Assessing the Ecological Condition of Lakes in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex
Project ID: P16AC01065
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Western Washington University
Fiscal Year: 2016
Initial Funding: $29,218
Total Funding: $29,218
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Biological
National Park: North Cascades National Park
Principal Investigator: Bodensteiner, Leo
Agreement Technical Representative: Rochefort, Regina
Abstract: This project is a collaborative effort to assess the ecological conditions of selected NOCA lacustrine habitats, and contribute to the professional training of a WWU graduate student in limnological data collection and analysis. The focus of this project is on Ross Lake and several mountain lakes where efforts to eradicate non-native fish are planned. NOCA staff will provide training in field data collection techniques, accompany WWU staff during all data collection activities, and provide WWU with data collected from previous monitoring efforts. WWU will enter data collected in 2016 in an electronic fonnat, prepare data for analysis, and collaborate with NPS in analyzing data to assess the status and trends of the ecological conditions of the selected lakes.
B. Objectives
Investigators from WWU and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives.
1. Collect monthly field samples of zooplankton assemblages, chlorophyll-a, ANC, nutrients, and vertical profiles of pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance in Ross Lake.
2. Collect field samples of zooplankton and benthic invertebrate assemblages, chlorophyll-a, ANC, nutrients, and vertical profiles of pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance in ten mountain Jakes (McAlester, Fim, Doug’s Tam, MR-16-01, Kettling, Sourdough, Upper Skymo, Lower Skymo, Upper Triplet, and Lower Blum).
3. Train a graduate student to be proficient in the techniques used in the collection of zooplankton, benthic invertebrate, water chemistry and water column vertical profile data, and techniques used to measure the ANC of water samples.
4. Conduct fish population assessments in four mountain lakes (McAlester, Fim, Doug’s Tam, and
MR-16-01).
5. Develop and conduct analyses to determine the current status of water temperatures, nutrient availability, trophic status, ANC, and zooplankton community structure and productivity of Ross Lake.
6. Develop and conduct trend analysis of water temperatures, stratification, nutrient availability, trophic status, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, ANC, and zooplankton community structure and productivity of Ross Lake.
7. Draft and complete a final report that summarizes the project fmdings for Ross Lake and selected mountain lakes.
8. Develop, and include in the fmal report, fish eradication strategies and a treatment plan for four
mountain lakes (McAlester, Fim, Doug’s Tam, and MR-16-01).