Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program:
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Compaction of bed sediments in streams can result in reduced habitat utility for benthic organisms such as fish, crayfish, and mussels. Currently, sediment compaction levels are often estimated using qualitative measures. A quantitative measurement method would allow researchers to more accurately assess bed compaction as an important component of benthic organism habitat. In this study we developed and tested a new method to reliably quantify sediment compaction. We anticipate that this new methodology will be adopted by scientists and managers to better understand aquatic habitats and benthic species. This project is a collaborative effort between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the USGS Missouri Coop Unit.