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1 Chapter 3. Development of Individual Core Monitoring Plans and <br />2 Management Strategy to Support Them <br />3 <br />4 After information needs are identified in adaptive management programs, development and <br />5 implementation of monitoring programs typically proceed in three phases (Atkinson and others, 2004): <br />6 1. Resources are inventoried and key relationships between physical process, species, habitats, and <br />7 other causes of variation such as dam operations are identified. <br />8 This was largely completed for most GCDAMP resource goals by the early 2000s <br />9 2. Long -term monitoring protocols and sample designs are pilot tested. <br />10 This step has been the focus for GCRMC during the past 8 -10 years <br />11 3. Long -term monitoring and adaptive management activities are implemented. <br />12 This is where we are now <br />13 <br />14 As discussed in chapter 1, the GCDAMP Monitoring and Research Plan (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007) <br />15 lays out a four -step process for defining and refining core monitoring projects associated with various <br />16 GCDAMP goals and key resources based on the best currently available information. This general Core <br />17 Monitoring Plan (CMP) is the first step (1). The remaining three steps comprise the following activities: <br />18 2. Annual Information Needs Workshop (multiple resources may be addressed) <br />19 3. Scientific Protocol Evaluation Panel (PEP) reviews <br />20 4. Core Monitoring Program report review and approval <br />21 This chapter describes steps 2 -4 in detail, including information necessary to support the development and <br />22 implementation of individual core monitoring plans in Step 4. This plan outlines a flexible approach <br />23 which integrates risk assessment, trade -off analyses, and specified criteria in the development of the <br />24 individual plans so that managers will have the information necessary to make informed decisions about <br />25 the scope, intensity, and cost of the individual core monitoring programs and overall cost of the final core <br />26 monitoring program. <br />27 3.1 Process to Develop Individual Core Monitoring Plans <br />28 The development of individual core monitoring plans tiers from and directly reflects the program goals, <br />29 management objectives, and core information needs previously articulated by AMWG, and described <br />30 within the 2003 AMP Strategic Plan. The AMP Strategic Plan, in turn, lays the foundation for other <br />31 planning documents, including the 2007 Strategic Science Plan (SSP) and the 2007 -2011 Monitoring and <br />32 Research Plan (MRP) (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007). This CMP builds on these existing plans. <br />33 None of the aforementioned plans are intended to be static documents. As information is developed and <br />34 management priorities are addressed, the plans will need to be revisited and may need to be updated to <br />35 reflect current program priorities in accordance with the approved science planning process (Figure 6). <br />36 <br />27 <br />