Physical Stream Assessment: QHEI HHEI

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Physical Stream Assessment QHEI / HHEI
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Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI)
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Methodology developed by OEPA and ODNR working
with USEPA
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QHEI
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IDEM QHEI Rankings

• gt64 fully supporting of aquatic life
• 51-64 partially supporting
• lt 51 non-supporting

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Primary Headwater Habitat Evaluation (HHEI)
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White River at Southport Road
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Cave Creek (Lake County, Ohio)
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Prairie Creek, Vigo Co., IN
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Even an undisturbed creek in an intact forest
would not be classified as quality habitat under
QHEI, simply because fish do not live in small
creeks.
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Definitions

• Headwater streams
• Defined by OEPA as having a watershed of less
  than, or equal to 20 mi2
• Comprise 78 of Ohio streams
• Primary headwater habitat streams
• Watershed of lt 1 mi2
• Well defined bed, bank, and channel
• for HHEI, maximum pool depth of lt 40 cm
• OEPA has identified three main categories with a
  fourth class of drainageway

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Summary of PHWH Stream Classes
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Class III PHWH Streams

• Most biologically diverse
• heterogeneous physical habitat
• spring fed, with continuous water flow
• support cool to cold water adapted vertebrates
  and/or benthic macroinvertebrates (3 spp. or more
  of cool water adapted taxa)

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Class II PHWH Stream

• Moderate diversity of bentic macroinvertebrates
• tend to support pioneering populations of fish or
  amphibians adapted to intermittent or seasonal
  flow, or other physical limitations
• Tend to have warmer water due to ground water
  source

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Class I PHWH Streams

• Ephemeral headwater environments
• Due not prove significant aquatic life function
• Important water quality functions

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Drainageways

• No discernable channel

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Desktop Study and Background Information
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Mapping Scale

• NRCS Soil Survey
• USGS 124,000 Series Topo Quad
• Air photos (if available)

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When to sample

• Any time of the year
• must be conducted when stream is at baseflow
  conditions for time of year
• 24-hours after most rainfall events
• Can use 7Q10

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Stream Reach Delineation and Site Selection
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PWWH Streams and Reaches

• Characterization of a stream reach
• stream defined as a surface watercourse having a
  channel with well defined bed and banks, either
  natural or artificial
• stream reach is a continuous 200-foot section
• sampling always starts at the most downstream
  reach

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Rheocrene Habitats and Seepage Areas
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Methods
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General Stream Information

• Site description
• observations
• determine upstream drainage area
• GPS

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Determination of channel modification

• Channelization
• none
• recovered
• recovering
• recent or no recovery

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Three metrics are used to develop HHEI score

• 1. Composition of substrate
• 2. Pool depth
• 3. Bankfull width

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Stream Channel Substrate

• Two predominant substrates are required
• Formal pebble count not required but may be
  needed for support

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Maximum Pool Depth

• Search the entire 200-foot reach for the deepest
  pool
• measure to nearest centimeter

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Average Bank Full Width

• Minimum of 3-4 measurements for each reach

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Other Parameters

• Riparian zone width
• Flow regime
• Sinuosity
• Stream gradient

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HHEI or QHEI?

• First step is to determine which evaluation
  should be performed.
• Determined by
• Size of watershed (lt 1 mi2 - HHEI)
• Maximum pool depth (lt 40 cm - HHEI)

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MIS, Vandalia, IL