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<br />B. OPl'-BITB HOBITORDlGI <br /> <br />It was decided that monitoring off-site (or off-farm) <br />habitat impacts was necessary. As stated in the 1990 Lower <br />Gunnison Monitoring Report, establishing permanent <br />vegetative transects appears to be the most effective way to <br />capture subtle changes. However, this form of monitoring <br />needs to be extensive in order to achieve a statistically <br />correct evaluation. The time and effort required to <br />accomplish this task far exceeds our staffing capacity and <br />time allotment. <br /> <br />At a salinity Program biologist meeting held in Denver <br />on January 7 and 8, 1991, it was agreed that each salinity <br />office would use high-reSOlution, low altitude, infrared <br />photography (on a portion of the project area) at three year <br />intervals for observing possible off-site alterations to <br />wetland habitat. It was later determined that color <br />photography would be easier to interpret. Approximately <br />40,000 acres of the project area were photographed (at a <br />scale or 1" = 200 ft.) in August of 1991. Weather <br />conditions were ideal and irrigation water was still being <br />applied. We are presently in the process of randomly <br />selecting sites and will be ground-truthing each one in the <br />1992 field season. <br /> <br />One problem with offsite monitoring which has surfaced <br />in the McElmo Creek Unit is differentiating those wetland <br />impacts attributed to CRSC contract implementation (both on <br />and off farm) from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (U.S.B.R.) <br />canal rehabilitation impacts and impacts due to development <br />or drainage by individuals. To date SCS is the only entity <br />which has agreed to monitor offsite wetland impacts. An <br />impact to an offsite wetland may be discernable, however, to <br />attempt to identify the source of that impact may require <br />technical expertise (hydrology, geology) beyond the scope of <br />the current M&E program. Therefore, any offsite impacts <br />observed which cannot be attributed directly to ses <br />activities can only be noted. <br /> <br />. <br />(\:.~ <br />r).:J <br />~'. <br />