CLBMON-61 Kinbasket Reservoir Wetlands Monitoring Program, Year 4 Annual Report –2015

Author: D. Adama

This report summarizes the results of years three and four of a six-year BACI study designed to assess the potential impacts resulting from the operation of two additional turbines (#5 and #6) installed in Mica dam on wetlands in Kinbasket Reservoir. Data collected included vegetation abundance and species composition for terrestrial and aquatic wetlands, water physicochemistry, and weather data collected. Water physicochemistry, and weather data were used to estimate aquatic metabolism (gross primary productivity, respiration, and net-ecosystem productivity). The report summarizes the results from years three and four from data obtained at four index sites.

– Vegetation communities at the four index sites were reclassified and described across elevation gradients within and above the reservoir. Wetlands generally progressed from marshes to fens and then to either bogs, swamps, or riparian flood communities; however, the specific community types were influenced by site characteristics such as hydrology, geology, topography, soil type, organic accumulations, nutrient availability, climate, and disturbance regime.
– Shrub cover differed significantly across elevation bands from less than 1 per cent at 751m to 19.3 per cent at 753–754m, and to 44.7 per cent at 754–755m. Shrub cover within elevation bands did not change from 2013 to 2015.
– Differences in herb cover across elevation bands in 2015 were only significant across elevation bands in the Valemount Peatland. Herb cover within elevation bands did not change from 2013 to 2015.
– pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity were generally higher in the DDZ ponds than in the adjacent REF ponds with the exception of Km88 where temperature and conductivity values did not differ. This indicate that the position within the reservoir may be influencing water chemistry.
– Macrophyte biomass was higher in DDZ ponds than in REF ponds. Mean biomass values were over three times greater in DDZ ponds than in REF ponds (43.6 g ±16.7 versus 12.63g ± 16.7). Macrophyte biomass increased between 2012 and 2015 in both REF and DDZ ponds.
– Macrophyte biomass in ponds at Bush River and Km88 ponds were 800 per cent greater in ponds at Sprague Bay or the Valemount Peatland. These differences were largely attributed to water chemistry and the presence of the charophytes (e.g., Chara spp).
– GPP and NEP corresponded positively with macrophyte biomass.
The inundation of ponds in 2014 resulted in an immediate decline in GPP and NEP rates in both autotrophic and mildly heterotrophic ponds.

– Vegetation communities at the four index sites were reclassified and described across elevation gradients within and above the reservoir. Wetlands generally progressed from marshes to fens and then to either bogs, swamps, or riparian flood communities; however, the specific community types were influenced by site characteristics such as hydrology, geology, topography, soil type, organic accumulations, nutrient availability, climate, and disturbance regime.
– Shrub cover differed significantly across elevation bands from less than 1 per cent at 751m to 19.3 per cent at 753–754m, and to 44.7 per cent at 754–755m. Shrub cover within elevation bands did not change from 2013 to 2015.
– Differences in herb cover across elevation bands in 2015 were only significant across elevation bands in the Valemount Peatland. Herb cover within elevation bands did not change from 2013 to 2015.
– pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity were generally higher in the DDZ ponds than in the adjacent REF ponds with the exception of Km88 where temperature and conductivity values did not differ. This indicate that the position within the reservoir may be influencing water chemistry.
– Macrophyte biomass was higher in DDZ ponds than in REF ponds. Mean biomass values were over three times greater in DDZ ponds than in REF ponds (43.6 g ±16.7 versus 12.63g ± 16.7). Macrophyte biomass increased between 2012 and 2015 in both REF and DDZ ponds.
– Macrophyte biomass in ponds at Bush River and Km88 ponds were 800 per cent greater in ponds at Sprague Bay or the Valemount Peatland. These differences were largely attributed to water chemistry and the presence of the charophytes (e.g., Chara spp).
– GPP and NEP corresponded positively with macrophyte biomass.
The inundation of ponds in 2014 resulted in an immediate decline in GPP and NEP rates in both autotrophic and mildly heterotrophic ponds.