Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsAnthony Sasson, The Nature Conservancy OEC Legislative Summit, February 1. 2013

Primary Headwater Habitat Streams:What are they, and why be concerned?

1. Types (Class I, II, III)2. Distribution of headwater

streams (map)3. Importance of these streams4. Impacts (development,

mining , roads)5. Legally defining PHWH

streams

Primary Headwater Habitat Streams

Why a different classification for Primary Headwater Streams compared to other streams?

• First or second order streams (beginnings of the stream network)

• Less than one square mile (640 acres drainage area)

• Standard Ohio stream classification used for Clean Water Act does not fit these small streams

Primary Headwater Habitat Streams

Grand River PHWH stream (Lake SWCD map)

Importance of Primary Headwater Habitat

streams

• First to receive water and pollutants• Easiest to degrade (pollutants and habitat)• Supply most of the water, nutrients,

energy, biology to rest of the watershed’s streams

• Headwater-dependant fish, amphibians and other aquatic life

• Help determine downstream health; cumulative impacts from loss of these streams

• Aesthetics

Rocky River Watershed Council

Long tailed salamander, Rocky River watershed

Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsClass I streams

Ohio EPA photos

Class I PHWH streams are ephemeral streams, warm water, little aquatic life

Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsClass II streams

Ohio EPA photos

• Intermittent but may have perennial flow• Warm water• Moderately diverse• Some fish, amphibians

Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsClass III streams

Ohio EPA photos

Perennial flow influenced by groundwaterModerately diverse to highly diverse aquatic life

Primary Headwater Habitat Streams Class III stream

TNC photo

Primary Headwater Habitat Streams Class III stream

TNC photo Dace – ODNR photos

PHWH streams flow into these larger streams and determine their health

Ohio EPA photo

TNC photo

Impacts to Primary Headwater Habitat

streams

• Development –Commercial and residential

• Mining – Coal, Stone/sand & gravel

• Roads – Highway expansions, new street development

• Shale gas development - access roads, pipelines, drilling pads

Mitigation for Primary Headwater Habitat streams

Mitigation importance:PHWH are ~1/2 of mitigation

needs in Ohio streams

Washington County PHWH, Marietta College photo Ohio EPA photo