Channel Condition Metric Four measures

related to channel condition

Sinuosity (pool formation)

Pool/Riffle Development

Channel Modification

Channel Stability

Channel

Max 20

SINUOSITY DEVELOPMENT CHANNELIZATION STABILITY MODIFICATIONS/OTHER- HIGH [4] - EXCELLENT [7] - NONE [6] - HIGH [3] - SNAGGING - IMPOUND. - MODERATE [3] - GOOD[5] - RECOVERED [4] - MODERATE [2] - RELOCATION - ISLANDS- LOW [2] - FAIR [3] - RECOVERING [3] - LOW [1] - CANOPY REMOVAL - LEVEED- NONE [1] - POOR [1] - RECENT OR NO - DREDGING - BANK SHAPING

RECOVERY [1] - ONE SIDE CHANNEL MODIFICATIONS- IMPOUNDED [-1]

3] CHANNEL MORPHOLOGY: (Check ONLY One PER Category OR check 2 andAVERAGE )

SinuosityRatio of Length to Down-valley Distance

·

No Sinuosity

LowSinuosity

Bend Poorly Defined

ModerateSinuosity

1

2

3

HighSinuosity

1

2

34

56

Function: Creates depth and habitat heterogeneity, more habitat per unit distance

Riffle-Pool DevelopmentExcellent Good Fair Poor

Pool> 1 m deep,well defined

0.7- 1.0 m deep, well

defined

Some depth variation

Shallow if present

Glide Not Dominant Not Dominant Common Predominant

RiffleDeep, well

defined riffles with large substrates

Defined riffles, large substrates

Poorly defined riffles or

riffles absent

Absent or shallow with fine substrate

Run > 0.5 m deep, well defined

Deep, well defined Usually absent Absent

Channel Evolution

Channel Beginning to Migrate and Deposit Sediment on Inside Bends

Fair-Poor Riffle Pool Development

No Channelization

Recovering

Recent Channelization or No Recovery

Channel Condition Affects the Abundance and Size of Small- mouth Bass in Ohio Streams & Rivers

• Smallmouth bass are one of the most popular and wide- spread game fish in Ohio and are a sentinel top carnivore for WWH and EWH streams and rivers.• Adverse effects of channel modification to smallmouth bass include loss of cover, loss of pools, degradation of substrates, and food web alterations.

Stable Channel Characteristics

Mature Riparian Deep Pools Stable, vegetated

non-eroding banks

Large diameter, unembedded substrates

Well defined pools and riffles

Channel Instability Signs of

Instability:◦ Unvegetated Point

Bars◦ Shallow, Fine

Diameter, Diagonal Riffle Features

◦ High Bedload◦ Bank Erosion

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0-2 3-6 7-10 11-13 14-16 17-20

IBI

Channel Condition Metric

Channel Metric Score

0

5

10

15

20

10 12 14 16 18 20

TIVS for QHEI ChannelWadeable Streams (20-300 sq mi)

Very TolerantTolerantMod. TolerantI ntermediateMod. I ntolerantI ntolerantUnionid Mussels

Mea

n Ave

rage

QHE

I Ch

anne

l Sco

re

75th Percentile Mean QHEIChannel Score

Tanypus neopunctipennis

Utterbackia imbecillis (N=5)

N > 5 Stations

Neoperla clymene complexVARIEGATE DARTERSLENDERHEAD DARTERNanocladius (Plecopteracoluthus) downesi

Goldfish

Heptagenia flavescens;Microcylloepus pusillus;

WSVs for Channel Score

0 5 10 15 20

CREEK CHUBSUCKER

QUILLBACK CARPSUCKER

COMMON CARP

GREATER REDHORSE

WHITE SUCKER

SPOTTED SUCKER

RIVER REDHORSE

SMALLMOUTH BUFFALO

BIGMOUTH BUFFALO

SILVER REDHORSE

HIGHFIN CARPSUCKER

RIVER CARPSUCKER

GOLDEN REDHORSE

SHORTHEAD REDHORSE

NORTHERN HOG SUCKER

BLACK BUFFALO

BLACK REDHORSE

QHEI Channel Metric

Weighted Channel Score 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

ORANGESPOTTED SUNFISH

WARMOUTH SUNFISH

REDEAR SUNFISH

WHITE CRAPPIE

GREEN SUNFISH

LARGEMOUTH BASS

PUMPKINSEED SUNFISH

BLUEGILL SUNFISH

BLACK CRAPPIE

LONGEAR SUNFISH

ROCK BASS

SMALLMOUTH BASS

SPOTTED BASS

QHEI Channel Metric

Weighted Channel Score