Geology topics

Mark B. Gregory

Publications and source records attributed to Mark B. Gregory.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2018

Standard operating procedure 1.2.16 wadeable stream reach-scale field data collection—version 1.0

The following standard operation procedure (SOP) outlines the procedure for collecting physical habitat data from previously selected and benchmarked wadeable streams. The purpose of this SOP is to ensure that data are collected using methods that are consistent between reaches and years. Using the methods described in this SOP will also ensure that the data will be comparable to data collected by other DOI agencies as well as non-governmental monitoring efforts. This SOP provides step-by-step directions and field data sheets tailored to the collection activities. The techniques and procedures outlined in this SOP were based on methods used by the United States Geological Survey (Fitzpatrick et al. 2008), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 2013), and the United States Department of Agriculture (Harrelson et al. 1994) and were modified for the Piedmont and Coastal Plain rivers in SECN parks.

Southeast Coast Network Standard Operating Procedu↗

USGS2018

Monitoring wadeable stream habitat conditions in Southeast Coast Network parks: Protocol narrative

The Southeast Coast Network (SECN) has initiated a monitoring effort to assess habitat conditions in wadeable streams at national parks, recreation areas, battlefields, and monuments in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. This monitoring effort includes Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Congaree National Park, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, and Ocmulgee National Monument. Stream habitat monitoring was implemented in 2016, and focuses specifically on providing relevant data to assess the physical condition of Piedmont and upper Coastal Plain streams with respect to aquatic and riparian habitats and how these habitats may be changing over time. The habitat assessment methods proposed in this protocol rely on standard data collection methods and standard operating procedures currently in use by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Forest Service that have been modified to better meet the needs of National Park Service (NPS) managers. The Southeast Coast Network’s wadeable stream protocol was developed to begin a monitoring program that will provide insight into the status of, and trends in, stream and riparian habitat conditions. The number of reaches surveyed at each park is dependent on the spatial extent of the park and the total number of wadeable streams that are present within park boundaries. Regardless of the size of the park and the number of reaches that are to be monitored, selected reaches (1) are representative of the processes influencing the streams in each park; (2) can address current and anticipated management concerns, and (3) offer the most utility for future complementary studies.

Natural Resource Report↗

USGS2018

Standard Operating Procedure 1.2.14 Wadeable Stream Reach Selection and Location of Sampling Points—Version 1.0

The following standard operating procedure (SOP) outlines the procedure for selecting stream reaches to be used in Monitoring Wadeable Stream Habitat Conditions in Southeast Coast Network Parks: Protocol Narrative (McDonald et al. 2018a). The techniques and procedures outlined in this SOP are based on methods used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 2013), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (Harrelson et al. 1994), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS; (Fitzpatrick et al. 1998). Procedures have been customized for use in streams draining the Piedmont and Coastal Plain parks in the Southeast Coast Network.

Southeast Coast Network Standard Operating Procedu↗

USGS2018

Setting up and configuring a total station: Version 1.0: Southeast coast network standard operating procedure 1.2.17

The following standard operating procedure (SOP) outlines the process for setting up and configuring a total station to collect accurate x, y, and z coordinate data. Total stations allow accurate spatial data to be collected and tied to a permanent benchmark. These data can be used to detect small geomorphic changes between site surveys. Many different types of total stations and surveying gear are available, and newer models will be available in the future. This SOP outlines basic steps for using the Trimble S6 robotic total station and the TSC3 data collector. These instructions do not cover detailed care and maintenance of the Trimble S6 robotic total station or the TSC3 data collector.

Southeast Coast Network Standard Operating Procedu↗

USGS2010

Determination of biologically significant hydrologic condition metrics in urbanizing watersheds: an empirical analysis over a range of environmental settings

We investigated the relations among 83 hydrologic condition metrics (HCMs) and changes in algal, invertebrate, and fish communities in five metropolitan areas across the continental United States. We used a statistical approach that employed Spearman correlation and regression tree analysis to identify five HCMs that are strongly associated with observed biological variation along a gradient of urbanization. The HCMs related to average flow magnitude, high-flow magnitude, high-flow event frequency, high-flow duration, and rate of change of stream cross-sectional area were most consistently associated with changes in aquatic communities. Although our investigation used an urban gradient design with short hydrologic periods of record (≤1 year) of hourly cross-sectional area time series, these five HCMs were consistent with previous investigations using long-term daily-flow records. The ecological sampling day often was included in the hydrologic period. Regression tree models explained up to 73, 92, and 79% of variance for specific algal, invertebrate, and fish community metrics, respectively. National models generally were not as statistically significant as models for individual metropolitan areas. High-flow event frequency, a hydrologic metric found to be transferable across stream type and useful for classifying habitat by previous research, was found to be the most ecologically relevant HCM; transformation by precipitation increased national-scale applicability. We also investigated the relation between measures of stream flashiness and land-cover indicators of urbanization and found that land-cover characteristic and pattern variables, such as road density, percent wetland, and proximity of developed land, were strongly related to HCMs at both a metropolitan and national scale and, therefore, may be effective land-use management options in addition to wholesale impervious-area reduction.

Milwaukee-Green Bay; Boston; Raleigh; Atlanta; Bir↗