Project Title: Streamflow Monitoring

Project Purpose: to evaluate variation in streamflow across long-term fish and stream insect monitoring sites and determine whether these more cost-effective methods could be used as the primary way to monitor streamflow in the park.

Project Goals:

• to continue decades of streamflow monitoring in four watersheds that is essential for interpreting water quality and fish data and making management decisions, such as fishing closures.
• to collaborate with citizen scientists to use novel methods that leverage artificial intelligence to turn photographs from trail cameras into streamflow estimates.

Project Impact: Monitoring streamflow is critical for determining why brook trout are declining across much of the park as well as understanding the impacts of acid rain, climate change, and other major stressors to the park’s ecosystems. Streamflow has been part of Shenandoah’s water quality program for decades, but the EPA historically funded much of the program and recently eliminated this funding across the northeast. Streamflow monitoring supports a wide range of management and research needs, and the loss of this information would severely hinder the park’s ability to assess and address resource issues. 

Project Funding: $38,700 in FY25 and $22,700 in FY26