IDENTIFYING MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES ON KINNE BROOK 4 YEARS AFTER STREAM BARRIER REMOVAL

Stream ecology is a natural dynamic process, and human activity can vastly change the morphology of a stream over time. The installation and removal of dams on rivers and streams interferes with natural flow and changes characteristics and morphology. In 2013, MA Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Trout Unlimited, supported the removal of a small private dam on a section of Kinne Brook, a high-quality second order stream in western MA. The stream has been monitored annually since 2013 for changes in morphology that potentially impact fish and macroinvertebrate populations. Monitoring data reported on in this study was acquired through standard field techniques including longitudinal profile surveys, Wolman pebble counts, and assessments of macroinvertebrate populations using kick-net methods followed by microscopic identification. Cumulative results show a significant change in substrate data, some change in stream morphology, and fluctuating organism populations as the stream adjusts to its renewed connectivity. Continued monitoring is recommended to capture the long-term recovery stages of this important Wild and Scenic waterway.