Watersheds Capture, Store And Safely Release Water

RIPARIAN AREAS• A form of wetland transition

between permanently saturated wetlands and uplands areas

• Exhibit vegetation or physical characteristics of permanent surface or subsurface water

• Examples: LAND ADJACENT to PERENNIAL or INTERMITTEN FLOWING STREAMS, LAKESHORES, GLACIAL POTHOLES

NATURAL RIPARIAN RESOURCES

PROPER FUNCTIONING CONDITION

• RIPARIAN-WETLAND areas are functioning properly when adequate vegetation, landform, or large woody debris is present to:

– Dissipate STREAM ENGERGY associated with high flows

– Filter SEDIMENT and CAPTURE BED LOAD– Aid FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT– Improve FLOOD WATER RETENTION and

GROUNDWATER RECHARGE– Stabilize STREAMBANKS

PROPER FUNCTIONING CONDITION

ACHIEVED PROVIDES FOR:

• Habitat for FISHFISH and WILDLIFE

• Improved WATER QUALITY

• Improved FORAGE PRODUCTION

• Decreased SOILSOIL EROSION

• Greater BIODIVERSITY

FUNCTIONAL AT RISK• RIPARIAN-WETLAND areas that are in

Functional Condition, but an existing Soil, Water, or Vegetation attribute makes them

• SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEGRADATION

NONFUNCTIONAL• RIPARIAN-WETLAND areas that CLEARLY ARE

NOT PROVIDING adequate Vegetation, Landform or Large Woody Debris to:

• Dissipate Stream Energies associated with higher flows• Filter Sediment and Capture Bedload• Aid in Floodplain Development• Improve Floodwater retention and Groundwater Recharge• Stabilize Streambanks

NONFUNCTIONAL• Areas that are Nonfunctional

– DO NOT provide Wildlife Habitat

– DO NOT provide improved Water Quality

– DO NOT improve Forage Production

– EXHIBIT INCREASED Soil Erosion

– EXHIBIT DECREASED Biodiversity

ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST

• HYDROGEOMORPHIC– GROUND-WATER DISCHARGE– ACTIVE FLOODPLAIN– GROUND-WATER RECHARGE– FLOODPLAIN STORAGE & RELEASE– FLOOD MODIFICATION– BANKFULL WIDTH– WIDTH/DEPTH RAITON– SINUOSITY– GRADIENT– STREAM POWER– HYDRAULIC CONTROLS– BED ELEVATION

ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST

• VEGETATION– COMMUNITY TYPES

– COMMUNITY TYPE DISTRIBUTION’SURFACE DENSITY

– CANOPY

– COMMUNITY DYNAMICS & SUCCESSION

– RECRUITMENT/REPRODUCTION

– SURVIVAL

ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST

• EROSION/DEPOSITION– BANK STABILITY

– BED STABILITY

– DEPOSITIONAL FEATURES

ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST

• SOILS– CAPILLARITY

– ANNUAL PATTERN OF SOIL WATER STATES

– ERODIBILITY

– FERTILITY

ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST

• WATER QUALITY– TEMPERATURE

– SALINITY

– NUTRIENTS

– DISSOLVED OXYGEN

– SEDIMENT

ATTRIBUTES/PROCESSES

• Hydrogeomorphic

• Vegetation

• Erosion/Deposition

• Soils

• Water Quality

• STREAM CROSS SECTIONS

POTENTIAL

• The highest ecological status a Riparian-Wetland area can attain given no political, social, or economical constraints

MAJOR STREAM TYPESLONGITUDINAL, CROSS-SECTION, AND PLAN PROFILES

DETERMINATIONOF RIPARIAN-WETLAND SYSTEMS

CAPABILITY AND POTENTIAL• Relic areas

information

• Historic information

• Species Lists

• Habitat Needs

• Soils Information

• Hydrology Information

• Current Vegetation

• Watershed Condition/Major Landforms

• Limiting Factors

PFC

Vulnerable

Time

Decision Space

Fisheries ValuesLivestock ValuesRecreation ValuesWildlife ValuesWatershed Values

Desired Condition

Bare Ground

PNC

4.) RIPAIAN ZONE IS WIDENING OR HAS ACHIEVED

POTENTIAL EXTENT.

VEGETATIONYES NO N/A 6.) There is diverse age-class distribution of

riparian-wetland vegetation (formaintenance/recovery)7.) There is diverse composition of riparian-wetland vegetation (for maintenance/recovery)8.) Species present indicate maintenance ofriparian-wetland soil moisture characteristics9.) Streambank vegetation is comprised of thoseplants or plant communities that have root massescapable of withstanding high-streamflow events10.) Riparian-wetland plants exhibit high vigor

11.) Adequate riparian-wetland vegetative cover ispresent to protect banks and dissipate energy duringhigh flows12.) Plant communities are an adequate source ofcoarse and/or large woody material (formaintenance/recovery)

6.) DIVERSE AGE-CLASS DISTRIBUTION (RECRUITMENT FOR MAINTENANCE/RECOVERY

VEGETATIONYES NO N/A 6.) There is diverse age-class distribution of

riparian-wetland vegetation (formaintenance/recovery)7.) There is diverse composition of riparian-wetland vegetation (for maintenance/recovery)8.) Species present indicate maintenance ofriparian-wetland soil moisture characteristics9.) Streambank vegetation is comprised of thoseplants or plant communities that have root massescapable of withstanding high-streamflow events10.) Riparian-wetland plants exhibit high vigor

11.) Adequate riparian-wetland vegetative cover ispresent to protect banks and dissipate energy duringhigh flows12.) Plant communities are an adequate source ofcoarse and/or large woody material (formaintenance/recovery)

6.) DIVERSE AGE-CLASS DISTRIBUTION (RECRUITMENT FOR MAINTENANCE/RECOVERY

7.) DIVERSE COMPOSITION OF VEGETATION (FOR MAINTENANCE/RECOVERY)

8.) SPECIES PRESENT INDICATE MAINTENANCE OF RIPARIAN SOIL MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS

9.) STREAMBANK VEGETATION IS COMPRISED OF THOSE PLANTS OR PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ROOT MASSESS CAPABLE

OF WITHSTANDING HIGH STREAM FLOW EVENTS

10.) RIPARIAN PLANTS EXHIBIT HIGH VIGOR

11.) ADEQUATE VEGETATIVE COVER PRESENT TO PROTECT BANKS AND DISSIPATE ENERGY DURING HIGH FLOWS

12.) PLANT COMMUNITIES IN THE RIPARIAN AREA ARE AN ADEQUATE SOURCE OF COARSE AND/OR LARGE WOODY DEBRIS

12.) PLANT COMMUNITIES IN THE RIPARIAN AREA ARE AN ADEQUATE SOURCE OF COARSE AND/OR LARGE WOODY DEBRIS

PLANNING PROCESS

• STEP 1. EXISTING CONDITION

• STEP 2. POTENTIAL CONDITION

• STEP 3. PFC

• STEP 4. RESOURCE VALUES

• STEP 5. MANAGEMENT GOALS and OBJECTIVES

• STEP 6. PLANNED ACTIONS

• STEP 7. MONITORING

• STEP 8. FLEXIBILITY

SUMMARY

• MINIMUM ASSESSMENT TOOL

• PFC USUALLY NOT THE SAME AS DFC

• POTENTIAL VS. CAPABILITY

• QUALITATIVE VS. QUANTITATIVE

• INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM

• BE CONSERVATIVE

• DO THE PREP. WORK

• NORMAL STREAM PROCESSES (25 YR FLOOD EVENT)

WHY MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN PFC??

• ENGAGES PUBLIC IN COOPERATIVE RIPARIAN RESTORATION

• MANY RIPARIAN PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED OR AGGRAVATED BY OFF-SITE MANAGEMENT

• AN ID TEAM CREATES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BASIS FOR INTERATED MANAGEMENT

• QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT SUPPORTED BY QUANTITATIVE SCIENCE WITH MEASUREMENT TOOLS WHEN NEEDED

WHY MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN PFC??

• FOCUS FUTURE MONITORING ON KEY DATA NEDED TO CHECK MANAGEMENT

• PROVIDES A FRAME WORK FOR INTERPRETING ALL OTHER WATERSHED AND STREAM DATA

• MANDATED BY GOVT.

• TWO LEVELS

– ID TEAM IN FIELD

– AIR PHOTOS