Great Miami and Loramie Creek

By: Kathryn Reed, Sarah Ambach, and Xiaojing Wu

Great Miami Loramie Creek

By: Kathryn Reed, Xiaojing Wu, and Sarah Ambach

Location

• Located in Western Ohio• Mainly in Miami and Shelby

Counties• City of Dayton is at southern tip

of watershed

Background info

• 353 miles of stream• Contains Lockington Dam

(habitat and flow alterations are damaging

watershed)• Mainly agriculture• Farmers working to improve riparian zones • Bonuses given to add filter strips, plant

riparian zones and add fencing for cattle

The yellow is row crops and the bright pink are cities like Dayton, Piqua, and Troy.

First 2 related, both due to channelization

Nutrients = fertilizer

Siltation results from channelization and construction

Hypothesis #1

As the QHEI increases, the IBI also increases.

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Analysis *QHEI and IBI are directly related.

*In 1982, QHEI increased and IBI didn’t

*Troy may be causing runoff and point-source pollution causing IBI to stay the same as QHEI increases.

IBI vs.QHEI

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Conclusion

Habitat quality (QHEI) such as riparian zone, substrate, and meanders greatly affect IBI.Fish need clean water, High DO, and food to survive. Great habitat will bring more fish diversity.

Hypothesis #2

• As the percent of agricultural land use (within 90 meters of the stream) increases, the IBI decreases.

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Where’s my friend Nemo?

• Inverse relationship • No significant discrepancies• Agriculture (within 90 meters of the stream) adds

nutrients (fertilizer) which hurt fish (IBI)

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Conclusion

• Agriculture intrudes on the Riparian Zone

• Nutrients (fertilizer) and soil run off into the stream

• Causing an increase in siltation which destroys the fish habitat

Hypothesis number 3

• As the quality of the substrate increases the IBI also increases.

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Place and TimeSubstrate is a component of the QHEI

IBI and Substrate quality are directly related

Siltation was a significant impairment –Causes low substrate quality

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Conclusion

• IBI depends on the substrate to be clean and free of siltation

• If substrate is full of siltation (not clean) the IBI decreases

• When substrate is full of silt fish don’t have a place to lay eggs or hide from predators

What Can We Do To Help?

Urban

Stop point source pollution

Slow down construction

Keep streets clean of oil and gas

Agriculture

Plant riparian zones

Keep cattle out of streams

STOP channelization

Suburban

Stop washing Detergents into sewers

Stop fertilizing lawns

Slow down construction

Conserve!!!

Acknowledgements

Melanie-Our teacher that didn’t run awayPaula-Our great organizerOur Parents-For letting us comeKathryn-Our leaderSteve-Our Einstein / Vanna Virginie-Our French computer expertShannon-Our wonderful web spinnerLeslie-The BossAnd all the rest of the staff at OSCTHANK YOU!!