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BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF SULLIVAN CREEK AND

SKYLAND CREEK IN THE UPPER FLATHEAD

RIVER TMDL PLANNING AREA

BASED ON THE STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF

THE BENTHIC ALGAE COMMUNITY

Prepared for:

State of Montana

Department of Environmental Quality

P.O. Box 200901

Helena, Montana 59620-0901

Project Officer: Rosie Sada
DEQ Contract No. 200012-8

STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTlOtl

' -. '. 2 7003

MONTANA STATE UBRARY

1515 E. 6*^ ^^^' ^ ,->
HELENA. MO'TANA 596 '0

Prepared by:

Loren L. Bahls, Ph.D.
Hannaea

1032 Twelfth Avenue
Helena, Montana 59601

May 16,2003

Printed on Paper Made from 100% Recycled Post-Consumer Fiber

Summary

In August 2002, periph>ton samples were collected from 2 sites on Sullivan Creek and 1
site on Skyland Creek in the upper Flathead River TMDL planning area in northwestern
Montana for the purpose of assessing whether these streams are water-quality limited and in need
of TMDLs. The samples were collected following MDEQ standard operating procedures,
processed and analyzed using standard methods for periphyton, and evaluated following
modified USEPA rapid bioassessment protocols for wadeable streams.

Hvdnints foetidus was the most abundant alga at all three sites. This cold-water
stenotherm thrives in flashy mountain streams that have unstable channels and exhibit wide
seasonal fluctuations in flow, temperature, and turbidity. H. foetidus, a chrysophyte, grows best
in full sunlight and achieves maximum standing crop in winter and spring when flows are stable
and turbidity is low.

Sullivan Creek above Connor Creek was subject to major environmental stresses that
were natural in origin. The cold-water stenotherm and pollution-sensitive diatom Hannaea arcus
accounted for over 80% of the diatom assemblage at this site. Although diatom species richness,
equitability, and diversity were very low, values for the pollution index, sedimentation index,
and percent abnormal cells indicated excellent water quality at this site. The stresses detected
here were probably due to cold temperatures, low nutrient concentrations, steep gradients, and/or
fast current velocities.

A significant increase in organic loading was detected at the site on Sullivan Creek
below Quintonkon Creek, resulting in minor impairment. The dominant diatom species here
was FragUaria vaucheriae, a species that is somewhat tolerant of organic pollution. Modal
categories for diatom ecological attributes indicate reduced availability of dissolved oxygen at
this site and an increase in both organic and inorganic nutrients.

Diatom metrics indicate even greater organic loading in Skyland Creek above Bear
Creek, resulting in moderate impairment. Encyonema silesiacum, a pollution-tolerant diatom,
accounted for over half the diatom cells counted at this site. Most diatoms here exert only a
moderate demand for dissolved oxygen, as compared to a continuously high demand at the two
sites on Sullivan Creek. The modal category for saprobity at the Skyland Creek site was alpha-
mesosaprobous, which is the same modal category as the lower site on Sullivan Creek and
indicates waters with 25-70% oxygen saturation and 4-13 mg/L BOD.

Introduction

This report evaluates the biological integrity', support of aquatic life uses, and probable
causes of stress or impairment to aquatic communities in Sullivan Creek and Skyland Creek in
the upper Flathead River TMDL planning area in northwestern Montana. The purpose of this
report is to provide information that will help the State of Montana determine whether Sullivan
Creek and Skyland Creek are water-quality limited and in need of TMDLs.

The federal Clean Water Act directs states to develop water pollution control plans (Total
Maximum Daily Loads or TMDLs) that set limits on pollution loading to water-quality limited
waters. Water-quality limited waters are lakes and stream segments that do not meet water-
quality standards, that is, that do not fully support their beneficial uses. The Clean Water Act
and USEPA regulations require each state to (1) identify waters that are water-quality limited,
(2) prioritize and target waters for TMDLs, and (3) develop TMDL plans to attain and maintain
water-quality standards for all water-quality limited waters.

Evaluation of aquatic life use support in this report is based on the species composition
and structure of periphyton (aka benthic algae, phytobenthos) communities at three sites that
were sampled in August of 2002. Periphyton is a diverse assortment of simple photosynthetic
organisms called algae that live attached to or in close proximity of the stream bottom. Some
algae form long filaments or large gelatinous colonies that are conspicuous to the unaided eye.
But most algae, including the ubiquitous diatoms, can be seen and identified only with the aid of
a microscope. The periphyton community is a basic biological component of all aquatic
ecosystems. Periphyton accounts for much of the primary production and biological diversity in
Montana streams (Bahls et al. 1992). Plafkin et al. (1989) and Barbour et al. (1999) hst several
advantages of using periphyton in biological assessments.

' Biological integrity is defined as "the ability of an aquatic ecosystem to support and maintain a balanced,
integrated, adaptive community of organisms having a species composition, diversity, and functional organization
comparable to that of natural habitats within a region" (Karr and Dudley 1981).

Project Area and Sampling Sites

The project area is located within Level IV ecoregion 41c (Western Canadian Rockies),
which is an extension of the Canadian Rockies Ecoregion in Flathead County, Montana (Woods
et al. 1999). This is a high, rugged, glaciated region that lies west of the Continental Divide and
is affected by moist Pacific maritime air masses. The Western Canadian Rockies are underlain
by Precambrian rocks, including argillites and quartzites, and mantled by volcanic ash, glacial
drift, and colluvium. Soils are thin or absent on upper mountain slopes but become deeper and
more developed below. Climax vegetation consists of Douglas-fir, subalpine fir, grand fir, and
Engelmann spruce forests, with alpine tundra on the highest peaks. The main land uses are
logging, recreation, and wildlife habitat.

Periphyton samples were collected at two sites on Sullivan Creek and one site on Skyland
Creek (Table 1). Sullivan Creek is a west side tributary of Hungry Horse Reservoir in the
South Fork Flathead River hydrologic unit (USGS HUC 17010209). Skyland Creek, a tributary
of Bear Creek, rises on the west side of the Continental Divide near Marias Pass in the Middle
Fork Flathead River hydrologic unit (USGS HUC 17010207). The South Fork, Middle Fork,
and North Fork meet to form the Flathead River near West Glacier, Montana. Sullivan Creek
and Skyland Creek are classified B-1 in the Montana Surface Water Quality Standards.

Methods

Periphyton samples were collected following standard operating procedures of the
MDEQ Planning, Prevention, and Assistance Division. Using appropriate tools, microalgae
were scraped, brushed, or sucked from natural substrates in proportion to the importance of those
substrates at each study site. Macroalgae were picked by hand in proportion to their abundance
at the site. All collections of microalgae and macroalgae were pooled into a common container
and preserved with Lugol's (IKl) solution.

The samples were examined to estimate the relative abundance and rank by biovolume of
diatoms and genera of soft (non-diatom) algae according to the method described in Bahls

(1993). Soft algae were identified using Smith (1950), Prescott (1962, 1978), John et al. (2002),
and Wehr and Sheath (2003). These books also served as references on the ecology of the soft
algae, along with Palmer ( 1 969, 1977).

After the identification of soft algae, the raw periphyton samples were cleaned of organic
matter using sulftiric acid, potassium dichromate, and hydrogen peroxide. Then permanent
diatom slides were prepared using Naphrax, a high refractive index mounting medium, following
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (APHA 1998). At least 400
diatom cells (800 valves) were counted at random and identified to species. The following were
the main taxonomic references for the diatoms: Krammer and Lange-Bertalot 1986, 1988,
1991a, 1991b; Lange-Bertalot 1993, 2001; Krammer 1997a, 1997b, 2002; Reichardt 1997, 1999.
Diatom naming conventions followed those adopted by the Academy of Natural Sciences for
USGS NAWQA samples (Morales and Potapova 2000) as updated in 2003 (Dr. Eduardo
Morales, Academy of Natural Sciences, digital communication). Van Dam et al. (1994) was the
main ecological reference for the diatoms.

The diatom proportional counts were used to generate an array of diatom association
metrics. A metric is a characteristic of the biota that changes in some predictable way with
increased human influence (Barbour et al. 1999). Diatoms are particularly usefiil in generating
metrics because there is a wealth of information available in the literature regarding the pollution
tolerances and water quality preferences of common diatom species (e.g., Lowe 1974, Beaver
1981, Lange-Bertalot 1996, Van Dam et al. 1994).

Values for selected metrics were compared to biocriteria (numeric thresholds) developed
for streams in the Rocky Mountain ecoregions of Montana (Table 2). These criteria are based on
metric values measured in least-impaired reference streams (Bahls et al. 1992) and metric values
measured in streeims that are known to be impaired by various sources and causes of pollution
(Bahls 1993). The criteria in Table 2 are valid only for samples collected during the summer
field season (June 21 -September 21) and distinguish among four levels of stress or impairment
and three levels of aquatic life use support: (1) no impairment or only minor impairment (full
support); (2) moderate impairment (partial support); and (3) severe impairment (nonsupport).

•

These impairment levels correspond to excellent, good, fair, and poor biological integrity,
respectively. In cold, high-gradient mountain streams, natural stressors will often mimic the
effects of man-caused impairment on some metric values.

Quality Assurance

Several steps were taken to assure that the study results are accurate and reproducible.
Upon receipt of the samples, station and sample attribute data were recorded in the Montana
Diatom Database and the samples were assigned a unique number, e.g., 2655-01. The first part
of this number (2655) designates the sampling site (Sullivan Creek above Connor Creek) and the
second part (01) designates the number of periphyton samples that that have been collected at
this site for which data have been entered into the Montana Diatom Database.

Sample observations and analyses of soft (non-diatom) algae were recorded in a lab
notebook along with information on the sample label. A portion of the raw sample was used to
make duplicate diatom slides. The slide used for the diatom proportional count will be
deposited in the Montana Diatom Collection at the University of Montana Herbarium in
Missoula. The duplicate slide will be retained by Hannaea in Helena. Diatom proportional
counts have been entered into the Montana Diatom Database.

Results and Discussion

Results are presented in Tables 3, 4 and 5, which are located near the end of this report
following the references section. Copies of aquatic plant field sheets are included in Appendi.x
A. Appendix B contains a diatom report for each sample. Each diatom report includes an
alphabetical list of diatom species in that sample and their percent abundances, and values for 65
different diatom metrics and ecological attributes.

Sample Notes

Sullivan Creek above Connor Creek. This sample was sparse and the entire sample
was oxidized to make the diatom slides. The Phormidium sp. in this sample occurred as an
epiphyte on Hydrurus foetidus . Hannaea arcus was visually the dominant diatom in this sample.

Sullivan Creek below Quintonkon Creek. This sample was heavier than the one
collected upstream. Hannaea arcus was the visual dominant among the diatoms in this sample.

Skyland Creek above Bear Creek. This sample was poorly preserved and in the
process of decomposing. It was black and smelled strongly of hydrogen sulfide. The visually
dominant diatoms in this sample were Encyonema silesiacum and Hannaea arcus.

Non-Diatom Algae (Table 3)

Hydrurus foetidus ranked first in biovolume in samples from all three sites (Table 3).

Nicholls and Wujek (2003) reviewed the biology of this common alga of mountain streams:

One of the most dramatic examples of a cold-water stenotherm is the mountain-
stream-dwelling chrysophyte Hydrurus foetidus. This macroscopic, brown, gelatinous,
unpleasant-smelling alga is relatively abundant in both the eastern and western mountain
streams of North America. The gelatinous envelope in which the cells are embedded is
exceedingly tough and the plant frequently covers the entire surface of submerged rocks
and has caused more than one hiker to lose his or her footing when crossing a stream. It
normally begins to disappear when water temperatures rise much above lO^C. . .Other
requirements for this species apparently include low pH and bright sunlight.

Hydrurus foetidus often dominates the winter and spring algal communities of glacier- fed
streams of the Swiss Alps, which exhibit unstable channels and wide seasonal fluctuations in
flow, temperature, and turbidity (Hieber et al. 2001). Elsewhere, Kawecka (1990) reported that
Hydrurus foetidus (along with Ulothrix zonata) dominated the algal communities of unregulated
streams in a study of paired regulated and unregulated streams.

Sullivan Creek above Connor Creek. Diatoms, which were abundant, ranked second to
Hydrurus foetidus in terms of total biomass, followed by the filamentous cyanobacterium

^ Phormidhim, which was frequent. The branched filamentous green alga Stigeoclonium and the
filamentous cyanophyte Amphithrix were occasional components of the algal flora at this site.

Sullivan Creek below Quintonkon Creek. Diatoms were also abundant and ranked
second to Hydrurus at this site. The filamentous green algae Zygnema sp. and Ulothrix zonata
were abundant and frequent here and ranked third and fourth in biovolume, respectively. An
increase in dominance by filamentous green alage generally parallels an increase in nutrient
concentrations in streams (Wehr and Sheath 2003). The filamentous cyanophyte Hydrocoleum
ranked fifth in biomass at this site.

Skyiand Creek above Bear Creek. Hydrurus foetidus and diatoms were co-dominants
at this site and ranked first and second, respectively, in terms of biomass. The filamentous green
alga Ulothrix zonata, which was abundant, was the only other non-diatom species present at this
site (Table 3).

Diatoms (Table 4)

The four major diatom species from Sullivan Creek and Skyiand Creek are included in
pollution tolerance classes 3 or 2 and are either sensitive to organic pollution or only somewhat
tolerant of organic pollution (Table 4). None of the major diatom species are most tolerant of
organic pollution (pollution tolerance class =1).

Sullivan Creek above Connor Creek. A very high value for the percent dominant
species {Hannaea arcus) and low values for the number of species counted and the diversity
index indicate moderate to severe stress at this site (Table 4). Since Hannaea arcus is a cold
stenothermal diatom and an attached pioneer species that is sensitive to organic pollution, its
dominance here is probably related to steep gradients, fast currents, cold temperatures, and/or
low nutrient concentrations. Hannaea arcus is one of the most common diatom species in
glacier- and snowmelt-fed streams of the Swiss Alps (Hieber et al. 2001). A high value for the
pollution index and zero values for the siltafion index and percent abnormal cells indicate that
J^ organic enrichment, sedimentation, and toxic metals did not affect the association of benthic

diatoms at this site and that the stresses recorded here are probably natural in origin. The only

other major diatom species at this site — Achnanthidium minutissimum — is also an attached
pioneer species that is sensitive to organic loading.

Sullivan Creek below Quintonkon Creek. Although the equitability and diversity of
diatom species improved at this site compared to the upstream site, diatom species richness
remained low and still indicated moderate stress from natural causes. However, a significant
decline in the pollution index occurred between the upstream site and this site (Table 4), which
indicated a significant increase in organic loading. Although organic loading increased, the
pollution index at this site remained above the threshold for minor impairment. However, the
dominant diatom species here {Fragilaria vaucheriae) is somewhat tolerant of organic loading
and the large percentage of this species indicated minor impairment here.

A few teratological cells oi Fragilaria vaucheriae and Hannaea arcus were also counted
at this site. Abnormal diatom cells sometimes indicate elevated concentrations of heavy metals
(McFarland et al. 1997). However, there are many other possible causes of abnormal diatom
cells, including natural factors such as rapid population growth and crowding, silica depletion,
low water temperatures, and low pH. The araphid diatoms, \\hich include F. vaucheriae and H.
arcus, seem to be especially prone to producing teratological cells (McFarland et al. 1997).
Given that populations of F. vaucheriae and H. arcus were very large and probably expanding at
the time, and given the austere environmental conditions prevailing at this site, the minor stress
indicated by a few abnormal cells in Sullivan Creek is likely natural in origin and not related to
heavy metals. The two sites on Sullivan Creek shared 43% of their diatom associations, which
indicates somewhat similar floras and minor environmental change.

Skyland Creek above Bear Creek. The dominant diatom at this site was Encyonema
silesiacum, which is somewhat tolerant of organic pollution. A large percentage of this species
indicated moderate impairment here (Table 4). The pollution index also indicated minor
impairment from organic loading. Diatom species richness, equitability, and diversity were also
low and indicated minor impairment. Two abnormal cells oi Hannaea arcus were observed
during the diatom proportional count, again probably the result of natural causes.

•

Modal Categories (Table 5)

Several ecological attributes assigned by Stevenson and Van Dam et al. (1994) were
selected from the diatom reports in the appendix and modal categories of these attributes were
extracted to characterize water quality tendencies in Sullivan and Skyland Creeks (Table 5).

The majority of diatoms at both sites on Sullivan Creek were non-motile autotrophs that
tolerate high concentrations of organics and indicate alkaline and fresh-brackish waters with
continuously high dissolved oxygen. However, the percentage of diatoms in the "continuously
high" category declined significantly from the upstream site to the downstream site, indicating a
decline in the availability of dissolved oxygen. The modal categories for saprobity and trophic
state each shifted two levels between the upstream and downstream sites, indicating significant
increases in organic loading and concentrations of inorganic nutrients.

In Skyland Creek, the modal category for oxygen demand was "moderate", indicating
even less available dissolved oxygen here than in lower Sullivan Creek. The modal category for
saprobity in Skyland Creek was alpha-mesosaprobous, which is the same modal category that
was recorded at the lower site on Sullivan Creek (Table 5). The alpha-mesosaprobous category
indicates waters with 25-70% oxygen saturation and 4-13 mg/L BOD (Van Dam et al. 1994).

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•

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Table 1 . Location of periphyton sampling stations in the upper Flathead River TMDL planning area, 2002.

MDEQ Hannaea Sample

Station Station Sample Latitude Longitude Date

Code Number

Sullivan Creek above Connor Creek C08SULLC01 2655-01 47-58.536 113-40.122 8/22/02

Sullivan Creek below Quintonkon Creek C08SULLC02 2656-01 48-1.668 113-42.312 8/22/02

Skyland Creek above Bear Creek C08SKYLC01 2657-01 48-17.574 113-23.34 8/23/02

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Table 3. Relative abundance of cells and ordinal rank by biovolume of diatoms (Division Bacillariophyta)
and genera of non-diatom algae in periphyton samples collected from Sullivan Creek and
Skyland Creek in 2002.

Taxa

Sullivan Creek
above Connor Creek

Sullivan Creek
below Quintonkon Creek

Skyland Creek
above Bear Creek

Cyanophyta

Amphithrix

Hydrocoleum

Phormidium

Chlorophyta

Stigeoclonium
Ulothrix zonata
Zygnema

Chrysophyta

Hydrurus foeiidus

Bacillariophyta

# Non-Diatom Genera

occasional (5 )

frequent (3"

occasional (4 )

abundant (1")

abundant (2"^^)

occasional (5"^)

frequent (4*^)
abundant (3''')

dominant (1^')

abundant (2"'')

abundant (3"^)

dominant (1^')

dominant (2"'')

Table 4. Percent abundance of major diatom species^ and values of selected diatom association metrics for
periphyton samples collected from Sullivan Creek and Skyland Creek in 2002. Underlined values
indicate minor stress; bold values indicate moderate stress; underlined and bold values indicate
severe stress; all other values indicate no stress and full support of aquatic life uses w/hen compared
to criteria for mountain streams in Table 2. Stress may be natural or antfiropogenic (see text)

Species/Metric

PTC^

Sullivan Creek

Sull

van Creek below

Skyland Creek

above Connor

Creek

Quintonkon Creek

above Bear Creek

Achnanthidium minutissimum

6.21

14.32

7.11

Encyonema silesiacum

0.48

2.58

54.62

Fragilaria vaucheriae

1.07

38.62

4.15

Hannaea arcus

80.79

28.87

19.08

Number of Species Counted

Shannon Species Diversity

1.27

2.49

2.32

Pollution Index

2.94

2.58

235

Siltation Index

0.00

0.23

3.55

Disturbance Index

6.21

14.32

7.11

Percent Dominant Species

80.79

38.62

54.62

Percent Abnormal Cells

0.00

0.59

0.24

Similarity Index'^

42.68

^A major diatom species accounts for 5.0% or more of the cells at one or more stations in a sample set.
^(Organic) Pollution Tolerance Class (Lange-Bertalot 1979): 1 = most tolerant; 2 = tolerant; 3 = sensitive.
^Percent Community Similarity (Whittaker 1952) when compared to the diatom assemblage at the adjacent
upstream station.

Table 5. Modal categories for selected ecological attributes of diatom species in Sullivan Creek and.
Skyland Creek in 2002.

Ecological Attribute

Sullivan Creek

Skyland Creek

above Connor Creek

below Quintonkon Creek

above Bear Creek

Motility'

Not

Variable

Motile

Motility

PH^'

Alkaliphilous

Circumneutral

Salinity^

Fresh-

Brackish

Nitrogen Uptake^

Autotrophs

(tolerate high

organics)

Oxygen Demand^

Continuously High (91%)

Continuously High (52%)

Moderate (62%)

Moderate (42%)

Continuously High (34%)

Saprobity^

Oligosaprobous

alpha-Mesosaprobous

Trophic State^

Mesotraphentic

Eutraphentic

Variable

'Dr. R. Jan Stevenson, Michigan State University, digital communication.

Van Dam etal. 1994

•

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Full text of "Biological integrity of Sullivan Creek and Skyland Creek in the Upper Flathead River TMDL planning area based on the structure and composition of the Benthic algae community"

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