Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of sediment releases from a reservoir on stream macroinvertebrates

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Effects of sediment release from Guernsey Reservoir on macroinvertebrates of the North Platte River, Wyoming, were investigated during summer 1981. Suspended solids concentrations during sediment release increased from <20 mg l−1 to >300 mg l−1. Because fine particulates remained in suspension, mean particle size of substrates was unaltered. Densities of chironomids decreased 90% + during sediment release but recovered to initial levels in 3 weeks after the release ended. Densities of mayflies and oligochaetes increased. Changes in benthic populations were highly correlated with increases in suspended solids.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bjornn, T. C., Brusven, M. A., Molnau, M. P., Milligan, J. H., Klamt, R. A., Chacho, E. & Schaye, C., 1977. Transport of granitic sediment in streams and its effects of insects and fish. Bull. No. 17, Forest, Wildlife and Range Exp. Sta., Univ. of Idaho, Moscow. 43 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R. J., 1975. Reservoir and lake sedimentation. Nat. Tech. Infor. Serv., Springfield, Virginia. 110 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chutter, F. M., 1969. The effect of silt and sand on the invertebrate fauna of streams and rivers. Hydrobiologia 34: 57–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordone, A. J. & Kelly, D. W., 1961. The influence of inorganic sediment on the aquatic life of streams. Calif. Fish Game 47: 189–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, K. W., 1973. Trophic relations of aquatic insects. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 18: 183–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, K. W. & Lauff, G. H., 1969. The influence of substrate particle size on the microdistribution of stream macrobenthos. Hydrobiologia 34: 145–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, K. W., Tryon, C. A., Jr. & Hartman, R. T. (Eds.), 1966. Organism-substrate relationships in streams. Spec. Publ. No. 4, Pymatuning Lab. Ecol., Univ. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 145 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edmunds, G. F. & Musser, G. G., 1960. The mayfly fauna of Green River in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir Basin, Wyoming and Utah, In: Ecological Studies of the Flora and Fauna of Flaming Gorge Reservoir Basin, Wyoming and Utah. Univ. of Utah Anthrop. Pap. No. 48, pp. 112–123.

  • Gammon, J. R., 1970. The effect of inorganic sediment on stream biota. U.S. Environ. Protect. Agency, 18050 DWC, Washington, DC. 141 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golterman, H. L., Clymo, R. S. & Onstad, M. A. M., 1978. Methods for Physical and Chemical Analysis of Fresh Waters. IBP Handbook No. 8, 2nd edn Blackwell Scientific, Oxford. 214 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, L. J. & Ward, J. V., 1978. Environmental effects of oil shale mining and processing, Part II: the aquatic macroinvertebrates of the Piceance Basin, Colorado, prior to oil shale processing. U.S. Environ. Protect. Agency, Environ. Res. Lab., Duluth, Minn., EPA-600/3–78–097. 40 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, L. J. & Ward, J. V., 1982. Response of lotic algae to sediment release from a reservoir. Southwest. Nat. (in press).

  • Green, R. H., 1979. Sampling Design and Statistical Analysis for Environmental Biologists. John Wiley, New York. 257 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, J. D., 1961. The effect of sand-pit washings on a stream fauna. Verh. int. Verein. Limnol. 14: 435–439.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henricson, J. & Müller, K., 1979. Stream regulation in Sweden with some examples from Central Europe. In: Ward, J. V. & Stanford, J. A. (Eds.) The Ecology of Regulated Streams, pp. 183–199. Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hynes, H. B. N., 1970. The Ecology of Running Waters. Univ. of Toronto Press, Toronto. 555 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingram, R. L., 1971. Sieve analysis. In: Carver, R. E. (Ed.) Procedures in Sedimentary Petrology, pp. 49–67. Wiley-InterScience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, R. J., 1977. Behavior of Pycnopsyche (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) on mineral substrates in laboratory streams. Ecology 58: 191–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • McBride, E. F., 1971. Mathematical treatment of size distribution data. In: Carver, R. E. (Ed.) Procedures in Sedinentary Petrology, pp. 109–127. Wiley-InterScience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J. & Riley, J. P., 1962. Determination of phosphate in natural waters. Analyt. chim. Acta 27: 31–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell, R. L., 1976. The life history of a multivoltime mayfly Tricorythodes minutus (Traver) with special reference to the effects of temperature on growth and development. Ph.D. thesis, Idaho State Univ., Pocatello. 129 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nie, N. H., Hull, C. H., Jenkins, J. G., Steinbrenner, K. & Bent, D. H., 1975. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, 2nd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York. 675 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nisbet, M., 1961. Un example de pollution de riviére par vidage d'une retenue hydroelectrique. Verh. int. Verein. Limnol. 14: 678–680.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nuttall, P. M. & Bielby, G. J., 1973. The effectof china-clay wastes on stream invertebrates. Environ. Pollut. 5: 77–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabeni, C. F. & Minshall, G. W., 1977. Factors affecting microdistribution of stream benthic insects. Oikos 29: 33–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, D. M. & Wiens, A. P., 1975. Experimental sediment addition studies on the Harris River, N. W. T., Canada: the effect on macroinvertebrate drift. Verh. int. Verein. Limnol. 19: 1568–1574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simons, D. B., 1979. Effects of stream regulation of channel morphology. In: Ward, J. V. & Stanford, J. A. (Eds.) The Ecology of Regulated Streams, pp. 95–111. Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Geological Survey, 1980. Water resources data for Wyoming, Water Year 1979, Vol. 1: Missouri River Basin. Nat. Tech. Infor. Serv., Springfield, Virginia. 642 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Inter-Agency Committee on Water Resources, 1965. A study of methods used in measurement and analysis of sediment loads in streams. Rep. J. St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 5 pp.

  • Ward, J. V. & Stanford, J. A. (Eds.), 1979. The Ecology of Regulated Streams. Plenum Press, New York. 398 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R.D. & Winget, R. N., 1979. Macroinvertebrate response to flow manipulation in the Strawberry River, Utah (U.S.A.). In: Ward, J. V. & Stanford, J. A. (Eds.) The Ecology of Regulated Streams, pp. 365–376. Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gray, L.J., Ward, J.V. Effects of sediment releases from a reservoir on stream macroinvertebrates. Hydrobiologia 96, 177–184 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02185433

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02185433

Keywords

Navigation