Comparison of habitat monitoring protocols for intermittent, headwater streams

EPA and state water resource agencies are now placing greater emphasis on monitoring and managing headwater streams. The objective of this effort was to compare habitat data generated using two assessment protocols. Habitat assessments occurred during the summer of 2008 following protocols of EPA (Peck et al. 2006 and Fritz et al. 2006) in eastern South Dakota. Assessments were performed monthly (April-August) at each of 16 sites in the James River Lowland ecoregion. Peck’s protocol includes 19 measurements assessing riparian habitat, in-stream habitat, and stream morphology. These measurements yield continuous, nominal, and ordinal data types. Fritz’s protocol includes 8 measurements assessing hydrologic permanence in the form of continuous data. The two protocols contain 10 similar measurements of depth, discharge, substrate, slope, canopy, and morphology. Substrate type is evaluated using different techniques by the two protocols. Organic substrates occurred with a frequency of 61% using Peck’s protocol, while the substrate class sand/silt/clay occurred most frequently (98%) using Fritz’s protocol. Results demonstrate that the two protocols generate different results and suggest a need to standardize monitoring protocols for headwater stream assessments.