TY - GEN
T1 - Modeling the thermal impact of land use change in the Vermillion River trout stream watershed, MN
AU - Herb, W. R.
AU - Possley Nelson, T. M.
AU - Chapman, K. A.
PY - 2010/12/1
Y1 - 2010/12/1
N2 - Thermal impacts on streams due to changes in land use can have dramatic effects on aquatic life, especially on cold-water species like trout. Summer thunderstorms coupled with mid-summer low flow conditions and urbanization can raise temperatures and the risk of cold-water fish and macroinvertebrate mortality. A series of spatial models was developed in the Vermillion River trout stream watershed to understand the impacts of land use change on runoff and stream temperature. Simulated full development in upstream subwatersheds increased stream temperature slightly several miles downstream, but increased it 3.8°C in small tributaries. Downstream mitigation of thermal impacts was found to be ineffective, because much of the upstream thermal impact was already lost by atmospheric heat transfer and dilution by the time the flow entered the downstream reaches. In conclusion, thermal mitigation in the Vermillion trout stream watershed should take place near the impact source, and shading should be employed as a general trout stream management strategy.
AB - Thermal impacts on streams due to changes in land use can have dramatic effects on aquatic life, especially on cold-water species like trout. Summer thunderstorms coupled with mid-summer low flow conditions and urbanization can raise temperatures and the risk of cold-water fish and macroinvertebrate mortality. A series of spatial models was developed in the Vermillion River trout stream watershed to understand the impacts of land use change on runoff and stream temperature. Simulated full development in upstream subwatersheds increased stream temperature slightly several miles downstream, but increased it 3.8°C in small tributaries. Downstream mitigation of thermal impacts was found to be ineffective, because much of the upstream thermal impact was already lost by atmospheric heat transfer and dilution by the time the flow entered the downstream reaches. In conclusion, thermal mitigation in the Vermillion trout stream watershed should take place near the impact source, and shading should be employed as a general trout stream management strategy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78651328156&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78651328156&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1061/41148(389)119
DO - 10.1061/41148(389)119
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:78651328156
SN - 9780784411438
T3 - Watershed Management Conference 2010: Innovations in Watershed Management under Land Use and Climate Change - Proceedings of the 2010 Watershed Management Conference
SP - 1328
EP - 1339
BT - Watershed Management Conference 2010
T2 - Watershed Management Conference 2010: Innovations in Watershed Management under Land Use and Climate Change
Y2 - 23 August 2010 through 27 August 2010
ER -