.
Study Framework
 4 Tributaries were first sampled in Spring and Fall 2000 for
fish populations using triple pass electroshock
 Benthic macro-invertebrate and water chemistry were
sampled biannually each year since
 April and October 2010 fish populations were re-sampled
for taxa and population changes
East Lynn Lake
Sampling Creeks
Mining Activity
Google 2010
Sampling Tributaries
Big Laurel Creek
Trough Fork
East Fork Twelvepole Creek
Google 2010
Kiah Creek
Mining History
 Small scale mining began in 1982
 Large scale mining began in 1987

50% Deep / 50% Surface
 Approximately 2 million tons of coal are produced
each year in this area
 Impacts: Coal Prep Plant, Refuse Fill, Slurry
Impoundments, Haul Roads,
 Further Impacts: Logging (roughly 5,000 acres),
250 Oil/Gas Wells with pipelines
Stream Health Evaluation
Methods and Comparison
 SAMPLING:
 Triple pass electroshock (Backpack)
 COMPARISON:
 2000/2010 Fisheries Index of Biotic Integrity
 2000→2010 Bi-annual West Virginia Stream Condition Index
 Macro-invertebrate Assemblage
 Trend analysis- combined fall/spring scores
 2000 → 2010 Biannual Water Chemistry Sampling


Conductivity
Trend analysis- combined fall/spring values
Macroinvertebrate Assessment
 West Virginia Stream Condition Index (WV-SCI)
 Regulatory management/Permitting
 WVDEP
 Core Metrics






EPT taxa (mayfly, stonefly, caddisfly)
Total taxa
% EPT
WV-SCI Range
% Chironomidae
78.01 to 100
% Top 2 Dominant taxa
68.01 to 78.00
HBI (Family Biotic Index)
60.61 to 68.00
45.01 to 60.60
22.01 to 45.00
0 to 22.00
Rank
“Very Good”
“Good”
“ Grey Zone”
“Slightly Impaired”
“Moderately Impaired”
“Severely Impaired”
Impairment
Not Impaired
Impaired
Fisheries Assessment
 Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) (0-100 Scale)
 Based on KY-IBI
 Core Metrics







IBI Score
Rank
> 71
59-70
39-58
19-38
0-18
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Very Poor
Native Taxa Richness
Darter, Madtom, and Sculpin Richness
Intolerant Species Richness
Simple Lithophilic Spawning Species Richness
Relative Abundance of Insectivorous Individuals
Relative Abundance of Tolerant Individuals
Relative Abundance of Facultative Headwater Individuals

Drainages < 6 square miles
Conductivity Levels
10 Year Conductivity Average - Biannual Sampling
1400
1200
1000
s
800
600
400
200
0
Trough Fork
1
Big Laurel Creek
Kiah Creek
East Fk. Twelvepole Creek
East Fork Twelvepole Creek, Wayne County West Va.
East Fork Twelvepole Creek
Sampling Locations
Google 2010
East Fork Twelvepole Creek
500
70.0
2010
400
Conductance
300
50.0
200
40.0
100
0
30.0
Fish IBI
2000
10 Year Conductivity
East Fork Twelvpole Creek
East
F. Twelvepole
Conductance
Fish IBI
2010
Index of Biotic
60.0
East Fork Twelvepole Creek
WV-Stream Condition Score (Bugs)
Index of Biotic Integrity (Fish)
90
70
80
Good
60
70
Grey zone
50
60
Fair
40
50
30
40
20
Unimpaired ↑
Impaired ↓
2000
Upstream
2010
Downstream
Kiah Creek, Wayne County West VA.
Kiah Creek
Sampling Locations
Google 2010
Kiah Creek
1200
70.0
Conductnace
60.0
800
600
50.0
400
40.0
200
0
30.0
Fish IBI
2000
10 Year Conductivity Trend
Kiah Creek
Kiah
Creek
Conductance
Fish IBI
2010
Index of Biotic Integrity
TAXA
1000
Kiah Creek
WV-Stream Condition Score (Bugs)
80
Index of Biotic Integrity (Fish)
70
70
60
Good
60
Greyzone
zone
Grey
50
50
Fair
40
40
30
30
20
20
2000
Unimpaired ↑
Impaired ↓
Upstream
2010
Downstream
Trough Fork
Sampling Locations
Google 2010
Trough Fork, Wayne County West Va.
Trough Fork
1200.0
70.0
1000.0
Conductnace
TAXA
800.0
600.0
50.0
400.0
40.0
200.0
0.0
30.0
Fish IBI
2000
10 Year Conductivity
Trough Fork
Conductance
Trough
Fork
Fish IBI
2010
Index of Biotic Integrity
60.0
Trough Fork
WV-Stream Condition Score (Bugs)
Index of Biotic Integrity (Fish)
70
90
80
Good
60
70
50
Grey zone
Fair
60
40
50
30
Unimpaired ↑
Impaired ↓
2000
Upstream
2010
Downstream
Big Laurel Creek
Sampling Locations
Google 2010
Big Laurel Creek, Wayne County West Va.
Big Laurel Creek
200
70
160
Conductnace
120
50
80
40
40
0
30
Fish IBI
2000
10 Year Conductivity Trend
Big Laurel Creek
Fish IBI
2010
Conductance
Big
Laurel
Index of Biotic Integrity
60
Big Laurel Creek
WV-Stream Condition Score (Bugs)
100
Index of Biotic Integrity (Fish)
70
Good
90
60
80
50
70
Grey zone
Fair
40
60
30
50
20
2000
Unimpaired ↑
Impaired ↓
Upstream
2010
Downstream
Conductivity vs. WV-SCI/Fisheries IBI
Conductivity (µs/cm)
2000
1600
R² = 0.0681
1200
800
400
0
20.0
30.0
40.0
WV-SCI Score
← Impaired
50.0
60.0
Fish IBI
70.0
80.0
90.0
Linear (WV-SCI Score)
Unimpaired →
100.0
Fisheries IBI Scores
70.0
60.0
Good
IBI Score
50.0
40.0
Fair
30.0
20.0
Poor
10.0
0.0
IBI 2000
IBI 2010
Summary
 Kiah Creek:
 Improving WVSCI scores, though marginal overall
 Fisheries Taxa loss and conductivity concerns
 East Fork Twelvepole Creek:
 Improving WVSCI scores, marginally unimpaired
 Fish populations remaining stable, fair IBI score
 Trough Fork:
 Good WVSCI scores despite conductivity levels
 Fish IBI rated as fair but has taxa loss concerns
 Big Laurel Creek:
 Good WVSCI scores, and improving
 Improving IBI scores
Conclusions
 3 of the 4 Tributaries have improving WVSCI
trends
 3 of the 4 Tributaries have good WVSCI standing
 Overall fish trophic guilds were rated as ‘Fair’
 Conductivity levels are varying across Index values
Questions???