Chapter 3: Description of Alternatives

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Chapter 3- Description of the Alternatives Sidebar 3-2.-Adaptive Management Plan The Adaptive Management Plan is a systematic process for improving Program management by: (1) designing Program activities to test hypotheses, (2) monito(ng the effects of Program actions, 3) applying information leamed from research and monitoring to improve Program management. The Adaptive Management Plan is a large and complex document. Readers interested in details should see the Governance Committee Program Document: Attachment 3: Adaptive Management Plan. Figure a shows a flow chaR example of how Program actions might be implemented under an adaptive management framework, The Integrated Monitoring and Research Program (IMRP), paR of the Adaptive Management Plan, will collect data on biological responses to program activities, assess resulting changes in habitat or species response, and also to test research hypotheses important to Program management. InfoLmation derived using the IMRP along with information from the Service, State agencies, and others will be used to evaluate the Program's First Increment and overall species recovery. To show data collection details, table a is an example of one out of 17 tables that list the IMRP data coilection needs. The Program's biological response monitoring and research is designed to: (1) provide data to evaluate the effectiveness of the Program to meet goals and objectives for the habitat of target species, (2) provide data to evaluate the relative importance of Program habitat protection and restoration measures to the target species, (3) provide data to support atlaptive management decisions regarding activities periodically during the First Increment of the Program, and (4) provide scientifically defensible data to facilitate development of milestones for future Program increments. Program monitoring is designed to provide unbiased estimates of population and habitat parameters over space and time with acceptable precision. Program research is designed to evaluate the merit of specific hypothesized relationships among species and habitat associations and cause and effect relationships of species and habitat response to Program management. Examples of research hypotheses are shown in figure a. The Governance Committee will regulady evaluate Program management activities, and the criteria that guide those Program activities, such as land and water acquisition and management criteria, and others, as described in the Program Document and its attachments (e.g., milestones Document, Land, Water, and Adaptive Management Plans). The Govemance Committee evaluations will: (1) assess whether the Program activities and criteria being examined are working as originaily envisioned; (2) recommend modifications justified by new information; (3) determine whether there are other or better uses for the resources committed to the activity and criteria; (4) assess whether success or failure could be determined by monitoring over the time period evaluated and (5) develop altemative activities and critena in accordance with Program Adaptive Management. I Table a.- Example of IRMP data collection needs Potential Sources of Possible Analysis Current and Future Data Methods Timeframe Program effects on Whooping Crane habitat A. Channel Roost Habitat 1. Program effects on immediate (daily) quantity and quality of aquatic roosting habitat during migration periods. Data needs: WC roost transects GIS database During migrations, Water depth USGS/Reclamation Whooping crane frequency determined Active channel width sediment transects (nearest instream flow model by WC observations Wetted width to WC roost transects) Data need: USGS gauging station Whooping crane Daily during migration; Discharge (nearest to WC roost instream flow model 10-13 years transects) 2. Program effects on quantity, quality, and spatial distribution of open-channel roosting habitat Data need: Aerial/satellite photographs Trend analysis Annually Continuous active Videography Quantitative before/ channel width GIS database after by bridge segment Permanent transects 3. Program effects on sustainability of channel habitat