Volunteer Monitoring Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

Why Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Makes Sense  Helps communities make informed decisions and improve water quality.  Captures the excitement and attention of local communities and citizens to water quality issues.  Obtains long-term data or new data on water bodies that otherwise may go unmonitored.

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Procedures  Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps)  “Our data show that citizens can collect samples of stream macroinvertebrates as well as determine physical/chemical characteristics of the stream on a level comparable to aquatic ecologists.” - Linda Wagenet, NY

Stream Habitat Assessment  Visual assessment of stream conditions and watershed characteristics.  Assessment should include approximately 300 feet of stream length.  Provides clues to the causes of stream degradation.

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  I. Stream, Team, Location Information  Site ID – assigned by MiCorps  Date – month, day, year  Time – record time when monitoring begins; 24-hr time (1:00 PM recorded at 13:00)  Location – name of road from which you access study site  Names – name and phone number of person completing datasheet, as well as names of other team members

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  II. Stream and Riparian Habitat  Stream Width– take width measurements at several points in 300 foot section and indicate average width.  Stream Depth – take depth measurements at several points in 300 foot section and indicate average depth.  Stream channelized – signs of dredging, armored banks, straightened channels

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  II. Stream and Riparian Habitat (cont.)  Stream Flow – general flow volume in relation to annual average flow  Dry = no standing or flowing water  Stagnant = water present but not flowing  Low = flowing water present, but flow volume considered below average for stream  Medium = water flow is average range for the stream  High = water flow is above average for the stream

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  II. Stream and Riparian Habitat (cont.)  Highest Water Mark – max height to which the stream water level rises at the site, based on visible evidence present; distance above the present water level.

Riffle Pool Overhanging Vegetation Large Woody Debris Large Rocks Undercut Bank Rooted Aquatic Vegetation

Slightly TurbidOily Sheen Foam

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  II. Stream and Riparian Habitat (cont.)  Substrate – material that makes up the bottom of the stream; percentages should add up to 100%  Bank Stability and Erosion – erosion may occur as a result of natural flow, or may be caused by human activities

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  II. Stream and Riparian Habitat (cont.)  Plant Community  Estimate % of stream covered by overhanging vegetation  Plants in stream:  Algae on surfaces of rocks or plants  Filamentous Algae – algae that appear stringy or ropy strands  Macrophytes – plants that can be seen with microscope  Plants on the bank/riparian zone – within the first 20 ft. or so of the stream edge

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  II. Stream and Riparian Habitat (cont.)  Riparian Zone – average or most representative vegetated area that surrounds the stream Excellent Poor

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  III. Sources of Degradation  Evaluate importance of potential sources in terms of pollutant inputs  Severity Ranking – for each source evaluate how severe the pollutant loading is (magnitude or quantity of pollutants likely to be delivered to the stream)

Instructions for Completing Stream Habitat Assessment Data Sheet  Site Sketch  Draw a sketch of the 300 foot study site from a bird’s eye view.  Include enough detail that someone unfamiliar with the site could easily find it again.

GREAT JOB! Stream Habitat Assessment Complete!

Macroinvertebrate Sampling Procedure  Macroinvertebrates indicate the ecological condition of the stream.  Macroinvertebrate data used to calculate the MiCorps Stream Quality Index, which provides summary of stream conditions.

What is a Macroinvertebrate?  Animals without backbones that are larger than ½ mm.  These animals live on rocks, logs, sediment, debris, and aquatic plants.  Important part of the food chain, especially for fish.

Why macroinvertebrates are good indicators of water quality  Indicates local conditions  Respond quickly to stress  Easy to sample  Long history of use

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Stream Location  Stream Name – name found on U.S. Geological Survey topographic map for the area  Location – name of road for which you access the study site  Date – month, day, year  Start Time  Major Watershed – Bear Creek & HUC Code  Latitude and Longitude

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Monitoring Team  Name of person completing sheet  Name of person doing in-stream macroinvertebrate collecting  Other team members participating in assessment

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Stream Conditions  Average water depth – taken from Stream Habitat Assessment Sheet  Siltation – silt that settles on gravel, cobble, and woody debris in the main channel  Embeddedness – extent to which gravel, cobble, or boulders are surrounded or covered by fine materials (sand and silt).  Fish and wildlife – frogs, turtles, ducks, etc.

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Macroinvertebrate Collection  Generally 45minutes in small stream and up to 1 hour at large river site.  Habitats sampled using a dip net (D-net) and/or hand picking (forceps).  Collecting should begin at downstream end of the stream reach and work upstream.

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Macroinvertebrate Collection (cont.)  Sample a number of times at each habitat.  BE AGGRESIVE  All organisms* collected should be place in tray and place macroinvertebrates into jars of later identification.

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Riffles  Sample at fast part of riffle and slow part of riffle.  Do a lil’ dance!!!  Can hand pick off of rocks. Riffle

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Pools  Scoop some sediment in your net.  Find soft bottom areas that contain silt since it is more productive habitat than just sand. Pool

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Undercut bank/overhanging vegetation  Jab net into undercut bank.  For overhanging vegetation, put net under the bank at base of plants – shake vegetation using your net trying to shake insects off. Undercut Bank Overhanging Vegetation

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Aquatic Plants  Keep net opening pointed upstream and move net through vegetation trying to shake vegetation.  Use your hands to agitate vegetation and dislodge insects into net. Rooted Aquatic Vegetation

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Cobbles/Submerged Wood  Small logs and rocks can be pulled out of water to search for insects  Logs – be sure to check under bark  Rocks – caddisfly homes often look like small piles of sticks or clumps of gravel attached to rocks. Large Woody Debris Large Rocks

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Runs  Somewhat smoothly flowing segment of stream.  Sample with D-net, skimming along bottom. Run

Stream Macroinvertebrate Datasheet  Stream Margin  Refers to sides of stream (undercut bank, overhanging vegetation, etc.)  Leaf Packs  Look for decomposing leaf pack.  Use hands and forceps. Leafpacks

Identification and Assessment

Shells  Single Shell  Pouch Snail  Spiral shell with opening usually on left side  Does not have a plate-like covering over the shell opening  Group 3: Tolerant

Shells  Single Shell  Gilled Snail  Spiral shell with opening usually on right side  Plate-like covering over the shell opening  Group 1: Sensitive

Shells  Double Shell  Clams  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  No Legs  With Tentacles, Brushes, or “Tails”  Water Snipe Fly Larva  Two fringed “tails”  Group 1: Sensitive

No Shells  No Legs  With Tentacles, Brushes, or “Tails”  Crane Fly Larvae  white or grey with tentacles  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  No Legs  With Tentacles, Brushes, or “Tails”  Midge  Small and thin  Colors vary brown, green, red  Group 3: Tolerant

No Shells  No Legs  With Tentacles, Brushes, or “Tails”  Blackfly Larvae  Look like bowling pins, usually black in color  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  No Legs  With Tentacles, Brushes, or “Tails”  Other True Flies  Never possess true (jointed) legs, though they may have several prolegs.  Group 3: Tolerant

Already Seen… Other True Flies…

No Shells  No Legs  Worm-Like  Leech  Flattened lengthwise  Sucker  Group 3: Tolerant

No Shells  No Legs  Worm-Like  Aquatic Worms  Segmented  Resemble earth worms  Group 3: Tolerant

No Shells  Legs  10+ Legs  Crayfish  Resemble miniature “lobsters”  Pair of pinchers  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  10+ Legs  Scud  Flattened sides and hump back  Resembles shrimp  Swims on side  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  10+ Legs  Sowbug  Walks on bottom  Resembles potato bug  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  Wings  Beetle-like, wings hard  Beetle Adults  Group 2: Somewhat- Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  Wings  Leathery wings  True Bugs  Sucking mouthparts  Group 3: Tolerant

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  No Obvious Tails  Beetle Larvae  Generally well sclerotized  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  No Obvious Tails  Caddisfly Larvae  Worm-like, soft bodies  Head contains hard covering  Known for construction of cases  Group 1:Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  No Obvious Tails  Water Penny  Resemble circular crustations on rocks  Sucker-like  Group 1: Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  No Obvious Tails  Dragonfly  Stout bodies  Large eyes on side of head  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  One or Two Tails  Net-spinning caddisfly larvae  Long anal proleg  Three dorsal plates  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

Net-spinning caddisfly larvae Caddisfly larvae

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  One or Two Tails  Alderfly Larva  Distinct, single tail  Smaller than Hellgrammite (Dobsonfly Larva)  “Spines” on side  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  One or Two Tails  Hellgrammite Larva  No distinct single tail  Generally larger  “Spines” on side  Group 1: Sensitive

Alderfly Larva Hellgrammites

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  One or Two Tails  Stonefly Nymph  Two tails  Gills (when present) are tufts or filamentous and can be present under head, by legs, or on abdomen  Group 1: Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  Two or Three Tails  Mayfly Nymph  Usually 3 tails, but can have 2  Gills on sides of abdomen  Group 1: Sensitive

No Shells  Legs  Three Pairs of Legs  No Wings  Three Tails  Damselfly Larva  Slender body  Paddle-like “tails” on end  Group 2: Somewhat-Sensitive

Stream Quality Score  Total stream quality score should be calculated as indicated on the survey form.  Score is used to rank site as excellent, good, fair, or poor.  Name(s) of those determining the ID of insects in the sample should be recorded, as well as numerical rating of confidence in the identifications.

Excellent Work! Now you give it a try!