis of Fish Monitoring Data

Ten years of LTRMP fish monitoring data, collected during 1990-1999, will be analyzed to assess changes in the abundances and population structure of key fishes in the UMRS, to examine differences in fish resources between habitat areas and between Program study areas, to assess the influences of environmental conditions on the fish community, and to critically examine the design of the fish monitoring program. This is the second year of a multi-year effort. During the first year of this project (FY 2000), we compared abundances of key fish species within and among LTRMP study areas and examined fish community richness, evenness, and diversity metrics within and among study areas. In FY 2001 we will concentrate on using analyses from FY2000 and further analysis of fish assemblages sampled by gear types to make recommendations regarding fish sampling procedures for FY2001. In additions, we will address objectives 6 and 7 to begin integrating LTRMP data and analyses across components.

Objectives (FY 2001 and Out-Years)

 

  1. Compile and synthesize fisheries data collected during 1990-1999 at six LTRMP trend analysis areas of the UMRS. Analyses will focus largely on systemic trends of fish populations considered by UMRS resource managers as "key species" because of their commercial or recreational value.
  2. Analyze fish community dynamics (species richness, evenness, and diversity) at the aquatic habitat, pool, reach, and UMRS scales. The LTRMP fisheries component sampling design employs multiple gear types in a variety of aquatic habitat types to annually assess entire fish communities, facilitating these types of analyses.
  3. Compile and synthesize usable fisheries data collected by Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin natural resource agencies.
  4. Compare LTRMP fish component data to similar fisheries data collected by states' natural resource agencies to determine if trends are similar among sampling programs and designs.
  5. Develop ecological indicators of large river health based on UMRS fish communities. Metrics to be produced will be habitat specific, to obtain an annual comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of each LTRMP trend analysis area.
  6. Compile and synthesize environmental data from other LTRMP components for discrete habitats of LTRMP trend analysis areas. Habitats will include specific main channel areas, side channels, and backwaters.
  7. Correlate biotic and abiotic environmental variability with seasonal and annual variation in fish populations in specific UMRS habitats. Integrative multivariate statistical analyses will be used to relate LTRMP fish component data to that of other components, including bathymetry, hydrology, vegetation, and water quality.

Methods
Mean catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of economically important UMRS fish species will be used as an index of relative abundance. Statistically valid comparisons of CPUE will be made to examine spatial variability (among habitat types and trend analysis areas) and temporal variability (among seasonal sampling periods and years). Fish community structure will be described with indices of species richness, evenness, and diversity. Fish data from states' natural resources agencies will be obtained and statistically compared to LTRMP data. Development of ecological indicators of river health will follow methods of national specialists. Compilation of habitat specific environmental factors will be done in consultation with LTRMP component specialists. Correlation of fish CPUE with environmental factors will be accomplished with multivariate statistics.

Expected Products

 

  1. Project status reports to highlight key findings and to rapidly communicate project results.
  2. Annual progress reports, made available through the UMESC internet homepage.
  3. Technical presentations at scientific conferences, to Program partners, and to river management groups.
  4. Publications in refereed scientific journals, as appropriate.

Milestones for FY 2001

 

Total Funding: $144,900 Federal

Personnel
Mr. Brian Ickes and Drs. Barry Johnson and Steve Gutreuter will be the principal investigators in charge of integrated analysis of LTRMP fish monitoring data.

February 27, 2001
Page Last Modified: April 17, 2018