Methods Protocol

 

Riparian/Habitat

Assessment

Methods:

 

  1. Entering the stream monitors should work downstream and depending on stream length an assessment should be completed every half to one mile.
  2. Each site should consist of an assessment of an estimated 15 – 25 yards
  3. GPS readings and pictures should be taken at each site
  4. At least three pictures per site: one upstream, one directly across the stream from the point at which the monitor is standing, and one down stream
  5. GPS information and picture numbers should be recorded
  6. Standardized sheets should be completed according to the instructions found in the “Riparian Assessment Instructions” and the “Description of Habitat Parameters” packets ( see appendix 4)
  7. After returning to lab, compile numerical scores according to “Habitat Assessment Field Data Sheet” to determine the “riparian rating” of the assessed sites

 

Instrumentation:

 

1.      Standardized Assessment Sheets

2.      Garmin 3 GPS unit

3.      Digital Camera

 

Quality Assurance:

           

1.      Standardized field data sheets

2.      Standardized instruction packets

3.      Same monitor/group of monitors should complete assessment for entire stream

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

 

 

Lockard, Laura  A. Personal interview. 14 July 2004.


Appendix IV

 

 

 

 

1.     Description of Habitat Parameters

2.     Habitat Assessment Field Data Sheet

3.     Parameters to be Evaluated in Sampling Research

4.     Riparian Assessment Instructions

5.     Riparian Area Assessment Data Sheets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description of

Habitat Parameters

 

 

 

 

 

 

Habitat Assessment Field

Data Sheet


 

 

 

 

Parameters to be Evaluated

In Sampling Research

Parameters to be evaluated in sampling reach:

 

1

EPIFAUNAL SUBSTRATE/AVAILABLE COVER

high and low gradient streams

Includes the relative quantity and variety of natural structures in the stream, such as cobble (riffles), large rocks, fallen trees, logs and branches, and undercut banks, available as refugia, feeding, or sites for spawning and nursery functions of aquatic macrofauna. A wide variety and/or abundance of submerged structures in the stream provides macroinvertebrates and fish with a large number of niches, thus increasing habitat diversity. As variety and abundance of cover decreases, habitat structure becomes monotonous, diversity decreases, and the potential for recovery following disturbance decreases. Riffles and runs are critical for maintaining a variety and abundance of insects in most high-gradient streams and serving as spawning and feeding refugia for certain fish. The extent and quality of the riffle is an important factor in the support of a healthy biological condition in high-gradient streams. Riffles and runs offer a diversity of habitat through variety of particle size, and, in many small high-gradient streams, will provide the most stable habitat. Snags and submerged logs are among the most productive habitat structure for macroinvertebrate colonization and fish refugia in low-gradient streams. However, "new fall" will not yet be suitable for colonization.

 

 

Selected References

Wesche et al. 1985, Pearsons et al. 1992, Gorman 1988, Rankin 1991, Barbour and Stribling 1991, Plafkin et al. 1989, Platts et al. 1983, Osborne et al. 1991, Benke et al. 1984, Wallace et al. 1996, Ball 1982, MacDonald et al. 1991, Reice 1980, Clements 1987, Hawkins et al. 1982, Beechie and Sibley 1997.

 

Habitat Parameter

Condition Category

Optimal

Suboptimal

Marginal

Poor

1. Epifaunal Substrate/Available Cover

(high and low gradient)

Greater than 70% (50% for low gradient streams) of substrate favorable for epifaunal colonization and fish cover; mix of snags, submerged logs, undercut banks, cobble or other stable habitat and at stage to allow full colonization potential (i.e., logs/snags that are not new fall and not transient).

40-70% (30-50% for low gradient streams) mix of stable habitat; well-suited for full colonization potential; adequate habitat for maintenance of populations; presence of additional substrate in the form of newfall, but not yet prepared for colonization (may rate at high end of scale).

20-40% (10-30% for low gradient streams) mix of stable habitat; habitat availability less than desirable; substrate frequently disturbed or removed.

Less than 20% (10% for low gradient streams) stable habitat; lack of habitat is obvious; substrate unstable or lacking.

SCORE ___

20  19  18  17  16

15  14  13  12  11

10   9   8   7   6

 5   4   3   2   1   0

1a.  Epifaunal Substrate/Available Cover--High Gradient

Optimal and Poor Range Photos

1b.  Epifaunal Substrate/Available Cover--Low Gradient

Optimal and Poor Range Photos

2a

EMBEDDEDNESS

high gradient streams

Refers to the extent to which rocks (gravel, cobble, and boulders) and snags are covered or sunken into the silt, sand, or mud of the stream bottom. Generally, as rocks become embedded, the surface area available to macroinvertebrates and fish (shelter, spawning, and egg incubation) is decreased. Embeddedness is a result of large-scale sediment movement and deposition, and is a parameter evaluated in the riffles and runs of high-gradient streams. The rating of this parameter may be variable depending on where the observations are taken. To avoid confusion with sediment deposition (another habitat parameter), observations of embeddedness should be taken in the upstream and central portions of riffles and cobble substrate areas.

 

 

Selected References

Ball 1982, Osborne et al. 1991, Barbour and Stribling 1991, Platts et al. 1983, MacDonald et al. 1991, Rankin 1991, Reice 1980, Clements 1987, Benke et al. 1984, Hawkins et al. 1982, Burton and Harvey 1990.

 

Habitat Parameter

Condition Category

Optimal

Suboptimal

Marginal

Poor

2.a Embeddedness

(high gradient)

Gravel, cobble, and boulder particles are 0-25% surrounded by fine sediment. Layering of cobble provides diversity of niche space.

Gravel, cobble, and boulder particles are 25-50% surrounded by fine sediment.

Gravel, cobble, and boulder particles are 50-75% surrounded by fine sediment.

Gravel, cobble, and boulder particles are more than 75% surrounded by fine sediment.

SCORE ___

20  19  18  17  16

15  14  13  12  11

10   9   8   7   6

 5   4   3   2   1   0

2a.  Embeddedness--High Gradient

Optimal and Poor Range Photos

2b

POOL SUBSTRATE CHARACTERIZATION

low gradient streams

Evaluates the type and condition of bottom substrates found in pools. Firmer sediment types (e.g., gravel, sand) and rooted aquatic plants support a wider variety of organisms than a pool substrate dominated by mud or bedrock and no plants. In addition, a stream that has a uniform substrate in its pools will support far fewer types of organisms than a stream that has a variety of substrate types.

 

 

Selected References

Beschta and Platts 1986, U.S. EPA 1983.

 

Habitat Parameter

Condition Category

Optimal

Suboptimal

Marginal

Poor

2b. Pool Substrate Characterization

(low gradient)

Mixture of substrate materials, with gravel and firm sand prevalent; root mats and submerged vegetation common.

Mixture of soft sand, mud, or clay; mud may be dominant; some root mats and submerged vegetation present.

All mud or clay or sand bottom; little or no root mat; no submerged vegetation.

Hard-pan clay or bedrock; no root mat or submerged vegetation.

SCORE ___

20  19  18  17  16

15  14  13  12  11

10   9   8   7   6

 5   4   3   2   1   0

2b. Pool Substrate Characterization--Low Gradient

Optimal and Poor Range Photos

3a

VELOCITY/DEPTH COMBINATIONS

high gradient streams

Patterns of velocity and depth are included for high-gradient streams under this parameter as an important feature of habitat diversity. The best streams in most high-gradient regions will have all 4 patterns present: (1) slow-deep, (2) slow-shallow, (3) fast-deep, and (4) fast-shallow. The general guidelines are 0.5 m depth to separate shallow from deep, and 0.3 m/sec to separate fast from slow. The occurrence of these 4 patterns relates to the stream's ability to provide and maintain a stable aquatic environment.

 

 

Selected References

Ball 1982, Brown and Brussock 1991, Gore and Judy 1981, Oswood and Barber 1982.

 

Habitat Parameter

Condition Category

Optimal

Suboptimal

Marginal

Poor

3a. Velocity/ Depth Regimes

(high gradient)

All 4 velocity/depth regimes present (slow-deep, slow-shallow, fast-deep, fast-shallow). (slow is <0.3 m/s, deep is >0.5 m).

Only 3 of the 4 regimes present (if fast-shallow is missing, score lower than if missing other regimes).

Only 2 of the 4 habitat regimes present (if fast-shallow or slow-shallow are missing, score low).

Dominated by 1 velocity/ depth regime (usually slow-deep).

SCORE ___

20  19  18  17  16

15  14  13  12  11

10   9   8   7   6

 5   4   3   2   1   0

3a. Velocity/Depth Regimes--High Gradient

Optimal and Poor Range Photos

3b

POOL VARIABILITY

low gradient streams

Rates the overall mixture of pool types found in streams, according to size and depth. The 4 basic types of pools are large-shallow, large-deep, small-shallow, and small-deep. A stream with many pool types will support a wide variety of aquatic species. Rivers with low sinuosity (few bends) and monotonous pool characteristics do not have sufficient quantities and types of habitat to support a diverse aquatic community. General guidelines are any pool dimension (i.e., length, width, oblique) greater than half the cross-section of the stream for separating large from small and 1 m depth separating shallow and deep.

 

 

Selected References

Beschta and Platts 1986, USEPA 1983.

 

Habitat Parameter

Condition Category

Optimal

Suboptimal

Marginal

Poor

3b. Pool Variability

(low gradient)

Even mix of large-shallow, large-deep, small-shallow, small-deep pools present.

Majority of pools large-deep; very few shallow.

Shallow pools much more prevalent than deep pools.

Majority of pools small-shallow or pools absent.

SCORE ___

20  19  18  17  16

15  14  13  12  11

10   9   8   7   6

 5   4   3   2   1   0

3b. Pool Variability--Low Gradient

Optimal and Poor Range Photos

4

SEDIMENT DEPOSITION

high and low gradient streams

Measures the amount of sediment that has accumulated in pools and the changes that have occurred to the stream bottom as a result of deposition. Deposition occurs from large-scale movement of sediment. Sediment deposition may cause the formation of islands, point bars (areas of increased deposition usually at the beginning of a meander that increase in size as the channel is diverted toward the outer bank) or shoals, or result in the filling of runs and pools. Usually deposition is evident in areas that are obstructed by natural or manmade debris and areas where the stream flow decreases, such as bends. High levels of sediment deposition are symptoms of an unstable and continually changing environment that becomes unsuitable for many organisms.

 

 

Selected References

MacDonald et al. 1991, Platts et al. 1983, Ball 1982, Armour et al. 1991, Barbour and Stribling 1991, Rosgen 1985.

 

Habitat Parameter

Condition Category

Optimal

Suboptimal

Marginal

Poor

4. Sediment Deposition

(high and low gradient)

Little or no enlargement of islands or point bars and less than 5% (<20% for low-gradient streams) of the bottom affected by sediment deposition.

Some new increase in bar formation, mostly from gravel, sand or fine sediment; 5-30% (20-50% for low-gradient) of the bottom affected; slight deposition in pools.

Moderate deposition of new gravel, sand or fine sediment on old and new bars; 30-50% (50-80% for low-gradient) of the bottom affected; sediment deposits at obstructions, constrictions, and bends; moderate deposition of pools prevalent.

Heavy deposits of fine material, increased bar development; more than 50% (80% for low-gradient) of the bottom changing frequently; pools almost absent due to substantial sediment deposition.