Eastern Illinois University
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Masters Theses
Student Theses & Publications
1-1-2014
Effects of Dams on Fish and Macroinvertebrate
Communities in the Vermilion River, IL
Ryan Patrick Hastings
Eastern Illinois University
This research is a product of the graduate program in Biological Sciences at Eastern Illinois University. Find
out more about the program.
Recommended Citation
Hastings, Ryan Patrick, "Effects of Dams on Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities in the Vermilion River, IL" (2014). Masters
Theses. Paper 1264.
http://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1264
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5/21/2014
EFFECTS OF DAMS ON F I S H AND MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES IN
THE VERMILION RIV ER, I L
BY
Ryan Patri ck Hastings
THESIS
S U B MITTED IN PARTIAL F U LF IL L MENT OF THE REQUI REMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTE R OF SCIENCE - B I OLOGICAL S CIENCES
IN THE GRADUATE S CH O OOL, EASTERN I L L INOIS UNIVERSITY
C H ARLESTON, I L L INOIS
2 014
I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THIS THESIS B E ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING
THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE C ITED ABOVE
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Abstract
Dams are a mai n source of anthropogeni c d isturbances on r iver systems and can affect
rivers i n a variety of ways. Dams have the abi lity to change rivers from lotic to l entic habi tats,
affect sediment transportation, connectivity, water qua l i ty, l inkages with wetlands and the qua lity
of i n-stream and riparian habitats. The Danvi l l e Dam was constructed i n 1914 on the Vermil i o n
River i n Danville, I l linois and i s becoming a safety hazard for human recreation o n the
Vermilion River, resulting i n three deaths i n the last 10 years . The I l linois Department
Natural Resources i n conj unction with the c ity of Danvil le has proposed to remove the Danvil l e
dam o n the main channel fall 2015 and a n addi t ional l o w head dam, E l l sworth Dam, i n its
tributary the North Fork V erm i li o n i n fal l 2 014.
To assess the impacts of removing the E l l sworth and Danv i l l e dams on the aquatic b iota
and stream habitat qua lity. Beginning October 2012, we assessed the fish and macroinvertebrate
assemblages i n twel ve, 100 meter l ong sections of river. Six of the 1 2 s ites were l o cated i n the
North Fork, referred to as E l lsworth Dam, and six sites i n the Vermilion, referred to as Danvi l l e
Dam sites. Each dam consi sted
two s ites below the dam and four s ites above the dam. The
above dam sites consi sted of a s ite d irectly above the dam, the last 100 meters of the pool , the
first 1
meters
the river and an upstream site (the farthest accessible upstream l o cation). This
sampl ing captures the community composition both above and below the dam (immediate
i mpacts) and characteristics of s ites above the dam's i nfluence.
The effects
the dams were greatest seen at base flow, in the fa l l seasons. Data shows
community composition demonstrates strong i nfluences of b oth dams on fish assemblages
and revealed compositiona l differences between the two drainages. In sharp contrast, a c luster
ana l ysis
no separation in community composition between rivers or sites in the spring.
Therefore base flow was used to assess the fish and macroinvertebrate community structure.
Non-metri c Multidimensional Sca ling was used to assess the structure of fi sh and
macroinvertebrate communities. Per-Manova analysis verified r iver, l o cation, and their
interacti on to be significant on fish assemblages. Mantel tests showed there was an effect of
habitat on fish community structure but no significant effect of physica l d istance on fish
assemblages. Per-Manova reflected the compl ex ity of compositi onal relationships with both
r iver and the interaction of r iver and location to be significant on macroinvertebrate assemblages.
Unlike the fish, macroinve1iebrate assemblages were affected by distance but not
l ocal
environment.
The Ve1m i li on R iver system i s one of the h i ghest qual ity systems in I l l inois. The
removal of the dams will a llow the main channe l to reconnect and a l so provide access to
upstream habitats in the North F or k tributary. E l im inating physica l barriers wil l a ll ow fish to
move upstream a l l owing them to restore populations. Returning to a
flowing system wil l
increase macro inve1iebrate d iversity increasing aquatic resources . The combination of these
factors wil l increase the qua lity of the V ermili on R iver and return it to its natural environment.
The goal of thi s study i s to serve as a model to test the efficacy of dam removal in restoring the
diversity and structure
r iver communities.
ii
Dedication
I woul d like to dedicate my thesis manuscript to my fiancee, Kate Gdowski, for
her
love and support through my Master's experiences at Eastern I l linois University. I woul d have
never have been abl e to get through this process if it was not for her, nor ever applied to graduate
school.
a
, Pam Hastings.
to
to
c am e m
was
of
it was
m
my career.
a
genume
interest
never
say no to a
my success so
nature that
m
to
morn will
to
on
iii
Acknowledgements
I woul d l ike to thank my advisor, Rob C o lombo,
a l l owing me the opportunity to work
in h i s lab. This opportunity has a l l owed me to gai n the knowledge to become a better fi sheries
b i ologist and a llowed me to present my data at multiple conferences .
I woul d l i ke to thank my co-adv isor, S cott Meiners, for mentoring me throughout my
proj ect throughout
lucky to
had his gui dance and support throughout my time at EIU .
t o thank the rest of m y fami ly, m y dad M i ke Hastings, B rother C hris
I woul d
Hastings
Master's degree. I was S cott's first student working on fish and am very
S ister Jam i e Hastings for a l l thei r support through my Master's Degree.
I woul d also l ike to thank my future in laws, Rich and N ina Gdowski for a l l thei r l ove
and support throughout
I
time being away.
l i ke to thank my lab mates for a l l their help and support throughout my
proj ect Especiall y, C l int Morgeson for all the l ong days in the field d ipping more fish I coul d
have ever ask
and Sarah
for helping me through my first year at Eastern I l l inois
Universi ty and teaching how to track Catfish.
iv
Table of Contents
Abstract
Dedication
m
Acknowledgements
L i st of Tables
L ist of Figures
vn
I ntroduction
Chapter 1: When to S ampl e: Seasonal Shi fts in Dam Effects on F i sh Assemblages
5
Chapter 2: Separating Environmental and B arrier Effects of Dams o n Fish and
M acroinvertebrate Assemb l ages
I ntroducti o n
12
Methods
16
Results
19
D i scussion
22
Conc lusions
38
Literature C ited
42
v
of Tables
Table 2.1. Laboratory water chemistry analysis of sites during the Fall 2012.
26
Table 2.2. Total catch of fam ilies by l o cation within river.
27
vi
List of Figures
Figure
.
Vermil ion (D) and North Fork Verm i li on River (E) sampl ing
sites.
10
dam sites ( 1 ,2), pool sites (3,4) and upper river s ites
Figure 1.2. C luster analysis
fa ll 20 12 (A) and spring 20 1 3 (B)
1 1
communities using species presence absence.
Figure 2.1. Map
the Verm i lion River (D) and North Fork Verm i lion River
(E). S ites are numbered by l ocation; Below Dam ( 1,2), Pool
,4), and River
Figure 2.2, D istribution of substrate types across the d ams in the Verm i lion
29
River (A) and North Fork Verm i lion (B).
QHEI S cores to the presence of dams on the
Figure
30
Verm i lion (sol id) and North Fork Vermili on (dashed).
Figure
Response of S impson's Diversity Index of fish to the presence of
31
dams on the Vermi l i on River (so li d ) and North Fork Verm i li on (dashed).
Figure 2.5. Response of index of biotic integrity scores to the presence of
32
dams on the Verm i li on River (solid) and North Fork Verm i lion (dashed).
2.6. Simpson' s D i versity I ndex of macroinvertebrates from the
33
Verm i lion River (so lid) and N orth Fork V ermil ion (dashed).
Figure 2.7. Macroinvertebrate B i otic I ndex Scores
V erm i lion (sol id) and
North F ork Verm i lion (dashed).
Figure
Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling of fish assembl ages using
35
presence-absence data from both years pooled.
Figure 2.9.
M u lt idimensional Scaling of sites based on rel ative
36
vii
abundance of Macroi nve1iebrates.
Figure 2.10. Average vel ocity (m/s) of water at s ites. Verm i l i on (so lid),
North Fork (dashed).
37
Introduction
Dams are a main source of anthropogenic d isturbances on river systems. Over 7 5,000
dams exi st i n the United States and 40,000 are greater than 5 0111 tall (Bednarek 200 1 , Gregory et
al. 2002,). Historicall y, dams were constructed to provide a wide array of services; power
generation, flood control , navigation, water supply and recreation (Bednarek
2007). However, many dams
1 , Leirmann,
the United States have outlived thei r eco no m ic usefulness and
l ast
are removed to reestablish natural conditions and to i ncrease recreation safety. Over
years, roughl y 600 dams have been removed
In the state of
the United States ( C o llins et al.,
approximatel y 1 ,600 dams currentl y exi st, 455 of which are over 5 0 years
old and many are no
serving their initi a l functio n (ASDSO, 2012; ASCE,
1 2).
Ecologically, dams have the abi li ty to change rivers i n many of ways (Co l l i ns et
2007). The
flow d ue to the impoundment causes hab itat above the dam to become a
moving reservoir with a concomitant change i n b iota. The process of upstream pooling also
changes sediment transportation. F i ne sediments settl e in the reservoi r area fil li ng in exi sting
cobble, boulder and other l arge particles (Bednarek 200 1 ) Overtime, sedi ment b uilds up above
.
the dam; this sediment i s
flow also reduces
transported downstream during l arge floods.
reduction
natural transp01iation of l arger boul ders, cobble, and debris to downstream
habitats. The accumulation of sediments and debris upstream may degrade downstream habitats
because d ownstream ecosystems rely on thi s sediment and debris transportation for different life
stages of biota (Leirmann et. a l 20 1 2). The retention of sediments also causes a
water
effect", which l imits sediment and nutrients to downstream habitats changing water chemistry
( Bednarek 2001 ). The temperatures
increase
surface area
the upstream reservoir usuall y become stratified due to an
decrease in flow (Bednarek 200 1 ). The discharge of hypol imnetic
1
water, water below the thermocline, downstream can decrease average water temperature i n
downstream habi tats and i s often
oxygen and low productivity water significantly alters
1 ). The
B ednarek
in dissolved oxygen and nutrients (Gregory et. al 2002,
downstream habitats to decrease
quality.
Because there are few monitori ng programs, ecological effects of dams on biota are
relativel y unknown.
of 2005 , 5 00 dams were removed
the United States and
than
of those dams underwent ecological studies (Thomson et. al 2005). B ecause dams are physical
fish and macroi nvertebrate species, assessing the i mpacts of dams i s i mportant. The
physical transformation of
to reservoir habitat changes species composition
allowing
l entic tolerant fish species to establish and displace native l ot ic species to an upstream l ocation
( Burroughs et. al
The change from lotic to l entic also causes changes in water quality
l eadi ng to a shift in macroinvertebrate species from tolerant lotic species such as Ephemeroptera,
and Trichoptera (EPT taxa), to intol erant species like Chironomidae.
Sediment transportation may be one of the key d isturbances affecting
accumulation
The
sediment above the dam reduces habitats for spawning of native species. Native
species get disp l aced to upstream habitats where competition may increase. S i m i l arly, the
sediment/debris transportation downstream greatly affects biotic assemblages. The buil dup of
sediment reduces nutrients and sediment transfer downstream that may be needed for nesting and
refuge for species (Leirmann et. al 20 1 2 ). D ams retain i mportant nutri ents incl uding s i l i ca,
changing phytoplankton community structures downstream (Gregory et. al 2002). The trapping
of nutrients can l ead to a cascade in food webs by changing the phytoplankton base whi ch can
alter the macroi nvertebrate community, potential l y causing in a change to the fish community
composition.
2
Altercations of water temperature, and/or releasing epi limnetic or hypolimnetic water can
change species composition between cold water and warm water species (Bednarek
1 ).
B iotic communities can also be affected b y s tream flow regul ation. Many dams regulate stream
flow based on power usage. When more power i s needed, more water i s released. The surge
flow downstream can d isperse many organ isms downstream (Vehanen et. al 2005). The
from water entering i nto the turbine can increase morta lity of fi sh upstream not abl e to escape the
high vel ocities (Vehanen et. al 2005) .
Ab i ot ic and b i otic effects o f dams can greatl y influence the success o f individual species
reducing or changing hab itats, food webs, reproductive success and m igration. The impacts
of darn on·
species can, therefore, affect community structure. With i n river
d ispersal and recolonizati o n are important for communities to remain stable. D ispersal all ows
species to move to new hab itats, find new
sources and immigrate into other populations and
communities. These inter-community i nterac t ions help define metacommunities. According to
Leibold et aL
a metacommun i ty i s a set of
communities l i nked
d ispersal
multiple i nteracting species.
can affect metacommuni ty composition by acting as a barrier to immigration
emigration
speci es across the dam. Dams with improper fish passages cause fish species
below the damn to
d i sconnected from popu l ations above the dam and e li m i nate passage to
quality habitats. Dams can prevent species upstream from immigrating downstream because of
physical changes. Riverine species with
drift are i mpacted
dams where reduction
flow prevents l arval m igration to downstream sites (Ni s l ow et. al 20 1 1 ) . These b arriers may
l ead to decreases
l ocal abundance and potential l y decrease popul ation s ize and b iodiversity
et. al 20 1 1 ).
3
I n this study we assessed the fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages
rivers i n Danvi l le I l linois,
Vermilion River and
two impounded
North Fork Vermilion. O ur goals were
to: (1) assess seasonal effects of dams on fish assembl ages;
assess species r ichness, diversity,
and indexes of fish and macro invertebrates; ( 3 ) determine hab itat quality in relation to
impoundments; ( 4)
use a metacommunity approach to assess community structuring
fish
and macroinvertebrates in relation to impoundments. Overall , this study is to serve as a
test
efficacy of dam
to
i n restori n g the diversity and structure of r i ver communities.
4
to Sample: Seasonal Shifts
Dam Effects on Fish Assemblages
Anthropogenic forces are the main disturbances for waterways
and typi c a ll y
channel modification, i ndustr i al outflow and agriculture . Ecol o gi cally,
i nvolve
dams cause habitat changes from lotic to l enti c , affect sediment transportation, water quality,
connectivity and the quality of in-stream hab itats ( Co l l ins et al. 2007). The generation of new
habitat types within impounded reaches i ncreases the performance of species that
otherwise
rare i n l otic systems, leading to d i st inct fish assemb lages i n the pool s that form
behind dams (Santucci et
2005; Butler & Wahl
1 0) .
Dams can affect metacommunity composition b y alter i ng immigration
emi gration of
f i sh species across the dam. With i n r iver systems, dispersal i s cri ti cal for community
as
it a llows species to migr ate to new hab itats, locate shifting food sources and i ntegrate
other
populations. Dams with i mproper fish passages cause fish species below the dam to be excl uded
from upstream reaches and e liminate passage to quality habi tats (Burroughs et al. 2010). Besides
acting as physical b arri er s, dams can change can cause shifts
upstream
community assembl ages b oth
downstream.
The combi ned abiotic and
individ ual species
et
effects of dams can greatly influence the success of
changing hab itat, food web structure, reproductive success and m i gr ation
1 1). The aggregate alteration
fish movement and hab itat structure can
therefore dramaticall y affect fish community structure. F i sh community structure also changes
seasonally b ased on
2000; Taylor 1
h istory differences,
H igh flows can
hab itat var i ab i lity and accessib i l ity (Taylor
for d ifferent fish species to access habitats or may
even alter preexi sting habitats all owing for util i zation for different fish species. (Taylor et al .
5
2006). Therefore. shifts i n seasonal discharge may mask the impacts
impoundments on fi
communities.
The purported impacts to fish communities are one
the maj or just ifications for the
removal of impoundments (Helms et a l. 20 1 1 ). H owever, there is no standard sampling protocol
that defines when surveys to assess dam impacts on fish should be conducted. Thi s paper aims
to determine whether sampling season i nfluences the perceived impacts of dams on fish
community assembl ages and determi ne appropriate samp l i ng season for assess i ng anthropogenic
disturbances.
The Vermilion River
head dam, D anvil le Dam, �3
l ong dam
Danvi l l e , I llino i s i s a tributary
the Wabash River with a l ow-
upstream from the confluence. It is a 3 . 3 5
acts as a barrier for most of the
rn
high 67.25 m
Half a m i l e upstream
dam is the
confluence of the North Fork Verm il ion R iver ( F igure 1.] ) . Thi s tributary also has a 30 m l ong
l ow-head dam, E l lsworth Dam, 0.08
upstream from the confluence. B oth of these dams act
as barriers to fish movement at base flows. During spring floods the E l lsw01ih Dam i s typical l y
submerged
for connectivity with the North Fork of the Vermi lion. The Danville Dam
can also become submerged,
only during ten year floods (Trent Thomas, pers. observation.) .
These spring floods may reduce the effects of the dams for a brief period.
To assess impacts of the i mpoundments on fish assemb l ages, sampl ing was conducted
sequentiall y during October 2012 and May 2 0 1 3 . F i sh were sampled in twel ve, ]
of river;
·
i n the North Fork Vermilion (El lsworth Dam sites) and
m sections
i n the Verm i l i on
(Danvil l e Dam sites) (Figure 1 . 1 ) . For each dam, sampl ing consisted of two s ites below the dam,
6
two s ites i n the pool (directl y above the dam and the l ast 1 00 meters of the pool ) and two river
sites (the first 1 00 meters of
river and the farthest accessible upstream
E l lsworth Dam fal l sampl ing was conducted using DC barge shocking
a 2 ,5 00 watt
was electrofished for a total of 30 m inutes beginning downstream moving
generator. Each
upstream. Danv i l le Dam was sampl e d using D C boat shocking with a 4,000 watt generator with
two W isconsi n droppers for a total of 30 minutes across the entire area. This methodology
reflects
l arger nature
at the nearest
this channel. Two seines were conducted at the Danv i l l e Dam s ites
to ensure collection of smaller fish that DC boat shocking i s not capabl e of
sampl ing. Spring sampl ing protocols changed due to i ncreased d i sch arge; both rivers were
sampled in using DC boat shock i ng with a 4,000 watt generator. These samples were
supplemented with two mini fyke nets at each s ite for 24 hours to col lect smaller fish.
total of 54 fish species were col l ected in the
and 56 species in
sprmg. Of these,
ten species were only found in the fal l and twelve species in the spring. The species found onl y
m
spring were l arger fishes, three native buffa l o species (Ictiobus spp. ), three species of gar
(Lepisosteus spp. ) and the non-native s i l ver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). Species found
,
i n the fal l were mainly small er d arters and cyprinids that may have not been sampled i n
spring due to the i ncrease i n flow. Catostomi d ae abundances varied dramat i ca l l y between
seasons with i n pool sites. A bundances i n Vermilion pool s ites increased from
. 0% to 1 3. 7%
of the community (7 to 4 7 individuals) and from 0 . 0% to 5 . 0% ( 1 6 individuals) i n North Fork
species were not captured anywhere with i n North Fork sites
fal l but
found
all s ites in the spring. Overa l l, there were l arge seasonal changes i n composition, most
of
would not be related to capture effic iency.
7
examine spatial patterns of fish comnmnity composition, a h i erarchical cluster
analysis was conducted for
(McCune
sampl i ng using a presence/absence matr i x i n P CORD 6
Grace 2002). Fall community composition showed strong influences of both dams
on fish assembl ages and revealed compositional d ifferences between the two drainages ( F igure
sharp contrast, the c luster analysi s showed n o separation i n community composition
1 .2a) .
between r i vers or s ites in the spring (Figure l .2b).
These analyses show how fish assembl ages change seasonall y . The separation of s ites i n
the fall c luster definitively show effects o f the dams i n
system and also show relationships
among s ites. Below dam and upper r iver sections of the Vermi li o n were s i milar (Figure 2a),
reveali ng a spatially limited dam i mpact and a large shift in composition caused
were also compositionall y simil ar to the below dam sites on the
Pool sections of the
North
the poo l .
reflecting their connectiv ity. I n contrast, fish composition i n the spr i ng d i d not vary
between the two drainages, suggesting that spatial structuring and dam i nfluences only
base
whereas
composition i s
measure
communities mix at high flow. Seasonal variab i li ty
at
fish community
caused by greater fish movement dur ing i ncreased d ischarge. As a second
seasonal changes i n fish community structure, we used Mantel tests to relate p hysical
d istance (stream l ength) between sites to compositional d i ss im i l ar ity ( Sorensen's d istance).
These tests showed that s ites located further apart were overall less similar in fam i l y composition
(P=0.003) and species composition (P=0.002). I n contrast, spring analyses showed no pattern
for either fam i ly ( P=O. l
or species (P=0.2 1 0) composition. S ites further i n d istance were less
similar in fami ly and species composition i n
structure (Thompson
similar ity
fal l suggesting d istance affected assemblage
Townsend 2006; Ruiz-Gomez et al. 2008).
The compositional
downstream and river sect ions of the Verm i l li o n shown i n the cluster anal ysis was
8
not sufficient to d isrupt thi s overall pattern.
There was no spatial pattern
the spring, shmving
greater mixing of fish assemblages during increased discharge. Together, these results indicate
that the
of sampli ng to determine the effects of dams may have profound influences on
the
The long term biological effects of dams are relatively unknown as there are
sufficiently long studies. D espite the lack of informat ion, dam removal i s increasing across the
United States (Thomson et al. 2005). The Verm ilion River system i s one of the highest qual ity
river systems in Illinois and is used as the reference site for the I llinois eastern region
i ndices
of biotic integrity . Given the high qual ity of the river, there are few chal lenges to the system
outside of the effects of the darns. Spring time floods in the Vermili o n show reduced effects of
the dams are i n
flows by i ncreasing connectivity. The presence of b uffalo species (!ctiobus
in the river as well as multiple redhorse speci es
i ncreased
spp.) n the pools reflects
in the lentic zones.
Whether spring homogenizati o n i s driven by downstream fish migrating above the dam to
spawn or upstream fish moving downstream is not clear. Nor is it clear whether thi s spring
mixing is sufficient to ensure gene flow across dams. To adequately assess dam impacts on fish
assemblages, sampling protocols must account for seasonal fluctuations i n both rivers
the
communities within them. To s ufficiently document dam i mpacts on fish assemblages, sampling
must occur once base flow has been re-establi shed and the temporary mixing of communities has
abated. These results also suggest that more work is needed to determine whether low-head
dams are effectively i solating populations or whether h i gh
events allow sufficient contact
between upstream and downstream popul ations.
9
D6
Figure
. Vermilion (D) and
Fork Verm i li o n R iver (E) sam p li ng sites .
(1
sites
s ites (5,6).
,4) and upper
darn sites
10
E2 ----_.;
El --.......
E3 ---.
i--���
����,
-�����--E 4 ----'
Es ������---_____,
----�E6 ------
B
E 4 -----E3 �---�-----�----�
E2 ���--����-Es ---.1--...
---'
E6 --.......
Figure 1.2. C luster analysis of fall 2012 (A) and spring 2 013 (B) communities using species
presence absence.
11
Separating Environmental and Barrier Effects of
on Fish and Macroinvert:ebrate
Assemblages
Introduction
Dams are a major source of anthrnpogenic d isturbance on river systems. Historicall y
dams were constructed t o provide a wide array o f services: power generation, flood control ,
nav igation, water supply and recreation (Bednarek 200 1 , Leirmann, 2 0 1 2). Attention to dam
removal i s i ncreasi ng i n response to eco logical and socioeconomic pressures.
dams
the
U ni ted States outlived their economic usefulness and are being removed both to reestab l i sh
natural conditions and to i ncrease safety. Over the l ast
years roughl y 600 dams have
been removed in the United States (Co l li ns et al. , 2007).
the state of I l l i nois approxi mately
1 ,600 dams currently exi st, 455 of which are over 50 years old and many are no longer serv i ng
thei r i nitial function (ASDSO, 20 1 2; ASCE,
Studies
1 2) .
dam impacts commonly focused on how
dispersal (Martinez et a l. 1
act as physical barri ers to
Nislow et a l. 20 1 1 ). P hysical barriers i n river systems can cause
for a variety of b iota at d ifferent l ife h istory stages. Many riverine fish taxa rely on
natural flow regimes and channel connectivity to maintain reproductive success, genetic
and access to food sources. The presence of these barriers can cause shifts i n
community structure b y not all owing organisms t o move freely throughout
system. Though
egg and l arvae stages of macroinvertebrate taxa are mainly aquatic, multipl e taxa have flying
adu l t stages ( Hershey et al. 200 1 , Merritt and Cummings, 1 996,). Therefore, dispersal can
to be affected by dams as
barriers i n aquatic l i fe h istory stages through dri ft.
Though some i mpoundments addressed d ispersal concerns by adding fish l adders, s ide channels,
or pumps, they may still result in d ispersal restriction (Nislow et al. 2 0 1 1 ).
12
I n add ition to acting as phys ical barriers i n river systems, dams also d isrupt ecological
processes by changing habitat structure.
The reduction i n flow due to i mpoundment causes
river habi tat to become a reservoi r with a concomitant change i n
The process o f upstream
pool ing changes sediment transportati on, filling i n existing cobble, boulder and other large
particles with fine sediments (Bednarek 2001 ). Over t ime, sediment buil ds up and may only
transported downstream during large flood events. Transportation of l arger boulders, cobble,
and debris to downstream habi tats is
reduced leading to lower quality downstream habitats.
B i ota i n the downstream ecosystem often reli es on sediment and debris transportation at various
life stages (Leirmann et . al 2012).
larger i mpoundments, there can also be alterati ons to
d issolved oxygen levels, nutrient load i ng and suspended sol i d levels (Burroughs et. al
Hammer
l 0,
Overall, these hab itat changes may cause shifts from natural community
structure withi n i mpacted areas.
The phys i cal transformati on of river to reservoi r
changes species composition
allowing lentic fish species to establish and displace native lotic species (Burroughs et. al 201
The accumulati on of sedi ment above the dam reduces habi tats for spawn i ng of stream fish
species. This accumul ation also alters macroi nvertebrate communities by filling i n the
i nterstitial spaces
substrate. S im ilarly,
upstream deposition of sediment reduces nutri e nts
and sediment transfer downstream that may be needed for nesting and refuge certain taxa
(Leirmann et al
12). This change from lotic to lentic causes changes water qual i ty shifting
macroi nvertebrates abundan ces by decreas i ng Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Tricoptera; whi le
increas i ng i ntolerant speci es
2004).
as C hironomidae (Hammer and L inke 2003 , T iemann et
Dams retain i mportant nutri e nts such as s i l i ca, changi n g phytoplankton communities'
downstream
can cascade through i nvertebrate and
food
(Gregory et. al 2 002).
13
alterations of water temperature, and/or releasing epilimnetic or hypolimnetic
water may also change species composition (Bednarek 200] ) . Episodic release events have the
potenti a l to cause s urges that disperse many organisms downstream
et. al 2005).
Abiotic and biotic effects of dams can greatly influence the success of individual species
changing habitats, food webs, reproductive success and migration; resulting in a potential ly
affecting community structure. With i n river systems, dispersal and recolonization are important
for community stability (Taylor et al. 2006, S l awski et al. 2008, Heino, 20 1 2). Dispersal all ows
species to move to new habitats, find new food sources and integrate with other popul ations .
The linkages among habitats reflect the metacommunity structure of riverine systems ( Leibold et
al. 2004 ). Therefore, metacommunity theory can be used as a conceptual framework to
understand how communities function i n fragmented l andscapes such as rivers with
impoundments. Leibold (2009) out li ned four p aradigms to model metacommunity dynamics
i ncluding mass effects, patch dynamics, neutral dynamics, and species sorting. Of these, patch
dynamics, species sorti ng and, neutral dynamics appear important for impounded river systems.
According to the patch dynamics paradigm, variation in community composition i s
generated by patterns of extinction and colonization of i ndividual patches. Dams can affect
metacommunity structure by acting as a barrier to immigration and emigration of species,
disconnect popul ations and e liminate seasonal passage to different habitats. Darns may also
prevent species migration because of physical changes i n the environment acting as a behavioral
deterrent rather than as physical barriers (Taylor et a l. 2008). Variation in community
composition may also be generated by species assorting along environmental gradients when
d isper sal is not s uffici e nt to change d istribution (Leibol d et
associated with alteration of
2 004). Environmental changes
and the formation of pool s behind dams can i ncrease l entic
14
species' reproductive success. d isplac i ng l otic species upstream. S im il arly, reduction in flow
and changes i n sediment structure may cause l ot ic fish species to disperse upstream to
h i gher quality habitats. The d isplacement of fish upstream has the potenti al to i ncrease
competition which can lead to changes i n commun i ty structure (Jackson et al. 200 l ) F i nally,
.
assemblage composition may be random, reflecting a l ack of d ispersal l im i tation or
environmental filtering. Such neutral structuri n g (Leibold 2009) represents a null hypothesi s for
the system. U nderstandin g how dams control metacommunity structure may
suggests
ways to ameli orate their i mpacts and predict the i mpacts
metacommunity approach was used to understand dam i mpacts on assemblage
structure of two i mpounded rivers i n Danville I l linois, the Vermil ion R iver
North Fork
Vermilion. Thi s was done separately for two groups of organ isms, fish and m acro invertebrates,
respond to dams d i fferently to provi de an ecol o g ical contrast i n susceptibility to
i mpoundment Dams represent physical barriers to fish movement, but should not
macroinvertebrates with flying adult stages.
d ispersal
contrast, dams shoul d i n fluence
macroinvertebrate communities primar i l y by altering habitat structure. Therefore,
metacommuni ty responses to i mpoundment are expected to differ dramatically. Assemblage
composition data across these two i mpoundments were used to address
following goal s: ( 1 )
to assess spec i es richness, d iversity, and biotic i ntegrity of fish and macroinvertebrate
assemblages i n response to dams, (2) to assess fish and macroinvertebrate community structure
responses to dams, and (3) to determine rnetacommunity drivers of fish and macro i nvertebrate
community structure. The overall goal of thi s study i s to serve as a model to test the efficacy of
dam removal
restorin g the diversi ty and structure of river communities.
15
Methods
Study
The Danville Dam was constructed i n 1 9 1 4 on the Vermil i on R iver i n Danv il le, Ill i nois.
Thi s dam was h istorically u sed for hydropower, but thi s functi o n i s now obsol ete (Thomas
20 1 2).
The Danv il le Dam is becomi ng a safety hazard for human recreat i on on the V erm i li on
R i ver resulting i n
fatalities since 1 99 5 ( IDNR). The I l l inoi s Department
Resources i n conjunction with
the main channel i n
fall
city of Danville has proposed to remove
Natural
Danv i l l e Dam on
1 5 . An additional proposal to remove/reconstruct E l lsworth dam
Fork Verm i li o n was created as wel l for the fa l l of 20 1 4. The Vermi li o n
on the
basi n
i s 1 ,485 square miles with three tributar ies, the Salt Fork, M i d dl e Fork and North Fork (IDNR,
The North F ork tributary is a
of 4 8 . 2 miles and dra i nage of 292 square m i l es (IDNR,
There i s an i mpoundment approximately 0 . 5 3 m iles upstream, Ellsworth Dam, from the
confluence. The Vermi li on River drains i nto the Wabash River near Cayuga, Indi ana with an
impoundment (Danville Dam) 22 miles upstream of the confluence ( I DNR,
Thomas,
20 1
Description
To assess the impacts of removing the E l lsworth and Danv i l le dams on the aquatic
and stream hab itat quality a three phase project was initiated.
Beginning October 20 1 2,
assessment of the fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages i n twelve, 1 00 meter l ong secti ons
r iver began"
of
12
surveyed were l ocated i n the North Fork Vennilion six s ites
the Vermilion R iver ( F igure 20 l ) . Each dam consisted of two s ites below the
and four s ites
above the dam. The above dam s ites consisted of l ocations d irectly above the dam, the l ast 1 00
meters
the pool, the first 1
meters of the
and an upstream site (the farthest accessible
16
upstream l ocation). Th i s
captures the community composition
above and bel ow
the dam (immediate i mpacts) and characteristics of sites above the dam's influence.
Fish Sampling
multiple gear approach for fish sampl ing was used to maintain capture effici ency
across the system. E l lsworth Dam sites used DC barge shocking with a 2,5 00 watt generator and
a five person crew (three probe/netters and two extra netters). Each site was electrofished for a
total of 30 m i nu tes mov i ng upstream. Reflecti ng the l arger n ature of the Verm i l ion River,
Danv i l l e Dam s ites were sampl e d using DC boat shocking with a 4 ,000 watt generator with two
·
droppers
a total of
minutes across the entire area. Two seine pul l s were
conducted for a l l Danvil l e Dam s ites at the nearest sandbar to ensure col l ecti o n of smaller
the D C boat shocking may have missed. Cyprinids and fish l ess than l 00 m m were euthanized
and preserved in l 0% formali n solution for i dentification i n the l aboratory.
Habitat
Water conditions were col l ected u s i ng an Y S I Professional P lus
I ncorporated,
Yellow Springs, OH) at a l l s ites during all sampling periods measuri n g temperature ( C0),
d issolved
pH and conducti vity. Water samples were also collected at each
pool , below d am ) seasonally and brought back to the l aboratory to measure
suspended sol ids, dissolved solids, n itrogen, phosphorus and ammonia. P re l i m i nary
showed l ittl e variation among sites, so these measures were dropped from a l l subsequent
analyses. Velocity was recorded at each s ite, taki ng the average of six measurements, thalweg of
start, middle, and end of each
17
Habitat quality and macroinvertebrate communities were assessed at a l l wadeabl e sites
=8) using the O h io Quali tative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). A set of
j abs with a D­
frame net was conducted based on QHEI outcome to sampl e habitats proportionally. H abitat
assessment
the upper Danv il le Dam sites was done using a mod i fied QHEL
Macroi nvertebrate samp l i ng for these sites i nc l uded a random set of 2 0 samples collected as the
s ites are non-wadeable. To ensure consistency, seven random j abs (D-frame net) were
conducted on each bank side and six ponar grabs i n the main channel . A l l macroi nvertebrate
samples were preserved i n 95% ethanol for i dentification i n the l aboratory. A subset of 3 00
macroi nvertebrates was sampled using sampl e a spl itter and i dentified to genus (or to family i n
the chironomidae).
Statistical
To assess metr ics
fish and macroinvertebrate assembl ages between s ites and rivers
nested one way ANOV As were conducted i n SAS v9.3. Non-metric multidimensional scaling
(NMDS) was used to determine compositional var i ation among s ites for fish assemblages
(presence/absence) and macroi nvertebrate assemblages (relat ive abundance). Presence/absence
data were used
fish assembl ages due to differences in gear types between rivers
as a more conservative measure
with
seasons
composition. Macroinvertebrate assembl ages were assessed
abundance data as all s ites were sampl ed equivalently. Permutational
were conducted to stat i st icall y assess compositional differences among s ites and r ivers. Mantel
and partial Mantel tests were used to determine mechani sms
dam i mpacts
relating
compositional d istance in macroi nvertebrate or fish assemblages (Sorensen's dissim i l ar ity) to
physical d istance
channel l ength) and environmental d i ss i m il ar ity (based on substrate
18
abundance, flow,
water quali ty). Mantel tests, ord inat ions and permutational MANOVA
were all conducted in PC-ORD 6 (McCune and Grace, 2002).
Results
System Quality
Habitat
The substrate of the Ver m i li on R iver below the Danvil l e Dam (D l , D2) consisted main l y
of gravel and
(Figure
whereas upstream of the dam the substrate was h i gh l y dominated by sand
The North Fork Ver m i lion had a consi stently
gravel proporti on both below
and above the dam. Upstream of the E l lsworth pool there was an i ncrease i n cobbl e whereas
there was only appreciable sand at the l owest below dam site (Fi gure 2 .2b ). QHEI scores ranged
from
to 81 for both rivers. The l owest rated site was D3 with a poor rating of 42, and i s the
c losest upstream site to the Danv i l l e Dam (Figure 2.3). The h i ghest rated s i te
81 "exce l l ent"
was the most upstream s ite i n the North Fork Vermil ion, the furthest s ite from the Danv i l l e dam
( F igure
Fish
A total of 10,345 fish from 62 species were collected i n the Ver m i lion
North Fork Verm i l ion
species) and
1 speci es) R ivers in the fall of 2 0 1 2 and 2013. Of the 62 species
collected, there were two state endangered and two state threatened speci e s; threatened: Eastern
Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucidum), R iver Redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum); endangered
B l uebreast Darter (Etheostoma camurum), B i geye Chub
fam i lies col lected, d istribution
amblops) . Of the 1 3
C atostomi d ae (F 1,5= 1 2 .23, P =0.002,), Centrarchidae
19
1,5=8 .2 8, P=0.0 1 0 ,)
C l upeidae (F 1,5= 1 6. 1 3 P =0.008,), and Cyprinidae
(F 1.s=23 . 83 ,
simil ar
varied significantl y between rivers (Tab l e 2 . 2 ) . Simpson's Diversity
patterns within each river; highest scores immediatel y below each dam, fol lowed by a decrease
in the pool reach, and an
Vennilion River exhibited higher I BI scores than the North Fork (Figure
pool sites exhibited the
The
score of 5 2 . 5 was
nvers
I B I scores in the system (F1 u2= 1 3 .06, P<.000 1 ) (Figure 2 5 ) .
.
integrity scores ranged from 1 6. 5 (restricted) to 5 2 . 5
of
Overall
beyond the pool (F 1 1, 12=8 . 1 6, P=0.0005,) (Fi gure
below Danv ille Dam and the l owest score of 1
The h i ghest
at the upper end of the
North Fork pool (Figure 2. 5 ).
total of 7002 rnacroinvertebrates from l 09 taxa were identi fied in col l ections from fa l l
20 1 2 and fall 20 1 3 . The Vermilion River had the highest invertebrate diversity below the dam
(Figure
Diversity i n sites above
D anville Dam decreased and showed high variab i lity
(Figure 2.6 ) . The North Fork had the l owest macroinvertebrate diversity downstream, just above
the confluence with the Vermilion, and the highest below the dam. There was a s i mi l ar decrease
in diversity upstream of the dam as seen in the Vermilion River. M B I patterns showed better
d ifferenti ation among systems (Figure 2 . 7 ) . The best quality sites were in the Verm i l ion below
consistent increased M B I scores upstream of the dam. Analysis of North Fork
the dam
M B I scores showed the most downstream site farthest from the dam was
Unlike
poorest rated site.
Vennili on, the North Fork M B I i ncreased to a "good" rating quality i n the most
upstream site
2 . 7 ) . The M B I scores were significantly different among locations
between rivers (F2.5=8.82, P=0 .002 1 ).
20
Community Structure
Fish
NMDS revealed compositional separation between the rivers ( F igure 2.8). The
Verm i lion R iver sites below
dam and upper river sites had similar fish structure whereas
Verm i li o n River pool s ites grouped on their own based on dominance
G izzard Shad
(Dorosoma cepedianum) . The separation of the North Fork s ites i n the NMDS was heavil,y
dependent on Ethostoma
Percina spp., and Noturus spp. ( F igure 2 . 8 ) . Per-Manova
analysis verified river, l ocation,
their i nteraction to b e significant factors affectin g fish
assemblages (River: Fl.!8 = 1 5 . 1 99, P=0.0002. Location : F2_18=2 .3694, P=0.006. RxL:
Mantel tests showed there was an effect of hab itat on fish community structure (t=0. 3 7 5 ,
P=0.039) but n o sign i ficant effect
Thi s association
physical d istance (t=0.2 1 8, P=0. 1 04) on fish assembl ages.
habitat dissimil arity was positive, indicating the more s i m il ar the physical
habitat, the more s i m i lar the fish communities were. Consistent with these results, the parti al
M antel test controlling for d istance stil l showed a strong environment effect (t=0.29 1 , P=0.039)
and the pmii al
test of d istance contro l ling for environment was non-si gnificant (t=-0.001,
P=0. 500) .
P atterns of macroinvertebrate community structure differed from fish assemb l ages in
these sites.
resulted i n
dist inct groups of i nvertebrate composition (Fi gure 2 . 9) .
S ites below the dam o n the Vermil ion R iver are clustered together and had h i gh abundances o f
P otamanthi dae (craw li ng mayflies). S ites located between i mpoundments, except E2, were
21
These sites had h i gh abundances of Odonata,
c lustered together as wel l (Figure
D iptera. The remaining North Fork sites show
Chironomidae, and
var i ation in
complexity
rnacroi nve1iebrate assemblages. Permutational MANOVA reflected
compositional rel at ionships; both river and the i nteracti o n of r iver and l ocation were si gnificant
(River: F 1 18=5
P0=0.002; Location F2,18=] . 6853, P=0 . 1 1 2; R iver
x
Location: F2_1s=3. 3 693 ,
P=0.005). Macroinvertebrate communities showed d i fferent structuring patterns than fish
assembl ages. Unlike the fi sh, macroinvertebrate assembl ages were affected
test: t=0.407, P=.004), but not
d istance ( Mantel
l ocal environment (t=0.209, P=0.089). Partial Mantel tests
control ling for environmental conditions retained d istance as a s i gnificant effect (t=0.3 67,
P artial Mantel tests when contro l ling for d istance removed any chances of
P=0 . 0 1
environmental effects
P=0.728). Distance effects were positi ve, reflecting that the
greater the separation of s ites in physical d istance, the greater their compositional dissimilarity.
Discussion
The Danvi l le Dam and E l lsworth Dam are having negative i mpacts on habi tat quality as
as affecting fish and macroi nvertebrate assemblages i n the system. B oth dams are creating
extens ive pool reaches l eading to a d ecrease i n flow and hab itat quality. As
other studies,
h i gher qual ity s ites were l ocated outside the pool reaches (Hammer and L inke, 2003 , T iemann et
al. 2004, B utler and Whal, 20 1 0). The North Fork had a d ifferent pattern in substrate due to the
confluence of the
This resulted in site El bei ng heav i l y s ilted, and showing pool type
characteristics. Thi s suggests the pooling effect from the Danvil le Dam i s being extended i nto
the North Fork. The combinati o n of substrate types and QHEl scores i l lustrate the physical
i mpact of these d ams in generating an environmental gradi ent i n habitat structure
may
i nfluence assemblage composition.
22
The Verm i lion lRiver had the h ighest I B I
many impounded river systems due to
L i nke, 2003 , N is low et
sites below the dam. This i s common i n
l ack of effici ent fish m i gration devices (Hammer and
2011). For exampl e, several fish species of Catostomidae and
the
Cypri n idae were found i n high abundances b elow the dams. I n both rivers, almost 5 0%
total catch occurred i n the below
s ites. Removal of the dams should all ow for greater
abundances of these taxa to be found upstream ( Burroughs et al. 2 010). The comb ination of the
I BI scores and abundances
fish enforce that these dams are acting as b arriers to fish movement
in the system. The existing fish l adder on the Danv i l l e Darn i s h i gh l y degraded with poor flow
E l lsworth Dam has no fish m igration structure and often has no flow.
most of the year and
Therefore, both dams
eliminate upstream and downstream connectivity except at high
flow.
Diversi ty and b iotic i ndexes of fish followed the expectat i on that fish should
affected
Analytical results of composition revealed the exact opposite.
the dams as physical
Compositi onall y there was strong separation between rivers and strong c l uster i ng of below dam
(D l , D2) and upper r iver sites
D6) of the Vermil ion R iver. Verm i li o n below
upper river s ites were s im il ar i n QHEI and had the h ighest flows
s ites and
the Verm i l ion. The c lustering
of these s ites i n the NMDS reflected that fish assembl ages were s i m il ar i n the Verm i li o n based
on environmental simil ar ity. The lack of flow and l ower hab itat quality i n the Vermilion River
pool sites caused
2005). S ites i n
species
fish to uti lize upstream or downstream habi tats (Santucci et al .
N orth Fork had h igher variab i li ty i n flow
QHEI which
resul t i n
greater compositi onal d issimilarity. There were s ignificantly fewer fish caught i n the pool
sites of the
Fork compared to the s ites i mmediatel y below the dam and
river s ites.
23
OveralL the North Fork i s
r iver with distinct poo l , riffle, and run habitats whi ch may
directly lead to heterogeneity i n fish assemb lages (Pyron and Tayl or, 1993).
diversity and b i otic indexes of macroinvertebrate assemblages fo llowed the
expectation that macroinvertebrates shoul d primar i l y be affected by changes
habitat. Analyses
composition, as with the fish, revealed the exact oppos ite. However, macroinvertebrate
assembl ages were affected by the dams differently than the fish. For macr o invertebrates,
physical d istance was the main determinant of assemblage structuri ng, even when environmental
effects were control l ed
based on the number
The NMS ordinati on, clearl y i l lustrates that s ites were clustered
impoundments downstream. The most downstream sites were
composit ional l y d istinct from all s ites above the Danv il le Dam. Likewise, s ites above the
E l lsworth Dam were compositionall y dist inct from all other sites above the Danv i l l e Dam,
regardl ess of strong var i at ion in hab itat quali ty. This suggests that the dams are acting as
physi cal b arri ers to rnacroinvertebrate assembl ages at the larval stage. As eggs and l arvae
l argely move with current, d ispersal of macro invertebrates should be primari ly from upstream to
downstream ( Hersey and Lamberti, 2 001 ). Reduced flows from each dam may effectively filter
out d i spersing macroinve1iebrates, reducing d iversity and altering composition. Environmental
fi lter i ng may t hen reduce the abi li ty of upstream l ess tolerant taxa to persist behind
impoundments. Alternatively, adj acent terrestri al habi tats may be control l ing habitat select ion
by flying adults, l eading to spati a l heterogeneity, though thi s seems unl i kely.
Implications
Overall t hese dams are cau s i ng significant changes i n the b i ota of the Verm i l i on River
and
R iver
creating l entic h ab itats and reducing habitat qua l ity. The reduction of
24
flow i n these pool s i s causing high sedimentation as wel l as reducing the downstream
transportation
different substrate types (Connol ly and Brenkman, 2008). These changes
hab itat types are seen though
changes i n fish assembl ages. There was a decrease i n fish,
the pool reaches. They are
abundance, diversity as wel l as a degradati on of b iotic i ntegrity
also
as physical barriers for many fish species especially, Catostomidae which are
the Danv i l l e Dam. These dams are affecting macroinvertebrate assemblages
concentrated
as wel l by not having enough
larval d ispersal, trapping l arvae i n the different
i mpounded sections.
removal of
d ams
upstream habi tats
a ll ow the main channel to reconnect and also provide access to
the North Fork tributary. E l i mi nating physical barriers may
move upstream a l l owing them to restore populations (Brenkman et
threatened species such as the B i g Eye Chub (Hybopsis
(Etheostoma
Eastern Sand D arter
may
fish to
200 8 ) . Endangered and
B l uebreasted Darter
pellucida), and the River Red Horse
abl e to increase their range and all ow them to
with
upstream populations and increase the population size, similar to responses i n sport fish i n other
dam removals (Kanehl et
areas
1 997).
of the dams
mcrease
i n the i mpounded
the river, removing sediment and nutrient l oads. Returning to a free
system wil l
decrease lentic b i ota and i ncrease l otic b iota (Bushnaw-Newton et al. 2002, Burroughs et a l .
20 l 0 ) . The combi nation of these factors may i ncrease t he quality
the Verm i li on
and
return it to a more natural environment.
25
Table
. Laboratory analysis of water chemistry of sites in Fall 2 012. Total N i trogen (TON),
Amonia (NH4), Total P hosphorous (TP), Souluble Reactive Phosphorous (SRP), Total
Suspended S o li d s (TSS i n ppm), Total D issolved S o li ds (TDS i n ppm), and Total S o li d s (TS i n
ppm) .
S ite
Season
Hard n ess
TON
N H4
TP
SRP
TSS
TDS
TS
El
Fall
229.95
0.439
0.029
0 . 2 64
0 . 02 3
15
1 13
1 28
E2
Fall
229.95
0.439
0.029
0 .264
0 . 02 3
15
1 13
1 28
E3
Fal l
222.65
0.5 l 8
0 . 02 l
0. 1 78
2 .42E-05
3 1
94
1 25
E4
Fall
222.65
0.5 1 8
0 . 02 1
0 . 1 78
2 .42E-05
31
94
1 25
ES
Fall
222.65
0.483
0.067
0. 1 28
0
40
77
1 17
E6
Fal l
222.65
0.483
0.067
0. 1 28
0
40
77
1 17
DJ
Fal l
2 04.4
3 .9 8 8
0 . 04 1
0.247
0. 1 1 2
90
1 78
268
02
Fal l
204.4
3 .9 8 8
0.04 1
0.247
0. 1 1 2
90
1 78
268
03
Fall
200.75
4 . 774
0 . 09 0
0.320
0 . 1 84
90
207
297
04
Fal l
200.75
4 . 774
0 . 090
0.320
0 . 1 84
90
207
297
05
Fal l
204 . 4
3 .464
0 .03 5
0. 1 8 l
0. 1 1 2
90
1 83
2 73
06
Fal l
204.4
3 .464
0 . 03 5
0. 1 8 !
0. 1 1 2
90
1 83
273
26
Table 2.2. Total catch of Family by Location within River.
North Fork
Vermilion
Famil y
Below Dam
Pool
River
Below Dam
Pool
Atherinopsidae
85
36
7
0
0
0
69
1 80
7
l
8
411
322
829
404
857
1 52
31
0
0
490
1 647
910
23
351
Catostomidae
C entrarchi dae
3
1 17
C l upeidae
Cyprinidae
1
Esocidae
0
3
0
0
0
0
Fundul i dae
5
16
4
37
25
60
I ctalur idae
35
4
8
3
4
Lepisosidae
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
2
53
0
0
18
0
4
55
4
1
67
22
73
0
l
0
0
0
1 1 38
2400
1 945
462
1 47 1
Moronidae
Poecil iidae
Sciaenidae
Grand Total
2929
1 1 1
14
27
)
� "- �'-' .,,,
IJ.__,_-----'-����- -����- -���
Figure 2 . i .
numbered
the Verm il ion R iver
l ocation;
Dam (1
and North Fork Verm i li o n R iver (E). S i tes are
P oo l
and River (5,6).
28
1
0.8
• · · · · · · · ·�
·.
· · -ti· · G ravel
·.
...... ° Cobble
...
0.2
0
1
2
4
3
5
6
Sites
1
0.8
'*'
�
0.6
u
!:
!1l
"O
5
.0
<(
...,,.._ S a n d :
0.4
• • 411• • G ravel
""""* • Co b b l e
0.2
0
1
2
4
3
5
6
Sites
Figure 2 .2 . Distribution of substrate types across the dams in the Vermilion River
and North
Fork Vermilion (B).
29
Ei1cellent
85
80
75
<II
<lJ
Good
70
0 65
u
<.ll
w 50
:c
CJ
Fair
55
50
45
Poor
40
1
3
Sites
4
5
Figure 2.3. Response of QHEI Scores to the presence of dams on
6
Vermi lion
and
Fork Verm i l ion (dashed).
30
12
10
x
(!)
"C
.E
>
...,
8
·v;
...
(!)
>
0
6
_Ill
!:
0
"'
Q.
4
E
Vi
2
0
1
2
4
3
5
6
Sites
Figure 2.4. Response
Verm i lion R iver
S i mp son ' s D iversity Index of fish to
and
presence of darns on the
Fork V erm i lion (dashed) .
31
60
55
45
40
35
00
e
u_
iq_
u
_n_
�
50
�
,/ /
30
_
__ ___
__
,�'\
''-,-<s:;/?:=�
�lim ited
25
20
.,
15
_
_
_______
_
Restricted
_ ..
,,.
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Sites
I<'igure 2.5. Response
index of b iotic i ntegrity scores to the presence of dams on the
R iver (solid) and North Fork Verm il ion (dashed).
32
8
7
@ 6
E
.?; 5
-0
·v;
...
ill
>
Ci
-"'
i:::
0
VJ
0.
4
3
E
Vi 2
1
0
1
2
4
3
5
6
Sites
Figure 2.6. Simpson' s D iversity Index
macroinvertebrates from the
River (so l i d)
and North Fork Verm i l ion
33
7.5
Poor
•
7
"
6.5
iii
2:
"
'
"
Fairly Poor
"
'
"
- - - - �... - · - - -
6
-
-----
•
- - - - - - - -
-Ill ,. ,
Fair
..... ...,., .... '
...
... ... .
5.5
Good
5
4.5
4
1
2
4
3
Sites
5
6
F igure 2. 7. Macroinvertebrate B iotic I ndex Scores of Verm i l ion (solid) and North Fork
Verm i lion (dashed) .
34
E1
A
04
"'"
03
A
E3
A
06
.A
C'l
E2
4
05
A
(j)
·x
<(
E4
A
!l2
.A
!l1
"'
E6
4
E5
A
Axis 'I
Figure 2.8. Non-Metric
Scali ng of fish assemblages using presence-absence
data from both years pool ed.
35
01
A
02
A
Hi
A,
N
U'J
· :x
<a:
04
E2
.&
A
06
E5
E1
A
A
A
E4
A
E3
A
Axi s 1
Figure
Non-Metric Multidimensional Scali n g of s ites based on relative abundance
Macroi nvertebrates.
36
0.3
0.25
0.2
Vi
-
E
� 0.15
·u
0
Qi
>
0.1
0.05
0
1
2
3
Sites
4
5
6
Figure 2 . 1 0 . Average velocity (m/s) of water at s ites. Verm i li o n (so lid), North Fork (dashed).
37
Conclusions
Dam
i s becomi ng an activity to allow r ivers and streams to return to thei r natural
flow regimes, for natural sediment transportati o n and d ispersal of riverine organ i sms. Both the
Danv i l l e Dam and E l lsworth Dam in the Vermi lion R iver system are causing changes in h ab itat
macroinvertebrate composition. Seasonal variation i n water
q uali ty, and i nfluencing fish
head dams; therefore studies should be conducted at base flow
can mask the effects of
when the i mpacts of dams are most dist inct.
resulting
reaches of each
base
reduce the habi tat quality i n the pool
altered fish community structures. Unl i ke fish communities,
macroinvertebrate community assemblages were more affected by dams as
not
natural d ispersal
macroinve1iebrate l arvae and eggs.
Both dams are approved
fal l of
1 S (Danvil l e Dam) .
barri ers that
compl ete removal i n the fal l
20 1 4 (Ellswo1ih Dam) and
removal of these dams w il l have an immediate i mpact on the
r iver systems by i ncreasi ng sediment transportation to downstream. Over t ime, these sediments
should be dissipating allowing for natural sediment transportation to occur. Larger sediments
(large gravel , cobbl e) w il l now be abl e to be transported into the pool sites i ncreasing habi tat
quality. Overall , the
of the dams should cause QHEI ratings to be no l ower than a good
status due to h i gher abundances of l arger substrates to be transported to the
s ites. Below
dam s ites will also benefit frmn the removals over time by attaining larger substrates as wel l as
gaining new habitat structure
debris transported downstream.
The removal of the dams w il l also have an impact on the water quali ty and flow. In fall
20 1 3 there was a large matted algal b loom i n
upper nver
as
North Fork reaching from the dam to the first
and a diatom bloom i n the Verm i lion reaching from the dam into the
Fork
up to the first river site. Such algal b looms can be dangerous to fish species i n the r iver
38
by causing over saturation of oxygen i n the day and hypoxi a at n i ght. These strong fluctuations
i n oxygen l evel s can
deadl y to many fish species. The removal of these dams wil l cause pool
s ites to become free flowing and prevent such l arge algal masses.
I mmediate i mpacts of removal may have a negative effect on fish assemblages i n below
dam sites. Removal wil l cause a h i gh d ischarge of water whi c h may displace fish. Additionall y ,
fine sediments may fil l i n gravel and cobble habitats. These impacts should b e temporary and as
the river develops natural flow regime and the sediments are be d i splaced evenl y downstream.
The
of the dams shoul d allow for fish species to be abl e to d isperse upstream. The
Danvil l e Dam removal with be most important to species such as the Red Horse. Thi s genera of
fish i s the most abundant i mmediatel y below Danv i l le Dam and i n the upper river sits of the
Verm i lion. The removal of the dam should not only all ow these two populations to connect but
also all ow for a greater potential habitat area when the pool reaches are removed. Furthermore,
this removal should benefit the threatened species of the Verm i lion R iver, R iver Redhorse
Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida), and the endangered
B ig eye C hub (Hybopsis amblops). A l l three of these species were found only i n the below d am
s ites and upper river sites of the Verm i lion. The removal of the Danv i l le dam may a llow for
higher reproductive success
these species, i ncreasing the stab i li ty of thei r popul ations.
L ike the Danv i l le Dam, removal of the E l lsworth Dam shoul d alter habitat and
community assemblages. Given the North Fork V e1mil ion i s a small er tri butary to the
Verm i li on,
the dam may be more beneficial to smaller fish species. The North Fork
had the h ighest abundances of darters and madtoms i n the system. Like the Verm i li on, these
species were only collected immediately below the dam and in upper river sites. The removal of
the dams should
these small er species to occupy
habi tats upstream and have more
39
success. The site i mmediately below the dam in the North Fork also had the only occurrence of
endangered B luebreasted Darter (Etheostoma
As seen with the QHEI, there are
excel l ent rated habitats i n the upper r iver of the North Fork and access to these habi tats has the
potential to the i ncrease the success of thi s species.
Removal of the dams should also be beneficial to the macroinvertebrate community
structure. After removal , a l arge sedi ment release from the pool s may
sediments to
for new l arger
i ncreasi ng taxa quality. Over time, as l ower quality substrate gets
d i splaced from the pool sections
both
and increasing M B I . The removals should
the system which should cause
macro invertebrate
Thi s study
h igher quality taxa w il l util i ze the new habi tat
all ow for natural d ispersal of eggs
s ites to have s i m ilar assembl ages
l arvae i n
similar
indexes.
continue to monitor the fish and macroinvertebrates i n thi s system until
the dams are removed, i mmediately after removal, and post removal as the rivers return to their
natural
regimes. G i ven the high flows i n the spring whi ch may
been displacing
from upstream, we were not able to determi ne whether fi sh popul at ions were geneticall y di stinct.
further assess the potential i mpacts of removal, in the spring (20 1 3 , 20 l
multiple fish species were sampled for genetics.
and fa l l (20 l
each s ite multiple taxa were fincl iped for
geneti c sampl ing. To ensure differences in l ife h i stories and d ispersal capab i lities a plethora
taxa were chosen. Larger species, h ighest d i spersal, were the B l ac k Redhorse
duquesnei), Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma
S horthead Redhorse
macrolepidotum ) ,
R iver Redhorse
Redhorse
These species have h i gh abundances i n the Verm i li o n R iver especial l y i mmedi ately below the
dam and i n
upper river s ites.
also took geneti c samples from our most abundant species
40
which was the Longear S unfish (Lepomis megalotis), and smaller cyprin i ds such as the Spotfin
Shi ner
spilopterus) and Steel Color S h iner (Notropis spilopterus). Assessing the
genetics of these species can
more insight to fu l l the infl uences of dams on fish populations.
41
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