Effects of irrigation withdrawals on streamflows in a karst environment: lower Flint River Basin, Georgia, USA

Rugel, Kathleen; Jackson, C. Rhett; Romeis, J. J.; Golladay, Stephen W.; Hicks, David W.; Dowd, John F.

doi:10.1002/hyp.8149

Cited by 43 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…In contrast, the two severe droughts that have occurred in the LFRB since 1999 appear to be more indicative of long-term climatic conditions in Georgia (Cook et al, 1999). Perhaps more importantly, contemporary droughts are compounded by the effects of agricultural water withdrawals (Rugel et al, 2012). Indeed, recent work in a small Chattahoochee River tributary indicated that increased levels of water use may contribute to an increased risk of population extinction for three imperilled freshwater mussel species .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mussel collection data were used to develop predictive models of species occupancy for 21 freshwater mussel species native to the LFRB. in many LFRB tributaries since the implementation of intensive irrigation in the 1970s (Rugel et al, 2012). Additionally, the LFRB has experienced two severe and prolonged droughts since 1999 (NCDC, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the influence of land use, drought and reach isolation on the occurrence of freshwater mussel species in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia (U.S.A.)

et al. 2012

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Summary 1. North American freshwater mussels have been subjected to multiple stressors in recent decades that have contributed to declines in the status and distribution of many species. However, considerable uncertainty exists regarding the relative influence of these factors on observed population declines. 2. We used an occupancy modelling approach to quantify relationships between mussel species occurrence and various site‐ and catchment‐level factors, including land cover, stream size, the occurrence of drought and reach isolation due to impoundment for 21 mussel species native to the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia, U.S.A. 3. Our modelling approach accounted for potential biases associated with both incomplete detection and misidentification of species, which are frequently not accommodated as sources of bias in freshwater mussel studies. 4. Modelling results suggested that mussel species were, on average, four times less likely to be present following severe drought, but the negative effects of drought declined rapidly with increasing stream size. Similarly, mussel species were 15 times less likely to occupy small streams that were isolated from mainstem tributaries by impoundments. 5. This study provides insight into the effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on freshwater mussel species. Our findings add to a growing body of literature aimed at improving understanding of the predominant factors influencing freshwater mussel populations and fostering the development of more informed and effective conservation strategies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the influence of land use, drought and reach isolation on the occurrence of freshwater mussel species in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia (U.S.A.)

et al. 2012

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“…While few dams are on the Flint River, it is at the forefront of a multistate controversy regarding competing water uses (Jones, 2008). Water withdrawals for both municipal and agriculture uses have significantly lowered streamflows throughout the basin (Rugel et al, 2012), which could affect the ability of migratory fishes such as shoal bass to reach preferred spawning grounds (Northcote, 1997). The consequences of losing migratory forms of species while retaining the resident forms is unknown, but potentially catastrophic to long-term species persistence (Northcote, 1997;Nelson et al, 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First evidence of potadromy and partial migration in black basses: shoal bass Micropterus cataractae (Actinopterygii, Centrarchidae) in the Upper Flint River, USA

Sammons

2015

Hydrobiologia

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Potamodromy, migration for reproduction within freshwater systems, is widely practiced among fishes, but has rarely been reported for Micropterus spp. Recent evidence has shown that shoal bass (M. cataractae;Williams & Burgess, 1999) in the upper Flint River, USA, undergo migrations during the spawning season to large shoal complexes; however, the magnitude and prevalence of these migrations are unknown. To test the hypothesis that these fish exhibit potadromy, 376 shoal bass were tagged with anchor tags over a four-year period. Each spring, shoal bass migrated up to 200 km to reach spawning areas in the piedmont, and these migrations appeared to be more common in fish living in the coastal plain area of the river. Fish from the piedmont area moved less, likely due to proximity of spawning habitat. Results of this study have suggested that shoal bass are highly migratory in connected systems, traveling long distances to spawn in specific areas. Thus, the scope of shoal bass management and conservation has broadened considerably. Other Micropterus species dwelling in lotic habitats may exhibit similar migratory patterns in their native and/or introduced ranges, and this possibility could be examined using markrecapture techniques similar to those used in this study.

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“…Although most of the research in this area has focused on streams in arid and semi-arid environments [85,86], the same trends have been observed in streams of mesic environments with porous substrata, for example karstic systems [87]. Factors related to stream hydrology are among the most important determinants of the resulting communities and can even impact riparian trees [88].…”

Section: Impacts Of Agricultural Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing Artificially Drained Low-Gradient Agricultural Headwaters for Enhanced Ecosystem Functions

Pierce

Kröger

Pezeshki

2012

Biology

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Large tracts of lowlands have been drained to expand extensive agriculture into areas that were historically categorized as wasteland. This expansion in agriculture necessarily coincided with changes in ecosystem structure, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling. These changes have impacted not only the landscapes in which they occurred, but also larger water bodies receiving runoff from drained land. New approaches must append current efforts toward land conservation and restoration, as the continuing impacts to receiving waters is an issue of major environmental concern. One of these approaches is agricultural drainage management. This article reviews how this approach differs from traditional conservation efforts, the specific practices of drainage management and the current state of knowledge on the ecology of drainage ditches. A bottom-up approach is utilized, examining the effects of stochastic hydrology and anthropogenic disturbance on primary production and diversity of primary producers, with special regard given to how management can affect establishment of macrophytes and how macrophytes in agricultural landscapes alter their environment in ways that can serve to mitigate non-point source pollution and promote biodiversity in receiving waters.

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Effects of irrigation withdrawals on streamflows in a karst environment: lower Flint River Basin, Georgia, USA

Cited by 43 publications

References 39 publications

Evaluating the influence of land use, drought and reach isolation on the occurrence of freshwater mussel species in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia (U.S.A.)

Evaluating the influence of land use, drought and reach isolation on the occurrence of freshwater mussel species in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia (U.S.A.)

First evidence of potadromy and partial migration in black basses: shoal bass Micropterus cataractae (Actinopterygii, Centrarchidae) in the Upper Flint River, USA

Managing Artificially Drained Low-Gradient Agricultural Headwaters for Enhanced Ecosystem Functions

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