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Rooted aquatic plants (macrophytes) are essential components of freshwater ecosystems. Macrophyte beds provide shelter for fish and other aquatic life. Their leaves and stems also provide algae with surfaces to colonize, which, in turn, drives the aquatic food webs and dissolved oxygen cycles. However, too much of a good thing can create problems. When growth conditions are favorable, macrophytes and their attached algae can create dense mats that are a nuisance for recreationists.
In July 2019, the USGS began a study of the hydraulic and water-quality characteristics of the middle Snake River to help stakeholders and resource managers better understand factors controlling macrophyte growth. We are conducting the study in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), and Idaho Power Company (IPC). The study is focused on the Crystal Springs reach of the Snake River because previous studies found that this area was particularly prone to abundant macrophyte growth.
Previous studies found that macrophytes were scarce when water velocities exceeded about 3 feet per second or where water depths were greater than about 6 feet. However, these findings posed additional research questions that our study hopes to address:
These “what if” sorts of questions cannot be addressed solely through monitoring, so we are taking an approach that combines monitoring and modeling.
The primary objectives of this study include:
The project was planned as a three-year effort in the hopes of being able to measure hydraulic conditions under a wide range of flow conditions. Progress updates will be provided through meetings of the Middle Snake Watershed Advisory Group.
The folloiwng multimedia items are associated with this study.
Map showing the study area for an investigation modeling the hydraulic and water-quality habitat suitability for macrophytes in the middle Snake River, south-central Idaho.
Map showing the study area for an investigation modeling the hydraulic and water-quality habitat suitability for macrophytes in the middle Snake River, south-central Idaho.
Rooted aquatic plants (macrophytes) are essential components of freshwater ecosystems. Macrophyte beds provide shelter for fish and other aquatic life. Their leaves and stems also provide algae with surfaces to colonize, which, in turn, drives the aquatic food webs and dissolved oxygen cycles. However, too much of a good thing can create problems. When growth conditions are favorable, macrophytes and their attached algae can create dense mats that are a nuisance for recreationists.
In July 2019, the USGS began a study of the hydraulic and water-quality characteristics of the middle Snake River to help stakeholders and resource managers better understand factors controlling macrophyte growth. We are conducting the study in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), and Idaho Power Company (IPC). The study is focused on the Crystal Springs reach of the Snake River because previous studies found that this area was particularly prone to abundant macrophyte growth.
Previous studies found that macrophytes were scarce when water velocities exceeded about 3 feet per second or where water depths were greater than about 6 feet. However, these findings posed additional research questions that our study hopes to address:
These “what if” sorts of questions cannot be addressed solely through monitoring, so we are taking an approach that combines monitoring and modeling.
The primary objectives of this study include:
The project was planned as a three-year effort in the hopes of being able to measure hydraulic conditions under a wide range of flow conditions. Progress updates will be provided through meetings of the Middle Snake Watershed Advisory Group.
The folloiwng multimedia items are associated with this study.
Map showing the study area for an investigation modeling the hydraulic and water-quality habitat suitability for macrophytes in the middle Snake River, south-central Idaho.
Map showing the study area for an investigation modeling the hydraulic and water-quality habitat suitability for macrophytes in the middle Snake River, south-central Idaho.