20150579 Ver 1_Report_20131105

Effects of Ward's Mill Dam on Fishes, Mussels and Hellbenders in the Watauga
M•
1%ffiffl,111frolfliff I III � I I � I IN I 11�1111 111 111 �� 111 1 111 111�11111 I I q1 I III IIII I a N� 1111111 ill so 0 1 M I . . ��•I
lw III
10- �P. - �q- �
Ray and Virginia Ward
�r
Sugar r
ve, INC 28679
Sugar .0
MEc
1

We conducted a study designed to examine the effects of Ward's Mill Dam, a small
hydro -electric, run -of the river structure on stream biota in the Watauga River in
Watauga County, North Carolina. This structure has been in place for 123 years
although the principle concrete dam dates to 1963. Surveys revealed populations of 16
fish taxa including the Tangerine darter (Percina aurantica), a vulnerable species. No
freshwater mussels were detected alive in the Watauga River adjacent to Ward's Mill
although weathered green floater mussel (Lasmigona subviridis) shell fragments were
found —1 km downstream of the dam. Anecdotal reports from anglers suggest that
hellbenders are occasionally seen near the dam but rock -turning surveys did not detect
any individuals at sites up or downstream from the dam. Substrates in the river
immediately downstream of the dam (tailrace) were comprised of large boulders and
cobbles reflecting decades of scouring and sediment starvation downstream from the
dam. Beginning —100 m downstream from the dam, substrates become more
heterogenous and appear more suitable for freshwater mussels. Fish habitats were
excellent downstream of the dam and we encountered a relatively diverse fauna
comprised of 16 taxa. No federally -listed fishes were detected but we did find a robust
population of tangerine darters in the mill tailrace. It appears that the effects of this dam
on mussels add hellbei der op-,ulatioa s are negligible. The darn may b
. � r � �a'�� The =�y � in,
habitat conditions for tangerine darters and other sensitive fishes by retaining finer
substrates entering the river from adjoining farmlands near Valle Crucis as well as from
highly agricultural tributaries including Cove Creek.
K

*�_*V
North Carolina's freshwater biota has recently undergone substantial and
MEM0=0 WITZ-VIMIN.-TOWITI W IST -W I
most pronounced in the rapidly developing Piedmont region but western rivers have
also experienced decreases in abundance of numerous fish and mussel taxa. Maior
threats to western North Carolina rivers include: development (Potter et al. 2004, Price
and Leigh 2006, Gardiner et al. 2009), widespread impoundment by large dams (Neves
and Angermeier 1990, NCWRC 2005) and legacy effects of historical land -clearing and
forestry practices (Glenn 1911). Although numerous studies in western North Carolina
and elsewhere have documented deleterious effects of large dams, few studies have
examined the effects of small dams on sensitive freshwater biota and their habitats.
Moreover no published studies have examined the effects of changing landuse or
impoundments on biota In the Watauga River Drainage.
Freshwater mussels appear to be one of the most sensitive indicators of water
quality change in the region. For example, NCWRC data indicate that the rapidly -
_j
'Eauga an -I S�h FcO,, Nlew R'vel drainiages ir, k4"Vataugacaric"I As�­
U.e-,.ie.;IoPing Wa4 M - - I � . I I i_
counties have seen an almost complete loss of Green floater (Las0gona subviridis)
mussal populations during th,-_ p3st 10-220 y. A;d4d.iti,_-Nnal!y, Pugh et al. (In Review)
examined the effects of or. Vvats-iug-a River Drill 'age hellbender popu!at�;ons
and found that heilbenders were largely absent froryi stream reaches with <80%
catchment forest cover. Habitat -based regression models revealed that stream
substrate composition, water quality (pH, DO, NO3- and conductivity) and catchment
landuse predicted hellbender presence/absence. More generally though, hellbenders
9

were restricted to forested sections of the upper Watauga River and Boone Fork and
the lower Elk River in sections of the Pisgah National Forest in Tennessee. Single
hellbenders were detected in the Watauga River mainstem and Dutch Creek near Valle
Crucis, North Carolina (Pugh et al. 2013, Pugh et al., In Review).
Dams are another common stressor throughout Western North Carolina but their
influence on in -stream habitats, biota and ecosystem function in the region is poorly
understood. The mainstem Watauga River is impounded by the focal dam (Ward's Mill
Dam), a moderately large (-5 m) structure. Other dams occur in its headwaters (e.g.,
Price Lake Dam impounds a tributary, Boone Fork on Blue Ridge Parkway Lands).
Shulls Mill Dam on the mainstem Watuaga River is a partially breached dam but the
main structure is largely intact. The river largely bypasses Shulls Mill Dam on river right
and during baseflow conditions only secondary flows bypass the dam.
The objectives of this study are to quantify effects of the Ward Mill Dam on biota
and habitats in the Watauga River in northwestern Watauga County.
Stud,11 Sites
T hie Wataoga River is a tributa(y to '�ne i-k--iisicirt and Teninessee, r','I�ivers and
drains portions of Watauga and Avery counties in northwestern North Carolina. Wards
Mili Darn has existed at the same site (-110 km downstrearn oflValle Crucis, NC) since
1890 but the dam has been damaged by floods on several occasions and repaired. The
current structure has been in place since 1963. Four sites were selected along the

main stem of the upper Watauga River in Watauga County, NC. We selected two sites
downstream and two sites upstream of Ward's Mill Dam for sampling based on
proximity and accessibility (Fig. 1). Each study site consisted of a 150-m stream reach.
Sites were placed as follows: 750-600 m downstream from the dam (Fig 2), the Mill
Reach (MR) extended from 150 to 0 m downstream from the dam (Fig 3), 400-550 m
upstream of the dam near Rominger Road (RR) (Fig 4), and near the US Highway 194
bridge crossing, —7.5 km upstream of the dam (Fig 5). Stream reaches were sampled
for target taxa (fish, mussels, and hellbenders) between the dates of June 6th and
August 7th 2013. Additionally, we conducted supplemental fish sampling in the mill
pond on 31 October 2013.
Habitat and Water Chemistry
Each study site was divided into 15 replicate transects spaced 10 rn apart and
physicochemical parameters were recorded. Depth and flow were measured at five
equidistant points along each transect using meter sticks and a Flow -Mate model 2000
flow meter (Marsh McBirney, Loveland, CO.). Stream substrate composition was
quantified along each transect using modified Wolman pebble counts. Dissolved oxygen
(DO), pH, temperature, conductivity, arid salinity were measured at every reach using a
U
YSI-M digital multimeter (YSI Inc., Yellow Springs, OH). Water chemistry data were
collected on 8/17/2013 whil-- the river ,ivas i6-7 at flowing f, s
�j lu _f.

Mussel Sairnpling
We conducted surveys for mussels at each site. Stream reaches were divided
into 15 replicate transects spaced 10 m apart. Researchers conducted timed visual and
tactile detection surveys between transects utilizing snorkeling and SCUBA. Total
search effort was calculated as a function of survey time at each transect and the
number of surveyors.
Hellbender Sampling
We also used a transect -based time search approach for hellbender sampling.
In each transect, timed visual searches were conducted using snorkeling and SCUBA.
We used peaveys to overturn large boulders and dip nets to minimize potential
hellbender escapement.
Fish and Crayfish Sampling
Study sites were divided into two meso -habitats (run -riffle and bank -pool) prior to
sampling to account for variety in fish habitat use. We sampled six replicates of each
meso -habitat (n = 12) for approximately 100 sec (approx. 1200 sec/site) using a Smith -
Root LR -20B backpack electroshocker, seine, and or dip nets. T he US Flighwayl 94
study reach was sampled as part of another project in 2012, but was sampled using the
sarnediesign, just wits an open-ended search time (i.e., a!! habtater !:/ere sampled unt.l.
target fishes were obtained). Fishes were identified to species, counted, measured
(TL), and released. No length data were recorded during Fall 2012 surveys near US
Highway 194. Catch per unit effort (CPUE), species richness and diversity (Shannon's
R

and Simpson's 1-SDi) were calculated for each study reach as well as all reachEM
Any crayfishes collected during fish sampling were noted and we also made I
follow-up trip to the site on 24 October 2013 exclusively to sample crayfish using seines
and rock -turning. Nine riffle or run habitats were sampled at each study reach to
database to assess sampling effectiveness and ensure that no priority aquatic species
have been encountered in this reach during past surveys.
�M
Habitat and Water Chemistry
Depth ranged from an average of 0.422 - 0.714 m and flow velocity ranged from
an average of 0.395 - 0.504 m/s (Table 1). Measureable lithic particle size ranged from
an average of 79 - 465 mm and comprised 59.7 - 70.7% of study site substrates (Table
1). Percentages of bedrock, wood, sand, organic, silt, and clay in study reach
substrates ranged from 2.7 - 13.4 %, 0.6 - 1.7 %, 13.4 - 21.7 %, 0.3 - 17.8 %, 0.0 - 07
%, and 0.0 - 0.3 % respectively (Table 1).
Dissolved oxygen (DO) ranged from 94.2 - 101.0% saturation and 8.90 - 9.61
mg/L across all study sites (Table 2). The pH ranged from 7.68-8.22 while salinity
%-rable 2'. '�-'pecifio con.ductanceranged fi—i-n 147.1, - 77.2
,a. Ij I U L a
i -.9-od- f'om, rl.0101'�1-0.004 %o I I
uS and standard conductivity ranged from 49.1 - 66.3 ) IwS "Tabie 2).
9

Mussels and Hellbendel-s
Survey efforts for hellbenders failed to detect any individuals at study sites (Table
Ward DS, no live animals were encountered (Table 3).
Fish and Crayfishes
We sampled 429 total fish representing 16 species and 6 families across all four
study sites (Table 4). No fishes of high conservation concern in North Carolina were
encountered in surveys nor are any currently known from the Watauga River in NC. We
sampled 82 fish representing 11 species and 6 families from Ward DS (Table 4). Ward
MR yielded similar numbers with 86 fish representing 12 species and 5 families (Table
4). The site at Rominger Rd. resulted in 138 fish representing 12 species and 6 families
(Table 4). Sampling at the 194 crossing yielded 123 fish representing 14 species and 6
families (Table 4). Diversity metrics for each site and all sites combined can also be
found in Table 4. Supplemental sampling in the impoundment on 31 October 2013
yielded 18 fish (6 species) in 712 seconds of sampling time. No fishes of concern were
detected in the impoundment.
Very few crayfishes were detected during sampling near Ward's Mill. Targeted
sampling using seines on 20 October 2013 under very low discharge levels (< 60 cfs)
yielded only one iarge r., -,,-,Ie Cambar-us robustus (big river crayfish", from the rn!!: tailrace.
�j I
No crayfishes were date ,ted at the upstrearri or downstream, sites. Additionally, no
crayfishes were detected during summer or fall 2013 electrofishing surveys.
D:

conservation -concern crayfishes in the vicinity of Ward's Mill Dam.
1 0 1
No elevated conservation -concern (at either the state or federal level) aquatic
species were encountered in study reaches. Therefore it is unlikely that any sensitive
M4•Un M1111�1 1�� I'�, III ;J 1111 ; 1•
, MW
studies, searches for mussels (Unionidae) in the Watauga River in NC have failed to
document their continued persistence (Gangloff unpublished data). Surveys by Fraley
and Simmons last detected green floaters (Lasmigona subviridis) in the Watauga River
during summer 2004 (Fraley and Simmons 2005, NCWRC 2013). Factors contributing
to the loss of this species are unknown but may be a result of changing
land use/landcover in the drainage.
Hellbender salamanders are patchy in distribution but locally abundant in the
upper Watauga River drainage. However, the majority of their populations are
relegated to more pristine headwater reaches including the mainstem Watauga River
upstream of US Highway 1 U05 and Boone Fork Creek. Degraded habitat and water
quality associated with river valley agricultural activities and ex -urban development
likely ihmipa'.r h-ellbender populations al,,d lteOiruit mant down.stream of Valle Cruris (Pugh
et ai. in Preparation) and our surveys failed to detect hellbenders at sues up and
downstream from Ward's Mill Dam. Additionally, surveys in 2011 and 2012 did not find
hellbenders further downstream in the Watauga River near the Guy Ford bridge.
I

There are currently no known populations of fish of conservation concern at
either the state or federal level in the Watauga River in NC (Holcomb and Perkins
aurantiaca, is a species of conservation concern in several states throughout its range.
1IF r M •RUN RIUM I I• , I * ;
mm�� MEI=
!1111,11 111�� r l I iiiiiiii; ii;�111 1 11111 1 ; I 11�111i iiiiiiiiiliit��Ii ii i mt*��
during visual searches for mussels and the tailrace of Ward's Mill dam appears to
support ideal habitat (deep, rocky runs with swift currents) for these darters.
Surveys conducted in the Fall of 2012 detected two flat bullhead catfish
(Amieurus platycephalus) individuals 200 m and —1.5 km downstream of Ward's Dam,
respectively (Holcomb and Perkins unpublished data). The flat bullhead is currently
III li�tillosilil � I � 11:1112 ii f � � � � I 1333�
invasive species in the upper Watauga River drainage (Wayne Starnes, personal
communication). The ecologic effects of flat bullheads as an invader species are
currently poorly documented. Failure to detect flat buiiheads upstream of Ward's Dam
or in subsequent surveys suggests 'that Ward's Dam may act as a barrier to upstreaan
movement of the species and invading populations may not be permanently
--stabi.,shed. he role & VVarC-'s Da:m as a s atia-1 Constraint to 'he expansior c� A
pilaI(yceph,alus should be carefully considered prior to Its rennoval.
W41

Literature Cited
Blalock M, Chir. A, Decker A, Robinson B, Houser C and Senseney SE et al. 2010.
Fishing for answers: an analysis of biomonitoring trends in seven different
watersheds within the Little Tennessee River Basin. Online publication at
Fraley SJ and Simmons JW. 2006. An assessment of selected rare mussel
populations in western North Carolina following extraordinary floods of
September 2004. Report to NCDENR, 33 p.
Gardiner EP, Sutherland AB, Bixby RJ, Scott, MC, Meyer JL et al. 2009. Link in stream
and landscape trajectories in the southern Appalachians. Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment 156:17-36.
Glenn LC. 1911. Denudation and erosion in the southern Appalachian Region and the
Monongahela Basin. US Geological Survey Professional Paper vol. 72
Jarvis JD. 2011. Water quality in the upper Little Tennessee River and its potential
effects on Appalachian elktoe. MS Thesis, Western Carolina University, 86 p.
Kessler RA I`, Black i R and G'anglofl' !'v1M. In Rev!sicn, Mjoiecules and morphology
reveal cryptic crayfish invasion. To be subi-riitted to Hydrobioiogia.
Menhenick EF. 1991. The freshwater fishes of North Carolina. North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission, Raleigh, NC. 227 p.
11

Teves RJ and Angermier PL. 1990. Habitat alteration and its effects on native fishes in
the upper Tennessee River system, east -central USA. Journal of Fish Etiology
37:45-52.
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 2013. Stream Fish
Assessment Program Database. Accessed 9/4/2013. Stable URL:
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. 2005. Wildlife Action Plan. Stable URL:
MOU
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. 2013. Aquatics Species Database.
Accessed 4 September 2013
Potter KM, Cubbacge FM, Blank GB, and ScInaberg RH. 2004. A watersi`ied-scale
model for predicting nonpoint pollution risk in North Carolina. Environmental
Management 34:62-74.
Price K and Leigh DS. 2006. Morphological and sedimentological responses of
streams to humar, impact in the southern Blue Ridge mountains, USA.
Giecrnor pf vivG y i v. 1 42--160.
Pugh WP, Groves !D, Williams LA and Gangloff MM. 2013. A ;previously
12

alleaaniensis) in the Elk River, Carter County, TN. Southeastern Naturalist
I
12:137-142.
UR 9 113 11 1 1
occurrence of an imperiled aquatic salamander. To be submitted to Freshwater
I ;Jillli��
MMMUMM=10 Itl I
lit'; � 1111 :;; 1111 Jill 11111
Research Letters 5:27-31.
Simmons JW and Fraley SJ. 2010. Distribution, status and life history observations of
crayfishes in western North Carolina. Southeastern Naturalist 9:79-126.
13

Figures and Tables
Seaverdam creek N
Watauga River G<eeK
Gose
WARD DS
WARD MR
ROM RD
Ward's Dam
B US194 XING
ee
ch CrPPk �d�
Vall rucis d��a
e�
Gee
o°
0 0.5 1 2 3 4
Kilometers
iIguire [, iylap snVJanig koi.c7lioi9a oil .>suiev :iltL'-s an the VVataugo R10lei i,iu and
downstream (DS) of Ward's Damm. The direction of flow Is to the northwest and the inset
map shows the area of detail in, Watauga County, northwestern North Carolina.
Abbreviations are as follows MR- Mill Reach, ROM RD- Rominger Road, XING-
crossing.
14

Figure 2. Watauga River at downstream -most study site, —2 km downstream from Ward
Mill Dam.
15

Figure 4. Watauga River at Romincger Road crossing studv site, -1 km upstream from
the Ward Mill Dam impoundment.
17

Figure 5. Watauga River in -stream habitat near the US Highway 194 crossing study
site.
18

Table I . Mean stream physical habitat parameters measured at four sites in the
Watauga River, Watauga County, northwestern North Carolina during summer 2013
surveys. Sites are arranged from down to upstream (US Highway 194) of the dam.
19
Downstream
from Dam
Dam
Tailrace
Rominger
Road
Us
Highway
194
-Depth (m)
0A78
0.714
0.655
0.422
Flow (m/s)
0.395
0.504
0.447
0.448
X Particle
(mm)
246
465
79
116
%Gravel
59.7
70.6
65.1
70.7
%Sand
16.3
13.4
15.5
21.7
%Wood
0.6
1.6
0.8
1.7
%Bedrock
5.6
13.4
11.2
2.7
%Org
17.8
0.3
7.2
2.3
%Silt
<0.1
0.6
0.3
<0.7
%Clay
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.3
19

Table 2. Location and stream water chemistry parameters measured at four sites in the
Watauga River, Watauga County, northwestern North Carolina during summer 2013
surveys. Sites are arranged from down to upstream, (US Highway 194) of the dam.
20
Downstream
from Dam
Dam
Tailrace
Rominger
Road
US Highway
194
Latitude
36.24732
36.24195
36.23870
36.21654
Longitude
-81.83097
-81.83106
-81.82350
-81.78379
DO (% saturation)
94.2
94.6
99.5
101.0
DO (m /L)
9.06
8.90
9.35
9.61
pH
8.22
7.68
8.21
8.01
Water Temp (OC)
17.7
17.6
18.5
17.7
Air Temp (OC)
16.7
16.7
16.7
16.7
Specific
Conductance
77.2
73.8
58.8
57.1
Conductivity (las/cm)
66.3
63.3
51.5
49.1
Salinity (%o)
0.04
0.03
0.03
0.03
20

Table 3. Number of animals found per site with effort; n, (effort). Hellbender and mussel
Taxon Ward DS
Ward MR
Rominger w•.
US194
•
Hellbender 0,(5.10)
0,(5.80)
0,(7.67)
0,(5.70)
0, (24.27)
Mussel 0,(9.95)
0,(8.39)
0,(7.40)
0,(5.70)
0,(31.98)
21

Table 4. Species encountered and their abundance as well as total abundance, species
richness, Shannon's and Simpson's diversity indices, and CPUE at each study site.
Data from 31 October 20,113 sampling are not included.
22
Down
Mill
Rominger
US Hwy
Taxa
stream
Reach
Road
194
Total
Catostomidae (Suckers)
Northern hogsucker Hypentillium nigricans
2
3
1
7
13
Blacktail redhorse Moxostoma duquesni
-
1
-
-
1
Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris
23
19
24
11
77
Redbreast sunfish Lepomis auritus
4
15
7
14
40
Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu
4
6
4
2
16
Cyprinidae (Minnows)
Central stoneroller Campostoma anomalum
-
3
3
28
34
Whitetail shiner Cyprinella galactura
4
3
4
15
26
Warpaint shiner Luxilus coccogenis
-
-
4
1
5
River chub Nocomis micropogon
5
7
41
3
56
Tennessee shiner Notropis leuciodus
9
9
26
19
63
Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus
-
-
-
1
1
Ictaluridae (Catfishes)
Margined madtorn Noturus insignis
24
12
16
12
64
Percidae (Perches)
Greenfin darter Ethleeostoma chlorobranchium
5
7
7
7
26
Tangerine darter Percina aurantica
1
1
-
2
Salmonidae (Trout)
Rainbow trout Onchorhynchus mykiss
1
-
-
1
2
Brown trout Salmo trutta
-
-
1
2
3
Abundance (n)
82
86
138
123
429
Species Richness
':1
12
11)
I �
14
16
Shannon H'
1.94
2.20
1.99
2.24
2.30
Simpson (1 -SDI)
0.82
0.88
0,83
0.88
0.88
Effort (sec)
1121
1286
1313
17637
5487
Fish GPUE (n per hr)
263.3
240.7
378.4
250.6
281.5
22