ROCKY RIVER WATERSHED

Is this watershed healthy or unhealthy? If it is unhealthy,

what are the main impairments?

By: Laura Hagy, Lydia Gray, and Elizabeth Chiu

ROCKY RIVER FACTSLorain, Medina, Summit, and Cuyahoga counties (near Cleveland)Primary UsesCleveland-Hopkins International Airport

Golf CoursesUrban/Farming/Forest

Main impairment: Nutrient Enrichment

MAIN THREATS

Population Growth

Waste Water Treatment

Storm Water Runoff

Development in Riparian Zone

Non –point source

Pollution

ELIZABETH’S HYPOTHESIS

My hypothesis is that when the DO (Dissolved Oxygen) in the Rocky River

increases, the IBI (Index of Biotic Integrity) also increases.

DO VS. IBI DATA1 4 7

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ELIZABETH’S CONCLUSIONData mostly supports hypothesisWhen DO increases, IBI increasesDissolved oxygen affects fish because they need oxygen to breathe Dissolved oxygen comes from temperature or rifflesAlgae can reduce oxygen levels

LYDIA’S HYPOTHESIS As the QHEI (Qualitative Habitat

Evaluation Index) increases the IBI (Index of Biotic Integrity) will increase at the same rate.

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QHEI vs. IBI

LYDIA’S CONCLUSION My Hypothesis:

As the QHEI increases the IBI will increase at the same rate.

When a river has a rocky bottom, and lots of trees around it, you have happy fish, because:

Rocky bottom is breeding ground for fish and macroinvertebrates.

Trees keep pollutants and runoff from river.

Trees keep river cool= more oxygen.

LAURA’S HYPOTHESISWhen the health of the substrate increases the ICI or macroinvertebrate community increases in numbers also.

LAURA’S DATA ANALYSIS

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LAURA’S CONCLUSIONData supports hypothesisSubstrate increases,

macroinvertebrates increaseSubstrate helps

macroinvertebratesSediments and silt reduce health

of substrate

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A great thanks to: Paula, Shannon, Steve, Leslie, and

both Katies Kim and Megan OSC,OSU, and YWSIOur sponsors AEP, Battelle, P&G,

and White Castle