Wesley Noone is a student trainee in hydrology at the USGS Oregon Water Science Center and recently published his graduate thesis, "Impacts of Floodplain Restoration on Water Temperature and Macroinvertebrates in Whychus Creek, Oregon," as part of his Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Science and Management. His research explored the impact of restored streams on water temperature and how thermal changes affected aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. In summer 2021, Noone collected 40 macroinvertebrate samples and identified the environmental conditions of three reaches in Whychus Creek, Oregon. He evaluated three hypotheses: 1) restoration increases habitat diversity, 2) habitat diversity increases water temperature heterogeneity, and 3) restored reaches have more diverse macroinvertebrate communities.
The USGS Pathways Internship Program provides all levels of students in an accredited high school, college or university, advanced degree program, and professional/trade school to work in Federal agencies as student interns, explore career options, and get paid for their work. Wesley took advantage of this resource while pursuing his M.S. degree, and came out of it with new skills and a passion for water science research.
What motivated you to pursue this topic?
Stream restoration is my passion. I enjoy the serenity of nature, water, and wildlife in restored ecosystems or streams that maintain their natural function. I wanted to learn more about the impacts of stream restoration on water temperature and macroinvertebrates to better understand mechanisms that re-establish healthy ecosystems. Water temperature is a fairly simple parameter to measure, however, few studies have evaluated the impacts of restoration on water temperature in different habitat types created during restoration. Measuring the water temperature in restored streams helps us understand the complex impacts of stream restoration and its impacts on wildlife like macroinvertebrates.
Why is your research important? If any, what are the possible real-world applications?
My research is important because climate change predictions indicate that streams will warm in the future, relative to present and historical temperature ranges. Stream restoration has potential to ameliorate the effects of climate change through the creation of cold-water refugia, new habitat types, and restoring natural function to the ecosystem. My research supports that Stage 0, a relatively new term used to describe a particular approach to stream restoration, is a successful approach to restoring streams. My research showed that macroinvertebrate biodiversity was higher in restored stream reaches versus degraded stream reaches. My research provides evidence that stream restoration can help slow the decline of biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems.
What was one favorite and one challenging aspect of the research process?
One favorite part of my research process was the people I was able to work with. Everyone from classmates, faculty and staff, co-workers, and cooperators were involved in my research in some way. Together, they made this a great research project.
One challenging aspect of the research was the lab work. I identified over 10,000 macroinvertebrates using a microscope and identification guides. This work required long days, evenings, and even weekends looking at insects under the microscope. On top of that, I was nursing a compressed vertebrae from a river accident. While the microscope work caused discomfort to my injury, I attended physical therapy during that time and fully healed from the injury. I was so happy when the lab work was done and felt much better!
What skills did you gain from this experience? and/or What did you learn that was most impactful to you as a student and as a hydrology trainee?
Where do I begin? During my 3 years as a student hydrology trainee I have gained skills in the field, office, and lab. What was most impactful was learning about data quality and how the USGS implements policies to ensure highly accurate data.
What advice would you give to students interested in this field and seeking out a similar opportunity?
Just go for it! There was a lot of uncertainty when I moved to Portland for the position during the pandemic in July 2020, however, I found the staff at USGS to be very welcoming and accommodating. It feels like a big family here and we all want to see one another succeed. Reach out to others during the process as you have questions, people are there to help.
What’s next for you? In terms of research to pursue or general career next steps.
I am currently working on a research projects with the USGS to evaluate algae and their potential impacts on drinking water in Oregon. I hope to release data on our website as part of that project and eventually publish a report or journal article. In the future, I hope to pursue more research focused on stream restoration.