SFS Annual Meeting

5/23/2019  |   09:00 - 09:15   |  151 DEF

INTEGRATING CITIZEN SCIENCE HYDROLOGIC OBSERVATIONS INTO A HYDROLOGIC MODEL FOR STREAMFLOW AND STREAM TEMPERATURE FORECASTING Small stream networks often lack traditional sources of observed hydrologic data (e.g., government monitored gauges). Crowd-sourced observations have the potential to bridge this data gap. This study explores the potential for real-time crowd-sourced data to improve complex computational hydrologic models. The Boyne River basin in northern Michigan was selected as a case study to demonstrate crowd-source data assimilation in a distributed hydrological model. We utilized CrowdHydrology, a citizen science hydrologic network, to obtain local stream stage and stream temperature measurements sent via text message by citizen scientists. Our approach retrieves CrowdHydrology observations and nearby weather data on a weekly basis, which are then integrated into a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model of the Boyne River Watershed. Within this framework, the hydrologic model is re-calibrated on a bi-weekly schedule using the Ensemble Kalman Filter. Each new calibrated model provides a more accurate estimate of a 7-day forecast of streamflow and stream temperature throughout the river basin. This novel approach can potentially benefit small communities by providing information on local water resources derived from complex hydrological models.

Darren Ficklin (Primary Presenter/Author), Indiana University, dficklin@indiana.edu;


Pedro Avellaneda (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Indiana University, pmavella@iu.edu;


Christopher Lowry (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University at Buffalo, cslowry@buffalo.edu;


Jason Knouft (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Saint Louis University, jason.knouft@slu.edu;


Damon Hall (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Missouri, halldam@missouri.edu;


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5/23/2019  |   09:15 - 09:30   |  151 DEF

ECOREST: AN R PACKAGE FOR RAPID ASSESSMENT HABITAT MODELING TO INFORM WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Applied freshwater management and restoration projects often require decision-makers to evaluate and choose among potential management alternatives. Ecological modeling informs the decision-making process by simplifying complex ecological questions into discrete cause-and-effect relationships, forecasting outcomes of potential management actions, and testing actions against alternative future scenarios such as land use or climate change. Analytical tools exist and are often developed ad hoc when models are unavailable. To streamline ecological modeling for freshwater management, a generic, reproducible model was developed for habitat suitability analyses, which can be applied across ecosystem types and taxa. The model was programmed in the R Statistical Software Language and is being made available as a package for future users. The EcoRest package contains functions that allow for model visualization, habitat unit computation, and sensitivity analyses over model parameters. The US Fish and Wildlife Service previously published over 300 taxa-specific habitat models, which are pre-programmed into the package for easy accessibility. Additionally, this package contains cost-effective and incremental cost analysis functions, commonly applied in restoration planning. We demonstrate the utility of the package for informing freshwater management and restoration projects, with emphasis on alternatives comparison and scenario analysis.

Darixa Hernandez Abrams (Primary Presenter/Author), US Army Corps of Engineers, darixa.hernandez@uga.edu;


Kyle McKay (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, kyle.mckay@usace.army.mil;


Carra Carrillo (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Army Corps of Engineers, Carra.C.Carrillo@erdc.dren.mil;


Todd M. Swannack (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Army Corps of Engineers, Todd.M.Swannack@usace.army.mil;


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5/23/2019  |   09:30 - 09:45   |  151 DEF

KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTIONS, AND BEHAVIORS OF RETAILERS REGARDING AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE PET AND WATER GARDEN TRADE Reduce Invasive Pet and Plant Escapes (RIPPLE) is a research-driven organisms-in-trade outreach program. Since launching in May 2016, over 100,000 people have been exposed to RIPPLE’s message of proper aquatic animal and plant handling and disposal, reducing potentially invasive aquarium and ornamental pond species from being introduced into the wild. To better understand the knowledge, perceptions and behaviors of those who sell aquatic organisms and supplies regarding invasive species, we surveyed independently-owned pet stores and garden centers in Michigan. Results indicate that sellers generally understand that non-native aquatic organisms in trade pose an environmental risk, but do not feel a high level of responsibility for taking action to prevent organism release. While awareness of the nascent RIPPLE program was low at the time of the survey, businesses did report sharing many RIPPLE recommended practices including discouraging customers from releasing of live organisms. This indicates that program messaging is relevant and appropriate. The survey also revealed opinion and behavior differences between business types (e.g., pet stores, garden centers). Findings from this survey will support development of more effective invasive species prevention programs aligned with industry knowledge and attitudes.

Jo A. Latimore (Primary Presenter/Author), Michigan State University, latimor1@msu.edu;


Paige Filice (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, filicep@michigan.gov;


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