Barb Kleiss - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Barb Kleiss

: In rapidly developing regions of the United States, planning and regulatory agencies are faced ... more : In rapidly developing regions of the United States, planning and regulatory agencies are faced with the difficult task of protecting and enhancing natural resources while accommodating economic development. There is a general consensus among resource management professionals that the most effective way to approach the complex issues involved is to consider them at the watershed level, where the fundamental connection among all components of the landscape is the network of streams that drain the basin (Heathcote 1998, National Research council 1999, Newbold 2002, Ogg and Keith 2002). The watershed perspective promotes consideration of the linkages among landscape components, such as the effects of land use on stream water quality and discharge, or the potential influence of water diversions or storage on the habitat quality of downstream channels, wetlands, and riparian areas.

PURPOSE: This note describes four methods that can be used to measure sedimentation rates in BLH ... more PURPOSE: This note describes four methods that can be used to measure sedimentation rates in BLH forests and other wetland systems. Time are: a modified sediment trap method, called a sediment disk; use of a feldspar clay marker horizon; use of *37cesiumfor dating cores; and a dendrogeomorphic method. The advantages and disadvantages of the methods are discussed and their application to wetland regulation and evaluation considered.

The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purpo... more The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.

Journal of Hydrology, 2012

ABSTRACT Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is ... more ABSTRACT Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is modeled. ► The river is storing the majority of its sediment above the ocean outlets. ► Storage is by channel aggradation and overbank sedimentation. ► Distinct sediment cycle in this reach has major implications for LA coastal restoration.

Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires all federal agencies to use their au... more Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires all federal agencies to use their authority as appropriate to carry out programs for the conservation (i.e., recovery) of endangered and threatened species. For more than a decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and state conservation agencies to identify and resolve endangered species and ecosystem management issues that could impact USACE civil works missions in the Lower Mississippi River (LMR). It has become apparent that the very programs that have most significantly affected the river are potentially the most important and cost-effective tools to maintain and enhance its ecological functions. This is accomplished by considering and incorporating ecological engineering opportunities during the design phase of channel improvement and channel maintenance projects. The USACE has also opportunistically implemented cost-effective secondary channel restoration actions in the LMR by sharing responsibilities and resources with partner agencies. Cumulatively, both the site-specific engineering actions and the restoration opportunities have significantly benefitted the habitat baselines of endangered species associated with the LMR channel. Herein, the USACE outlines the programmatic mechanisms by which the Channel Improvement Program of the Mississippi River and Tributaries project is being utilized to implement conservation measures that maintain and improve habitat values within the LMR for recovery of endangered and other trust species inhabiting the river channel. This program has been developed under informal consultation with the USFWS, and complies with section 7(a)(1) of the ESA, USACE Environmental Operating Principles, Civil Works Ecosystem Restoration Policy (ER 1165-2-501), and supports the conservation intent of EO 13186 Responsibilities of Federal Agencies to Protect Migratory Birds. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.

This technical note reports surface salinity measurements taken in Violet Marsh approximately 3-1... more This technical note reports surface salinity measurements taken in Violet Marsh approximately 3-1/2 months after Hurricane Katrina, and compares them to measurements made in 1993-1994 as part of the Violet Siphon Project. This note also includes photo documentation and general visual observations of the physical condition of the marsh post-Katrina. Key points… What impact did Hurricane Katrina have on Violet Marsh, Louisiana? One indicator of impact is surface salinity, which was measured 3-1/2 months after Hurricane Katrina. Measurements were compared to data collected in 1993-1994 as part of the Violet Siphon Project. Surface salinities increased dramatically between 1993-94 and Hurricane Katrina. At least a portion of this change can be attributed to the hurricane storm surge, which deposited salt water in the marsh. The physical condition of the marsh after Hurricane Katrina is documented in photos and general visual observations. BACKGROUND: Hurricane Katrina made landfall at the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts as a Category 3 hurricane on August 29, 2005. Hurricane force winds and associated storm surge caused intensive and widespread flooding and damage to cities and the adjacent coastal marshes. The Violet Marsh is being studied because it was subjected to the effects of hurricane winds, saltwater intrusion from the storm surge topping/breaching the levees, and floodwater being pumped from the city into the marsh. The marsh is also being considered for future restoration efforts. STUDY AREA: Violet Marsh is located in St. Bernard Parish, LA, between the town of Chalmette and Lake Borgne. The study area (Figure 1) is approximately 31.5 square miles. The marsh is directly connected by the Violet Canal to both the Mississippi River and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal (MRGO). Two levees border the marsh, the back protection levee along the Forty Arpent Canal at the western edge of the marsh, and the Federal levee along the MRGO at the eastern edge of the marsh. Both of these levees were subjected to hurricane-induced and deliberate breaches. METHODS: Surface salinity was measured in various transects/areas within Violet Marsh on December 13-14, 2005, using a YSI Model 85 salinity meter. At each sampling station, salinity, water depth, and water temperature were also measured, and photos were taken. Soil cores (30-cm) were also taken at several locations. Sampling stations were located along six general transects or areas within the marsh (Figure 2). Salinities at stations along transect 6 were compared to salinities measured at those same stations during 1993-1994 as part of the Violet Siphon Project (Carriere 1996).

Abstract : Prairie potholes are small, shallow, ponded depressions of glacial origin (Sloan 1972)... more Abstract : Prairie potholes are small, shallow, ponded depressions of glacial origin (Sloan 1972) comprising approximately 1 million of wetlands in North Dakota (Bigler and Richardson 1984). Potholes occur within the rolling terrain of glacial deposition as a series of closed or poorly drained basins. Prairie potholes serve as productive freshwater wetlands, providing primary waterfowl habitat for half the annual migratory waterfowl in the Mississippi Flyway (Smith, Stoudt, and Gollop 1964). They also provide water storage and groundwater recharge. Agricultural land use impacts prairie potholes by creating mobile sediments that can fill these wetlands. Nutrients and sediments from cultivated watersheds entering pothole basins promote the growth of vegetation that in turn traps additional sediment. Such anthropogenic effects may modify and reduce wetland habitat through the filling of the pothole basin (Martin and Hartman 1986), causing changes in hydrology and vegetation composition.

Proceedings of the 27th Mississippi Water …, 1997

As a standard part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (N... more As a standard part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, biological tissues are collected from sites within each project area to detennine the occurrence and distribution of trace elements and ...

Wetlands, 1995

Although root plaques and associated oxidized root channels are used for wetland identification a... more Although root plaques and associated oxidized root channels are used for wetland identification as field indicators of wetland, hydrology, little information is available concerning their reliability as related to the environmental and biotic factors controlling their formation. Therefore, this review describes and evaluates the current state of knowledge of the factors controlling the formation of iron plaques and recommends research to address information gaps. Both abiotic and biotic factors control the presence and degree of iron plaque formation. The most important abiotic factor is the availability of soil iron. However, the effect of site variation in soil physico-chemical characteristics (e.g., texture, organic matter, pH, Eh, and soil fertility), on iron availability and microbial activity can influence the formation and persistence of root plaques and oxidized root channels. Although the oxidizing capacity of the plant root is the most important biotic factor controlling p...

Journal of …, 2012

Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is modeled. ... more Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is modeled. ► The river is storing the majority of its sediment above the ocean outlets. ► Storage is by channel aggradation and overbank sedimentation. ► Distinct sediment cycle in this reach has major implications for LA coastal restoration.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has the task of mitigating functions ... more The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has the task of mitigating functions of bottomland hardwood (BLH) wetland forests in Mississippi lost as a result of the construction of various water resource projects. To date, the Vicksburg District has reforested almost 20,000 acres of BLH forest. This technical note reports on early functional recovery and monitoring at several of these sites, utilizing methodology based on "The Regional Guidebook for Conducting Functional Assessments Based on Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Classification and Reference Wetlands for Selected Wetland Subclasses in the Yazoo Basin, Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, USA" (Smith and Klimas 2002).

Denitrification rates were quantified in bottomland hardwood wetland soils of the Cache River. N ... more Denitrification rates were quantified in bottomland hardwood wetland soils of the Cache River. N 1-~ labeled nitrate was added to columns containing wetland soils and river water. Over 40 days, nitrate-N in floodwater (approximately 9 mg N L-') decreased by between 82% and 59%, which gave estimates of N export from the water column of between 1 !.5 mg N m-2 day ~ and 7.5 mg N m-2 day-L These values correlated directly with organic content of surface sediment, which included forest litter. Added glucose doubled rates of nitrate loss in these soils, which indicated that the process was carbon limited. Nitrification occurring simultaneously with denitrification was determined using isotopic dilution techniques. Contributions of nitrate to water from nitrification were estimated at between 5% and 12% of the total nitrate reduced. Rates of nitrogen transformation in these forest soils were likely limited by available soil carbon from tree litter and perhaps canopy leachate, rather than by nitrate concentration in inflowing floodwater.

: In rapidly developing regions of the United States, planning and regulatory agencies are faced ... more : In rapidly developing regions of the United States, planning and regulatory agencies are faced with the difficult task of protecting and enhancing natural resources while accommodating economic development. There is a general consensus among resource management professionals that the most effective way to approach the complex issues involved is to consider them at the watershed level, where the fundamental connection among all components of the landscape is the network of streams that drain the basin (Heathcote 1998, National Research council 1999, Newbold 2002, Ogg and Keith 2002). The watershed perspective promotes consideration of the linkages among landscape components, such as the effects of land use on stream water quality and discharge, or the potential influence of water diversions or storage on the habitat quality of downstream channels, wetlands, and riparian areas.

PURPOSE: This note describes four methods that can be used to measure sedimentation rates in BLH ... more PURPOSE: This note describes four methods that can be used to measure sedimentation rates in BLH forests and other wetland systems. Time are: a modified sediment trap method, called a sediment disk; use of a feldspar clay marker horizon; use of *37cesiumfor dating cores; and a dendrogeomorphic method. The advantages and disadvantages of the methods are discussed and their application to wetland regulation and evaluation considered.

The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purpo... more The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.

Journal of Hydrology, 2012

ABSTRACT Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is ... more ABSTRACT Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is modeled. ► The river is storing the majority of its sediment above the ocean outlets. ► Storage is by channel aggradation and overbank sedimentation. ► Distinct sediment cycle in this reach has major implications for LA coastal restoration.

Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires all federal agencies to use their au... more Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires all federal agencies to use their authority as appropriate to carry out programs for the conservation (i.e., recovery) of endangered and threatened species. For more than a decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and state conservation agencies to identify and resolve endangered species and ecosystem management issues that could impact USACE civil works missions in the Lower Mississippi River (LMR). It has become apparent that the very programs that have most significantly affected the river are potentially the most important and cost-effective tools to maintain and enhance its ecological functions. This is accomplished by considering and incorporating ecological engineering opportunities during the design phase of channel improvement and channel maintenance projects. The USACE has also opportunistically implemented cost-effective secondary channel restoration actions in the LMR by sharing responsibilities and resources with partner agencies. Cumulatively, both the site-specific engineering actions and the restoration opportunities have significantly benefitted the habitat baselines of endangered species associated with the LMR channel. Herein, the USACE outlines the programmatic mechanisms by which the Channel Improvement Program of the Mississippi River and Tributaries project is being utilized to implement conservation measures that maintain and improve habitat values within the LMR for recovery of endangered and other trust species inhabiting the river channel. This program has been developed under informal consultation with the USFWS, and complies with section 7(a)(1) of the ESA, USACE Environmental Operating Principles, Civil Works Ecosystem Restoration Policy (ER 1165-2-501), and supports the conservation intent of EO 13186 Responsibilities of Federal Agencies to Protect Migratory Birds. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.

This technical note reports surface salinity measurements taken in Violet Marsh approximately 3-1... more This technical note reports surface salinity measurements taken in Violet Marsh approximately 3-1/2 months after Hurricane Katrina, and compares them to measurements made in 1993-1994 as part of the Violet Siphon Project. This note also includes photo documentation and general visual observations of the physical condition of the marsh post-Katrina. Key points… What impact did Hurricane Katrina have on Violet Marsh, Louisiana? One indicator of impact is surface salinity, which was measured 3-1/2 months after Hurricane Katrina. Measurements were compared to data collected in 1993-1994 as part of the Violet Siphon Project. Surface salinities increased dramatically between 1993-94 and Hurricane Katrina. At least a portion of this change can be attributed to the hurricane storm surge, which deposited salt water in the marsh. The physical condition of the marsh after Hurricane Katrina is documented in photos and general visual observations. BACKGROUND: Hurricane Katrina made landfall at the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts as a Category 3 hurricane on August 29, 2005. Hurricane force winds and associated storm surge caused intensive and widespread flooding and damage to cities and the adjacent coastal marshes. The Violet Marsh is being studied because it was subjected to the effects of hurricane winds, saltwater intrusion from the storm surge topping/breaching the levees, and floodwater being pumped from the city into the marsh. The marsh is also being considered for future restoration efforts. STUDY AREA: Violet Marsh is located in St. Bernard Parish, LA, between the town of Chalmette and Lake Borgne. The study area (Figure 1) is approximately 31.5 square miles. The marsh is directly connected by the Violet Canal to both the Mississippi River and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal (MRGO). Two levees border the marsh, the back protection levee along the Forty Arpent Canal at the western edge of the marsh, and the Federal levee along the MRGO at the eastern edge of the marsh. Both of these levees were subjected to hurricane-induced and deliberate breaches. METHODS: Surface salinity was measured in various transects/areas within Violet Marsh on December 13-14, 2005, using a YSI Model 85 salinity meter. At each sampling station, salinity, water depth, and water temperature were also measured, and photos were taken. Soil cores (30-cm) were also taken at several locations. Sampling stations were located along six general transects or areas within the marsh (Figure 2). Salinities at stations along transect 6 were compared to salinities measured at those same stations during 1993-1994 as part of the Violet Siphon Project (Carriere 1996).

Abstract : Prairie potholes are small, shallow, ponded depressions of glacial origin (Sloan 1972)... more Abstract : Prairie potholes are small, shallow, ponded depressions of glacial origin (Sloan 1972) comprising approximately 1 million of wetlands in North Dakota (Bigler and Richardson 1984). Potholes occur within the rolling terrain of glacial deposition as a series of closed or poorly drained basins. Prairie potholes serve as productive freshwater wetlands, providing primary waterfowl habitat for half the annual migratory waterfowl in the Mississippi Flyway (Smith, Stoudt, and Gollop 1964). They also provide water storage and groundwater recharge. Agricultural land use impacts prairie potholes by creating mobile sediments that can fill these wetlands. Nutrients and sediments from cultivated watersheds entering pothole basins promote the growth of vegetation that in turn traps additional sediment. Such anthropogenic effects may modify and reduce wetland habitat through the filling of the pothole basin (Martin and Hartman 1986), causing changes in hydrology and vegetation composition.

Proceedings of the 27th Mississippi Water …, 1997

As a standard part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (N... more As a standard part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, biological tissues are collected from sites within each project area to detennine the occurrence and distribution of trace elements and ...

Wetlands, 1995

Although root plaques and associated oxidized root channels are used for wetland identification a... more Although root plaques and associated oxidized root channels are used for wetland identification as field indicators of wetland, hydrology, little information is available concerning their reliability as related to the environmental and biotic factors controlling their formation. Therefore, this review describes and evaluates the current state of knowledge of the factors controlling the formation of iron plaques and recommends research to address information gaps. Both abiotic and biotic factors control the presence and degree of iron plaque formation. The most important abiotic factor is the availability of soil iron. However, the effect of site variation in soil physico-chemical characteristics (e.g., texture, organic matter, pH, Eh, and soil fertility), on iron availability and microbial activity can influence the formation and persistence of root plaques and oxidized root channels. Although the oxidizing capacity of the plant root is the most important biotic factor controlling p...

Journal of …, 2012

Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is modeled. ... more Highlights ► The modern suspended sediment budget of the lowermost Mississippi River is modeled. ► The river is storing the majority of its sediment above the ocean outlets. ► Storage is by channel aggradation and overbank sedimentation. ► Distinct sediment cycle in this reach has major implications for LA coastal restoration.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has the task of mitigating functions ... more The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has the task of mitigating functions of bottomland hardwood (BLH) wetland forests in Mississippi lost as a result of the construction of various water resource projects. To date, the Vicksburg District has reforested almost 20,000 acres of BLH forest. This technical note reports on early functional recovery and monitoring at several of these sites, utilizing methodology based on "The Regional Guidebook for Conducting Functional Assessments Based on Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Classification and Reference Wetlands for Selected Wetland Subclasses in the Yazoo Basin, Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, USA" (Smith and Klimas 2002).

Denitrification rates were quantified in bottomland hardwood wetland soils of the Cache River. N ... more Denitrification rates were quantified in bottomland hardwood wetland soils of the Cache River. N 1-~ labeled nitrate was added to columns containing wetland soils and river water. Over 40 days, nitrate-N in floodwater (approximately 9 mg N L-') decreased by between 82% and 59%, which gave estimates of N export from the water column of between 1 !.5 mg N m-2 day ~ and 7.5 mg N m-2 day-L These values correlated directly with organic content of surface sediment, which included forest litter. Added glucose doubled rates of nitrate loss in these soils, which indicated that the process was carbon limited. Nitrification occurring simultaneously with denitrification was determined using isotopic dilution techniques. Contributions of nitrate to water from nitrification were estimated at between 5% and 12% of the total nitrate reduced. Rates of nitrogen transformation in these forest soils were likely limited by available soil carbon from tree litter and perhaps canopy leachate, rather than by nitrate concentration in inflowing floodwater.