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Stream hydrology strongly affects habitat quality for most stream-dwelling species, and is affected by both climate and land use. This measure, which is colocated with stream temperature regime, reports on flow parameters in 10-12 park streams over time - using in-situ water level data loggers, as well as hydrometric stations.

Hydrological patterns determine water depth, flow intensity, duration, and frequency of flooding, as well as low flow periods. Water levels in streams are not considered stable, but fluctuate seasonally. Hydrologic conditions primarily affect abiotic factors such as habitat structure, temperature and water chemistry, which in turn determine the biotic components (species composition, species richness, primary productivity) of the stream ecosystem. In PEI National Park, stream discharge (m3/sec) is predicted in four streams within PEI National Park using Onset HOBO U20 water level loggers and rating curves generated in four small 1 – 3rd order streams.

Water temperature is a critical variable in stream ecology, and in particular has direct implications for fish populations. Automated data loggers are being used to record year-round hourly measurments of water temperature in various watersheds in Torngat Mountains national park. Note that because the data loggers being used (Hobo U20) also records hourly water level readings this measure is co-located with a stream hydrology measure.

Hydrology is a key factor affecting biodiversity and the ecological functioning of aquatic and riparian ecosystems through sediment transport, erosion, water chemistry, etc. Automated data loggers are being used to record year-round hourly measurments of absolute in-stream pressure, absolute barometric pressure and water level in headwater streams of the Ivitak focal watershed, in Torngat Mountains national park. Note that because the data loggers being used (Hobo U20) also records hourly water temperature readings this measure is co-located with a stream temperature measure.

Stream thermal regime has important consequences for aquatic organisms, and is sensitive to climate and land use. The Park is monitoring thermal regimes at 10 sites annually from spring to fall using temperature loggers. The water temperature is recorded hourly and these data used to assess the suitability of the thermal environment of streams for Brook Trout.

Benthic macro-invertebrate diversity, stream hydrology, water chemistry, climate, geology, and landcover are collected at randomly selected sites using a standard protocol for the assessment of stream condition and are being monitored both at reference and impacted sites. The overall scope or aim of this measure is the use of a reference condition approach model capable of assessing the ecological integrity of streams and rivers in the eight national mountain parks of Western Canada.

What? Stream temperatures on third order streams in Cape Breton Highlands National Park are being monitored to determine if mean water temperatures are changing over time. When? Monitoring frequency occurs annually from June 15th to September 15th on various park streams.

Thousand Islands NP installs temperature data loggers to monitor hourly stream water temperatures at designated stream study sites from spring until fall.

Terra Nova National Park employs fixed station pressure/temperature loggers to continuously monitor stream water temperatures over the entire summer at designated stream study sites.

Brook trout are top predators in aquatic ecosystems at Kejimkujik that integrate the effects of stressors throughout the aquatic trophic structure. They are sensitive to a variety of stressors, including acidification, changes in water quality, climate change, fishing pressure, exotic species introductions, trophic structure alterations, land use change, and watershed fragmentation. The monitoring program tracks Brook trout population status, as assessed by relative abundance and trout condition at two watersheds in Kejimkujik. Volunteer anglers record morphometric and catch per unit effort data during the months of April, May and June for 3 years in a row every 5 years.