Monitoring - Evaluation [6]
Evaluation Name:
Priority Watershed Evaluation
Evaluation:
Condition Classification
Three condition classes will be used to track the progress of aquatic ecosystems: functioning properly, functioning at risk, and impaired function. (Refer to Watershed Condition Classification Guide, FS-978, July 2011).
Functioning Properly: The indicator is functioning and contributes to the integrity of the system relative to its natural potential condition.
Functioning at Risk: The indicator exhibits some impairment to its functioning and the ecosystem integrity relative to its natural potential condition is “at risk”.
Impaired Function: The functionality of the system is impaired due to exceeding some physical, hydrological, or biological threshold.
Condition Evaluation
1) Aquatic habitat condition: For the first 2 years of the plan, address the following:
a. What is the baseline? What is amount of perennial streams in the three watersheds and check whether the following indicators are either functioning properly (FP), functioning at risk (FR), or functionally impaired (FI).
i. Aquatic passage: For perennial streams, how many segments are
1. FP: More than 95 percent are historically connected.
2. FR:25 - 95 percent of the passages are blocked (and where).
3. FI: Less than 25 percent are connected? What are the blockages and where.
ii. Large Wood: Of the stream segments with passages that are functioning properly or functioning at risk, what is the amount of
1. FP: More than xx wood per xx feet that are Dia=55 cm, 1m length (Desired Condition)
2. FR: Between xx and xx amount of wood
3. FI: Little or no wood instream per xx feet segment?
iii. Stream channel shape and function: Of the perennial stream segments with passages functioning properly or functioning at risk, what are the stream types of these segments for reference conditions of channel shape? E type, D braided? Etc? How much of these stream segments are the channel shapes functioning as follows:
1. FP: width to depth ratio is less than 5 percent variance from reference?
2. FR: the ratio is between 5 and 25 percent from reference?
3. FI: the ratio is more than 25 percent of reference?
iv. Water quality: Of the perennial stream segments with passages functioning properly or functioning at risk, how much and where are the stream segments that have the following:
1. FP: no state-listed impaired waters?
2. FR: less than 10 percent are state-listed impaired?
3. FI: more than 10 percent are state-listed impaired?
v. Water quantity: Of the perennial stream segments with passages functioning properly or functioning at risk, how much and where are stream segments that have the following:
1. FP: no hydrologic modifications and hydrographs have no alterations from natural conditions?
2. FR: hydro-modifications exist but departure from natural hydrographs occurs only during extreme flows
3. FI: hydro-modifications divert flows and cause a significant departure from a natural hydrograph
2) Aquatic Biota Conditions: For the first 2 years of the plan, address the following:
a. What is the baseline? What life forms exist in the three watersheds? What focal species would indicate the aquatic ecosystems are functioning properly?
i. Does a sample of perennial stream segments indicate the following for presence of invertebrates and macroinvertbrates? Presence of native fish? The presence of American Eel as focal species?
1. FP: the focal species xxx is present; more than 90 percent of the expected invertebrates, macroinvertebrates, and the mix of native fish species occur.
2. FR: the focal species American Eel is residual, approximately 70-90 percent of the expected species occur
3. FI: the focal species American Eel is not present, less than 70 percent of the expected species occur.
ii. Riparian management zone: native vegetation (hardwoods)
1. FP: more than 80 percent of the zone has mid to late seral hardwoods
2. FR: 25 to 80 percent of the zone has mid to late seral hardwood
3. FI: less than 25 percent of the zone has mid to late seral hardwood
3) For every 2 year period after establishing the baseline, address the following:
a. What is the change in conditions classes for each indicator within the 3 subwatersheds that are a priority for restoration?
b. What percent of the strategy for restoration for the 2 year period has been achieved?
Three condition classes will be used to track the progress of aquatic ecosystems: functioning properly, functioning at risk, and impaired function. (Refer to Watershed Condition Classification Guide, FS-978, July 2011).
Functioning Properly: The indicator is functioning and contributes to the integrity of the system relative to its natural potential condition.
Functioning at Risk: The indicator exhibits some impairment to its functioning and the ecosystem integrity relative to its natural potential condition is “at risk”.
Impaired Function: The functionality of the system is impaired due to exceeding some physical, hydrological, or biological threshold.
Condition Evaluation
1) Aquatic habitat condition: For the first 2 years of the plan, address the following:
a. What is the baseline? What is amount of perennial streams in the three watersheds and check whether the following indicators are either functioning properly (FP), functioning at risk (FR), or functionally impaired (FI).
i. Aquatic passage: For perennial streams, how many segments are
1. FP: More than 95 percent are historically connected.
2. FR:25 - 95 percent of the passages are blocked (and where).
3. FI: Less than 25 percent are connected? What are the blockages and where.
ii. Large Wood: Of the stream segments with passages that are functioning properly or functioning at risk, what is the amount of
1. FP: More than xx wood per xx feet that are Dia=55 cm, 1m length (Desired Condition)
2. FR: Between xx and xx amount of wood
3. FI: Little or no wood instream per xx feet segment?
iii. Stream channel shape and function: Of the perennial stream segments with passages functioning properly or functioning at risk, what are the stream types of these segments for reference conditions of channel shape? E type, D braided? Etc? How much of these stream segments are the channel shapes functioning as follows:
1. FP: width to depth ratio is less than 5 percent variance from reference?
2. FR: the ratio is between 5 and 25 percent from reference?
3. FI: the ratio is more than 25 percent of reference?
iv. Water quality: Of the perennial stream segments with passages functioning properly or functioning at risk, how much and where are the stream segments that have the following:
1. FP: no state-listed impaired waters?
2. FR: less than 10 percent are state-listed impaired?
3. FI: more than 10 percent are state-listed impaired?
v. Water quantity: Of the perennial stream segments with passages functioning properly or functioning at risk, how much and where are stream segments that have the following:
1. FP: no hydrologic modifications and hydrographs have no alterations from natural conditions?
2. FR: hydro-modifications exist but departure from natural hydrographs occurs only during extreme flows
3. FI: hydro-modifications divert flows and cause a significant departure from a natural hydrograph
2) Aquatic Biota Conditions: For the first 2 years of the plan, address the following:
a. What is the baseline? What life forms exist in the three watersheds? What focal species would indicate the aquatic ecosystems are functioning properly?
i. Does a sample of perennial stream segments indicate the following for presence of invertebrates and macroinvertbrates? Presence of native fish? The presence of American Eel as focal species?
1. FP: the focal species xxx is present; more than 90 percent of the expected invertebrates, macroinvertebrates, and the mix of native fish species occur.
2. FR: the focal species American Eel is residual, approximately 70-90 percent of the expected species occur
3. FI: the focal species American Eel is not present, less than 70 percent of the expected species occur.
ii. Riparian management zone: native vegetation (hardwoods)
1. FP: more than 80 percent of the zone has mid to late seral hardwoods
2. FR: 25 to 80 percent of the zone has mid to late seral hardwood
3. FI: less than 25 percent of the zone has mid to late seral hardwood
3) For every 2 year period after establishing the baseline, address the following:
a. What is the change in conditions classes for each indicator within the 3 subwatersheds that are a priority for restoration?
b. What percent of the strategy for restoration for the 2 year period has been achieved?
Alert:
Alert: If any of the indicators have “impaired function, then determine the root cause for the departure, document and post on the monitoring website. Consider terrestrial physical and biotic factors in determining the root cause, such as proximity to roads and trails, fire regime condition class, invasive species, or insect and disease conditions. Determine whether or not to adjust the strategy for restoration and post the results of this assessment on the monitoring website. Specific alerts by question that may provide additional insight include:
1. MQ#10 Barriers - no increase potential barriers
2. MQ#11 Past survey data decline in large woody debris (LWD) per mile volume by 20%
3. MQ#12 Stream gage - two consecutive years of decreasing flow
4. MQ#12 Parameters exceed water quality standards
5. MQ#13 Aquatic species decline rapidly over one survey period
1. MQ#10 Barriers - no increase potential barriers
2. MQ#11 Past survey data decline in large woody debris (LWD) per mile volume by 20%
3. MQ#12 Stream gage - two consecutive years of decreasing flow
4. MQ#12 Parameters exceed water quality standards
5. MQ#13 Aquatic species decline rapidly over one survey period
Adaptive Strategy:
Adaptive Management Strategy: Decide whether or not to change any actions in the program of work to address departure of conditions from the strategy formulated for restoration of aquatic ecosystems, including the following:
1. MQ#10 Barrier - remove barriers
2. MQ#11 Add more LW, determine why decline is occurring through hydrologic and fire reasons , mitigate with low intensity burns
3. MQ#12 stream gage notify DEHC or other state and/or federal agency's that draw water or responsible for water quality
4. MQ#12 Work with state and private citizens to identify and mitigate the cause if possible. Most effects are from off forest
5. MQ#13 Monitor habitat surveys and if habitat is lacking add Large Wood. Water quality should be analyzed and work with partner to identify problem and mitigate
1. MQ#10 Barrier - remove barriers
2. MQ#11 Add more LW, determine why decline is occurring through hydrologic and fire reasons , mitigate with low intensity burns
3. MQ#12 stream gage notify DEHC or other state and/or federal agency's that draw water or responsible for water quality
4. MQ#12 Work with state and private citizens to identify and mitigate the cause if possible. Most effects are from off forest
5. MQ#13 Monitor habitat surveys and if habitat is lacking add Large Wood. Water quality should be analyzed and work with partner to identify problem and mitigate
Research Needs:
History