Assessing biota and environmental characteristics above and below a low-head dam
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Trevor Lane Alexander (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Keith Gibbs
Abstract: Dams are a form of anthropogenic alteration to aquatic ecosystems that can affect natural conditions and influence aquatic fauna assemblages. Depending on the size and type of a dam, the resulting effect on the aquatic environment will differ. Possible effects include altered flow rate, water temperatures, and sediment transport. Dams can also create barriers that limit fish migration or distribution of fishes, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic plant species. The focal point of this study was a low head dam, located on the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County, NC. This dam is damaged and will possibly be removed in the future. We sampled fish and macroinvertebrates at multiple sites above and below the dam to compare species assemblages. We collected benthic macroinvertebrates using a kick net in shallow riffles and a D-frame net for timed multihabitat sampling. We used backpack electrofishers to sample fish in available wadeable habitats. We used multivariate statistical analyses to determine similarity of fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages among sites. Our results indicate that the dam has had minimal effects on aquatic habitat and aquatic macroinvertebrates. We found greater fish diversity below the impoundment. We detected some species only above or below the dam. Based on the results of this study, we believe that restored connectivity to this system may improve fish diversity above the dam. Removing the dam may cause a temporary decrease in sensitive macroinvertebrates since the dam retains sediment. Substrate composition may change temporarily below the dam until the finer substrate is transported downstream. Overall, this study provides baseline data over two years that can be referenced if the dam is removed.
Assessing biota and environmental characteristics above and below a low-head dam
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Created on 6/1/2023
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2023
- Subjects
- Dams—Environmental aspects
- Dams
- Tuckasegee River (N.C.)
- Fishes—Effect of dams on
- Aquatic animals—Effect of dams on