Shenandoah National Park contains hundreds of natural springs which help form the headwaters of three major watersheds that empty into Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Tech partnered with the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring program to sample macroinvertebrates and environmental measures related to water quality, habitat availability, and human use at 63 springs within the park, of which, 59 could were assessed and analyzed. The goals of this inventory were to assess the distributions of macroinvertebrates across springs in the park. Additionally, we sought to determine whether macroinvertebrate diversity and the presence of rare taxa have been impacted by modifications made to springs and/or by visitor use. We identified 205 unique taxa across the 59 springs. Of those taxa, we identified 17 rare taxa using NatureServe’s Conservation Status Rank. Rare taxa were present in 32 springs, 19 of which were modified and 13 were unmodified. Class Insecta represented 90% of rare taxa that were mostly in orders Trichoptera, Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera and Odonata. There was no difference in total taxa richness or abundance between the spring types. Richness and abundance for all taxa and for rare taxa were greater, on average, in modified springs; however, these differences were not statistically significant. The diversity of spring types, locations and habitats appear to support a diversity of species that are not being negatively affected by visitor usage or spring box infrastructure. The springs provide a regional species pool at high density that are likely source populations for the headwater streams.

Non-biological data (habitat assessment, logger information, water quality data) for spring macroinvertebrate inventory sites at Shenandoah National Park. Dataset as delivered.

Non-biological data (habitat assessment, logger information, water quality data) for spring macroinvertebrate inventory sites at Shenandoah National Park. Dataset as delivered.

HOBO temperature logger files and data from the Shenandoah National Park spring macroinvertebrate inventory project. Dataset is as delivered.

HOBO temperature logger files and data from the Shenandoah National Park spring macroinvertebrate inventory project. Dataset is as delivered.

Geospatial data related to Natural Resource Report NPS/SHEN/NRR—2016/1190

Geospatial data related to Natural Resource Report NPS/SHEN/NRR—2016/1190

During October 1995 through March 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service, Luray, Virginia Station collected and analyzed samples of selected springs, air and unsaturated-zone gases in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. The 19-year record of measurements of chemical and isotopic composition of water discharging from 34 springs located along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, is reported. These data include field measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, concentrations of dissolved oxygen (O2), and pH. Laboratory measurements included major-, minor-, and trace-element chemistry; concentrations of dissolved gases (nitrogen, [N2] argon [Ar], oxygen, and carbon dioxide [CO2]); concentrations of dissolved trace atmospheric gases, including trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), and trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6); and hydrogen stable isotopic composition (δ2H) and oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) of water. The data include an up to 14-year time series record of monthly sampling at five springs collected between 1995 and 2013. The measurements included temperature, specific conductance, pH, and discharge recorded at 30-minute intervals. Atmospheric mixing ratios of CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, trifluorobromomethane (CF3Br), SF6, and trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride (SF5CF3) in air from the Big Meadows Air Monitoring Station, Shenandoah National Park, were measured at approximately weekly intervals from September 1995 through March 2014. Additional data include monthly (between May 2001 and August 2003) measurements of temperature, N2, O2, Ar, CO2, CFC-12, CFC-11, CFC-113, and SF6 concentrations in unsaturated-zone air from seven multilevel piezometers in Shenandoah National Park and at the U.S. Geological Survey National Center in Reston, Virginia. All samples were analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey Laboratories in Reston, Virginia.

During October 1995 through March 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service, Luray, Virginia Station collected and analyzed samples of selected springs, air and unsaturated-zone gases in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. The 19-year record of measurements of chemical and isotopic composition of water discharging from 34 springs located along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, is reported. These data include field measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, concentrations of dissolved oxygen (O2), and pH. Laboratory measurements included major-, minor-, and trace-element chemistry; concentrations of dissolved gases (nitrogen, [N2] argon [Ar], oxygen, and carbon dioxide [CO2]); concentrations of dissolved trace atmospheric gases, including trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), and trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6); and hydrogen stable isotopic composition (δ2H) and oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) of water. The data include an up to 14-year time series record of monthly sampling at five springs collected between 1995 and 2013. The measurements included temperature, specific conductance, pH, and discharge recorded at 30-minute intervals. Atmospheric mixing ratios of CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, trifluorobromomethane (CF3Br), SF6, and trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride (SF5CF3) in air from the Big Meadows Air Monitoring Station, Shenandoah National Park, were measured at approximately weekly intervals from September 1995 through March 2014. Additional data include monthly (between May 2001 and August 2003) measurements of temperature, N2, O2, Ar, CO2, CFC-12, CFC-11, CFC-113, and SF6 concentrations in unsaturated-zone air from seven multilevel piezometers in Shenandoah National Park and at the U.S. Geological Survey National Center in Reston, Virginia. All samples were analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey Laboratories in Reston, Virginia.

From 20 May - 8 June 2021, a Virginia Tech team of 2-3 sampled the macroinvertebrate community in 30 Shenandoah Valley streams (Virginia and West Virginia, USA) as part of a larger stream-health study including other teams who surveyed geomorphology, water quality, flow, temperature,fish community, and fish health at the same 30 streams. The macroinvertebrate community team also characterized the habitat units sampled for macroinvertebrates. At each stream, we sampled macroinvertebrates in two ways:1) in each stream we took 5 slack samples in riffles according to NAWQA protocol, and 2) we selected the most available and productive habitat where we used the Slack sampler to collect 5 additional samples in wood debris accumulations, undercut banks or leaf packs. Mesh size was 250 micrometer and samples were all taken for a known area. Other measurements included water temperature, electrical conductivity, and clarity, and percent of the reach comprising pool, riffle, and run habitats.