Managing Water Resources in Grand Teton National Parkwaterplan.state.wy.us/BAG/snake/20030326ONey.pdfManaging Water Resources in Grand Teton National Park Susan E. O'Ney Resource Management

7/7/20037/7/2003 11Grand Teton National Park Grand Teton National Park

Greater Yellowstone NetworkGreater Yellowstone Network

Managing Water Managing Water Resources in Grand Teton Resources in Grand Teton

National ParkNational ParkSusan E. O'NeySusan E. O'Ney

Resource Management BiologistResource Management Biologist

7/7/20037/7/2003Grand Teton National Park Grand Teton National Park

Greater Yellowstone NetworkGreater Yellowstone Network 22

Park Service Mission:Park Service Mission:

The National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, defined the mission of the National Park Service:

• "... to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations"



Omnibus Management Act:Omnibus Management Act:

National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998:

• "The Secretary shall undertake a program of inventory and monitoring of National Park System resources to establish baseline information and to provide information on the long-term trends in the condition of National Park System resources. "



Government Performance and Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA):Results Act (GPRA):

• Long Term Goal Ia4. Water Quality: 85% of 265 Park units have unimpaired water quality

• Goal Description: The quality of water in the natural environment is a critical indicator for the health of that environment. Improved water quality enhances plant and animal species in the parks and can play a significant role in the safe recreational use of park resources. Almost 300 units of the National Park Service contain rivers, lakes, reservoirs, streams, springs, and wetlands, including 18 national riverways, 14 national seashores and lakeshores, and 12 parks containing major reservoirs.



Water ResourcesWater Resources

•The Upper Snake River Basin encompasses 35,800 square miles and flows 453 miles from the southern border of Yellowstone National Park to King Hill Idaho

•The Snake Headwaters, located in Grand Teton National Park, are considered by the State and EPA to be ‘Outstanding Natural Resource Waters’ (no degradation allowed)

•While we have no control of the water quality after it leaves Grand Teton National Park, Park Managers strive to maintain unimpairedwater quality within Park boundaries



Water Resource IssuesWater Resource Issues



Atmospheric depositionAtmospheric deposition(in high elevation lakes)(in high elevation lakes)







Road aggregate mining and other Road aggregate mining and other pit and quarry operationspit and quarry operations





Hydrologic modifications and Hydrologic modifications and associated floodplain management associated floodplain management





Bacteriological contaminationBacteriological contaminationfrom recreationfrom recreation

(i.e. boating, camping etc.)(i.e. boating, camping etc.)





Impacts due to grazing (i.e. Impacts due to grazing (i.e. sediment, fecal sediment, fecal coliformcoliform) by both ) by both

livestock and wild ungulateslivestock and wild ungulates





Water rights and irrigation issuesWater rights and irrigation issues





Native Cutthroat Trout FisheryNative Cutthroat Trout Fishery

• Maintenance of minimum flows (280 cfs)• Effects of Jackson Lake Dam on fish

habitat





Water Related ResearchWater Related Research• Water Quality and Bioassesment Monitoring of Greater

Yellowstone Networks Streams • A Plan to Monitor Aquatic Habitats in GTNP for

Determination of Mosquito Larval Source Locations• Baseline Water Quality Parameters/Land Use

Characteristics of Five Snake Headwater Tributaries • The presence of hydrocarbons in water and sediment of

lakes in Grand Teton National Park• Tropho-dynamic Food Web of Marion Lake, an Alpine

Lake Exhibiting the Effects of Glacial Snow• Development of a Potential Beaver Habitat Model for the

Snake River Basin in Grand Teton National Park



Water Related ResearchWater Related Research• Nitrogen uptake and retention in streams of Grand Teton

National Park • Development of an Empirical Model for Predicting the

Stream Invertebrate Fauna of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

• Rocky Mountain Snowpack Chemistry Monitoring• Hyporheic invertebrate effects on nutrient cycling in

streams• Assessment of Aquatic Insects in the Snake River,

Wyoming • Snake River and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout

Subspecies Distribution Mapping



Water Related ResearchWater Related Research• Effects of Irrigation Ditches on Water Quality/Cutthroat

Trout Habitat on Selected Snake River Tributaries in Grand Teton National Park

• The impact and potential distribution of exotic New Zealand mud snails in Grand Teton National Park

• Fish Creek Water Quality Reconnaissance Project• Survey of Naegleria• Inventory of Fish in Alpine Lakes in Grand Teton

National Park, Wyoming• Using watershed physical characteristics to predict the

sensitivity to acidification and other environmental changes of high elevation lakes in Grand Teton National Park

• Snake River Gravel Pit Revegetation



http://science.nature.nps.gov/permits/servlet/PubIndexServlet

U. S. National Park Service U. S. National Park Service Research and Reporting Research and Reporting

SystemSystem



Water Resource MonitoringWater Resource MonitoringGrand TetonGrand Teton

• Ground Water Monitoring– Approximately 23 wells adjacent to sewage ponds

and leach fields are presently being monitored and evaluated twice a year. Analysis includes depth to water, temperature, pH, alkalinity, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, fecal strep, fecal coliform, presence of nitrite, nitrate and chloride.

• National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA)– The first monitoring site was established in the

Snake River - Flagg Ranch area in the early 90’s. A second site was established at Moose in 1996



Water Resource MonitoringWater Resource MonitoringGrand TetonGrand Teton

• Backcountry Water Quality Sampling– Testing for fecal coliform began in 1996 in selected

backcountry streams. Testing includes DNA source-tracking of e-coli.

• Trophic State Evaluation of Selected Alpine Lakes

• Snake River Pit Ground Water Monitoring• Synoptic Study of Snake River Tributaries• Snow Pack Distribution Study



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Grand Teton National ParkStreamsLakesHydrologic Unit Boundary

# Water Quality Stations

N

EW

S

Grand Teton National Park

Total Stations: 679 In Park: 407 Long Term: 16



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Grand Teton National ParkStreamsLakesHydrologic Unit Boundary

# Long Term Stations

N

EW

S

GRTE - Long Term Stations



Greater Yellowstone Network Greater Yellowstone Network Water Quality Monitoring PlanWater Quality Monitoring Plan



ProposedProposedWater Quality Monitoring Goals:Water Quality Monitoring Goals:

1. Monitor quality impaired waters to enable the Network to determine whether the overall goal of improved water quality is being achieved

2. Monitor ONRWs and other pristine waters to:• Allow characterization of existing water quality

and to identify changes or trends in water quality over time, and

• Allow identification of specific existing or emerging water quality problems



GRYN Monitoring PlanGRYN Monitoring PlanThe end product will be a detailed water quality monitoring

plan specifying:• the major/most significant water bodies identified in the

Network• location of the monitoring stations to be established• the parameters to be measured at each station with the

data objectives of that monitoring• the sampling protocols to be followed (may vary by state)• the quality assurance and quality control measures, and• any statistical analysis of the data that will be

undertaken.



http://www1.nature.nps.gov/im/

U. S. National Park Service U. S. National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Inventory and Monitoring

ProgramProgram

Documents

Managing Water Resources in Grand Teton National Parkwaterplan.state.wy.us/BAG/snake/20030326ONey.pdfManaging Water Resources in Grand Teton National Park Susan E. O'Ney Resource Management