Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010CO219B

Shear Resistance of the Nuisance Diatom Didymosphenia Geminata

Institute: Colorado
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $2,928

Principal Investigators: Diane McKnight

Project Summary: Didymosphenia geminata is a nuisance diatom species that can form large amounts of stalk material that covers the streambed (Larnard et al. 2006). These blooms impact the aesthetic value and biodiversity of mountain streams across many parts of North America particularly the Rocky Mountain states. In recent years there has been an increase in nuisance blooms, as well as spreading to new watersheds (Spaulding and Elwell 2007). D. geminata tends to prefer regulated flow conditions downstream of reservoirs (Kirkwood et al. 2009). Studies in Boulder Creek, CO (Cullis 2009; Miller et al. 2009) and elsewhere (Kilroy et al. 2005; Kirkwood et al. 2007) have shown that elevated shear stress and bed disturbance are important in controlling growth.