tuscarora pmu & independence valley basin watershed assessment
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TUSCARORA PMUTUSCARORA PMU& &
INDEPENDENCE VALLEY BASININDEPENDENCE VALLEY BASIN
WATERSHED ASSESSMENTWATERSHED ASSESSMENT
PROJECT UPDATE – FALL 2007
SRK Consulting Inc.
By:
For:
Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group
Watershed Assessment
The Approach:• Assess the current landscape condition
with respect to ecological site potential.• Assess the current riparian area
condition with respect to proper functioning condition characteristics.
• Identify opportunities for changing management to address landscape scale problems.
Watershed Assessment - IntroductionWatershed Assessment - Introduction
• Assessment Team Members– Gary Back, PhD ~ Principal Ecologist– Ryan Shane ~ Natural Resource & GIS Specialist– Angel Nicholson ~ Staff Biologist
• Contributors– Natural Resource Conservation Service – Bureau of Land Management – U.S. Forest Service – Nevada Department of Wildlife– Private Landowners– Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group
Watershed Assessment - LocationWatershed Assessment - Location
PMU and Sub-basin BoundariesPMU and Sub-basin Boundaries
– Watershed Assessment Process (RIEC&IAC 1995)
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WE ARE HERE
Watershed Assessment Process (RIEC&IAC 1995)
• Characterization – Identifying dominant physical, biological, and human processes or features
• Issues and Key Questions – Focusing on management questions, objectives, human values, and resource conditions
• Current Conditions – Establish the current range, distribution, and conditions of relevant ecosystems
Watershed Assessment Process- Cont’d. (RIEC&IAC 1995)
• Reference Conditions – Ecological Site Descriptions, Riparian Proper Functioning Condition
• Interpretation – Comparison of ecological site conditions and current conditions; interpretation of differences, similarities, trends, and their causes
• Recommendations – Integration of all steps to provide recommendations that are based on data and sound scientifically-supported concepts
Watershed Assessment Process- Cont’d. (RIEC&IAC 1995)
• Goal – Enable landowners and land managers to implement ecologically sound management activities to improve and/or sustain watershed health
• i.e., identify what is broken, determine ecologically sound fixes, and implement actions to sustain landscape health while maintaining desired land uses.
Watershed Assessment - ProcessWatershed Assessment - Process
• First, understand the collective ecosystem elements
• Which enhances the ability for estimating impacts and benefits of management and use activities, and
• Allows for the development and implementation of appropriate resource use, management, and conservation
• Maintain “Healthy Landscapes and Quality Lifestyles” for the long-term
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology
• Cooperation
• Landowner permissions
• Data research and request
• Heritage information survey
• Collaboration with similar efforts
• Landowner and public concerns
• Consultation• Coordination
• Collaboration
Watershed Watershed Assessment – Assessment – MethodologyMethodology
• Heritage Survey
How long have you lived and worked in the area?Have you witnessed flooding events in area?Has water quantity, quality, or usage changed?Have you seen any issues that pose risks to the health of the watershed?Would improvements, treatments or a management change improve these conditions?Why is the watershed and associated resources important to you and your family?
Watershed Watershed Assessment Assessment
- Methodology- Methodology
• Sub-watershed Delineation
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology
• Data request, organization, and assembly• Ecological
– Soils– Ecological sites
• Water Courses– Ditches– Pipelines– Stream– Drainages
• Stream Condition– PFC – Stream Survey
• Spring Condition– PFC
• Roads– Highways– two-tracks
• Fires – Size, area, year
• Grazing – Use Pattern Maps– Key Areas and Use – Range improvements– Allotments
• Topography– 24K, 100K, and 250K
• Aerial Photos
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology• Field Map Construction
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology
• Field Binder Assembly
• Reference Collection– PFC for lotic areas 1737-15
– PFC for lentic areas 1737-16– Applied River Morphology (Rosgen 1996) – Interpreting indicators of rangeland health 1734-6
– reference area worksheets– ecological site descriptions
– Utilization studies and residual measurements 1734-3– stubble height– key species use and browse
– Tuscarora PMU sage grouse conservation plan– habitat r-value definitions
• Data sheet Construction– Site Assessment– Photo-point
Watershed Watershed Assessment Assessment
- Methodology- Methodology
• Site Selection
– Assessment Sites • Upland• Riparian
– Photo-point Sites
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology Science BackgroundScience Background
• Uplands – comparison of current conditions with ecological site description; i.e., an assessment of rangeland health (soils, vegetation, and hydrology)
• Uplands – use of State and Transition Models to determine if the site is likely to transition to another state; i.e., is the site approaching thresholds
• Uplands – use of thresholds to determine if management changes are necessary and what changes are likely to achieve the desired result
HERBACEOUS DOMINANT
DECLINING HERBACEOU
S UNDERSTOR
Y
UNDERSTORY ABSENT
TH
RES
HO
LD
REQUIRES ADDITIONAL INPUTS
SAGEBRUSH DOMINANT
REQUIRES ADDITIONAL INPUTS
UNDERSTORY ABSENT
JUNIPER/PINYON DOMINANT
ALTERED SITE POTENTIAL
(NEW ECOLOGICAL SITE)
MAY REQUIRE THOUSANDS OF YEARS OR MAY NEVER RETURN TO ORIGINAL ECOLOGICAL SITE POTENTIAL.
SUCCESSION
FIRE OR FIRE SURROGATE
UNKNOWN SPECIES
COMPOSITION
TH
RES
HO
LD
TH
RES
HO
LD
DECLINING SHRUB
UNDERSTORY
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology Science BackgroundScience Background
• Riparian Channels - Rosgen Stream Channel Classification – use of the channel morphology to determine potential for change given current conditions
• Riparian Systems – Stream Condition Attributes – use of PFC-related attributes to identify specific stream characteristics compromising stream resilience and resistance to disturbances
Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology Science BackgroundScience Background
• Sage-grouse Habitat Assessment –“Restoration Value” or R-value Rating System
– R1: Perennial herbaceous understory is present, but sagebrush cover is limited or lacking
– R2: Sagebrush is present in adequate amounts, but herbaceous understory is limited or lacking– R3: Pinyon and/or juniper are replacing the
sagebrush on range sites
– R4: Perennial species and sagebrush are lacking; annual grassland (e.g., Cheatgrass)
– R0: Suitable habitat for sage-grouse for one or more seasonal habitats
Watershed Watershed Assessment Assessment
- Methodology- Methodology
• Field Data Collection– Logistics
• ATVs, GPS, Cameras
• 8 days
– Sites Visited• ~520 sites documented
– 350 photo-points
– 170 assessments
Waypoint: R098
Direction: East and West
Photo Number: 182-184
Description: Road crossing washing out, thistle infestation, uplands barren to sparse cheatgrass
GPS Coordinate: 4571988, 577288
Critical deer habitatGrazed moderate to light
None
Grazing Mining
10-8-07 R080 0579186 4575708RSS 136-144 RSS
Independence Burns
South Slope 14-16
PUTR, ARTRV, ELCI, BASA, PSSP, CHVI, AMAL
BRTE Sporadic
43
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Watershed AssessmentWatershed Assessment
• Examples of Non-management oriented issues – i.e., things over which the landowner or land manager have no control
Geologic Features
Climatic Events
Vegetation Mortality Events
Topographical Effects
Channel Types
Ecological Sites
A B C
Slope: <2%
Sinuosity: >1.2
Width:Depth: >12
Entrenchment: >2.2
Slope: 2-4%
Sinuosity: >1.2
Width:Depth: >12
Entrenchment: 1.4-2.2
Slope: 4-10%
Sinuosity: 1-1.2
Width:Depth: <12
Entrenchment: <1.4
Channel Types
Loamy 10-12 p.z. Claypan 10-12 p.z.
Ecological SitesCover: 30-40%
Species: Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Thurber’s Needlegrass
Big Sagebrush
Production: 800 lbs/ac.
Composition: 65% grasses
10% forbs
25% shrubs
Increasers: Big Sagebrush
Rabbitbrush
Sandberg bluegrass
Bottlebrush squirreltail
Invaders: Cheatgrass
Annual mustards
Cover: 20-30%
Species: Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Thurber’s Needlegrass
Low/Early Sagebrush
Production: 600 lbs/ac.
Composition: 60% grasses
10% forbs
30% shrubs
Increasers: Low/Early Sage
Rabbitbrush
Sandberg bluegrass
Bottlebrush squirreltail
Invaders: Cheatgrass
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Watershed AssessmentWatershed Assessment
Example Management-Oriented Issues
Weeds
Fire & Fuels
Vegetation Community Composition
Resource Exploration
Mining
Agriculture
Recreation
Roads
Influential Structures
Buildings and Development
Garbage and Pollutants
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Watershed AssessmentWatershed Assessment
• Assessment Results and Provisions
– ID and Assessment of Dominant Features– Activities, Uses, Risks– Historical and Present Resources & Processes– Cumulative Impacts
– Prioritization for Addressing Issues
– Recommendations– General Management Guidelines – Range of Options– Identify Empowered and Responsible Entities
– Monitoring Guidelines
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Watershed AssessmentWatershed Assessment
• Next Steps
– Develop Access Data Base for Data Input– Input Data– Conduct Data Analysis and Spatial Analysis– Develop Management Recommendations– Prepare Landscape Scale Management Plan– Develop Monitoring Guidelines
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Valley Basin Watershed Assessment
Healthy Rangelands + Healthy Creeks = Healthy Landscapes
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Valley Basin Watershed Assessment
Healthy Landscapes = Quality Lifestyles
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Valley Basin Watershed Assessment
Healthy Landscapes = Quality Lifestyles
Tuscarora PMU / Independence Valley Basin Watershed Assessment
Healthy Landscapes = Quality Lifestyles
TUSCARORA PMUWATERSHED ASSESSMENT
PROJECT UPDATE – FALL 2007
SRK Consulting Inc.
By:
For:
Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group
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