Developing a Valley Segment Classification for Wisconsin Streams

1. Developing a Valley Segment Classification for Wisconsin Streams Jana Stewart U.S. Geological Survey

2. GIS Development • Objectives (2002-2003) • Review literature related to VST classification • Coordinate VST methods with other GL States • Acquire GIS data layers, tools, amls, etc. • Develop draft Valley segment stream classification • (1:100k and 1:24k)

3. Coordinating efforts to meet common goals Great Lakes Aquatic Gap:MI, NY, WI, OH, (IL, IN, MN, PA) EPA Star Grant:MI, IL, WI Wisconsin DNR • Common goal: Develop ecological stream classification linked to aquatic species distributions • Aquatic Gap goal: • Identify gaps in the conservation of aquatic biodiversity • EPA Star Grant goal: • Landscape modeling for ecological status and risk assessment • WDNR State goals: • Assess fisheries potential and stream impairment • Tool for baseline monitoring

5. VST Classification: Who’s doing what? • Method Development (MI, TNC, MO and OH Aquatic Gap methods) • WI: Lizhu Wang (WDNR), Chris Smith (WDNR), Jana Stewart (USGS) • MI: Paul Seelbach (MIFR), Rick Clark and Arthur Cooper (U of MI), • Steve Aichele and Ed Bissell (USGS) • IL: Anne Hogan (IDNR) • GIS Method Testing: • WI: Jana Stewart and Rob Rose (USGS) • MI: Steve Aichele and Ed Bissell (USGS) • Data Acquisition: WI: Chris Smith (WDNR), Jana Stewart (USGS) • Model Development: WI: Lizhu Wang (WDNR) • GIS Processing: WI: Chris Smith (WDNR), Jana Stewart (USGS)

6. Method Development for VST Classification

7. Valley Segment Types Temperature Size Flow Gradient Geology VST Traditional Approach (MO, OH, MIFR, TNC) Valley segments stratify a continuous stream network into distinct hydrogeomorphic patches. Individual Variables Unique Valley Segment Types

8. 2 1 1 2 1 0 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 0 0 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 0 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 3 0 0 2 1 2 1 1 2 3 0 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 0 0 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 0 0 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 0 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 0 0 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 0 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 0 0 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 0 0 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 0 0 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 0 4 2 1 What We Know From Valley Segment Classification Valley Segment Type Codes and Descriptions. 212230021 = Valley Segment Type Code 2 = Warm water 1 = Headwater size class 2 = Intermittent flow 2= Flowing through dolomite/limestone 3 = Relatively high gradient 0 = Valley wall interaction (N/A) 0 = Flows into another headwater 2 = Flowing within own valley 1 = Primary channel

9. Existing Methods • Channel attributes • Break by categories or code by dominant type Refined Methods • Calculate and store VST attributes for 3 levels • Channel (line) • Riparian (60 m buffer) • Watershed (upstream area) • Store interval/ratio data where possible • Map hydrogeomorphic data as point and linear events on stream routes Medium High Gradient Clay Sand & gravel Surficial geology River arc

10. Dynamic Segmentation: Events Stored in event tables • Records in a data file (INFO or RDBMS) Not a feature class Use route measures to position the event Event types • Linear • Point • Continuous Cracking Cracking Pavement Accidents 45 35 45 55 Speed Main St 15 95 20 40 60 80

11. Channel attributes: Stored as route on network • Hydrography (Order- Strahler, Link and Dlink (Shreve), sinuosity) • Elevation (slope) • Geology (surficial geology texture, bedrock type, depth to bedrock, soil permeability) • Climate (annual air temperature)

12. Riparian attributes: Calculated on a 60m buffer (each reach) • Land cover • GW potential • Valley wall interaction

13. Catchment attributes: Calculated for catchment of each reach • Drainage area and density • Climate (annual precipitation, growing degree days, evapotranspiration, air temperature (July max, min, mean) • Geology (surficial texture, bedrock type, depth to bedrock, soil permeability) • Elevation (slope) • Land cover

14. Define Processing Units NED Conditioning 2 NHD Preprocessing Identify HUCs to define processing units Download and append NED Download NHD 1 3 Append_NHD Products: -external boundary of processing unit -detailed subwatershed boundary (ie. 12 digit HUCs) Clip to processing unit Fill Sinks (1st time) Fix NHD -project -attributes -connection -loops -flow -unique identifier Exaggerate watershed divide Very important points TOPOGRID Catchment Processing Fill sinks (2nd time) Create Riparian Zone Run CatchArea.aml Product: conditioned DEM CatchSlope.aml Cleaned NHD CatchPrecip.aml Run GapRip.aml CatchETaml Channel Processing CatchGDD.aml Catchment Delineation ChanOrder.aml CatchAirtemp.aml ChanLink.aml CatchArea.aml Run GapShed.aml Riparian Processing ChanDlink.aml CatchSurftex.aml Run RipLanduse.aml ChanSinuousity.aml CatchBedrock.aml Run RipDarcy.aml ChanGradient.aml CatchDarcy.aml Run RipWall.aml CatchBedrockD.aml ChanBedrockD.aml CatchLanduse.aml ChanBedrock.aml CatchDensity.aml ChanSurf.aml

15. Data Acquisition and Development

16. Order • Link and Dlink • Sinuosity • Drainage density Hydrography • Initial Processing: • WDNR 1:24K Hydrography • Meet State needs • Current Processing: • National Hydrography Data (1:100k) • Meet project needs • Regional consistency • Future: • Determine methods to produce both • -Independent efforts? • -Conflation? 100k / 24k comparison

17. Hydrologic Units 30 M DEMs • Processing units • Catchment delineation • Slope (channel, catchment) • Valley wall interaction • Catchment delineation

18. BedrockType Geology • Bedrock type • Depth to bedrock • Surficial deposits texture • Soil permeability Depth to Bedrock Quarternary Geology

19. Precipitation • Growing degree days • Air temperature • Evapotranspiration Climate: PRISM Data Precipitation (Average annual for US 1961 – 1990) Growing Degree Days • Source: • NRCS Water & Climate Center

20. Modeling Temperature and Flow for Wisconsin • Modeling conducted by Lizhu Wang (WDNR) • PROGRESS • Gathered needed GIS layers. • Sampled 125 streams with USGS gaging stations for physical habitat and biological communities. • Sampled 300 streams for continuous summer water temperature, physical habitat, and biological communities (including the 125 gaging sites). • Delineated watershed boundaries and clipped out data from all the GIS layers for the 300 streams.

21. Flow Model Development Variables considered Stream Flow Modeling Sites • Land use (8 variables). • Soil (5 variables). • Geology (5 variables). • Bedrock (12 variables). • Darcy (watershed mean). • Weather (PPT, GDD). • Watershed condition (slope, area).

22. Darcy Layer

23. Temperature Model Development Variables considered • Land use (8 variables); soil (5 variables). • Geology (5 variables); bedrock (12 variables). • Darcy (watershed mean). • Weather & watershed (PPT, GDD, slope, area). • Channel (segment slope & wetted width). • Air temperature & buffer vegetative land-use have not been used yet.

24. Hydrography Processing Units

25. GIS Processing Status • Hydrography (1:24K) • Selected primary flow channel • Identified connect and disconnects • Determined disconnects to connect • -Sources: DRGs, DOQs, NHD 100k) • - Completed connections - • Channel - Completed Strahler stream order • Channel - Shreve Link and Dlink (almost completed)

26. Strahler Order Buffalo/Trempeleau (07040001)

27. 2003 Timeline for NHD Processing (1:100K) • March 10th • Define processing units • May 10th • Prepare State data layers • Complete NHD cleaning • June 15th • Complete channel processing • Complete riparian processing • Complete DEM conditioning • August 15th • Complete catchment delineation • Complete temperature and flow models • September 15th • Complete catchment processing September 30th – Produce Valley Segment Classification

28. Plans for next year • Finalize Valley segment classification (1:100k NHD) • Cluster analysis to determine unique valley segment types • Develop primary assessment units (Ecological Drainage Units) • Link fish database to stream segments • Prepare fish distribution maps for expert review