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2. Conducting the Rapid Stream-Riparian Assessment <br />The overall approach for assessing stream-riparian health with the RSRA protocol is to: <br />A. Identify the specific reach of interest within a watershed <br />B. Identify, if possible, a reference area for that reach with similar geomorphology and biotic <br />structure <br />C. Collect as much background information on the reach as is available and appropriate <br />D. Conduct the protocol in the field <br />We recommend that the protocol be conducted by a team of at least two or three people, and <br />that each team member read this User's Guide and become familiar with the RSRA Field <br />Worksheet and Score Sheet (Appendices 2 and 3) before beginning the field surveys. <br />A. Identify the Study Reach of InteNest <br />The segment of a stream or river that is to be examined should be representative of the area of <br />interest, and it should generally be relatively uniform in character, landform, geology and vege- <br />tation. The study reach should be approximately 1 111 in length, and, when possible, include at <br />least 3-4 stream meanders. Different reaches within a watershed may have different characteris- <br />tics due to varying geology, hydrology, elevation, and past histories of land use. In such cases, <br />it is appropriate to conduct separate evaluations in several different reaches. The location of the <br />study stream reach should be representative of the range of conditions found in the watershed <br />and should not be chosen to illustrate particularly good (or bad) conditions that would bias the <br />scores given to the entire stream. <br />B. Identify One o~ Mope Reference Reaches <br />Because of the long history of occupation and use by Native Americans and Hispanic and <br />Anglo settlers, it can often be difficult to visualize the natural or unaltered condition of many <br />western streams and rivers. Therefore, whenever possible, reference sites should be identified <br />and visited prior to conducting the protocol on the study reach itself. These sites can also be a <br />good location to train new individuals about general ecological and fluvial processes, as well as <br />in the use of the protocol itself. <br />In choosing a reference reach, the team should look for systems with the following characteris- <br />tics: 1) similar geology, elevation, and flow patterns (both in the amount and timing of peak and <br />average water flows) to the study reach; and 2) nearly natural or close to natural conditions and <br />as free as possible from recent and historic human caused disturbances, especially water diver- <br />sions, roads, livestock grazing, mining, and ground water pumping. Streams that have been sub- <br />ject to recent catastrophic disturbances such as fires or heavy flooding will not usually serve as <br />good reference reaches since they may still be in the process of recovering or reaching a new <br />equilibrium after the disturbance. <br />8 <br />