primary headwater streams
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Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsAnthony Sasson, The Nature Conservancy OEC Legislative Summit, February 1. 2013
Primary Headwater Habitat Streams:What are they, and why be concerned?
1. Types (Class I, II, III)2. Distribution of headwater
streams (map)3. Importance of these streams4. Impacts (development,
mining , roads)5. Legally defining PHWH
streams
Primary Headwater Habitat Streams
Why a different classification for Primary Headwater Streams compared to other streams?
• First or second order streams (beginnings of the stream network)
• Less than one square mile (640 acres drainage area)
• Standard Ohio stream classification used for Clean Water Act does not fit these small streams
Primary Headwater Habitat Streams
Grand River PHWH stream (Lake SWCD map)
Importance of Primary Headwater Habitat
streams
• First to receive water and pollutants• Easiest to degrade (pollutants and habitat)• Supply most of the water, nutrients,
energy, biology to rest of the watershed’s streams
• Headwater-dependant fish, amphibians and other aquatic life
• Help determine downstream health; cumulative impacts from loss of these streams
• Aesthetics
Rocky River Watershed Council
Long tailed salamander, Rocky River watershed
Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsClass I streams
Ohio EPA photos
Class I PHWH streams are ephemeral streams, warm water, little aquatic life
Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsClass II streams
Ohio EPA photos
• Intermittent but may have perennial flow• Warm water• Moderately diverse• Some fish, amphibians
Primary Headwater Habitat StreamsClass III streams
Ohio EPA photos
Perennial flow influenced by groundwaterModerately diverse to highly diverse aquatic life
Primary Headwater Habitat Streams Class III stream
TNC photo
Primary Headwater Habitat Streams Class III stream
TNC photo Dace – ODNR photos
PHWH streams flow into these larger streams and determine their health
Ohio EPA photo
TNC photo
Impacts to Primary Headwater Habitat
streams
• Development –Commercial and residential
• Mining – Coal, Stone/sand & gravel
• Roads – Highway expansions, new street development
• Shale gas development - access roads, pipelines, drilling pads
Mitigation for Primary Headwater Habitat streams
Mitigation importance:PHWH are ~1/2 of mitigation
needs in Ohio streams
Washington County PHWH, Marietta College photo Ohio EPA photo
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