Prioritizing management goals for stream biological integrity within the developed landscape context

Abstract

Stream management goals for biological integrity may be difficult to achieve in developed landscapes where channel modification and other factors constrain in-stream conditions. To evaluate potential constraints on biological integrity, we developed a statewide landscape model for California that estimates ranges of likely scores for a macroinvertebrate-based index that are typical at a site with the observed level of landscape alteration. This context can support prioritization decisions for stream management, like identifying reaches for restoration or enhanced protection based on how observed scores relate to model predictions. Median scores were accurately predicted by the model for all sites in California with bioassessment data (Pearson correlation r 5 0.75 between observed and predicted for calibration data, r 5 0.72 for validation). The model also predicted that 15% of streams statewide are constrained for biological integrity within their present developed landscape, particularly for urban and agricultural areas in the South Coast, Central Valley, and Bay Area regions. We worked with a local stakeholder group from the San Gabriel River watershed (Los Angeles County, California) to evaluate how the statewide model could support local management decisions. To achieve this purpose, we created an interactive application, the Stream Classification and Priority Explorer, that compares observed scores with predictions from the landscape model to assign priorities. We observed model predictions consistent with the land-use gradient from the upper to lower watershed, where potential limits to achieving biological integrity were more common in the heavilyurbanized lower watershed. However, most of the sites in the lower watershed scored within their predicted ranges, and were therefore given a low priority for restoration. In contrast, 2 low-scoring sites in the undeveloped upper watershed were prioritized for causal assessment and possible future restoration, whereas 3 high-scoring sites were prioritized for protection. The availability of geospatial and bioassessment data at the national level suggests that these tools can easily be applied to inform management decisions at other locations where altered landscapes may limit biological integrity.

Application of Flow-Ecology Analysis to Inform Prioritization for Stream Restoration and Management Actions

“…In most applications of CSCI and ASCI, the 10th percentile value (possibly altered, CSCI: 0.79, ASCI: 0.86) is applied (Stein et al, 2017;Mazor et al, 2018;Beck et al, 2019a;Beck et al, 2019b). We show that for determining prioritization the most useful threshold was the 30th percentile for both indices (likely intact, CSCI: 0.92, ASCI: 0.94) due to both sensitivity and discriminatory power.…”

“…Threshold-based approaches are frequently applied in flow-ecology analysis to first, determine a value where biological condition is considered close to reference expectations, and second, determine a limit of flow alteration associated with achieving biological reference condition. Common applications apply a single index threshold, e.g., a CSCI score ≥ 0.79 (10th percentile) that indicates biological composition similar to reference expectations (Mazor et al, 2016;Stein et al, 2017;Mazor et al, 2018;Beck et al, 2019a), and a probability threshold defined as the Delta H where the likelihood of achieving a healthy CSCI score is half the likelihood at an unaltered site (Mazor et al, 2018). However, to aid flow management prioritization decisions, the thresholds applied need to ensure there is adequate discriminatory power among locations within the study area.…”

The importance of open science for biological assessment of aquatic environments

“…Open science tools have recently been used in California to address bioassessment implementation challenges in developed landscapes. The Stream Classification and Priority Explorer, or SCAPE ( Beck, 2018a ; Beck et al, 2019 ), was developed using an open science framework to help identify reasonable management goals for wadeable streams using existing bioassessment and watershed data. The SCAPE tool represents both a modeling approach to help prioritize management goals ( Fig.…”

Peer Review #1 of "The importance of open science for biological assessment of aquatic environments (v0.1)"

“…Open science tools have recently been used in California to address bioassessment implementation challenges in developed landscapes. The Stream Classification and Priority Explorer, or SCAPE (Beck 2018a, Beck et al 2019, was developed using an open science framework to help identify reasonable management goals for wadeable streams using existing bioassessment and watershed data. The SCAPE tool represents both a modeling approach to help prioritize management goals ( Figure 3) and a set of open science products for direct application to environmental managers.…”