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User Manual - Ecological Solutions Group LLC

1. In situations where you are assessing a high cut bank usually on an outside bend the top may be upland but the bottom is riparian Do not assess the area that is non riparian In cases of tall nearly vertical cut banks assess the bottom portion that comes in contact with floodwaters Omit from consideration those areas where the bank is comprised of bedrock since these neither provide binding root mass nor erode at a perceptible rate NOTE Rip rap does not substitute for act as or preclude the need for deep binding root mass Since the kind and amount of deep binding roots needed to anchor a bank is dependent on size of the stream use the following table as a general guide to determine width of a band along the banks to assess for deep binding roots This is a tule of thumb for guidance that requires only estimated measurements Stream Size Bankfull Channel Width Width of Band to Assess for Deep Binding Roots Rivers Larger Than 15 m 49 ft 15 m 49 ft Small Rivers amp Large Streams Approx 5 15 m 16 49 ft 5 m 16 ft Small Streams Up To Approx 5 m 16 ft 2 m 6 ft F8 Two basic functions of substrate materials or soil in riparian areas are to act as a sponge in the storage of water and to support vegetation by serving as rooting medium The kind and amount of soil materials present determine how well these functions can be fulfilled For example soils composed of clays silts and to a lesser degree
2. Thompson William H and Paul L Hansen 2002 Classification and management of riparian and wetland sites of the Alberta Grassland Natural Region and adjacent subregions Bitterroot Restoration Inc Prepared for the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program Cows and Fish Lethbridge Alberta Canada 41 6p Thompson William H and Paul L Hansen 2003 Classification and management of riparian and wetland sites of Alberta s Parkland Natural Region and Dry Mixedwood Natural Subregion Bitterroot Restoration Inc Prepared for the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program Cows and Fish Lethbridge Alberta Canada 340p Windell John T Beatrice E Willard David J Cooper Susan Q Foster Christopher F Knud Hansen Lauranne P Rink and George N Kiladis 1986 An ecological characterization of Rocky Mountain montane and subalpine wetlands USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 86 11 National Ecology Center Division of Wildlife and Contaminant Research Fish and Wildlife Service US Department of the Interior Washington DC USA 298p Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 31 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals
3. Enter NA for this question if you are working north of the Red Deer River valley and some areas farther south in higher precipitation zones such as the foothills west of Highway 2 count any mode of reproduction for this group of trees because in these cooler moister zones cottonwoods and balsam poplar populations are not dependent on seed deposited on riverine alluvium D6a b Are there shrubs present on the polygon and does the polygon have potential for woody species such as tall shrubs and trees Some riparian and wetland sites are marshes wet meadows or other wetland types that lack potential for woody species Such sites should not be penalized on health assessment rating for this lack of potential Other sites lacking these species do have the potential but lack the plants due to disturbance Observers are to answer D6b on the basis of species noted on similar nearby less disturbed sites or other indications On polygons where the observer cannot find sufficient evidence to make a confident determination enter NC and explain in the comment field at the end of the Vegetation Section D6c Record the species code and canopy cover for every shrub species observed on the polygon Determine the portion of the species cover represented by each of three groups seedling saplings mature or decadent dead NOTE For shrubs all decadent individuals are included in one group with dead individuals This contrasts with the method of recording tree
4. John Joy and Dan K Hinckley 1995 Classification and management of Montana s riparian and wetland sites Miscellaneous Publication No 54 Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station School of Forestry University of Montana Missoula Montana USA 646p Johnson R R and S W Carothers 1980 Riparian habitats and recreation interrelationships and impacts in the Rocky Mountain region Produced under agreement 53 82 FT 0 125 of the Eisenhower Consortium for Western Environmental Forestry Research Fort Collins Colorado USA 109p Kent Donald M 1994 Applied wetlands science and technology Donald M Kent editor CRC Press Inc Lewis Publishers Boca Raton Florida USA 436p Kovalchik Bernard L 1987 Riparian zone associations Deschutes Ochoco Fremont and Winema National Forests USDA Forest Service Region 6 Ecology Technical Paper 279 87 Pacific Northwest Region Portland Oregon USA 171p Mitsch William J and James G Gosselink 1993 Wetlands Second Edition Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishers New York New York USA 722p Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 30 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Padgett Wayne G Andrew P Youngblood and Alma H Winward 1989 Riparian community type classification of Utah and southeastern Idaho USDA Forest Service Region 4 Ecology 89 01 Intermountain Research Station Ogden Utah USA 191p Platts W S C Armour G D Bo
5. and describe it in the space provided e F6e Comment to explain your answers for F6c d Use this space to elaborate on any overlap between the various causes and kinds of alteration noted Also comment on severity of alterations using description provided in the lentic assessment i e no physical alterations slight moderate or severe F7 Vegetation along streambanks performs the primary physical functions of stabilizing the soil with a binding root mass and of filtering sediments from overland flow Few studies have documented depth and extent of root systems of plant species found in wetlands Despite this lack of documented evidence some generalizations can be made All tree and shrub species are considered to have deep binding root masses Among wetland herbaceous species the first rule is that annual plants lack deep binding roots Perennial species offer a wide range of root mass qualities Some rhizomatous species such as the deep rooted Carex species sedges are excellent bank stabilizers Others such as Poa pratensis Kentucky bluegrass have only shallow roots and are poor bank stabilizers Still others such as Juncus balticus wire rush are intermediate in their ability to stabilize banks The size and nature of the stream will determine which herbaceous species can be effective The evaluator should try to determine if the types of root systems present in the polygon are in fact contributing to the stability of the streambanks
6. and do not leave items blank except for the following 1 items that logically would not be answered because they follow an answer of No in a leading Yes No question and 2 lines in a species list below the last species observed An answer of 0 means the observer looked and saw none whereas a blank line means the observer did not look either by negligence or because the point was moot NA means the item is not applicable to a particular polygon NC means data was not collected for that item in a particular polygon Observers must write legibly and should limit their use of abbreviations throughout to those which allow for no confusion Record ID No This is the unique identifier allocated to each polygon This number will be assigned in the office when the form is entered into a database Polygon No Polygon number is a sequential identifier of the actual piece of land being surveyed This is referenced to the water body code list from the Training Manual Administrative Data A1 Identify what organization is doing the evaluation field work A2 Identify what organization is paying for the work A3 Date that the field data was collected Use the format month day year A4 Record the year that the field data was collected A5 Observers Name the evaluators recording the data in the field Land ownership may include more than one entity or person but more than one type of landownership eg private and government should only be selected
7. use other evidences such as aerial photos or adjacent lands across fence and explain in D6f co examples use air photo x or land across fence with trees to the North D6f Record comments giving evidence for the above call D7 and D8 Record the species code and the percent canopy cover for graminoid and forb species observed in the polygon As a minimum include all species having at least 5 cover on the polygon This inventory is not intended to be comprehensive It is not necessary to search for obscure species just record all species readily seen Observers should especially look however for hydrophytic wetland species that may be reduced to trace representation by site disturbance Herbaceous species other than invasive plant species see item D13 with minor presence may be overlooked without serious compromise to the inventory value D9 The purpose of this item is to describe the vegetation structure in terms of height layers and plant lifeforms on the polygon Think of the layering as though it were a GIS file with 12 layers each one representing one of four lifeforms trees shrubs graminoids and forbs in one of three height layers Include the canopy cover on the polygon that is provided by all rooted plants live or dead Do not include fallen wood or other plant litter Do not consider the polygon area that is covered by water such as between emergent plants Record the percent canopy cover of each plant lifeform
8. with consecutive integers 1 2 3 In cases where field inspection shows a need to change the delineation or to subdivide pre drawn polygons additional polygons should be numbered using alphanumerics e g 1a 1b 2a 2b etc When delineated polygons are subsequently combined in the field the combinations are to be identified by the hyphenated tags of both combined parts e g 1 2 2 3 etc If aerial photos are available advance pre field polygon delineations may be based on vegetation differences geologic features or other observable characteristics On larger systems with wide riparian areas aerial photos may allow the pre field delineation of multiple polygons away from the channel In these cases where polygons can be drawn as enclosed units instead of just as a line a minimum mapping unit of 5 or 10 ac 2 to 4 ha should be used The size of the minimum mapping unit should be based on factors such as management capabilities and the costs and capabilities of data collection In the field observers are to verify ground truth the office delineated polygon boundaries If the pre assigned numbers are used be sure the inventoried polygons correspond exactly as drawn Observers are allowed to move polygon boundaries create new polygons or consolidate polygons if the vegetation geography location of fences or width of the wetland zone justify it If polygon boundaries are changed the changes must be clearly marked on the fie
9. add to approximately 100 NOTE A particular kind of alteration may derive from more than one cause i e there may not be a one to one relationship between cause and kind Leave no line blank Enter 0 if there is none Hoof Shear Trampling This kind of alteration is caused by hoofed animals that access streams for water and forage or simply for thermal cover It consists of physical breakdown of the structural bank integrity Vegetation Removal This is the physical removal of protective vegetation from the streambanks such as willows for such purposes as clearing access for farming hay or opening access to the stream for livestock Road Railroad Bed Along many streams road and railroad beds are constructed adjacent to the stream channel These structures represent disruption to the bank integrity to the bank vegetation Trails Trails are worn pathways caused by animals or humans that disrupt the natural bank structure and integrity Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 18 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Berms A berm of mounded soil is sometimes constructed along on top of a streambank to restrict high flows from spreading onto the floodplain Rip rap This is the unnatural hardening of a streambank typically with large rock to protect from lateral erosion Other List any other kind of physical alteration to the actual bank structure profile or integrity that is not named above
10. and Missouri River Watersheds B9b Name the minor watershed e g Battle River of which the site being surveyed is a part This is normally subordinate to the major watershed named above in B9a B9c Name the sub basin in which you are working e g Iron Creek This is the third level down from the largest major watershed e g North Saskatchewan River Battle River Iron Creek or South Saskatchewan River Red Deer River Little Red Deer River Although you may be working on an even lower level tributary the sub basin flows directly into and is subordinate to the minor watershed named above in B9b For example You are doing an inventory on Pekisko Creek this creek is not the sub basin The order should be South Saskatchewan River Bow River Highwood River If you are doing a site on a Major or Minor Watershed then the Sub basin may be the same as the Major or Minor basin respectively B10a c Universal Transverse Mercator UTM coordinates s are recorded for the upper and lower ends of the polygon using GPS units in the field Other locations of special interest may be recorded using the GPS unit These coordinates s are considered accurate to within approximately 10 m 33 ft Field observers are to use GPS units to obtain these coordinates s following standard protocol Enter the UTM coordinates data including the UTM zone and the identifying waypoint number on the form for each point collected Save the data in the GPS unit
11. answered Yes identify those database record ID numbers for other polygons that can be compared as representing exactly the same ground area A16a Even though this polygon is not a re inventory of the exact same area as any other polygon does it share at least some common area with one or more polygons inventoried at another time A16b If Al6a is answered Yes enter the record ID number s of any other polygon s sharing common area with this one A17a b Has a management change been implemented on this polygon Simply answer Yes No or Unknown If applicable in what year was the management change implemented and describe the management change implemented A18 The primary contact is the person landowner land manager or renter etc who initiated the contact with the funding organization to have this riparian work conducted Therefore if the renter initiated the contact the land owner would be a secondary contact Location Data B1 Province in which the field work is being done i e where the polygon is located B2 Municipality or Reserve Type drop down list in the database Choose one of the following Indian Reserve Military Reserve Rural Municipality MD or County Hamlet Improvement District which includes all National Parks M tis Settlements Special Areas Specialized Municipality 5 in the province or Urban Municipality City Town Village Summer Village For further clarification on the three types of Municip
12. approximately to 100 Leave no line blank Enter 0 if there is none e Grazing Long term livestock use often results in such physical alterations as erosion hummocking and pugging in soft soils and bank damage by hoof shear e Cultivation This is the mechanical disruption of natural soil structure by farming activities Timber Harvest Although it may be minimized timber harvest usually results in at least some physical damage to the soil surface by the machinery used in the process Mining Mining activities usually cause physical damage to the soil surface but may also include introduction of waste materials to the site including chemical effects to the soil Construction Human infrastructure roads railroads and or earth moving for other construction purposes often are located near streams causing structural disruption or requiring rip rap protection Recreation Trails at popular sites often cause soil compaction and erosion especially where mechanical devices i e off road vehicles and ATVs are used The banks of popular fishing sites are often susceptible to trampling Other List any other causes of physical alteration not listed above and describe them in the space provided Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 25 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals F19d Break down the total non streambank alteration among the listed kinds so that these add approximately to 100 NOTE A particu
13. as Classification and Management of Riparian and Wetland Sites of the Alberta Grassland Natural Region and Adjacent Subregions Thompson and Hansen 2002 Classification and Management of Riparian and Wetland Sites of Alberta s Parkland Natural Region and Dry Mixedwood Natural Subregion Thompson and Hansen 2003 Classification and Management of Riparian and Wetland Sites of the Saskatchewan Prairie Ecozone and Parts of Adjacent Subregions Thompson and Hansen 2001 or the applicable Sustainable Resource Development SRD Guide for the natural sub region in which you are working If the habitat type cannot be determined for a portion of the polygon then list the appropriate community type s of that portion If neither the habitat type nor community type can be determined for any portion of the polygon or in areas where the habitat and community types have not been named and described list the area in question as unclassified wetland type and give the dominant species present Indicate with the appropriate abbreviation if these are habitat types HT community types CT or dominance types DT for example SALILUT CORNSTO HT Salix lutea Cornus stolonifera yellow willow red osier dogwood Habitat Type For each type listed estimate the percent of the polygon represented If known record the successional stage i e early seral mid seral late seral and climax or give other comments about the type As a minimum list all types that cover 5 or
14. decadence where the decadence within each size class is recorded As with trees decadent shrubs are individuals having 30 or more dead material in the canopy The canopy covers of the three age size groups for a species must total approximately 100 In general shrub seedling saplings can be distinguished from mature plants on the following basis For normally tall shrubs which have an average mature height of over 1 8 m 6 0 ft seedlings and saplings will be plants reaching only into the first and second vegetation layers shorter than 1 8 m 6 0 ft For shrub species having normal mature height between 0 5 m 1 5 ft and 1 8 m 6 0 ft seedlings and saplings are individuals reaching only into the first vegetation layer below 0 5 m 1 5 ft For short shrub species whose mature height is 0 5 m 1 5 ft or less observers must judge individual plants for height reproductive structures and other characteristics that indicate relative age Refer to reference manuals on the regional flora for information of normal sizes for unfamiliar species Count plants installed by human planting if these are successfully established which means they have survived at least one full year after planting NOTE Evaluators should take care not to confuse short stature resulting from intense browsing with that due to young plants When estimating degree of utilization count browsed second year and older leaders on representative plants of woody species norma
15. in Montana Mike Frisina of the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks Barry Adams and Gerry Ehlert of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Lorne Fitch of Alberta Environmental Protection and Greg Hale and Norine Ambrose of the Alberta Cows and Fish Program BACKGROUND INFORMATION Flowing Water Lotic Wetlands vs Still Water Lentic Wetlands Cowardin and others 1979 point out that no single correct definition for wetlands exists primarily due to the nearly unlimited variation in hydrology soil and vegetative types Wetlands are lands transitional between aquatic water and terrestrial upland ecosystems Windell and others 1986 state wetlands are part of a continuous landscape that grades from wet to dry In many cases it is not easy to determine precisely where they begin and where they end In the semiarid and arid portions of western North America a useful distinction has been made between wetland types based on association with different aquatic ecosystems Several authors have used lotic and lentic to separate wetlands associated with running water from those associated with still water The following definitions represent a synthesis and refinement of terminology from Shaw and Fredine 1956 Stewart and Kantrud 1972 Boldt and others 1978 Cowardin and others 1979 American Fisheries Society 1980 Johnson and Carothers 1980 Cooperrider and others 1986 Windell and others 1986 Environmental Labo
16. indicator of wetland site conditions The problem is how to define and obtain consensus on thresholds for these three criteria and various combinations of them Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 1 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Wetlands are not easily identified and delineated for jurisdictional purposes Functional definitions have generally been difficult to apply to the regulation of wetland dredging or filling Although the intent of regulation is to protect wetland functions the current delineation of jurisdictional wetland still relies upon structural features or attributes The prevailing view among many wetland scientists is that functional wetlands need to meet only one of the three criteria as outlined by Cowardin and others 1979 e g hydric soils hydrophytic plants and wetland hydrology On the other hand jurisdictional wetlands need to meet all three criteria except in limited situations Even though functional wetlands may not meet jurisdictional wetland requirements they certainly perform wetland functions resulting from the greater amount of water that accumulates on or near the soil surface relative to the adjacent uplands Examples include some woody draws occupied by the Acer negundo Prunus virginiana Manitoba maple choke cherry habitat type Thompson and Hansen 2002 and some floodplain sites occupied by the Artemisia cana Agropyron smithii silver sagebrush western wheat grass hab
17. of at least 1 pole and mature are treated separately and must each have at least 5 canopy cover Tree Size Class Distribution Categories An X under a size class indicates presence in that category Category Sdlg Splg Pole Mature Decadent Code CC gt 1 CC gt 5 CC gt 5 Description 1 x seedling sapling only 2 X pole age only 3 X X seedling sapling and pole 4 X X seedling sapling and mature lt 75 dec 5 X X pole and mature lt 75 dec 6 X X X seedling sapling pole and mature lt 75 dec 7 X mature only lt 75 dec 8 X X seedling sapling and mature gt 75 dec 9 X X pole and mature gt 75 dec 10 X X X seedling sapling pole and mature gt 75 dec 11 X mature only gt 75 dec Sdlg indicates seedlings Splg indicates saplings Decadent indicates percent of mature trees which are decadent DSa Record the appropriate category which best describes the amount of browse utilization Utl of the combined seedling Sdlg and sapling Splg size classes for each tree species When estimating amount of utilization count browsed second year and older leaders on representative plants of tree species normally browsed by ungulates Do not count current year s use because this would not accurately reflect actual use when more browsing can occur later in the season Browsing of second year or older material affects the overall health of the plant and continual high use will affect the plant s ability
18. pacing the channel length along one edge for at least two meander cycles and dividing this value by the valley length between the same two points All sinuosities are at least 1 0 in which case the stream would exactly follow the valley bottom with no meandering whatsoever H6 Record the percent of streambank length accessible to large hoofed animals livestock and wildlife In general only consider topography steep banks deep water etc and dense vegetation as restricting access Fences unless part of an exclosure do not necessarily restrict livestock access even though they may appear to be doing so at the time H7a d Note the types and locations of any of the listed human constructed channel or streambank modifications observed within the polygon Use other to note channel modifications observed but not included in this list H7e f Many channel modifications alter flow regimes and natural channel dynamics Rate the stability of any channel modification according to your perception of probable high flow effects in the stream reach Describe any apparent effects of the modifications on the immediate and downstream channel and banks H8 Record the Rosgen stream channel geomorphology type s observed in the polygon and the Rosgen valley type s for the location of the polygon H8a Record the Rosgen stream channel geomorphology type s observed in the polygon and the percent of total stream reach of each type representing at least 5 o
19. severity of the weed problem on a site is a function of density distribution pattern of occurrence as well as abundance of the weeds A weed list should be used that is standard for the region i e Weeds and Disturbance Species Fact Sheet Cows and Fish 2001 Record the combined percent canopy cover and the overall density distribution class of all invasive plants on the polygon Common invasive plant species in Alberta are listed on the form and space is allowed for recording others Leave no listed Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 14 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals species field blank however enter 0 to indicate absence of a species A blank field means the observer forgot to collect the data a value means the observer looked For each weed species observed record canopy cover as a percentage of the polygon area being evaluated and density distribution class Choose a density distribution class from the chart Figure 2 below that best represents each species pattern of presence on the site NOTE Prior to the 2001 season the health score for weed infestation was assessed from a single numerical value that does not represent weed canopy cover but instead represents the fraction of the polygon area on which weeds had a well established population of individuals i e the area infested DISTRIBUTION DESCRIPTION OF ABUNDANCE PATTERN No invasive plants on the polygon Rare occ
20. subsurface groundwater This stream type is typical of fine textured sedimentary plains in semiarid regions where headwater drainages lack the extended runoff of deep mountain snowpack This stream type may not be apparent early in the season when flow is continuous River Rivers are generally larger than streams They flow year around in years of normal precipitation and when significant amounts of water are not being diverted out of them Those watercourses called rivers on topographic maps and or those having bankfull channel widths greater than 15 m 49 ft will be classified as rivers for the purpose of this inventory Beaver Dams A system that is predominantly characterized by beaver dams that change the character of the system from a regular flowing channel to a stepped system of ponds where water is spread wide and flow velocity is apparent only at each dam outlet before it enters the next pond Water is still flowing through the riparian system Wet Meadow This type of wetland may occur in either running water lotic or in still water lentic systems A lotic wet meadow has a defined channel or flowing surface water nearby but is typically much wider than the riparian zone associated with the classes described above This is often the result of the influence of lateral groundwater not associated with the stream flow Lotic and lentic wet meadows may occur in proximity e g when enough groundwater emerges to begin to flow from a mountain meado
21. surrounding lower area due to moisture difference between the two levels F21a b Record the number of springs or seeps observed in the polygon For this item the non vegetated stream channel bottom is included in the inventoried area This inclusion allows the recording of springs or seeps found in the bottom or lower banks of commonly dry channels F21c Of those springs and seeps recorded in item F21b record the number having livestock caused pugging and or hummocks on at least 25 of the wet area associated with the spring or seep F21d Record the general position within the polygon of springs and seeps e g upper 1 4 of polygon middle 1 3 of polygon F22a d If the wetland type is a pooled channel stream record the percent of channel length with pooled water Indicate whether a portion of this water is expected to remain through the growing season Describe location of pools in the polygon relative to boundaries or other mapped or described features F23a f Record evidence of beaver activity in the polygon Record whether the beaver sign appears current active or old inactive Describe the types and amounts of beaver evidence observed F24 Record comments observations and or conclusions as instructed on the form F25 Describe the boundaries of the polygon especially the location of the upper and lower ends as well as the lateral boundaries On smaller streams the polygon usually includes the entire width of the riparia
22. these size classes have 5 or more of the species canopy cover but less than 15 4 Seedlings and or saplings were observed individually or in combination these size classes have 15 or more of the species canopy cover but less than 25 5 Seedlings and or saplings were observed individually or in combination these size classes have 25 or more of the species canopy cover D4 The tree size class distribution category is automatically calculated in the office by the computer using size class canopy covers recorded in item D2b In classifying tree size class distribution the seedling and sapling groups are combined Three resulting size classes seedlings saplings pole and mature and the percent of the mature individuals which are decadent determine size class distribution categories Decadence of younger size classes is ignored in this calculation Younger decadent trees are assumed to have the capacity to grow out of any current condition caused by injury disease or other non age related factors A species with decadent mature individuals may fall into one of two classes those having 75 or more of mature individuals decadent and those having less than 75 of mature individuals decadent The age distribution category of a tree species on a polygon is defined by the presence of certain size classes To be present size classes must have minimum canopy covers in the polygon seedlings saplings must have a combined total canopy cover
23. to that which would occur without use Unvegetated areas such as bedrock are not a result of land uses 26 to50 Vegetation use is moderate At least half the potential plant biomass remains Average stubble height is more than half its potential at the present stage of development 51 to 75 Vegetation use is high Less than half the potential plant biomass remains Plant stubble height is usually more than 5 cm 2 in on many ranges 76 to 100 Vegetation use is very high Only short stubble remains usually less than 5 cm 2 in on many ranges Almost all plant biomass has been removed Only the root systems and parts of the stems remain H2 Record the type s of uplands adjacent to the lotic wetland using these definitions Cropland annual crop production cover Grassland graminoid cover including perennial forage herbaceous cover Shrubland areas dominated by shrubs Forest areas dominated by trees Other describe Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 27 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals H3 Indicate the primary dominant land use sector that describes the polygon and land it is located directly within Note this is not intended to reflect all types of impacts Commercial relates to land used for provision of services or sale of goods retail etc Industrial relates to creation or generation of new items or materials Recreation indicates for enjoyment and leisure Parks Protected Area
24. ALBERTA LOTIC WETLAND INVENTORY FORM USER MANUAL Current as of 5 27 2015 This user manual is intended to accompany the Alberta Lotic Wetland Inventory Form for the inventory of riparian wetlands associated with systems having flowing water and usually a defined channel Use this form for a detailed inventory on any size stream This document serves as the field reference to assist data collectors in answering each item on the form It can also serve as an aid to the database user in the interpretation of data presented in the Alberta Lotic Wetland Inventory Form format Another form entitled the Alberta Lentic Wetland Inventory Form with a different set of user guidelines is to be used for lentic still water wetlands ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Development of these assessment tools has been a collaborative and reiterative process Many people from many agencies and organizations have contributed greatly their time effort funding and moral support for the creation of these documents as well as to the general idea of devising a way for people to look critically at wetlands and riparian areas in a systematic and consistent way Some individuals and the agencies organizations they represent who have been instrumental in enabling this work are Dan Hinckley Tim Bozorth and Jim Roscoe of the USDI Bureau of Land Management in Montana Karen Rice and Karl Gebhardt of the USDI Bureau of Land Management in Idaho Bill Haglan of the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service
25. C6 In some cases the polygon record is used to characterize or represent a larger portion of a stream system The length represented by the polygon is given For example a 0 8 km 0 5 mi polygon may be used to represent 6 4 km 4 mi of a stream In the case 0 8 km 0 5 mi is the channel length of the polygon item C5 and 6 4 km 4 mi is entered in item C6 C7a Record average width of the polygon which on smaller streams corresponds to the width of the riparian zone To determine this width subtract the width of the non vegetated stream channel item F9 from the distance between the two opposite riparian upland boundaries In the case of very wide systems where the polygon inventoried does not extend across the full width of the riparian zone e g area with riparian vegetation communities lies outside the polygon record the average width of the polygon inventoried and make note of the situation in the narrative comments C7b Record the range of width ft m narrowest to widest of the riparian zone in the polygon Health Assessment Summary C8 Polygon Health PFC Score is an ecological function rating for the polygon derived by computer using data from several items in this polygon inventory For detailed discussion of this process see the companion document Lotic Wetland Health Assessment derived from the Lotic Wetland Inventory Form The techniques used to obtain the data do not allow ratings to be interpreted with a fine degree
26. Consider the generally sloped area above the bank toes bounding both sides of the channel bottom up to the point at which the bank slope levels off or reaches the first terrace top The goal is to characterize the materials with the most potential to be eroded into the stream by lateral shear forces of flows up to bankfull or flood stage The bank may have very shallow slope and be indistinct as is often the case on point bars along inside curves however every channel must have a bank on each side to contain it F4a b Record the percent of streambank length within the polygon that displays active lateral cutting Lateral cutting is indicated by new stream caused bank disruption along the outside of curves and much less commonly along straight reaches Any lateral cutting occurring during the past year is considered active Cut banks with vegetation establishing are considered to be healing and the cutting no longer to be active Although lateral cutting is usually restricted to one side of the channel at any point along the stream this item considers all bank length not channel length The answer is to be expressed as a percentage of total bank length that is actively cutting This approach permits consistency when using the form on a polygon along just one side of a river Thus a 30 m 100 ft length of stream with a total of 3 m 10 ft lateral cutting would have 5 lateral cutting because both banks would give a total of approximately 60 m 200
27. HIS QUESTION REGARDLESS OF THE ANSWER TO QUESTION A a Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 4 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals e Random i e some objective random method was used to pick the site location e Selective i e the site location was chosen for some reason such as sign up lists demonstration site project monitoring or other particular criteria Note Representative sampling A6b can include sites chosen randomly or selectively or e Unknown Aa b Identify any National Provincial or Rural Urban Municipal or other Park s on which work is being done If Yes identify which type of park is established More than one type may occur A7c Indicate the full official name of the National Provincial or Rural Urban park on which work is being done If Other kind of park identify the type of park and its established name A8a b Identify any other types of protected areas on which work is being done If Yes properly identify the type and name of the protected area that is established Exclude National Provincial or Rural Urban or other Park s recorded in A7 This question includes all areas with regulatory or administrative protection other than parks which are covered in A7 There are many types including Conservation Easement are land with a registered easement for the purposes of maintaining conservation value Ecological Reserves are areas of Crown Land Provincia
28. R Johnson and J F McCormick Technical Coordinators USDA Forest Service General Technical Report WO 12 Washington DC USA pp 184 189 Cooperrider Allen Y Raymond J Boyd and Hanson R Stuart 1986 Inventory and monitoring of wildlife habitat USDI Bureau of Land Management Denver Service Center Denver Colorado USA 858p Cowardin L M V Carter F C Golet and E T LaRoe 1979 Classification of wetlands and deep water habitats of the United States USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Biological Services Washington DC USA Publication Number FWS OBS 79 31 107p Cows and Fish 2001 Invasive Weed and Disturbance caused Herbaceous Species List For Use in Riparian Health Assessment and Inventory in Alberta draft Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program Lethbridge Alberta Canada Daubenmire R D 1959 A canopy coverage method of vegetation analysis Northwest Science 33 43 66 Federal Interagency Committee for Wetland Delineation 1989 Federal manual for identifying and delineating jurisdictional wetlands US Army Corps of Engineers US Environmental Protection Agency USDI Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA Soil Conservation Service Cooperative Technical Publication Washington DC USA 76p Fitch L and N Ambrose 2003 Riparian areas A user s guide to health Lethbridge Alberta Cows and Fish Program ISBN No 0 7785 2305 5 46p Hansen Paul L Robert D Pfister Keith Boggs Bradley J Cook
29. a papyrifera white birch and Ulmus americana American elm Note 3 For field determination of vegetative cover related questions questions D2 to D14 include all rooted plant material live or dead Do not include fallen wood or other plant litter Do not consider the polygon area covered by water such as between emergent plants Note 4 For sites with bioengineering plantings If planting has died or is less than one year old it is not to be counted as cover and therefore will not contribute to the regeneration score To account for the material present i e dead wood if the stakes do not take root record as NON VEGETATED GROUND COVER in question F16 in the lotic inventory form D3 The tree regeneration category is automatically calculated in the office by the computer using the size class data collected with the species canopy cover as described in item D2b The canopy covers of the seedling and sapling size classes are combined to quantify tree regeneration The categories represent actual not potential tree regeneration Code Description 1 No seedlings or saplings were observed in the polygon Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 10 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals 2 Seedlings and or saplings were observed individually or in combination these size classes have less than 5 of the species canopy cover 3 Seedlings and or saplings were observed individually or in combination
30. activities in the process of timber harvest may result in bare ground Mining Extraction and processing of minerals can result in bare ground The deposition of waste rock either cast aside overburden or processed tailings is a common type of mining caused bare ground e Construction Human infrastructure roads railroads and or earth moving for other construction purposes often involve excavation earth moving and other disruptions of the soil surface or natural soil covering Recreation Many modern forms of recreation involve use of mechanical vehicles that damage the vegetation cover and the integrity of soil Even foot traffic along trails or popular fishing spots can result in significant areas of bare ground Other Account for any human caused bare ground that is not included in the categories named above and describe what caused it in the field provided F16 Record how much of the polygon is covered by the items listed which are not already taken into account as live vegetative cover and exposed soil surface Give values for areas covered by litter duff downed wood rocks of cobble size or larger gt 6 25 cm 2 5 in human made impervious surface concrete asphalt roofed structure etc open water that is not within the bankfull limits of the stream channel and young dead planting These are ground covers not accounted for by exposed soil surface bare ground and live vascular plant canopy which are recorded elsewher
31. after considering a number of factors Factors to consider are the level of detail that the client is looking to extrapolate the proportion of the area relative to the rest of the polygon and whether it is a typical situation where the multiple types e g crown or non crown land will not be included For example where very minimal Crown bed and shore area exists within the polygon such as just at the waterline as part of a primarily privately owned parcel the private ownership may be listed as the only ownership type A6a Indicate whether the polygon is representative which requires that stratification has been done to assist in selection of representative sites Answer yes no or unknown A6ob If A6a was answered yes select the broadest largest scale at which the site is representative For example if it is representative based on stratification of both the project area and the land holding then choose project area to indicate the site represents the larger area The choices are e Representative of a water body may include multiple management units or land holdings e Representative of a management unit within a land holding e Representative of a land holding that may contain multiple management units e Representative of a project area that may contain multiple land holdings or e Unknown A6c Identify how the site was selected or chosen by choosing one of the options ANSWER T
32. alities in Alberta see insert in the back of the field manual B3a Indian Reserve Name drop down list in database B3b Military Reserve Name drop down list in database B4a b Rural or Specialized Municipality Name drop down list in database If applicable list the Hamlet name in B4b B5a d The name of the city town or village in which the fieldwork is being done If applicable list the subdivision plan number block number and lot number of the area to which the work was being done on Boa Name the water body or area on which the field work is being done B b Identify the side of the polygon that the Assessment is completed for by using North South East or West if assessment includes both sides enter Both B7 The location of the polygon is presented as a legal land description 1 4 1 4 section 1 4 section Township Range and Meridian are read from smallest to largest unit Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 6 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals B8a b Identify the Natural Region and Sub Region in which the field work is being done Use the Natural Regions and Subregions of Alberta Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre 1999 B9a Name the major watershed e g North Saskatchewan River of which the site being surveyed is a part List one of the seven major Basins by AESRD Hay River Peace Slave River Churchill River North Saskatchewan River South Saskatchewan River
33. ater of the stream The aquatic zone is the area covered by water and lacking persistent emergent vegetation Persistent emergent vegetation consists of perennial wetland species that normally remain standing at least until the beginning of next growing season e g Typha species cattails Scirpus species bulrushes Carex species sedges and other perennial graminoids In many systems large portions of the channel bottom may become exposed due to seasonal irrigation use hydroelectric generation and natural seasonal changes such as are found in many prairie ecosystems In these cases especially the prairie streams the channel bottom may have varying amounts of herbaceous vegetation and the channel area is included in the polygon as area to be inventoried Typically these are the pooled channel stream type that has scour pools scattered along the length interspersed with reaches of grass bulrush or sedge covered channel bottom If over half gt 50 the channel bottom area has a canopy cover of persistent vegetation cover perennial species taken over the entire length of the polygon as a whole then it qualifies for inclusion within the inventoried polygon area If you are in doubt whether to include the channel bottom in the polygon then leave it out but be sure to indicate this in the comment section This is important so that future assessments of the polygon will be looking at the same area of land F15c Separate the exposed soil su
34. ater table narrow or no active floodplain and low productivity These stages of incisement can be categorized in terms of Schumm s stages of incised channel evolution Schumm and others 1984 The following indicators taken together collectively will enable the observer to assess severity of channel incisement Channel bed downcutting Look for headcuts lack of bed load sediment and exposed bedrock a low vertical scarp at tow of bank along straight reaches and inside curves hanging culverts and exposed cultural features Limited access to floodplain by flood flows of 1 to 3 year frequency Look for a lack of sediment deposits and debris deposits on lower floodplain elevations Widening of the incised channel Look for lateral cutting and sloughing of the high banks This is one of the early steps in the healing process on a severely incised channel Initially the downward bed erosion forms a narrow deep channel that often resembles a gully Flood waters in such a channel normally cannot deposit but can only erode and transport sediment therefore the narrow incisement must be widened to provide lateral space for a new floodplain to form This lateral cutting also supplies the sediment that may be deposited at the bottom to begin the formation of a new floodplain New floodplain formation within the incised channel Look for small depositional bars and low flat areas near the channel These will increase in width and length as the heal
35. ators may be asked to survey some areas that have not been determined to be wetlands for the purpose of making such a determination Other polygons include areas supporting non wetland vegetation types A Yes answer to C3a indicates that no part of the polygon keys to a riparian habitat type or community type HT CT Areas classified in item D15 as any vegetation type described in a riparian and or wetland classification document for the region in which you are working are counted as functional wetlands Areas listed as UNCLASSIFIED WETLAND TYPE are also counted as functional wetlands Other areas are counted as non wetlands or uplands The functional wetland fraction of the polygon area is listed in item C3c in acres and as a percentage of the entire polygon area in item C3d C4 Some riparian areas do not contain an unvegetated defined stream channel In some cases these polygons are in ephemeral systems which may flow infrequently but which do support riparian plant communities In other cases these polygons may be associated with larger river systems that have wide floodplains where polygons may be delineated in areas not adjacent to the channel Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 8 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals C5 Channel length the length of channel contained within or adjacent to the polygon is measured by scaling from the map This data is considered accurate to the nearest 0 16 km 0 1 mi
36. ay still be in progress High side wall banks may have begun to collapse and erode into the bottom but high flows typically just wash this material directly through the system with none of it being trapped to build new floodplain At this stage the system has lost practically all of its riparian function and habitat value Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 22 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals STAGE A Stable Undisturbed May Include Rosgen A B C E Types Not incised May Include Rosgen A B C E Types Terrace 1 STAGE B Disturbed Becoming Unstable Slightly to Moderately Incised May Include Rosgen C F G Types Terrace 1 Original Floodplain iii ici ae ee STAGE C Unstable Entrenched Severely Incised May Include Rosgen F G Types Original Floodplain abandoned Terrace 1 becomes Terrace 2 N Incised No Active Floodplain 7 i Bank sloughing STAGE D Widening Stabilizing Slightly to Moderately Incised May Include Rosgen C F G Types Terrace 1 Terrace 2 New Floodplain Forming a Bank sloughing STAGE A Re stabilized Not Incised May Include Rosgen A B C E Types Terrace 1 Terrace 2 New Floodplain Adapted from Schumm and others 1984 Figure 3 Stages of stream channel evolution going from initial destabilization and incisement on through ultimate healing and re stabilization w
37. but a name used to group a series of polygons A11 Identify if work was done on Private Land Answer Yes or No If applicable give the Landowners Name A12a d Identify if work is being done on Private Land that is rented out Answer Yes or No If applicable give Renters Name their Legal Land Description of residence and County name if different from the one where the work is being done A13a c Public Land is land that is administered by a Federal Provincial or Municipal agency Provincial Public lands are owned by the provincial government and administered under the authority of the Public Lands Act Identify if work was done on Public Land Answer Yes or No If applicable give Managers Name as well as the Provincial office and their department associated with the management of this land to which work is being done Al4a Identify if site is a Grazing lease or Grazing reserve on which work is being done If applicable give Lessees Group name Al4c Identify which Disposition this land falls under and its license number associated with it i e GRL Grazing Lease GRP Grazing Permit GRR Grazing Reserve FGL Forest Grazing License CUP Cultivation Permit A14d Give any other grazing name e g Community Pasture to identify where the work is being done A15 The several parts of these items identify various ways in which a data record may represent a resampling of a polygon that may have been inventoried again at some other
38. cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals lt Lateral Extent of the Riparian Zone Floodprone Area gt Active Floodplain lt gt Upper Terrace 3 pa lt gt Upland ecies FACU UPL rhea ig i ma Drier Riparian UPL Unvegetated a Speci Wetter Riparian pecies Channel ee FAC FACW FACW OBL Figure 1 A schematic example of a typical riparian zone cross section showing near channel landform features NOTE FAC facultative OBL obligate UPL upland etc refer to categories of frequency a species is found in wetlands Reed 1988 The location of the inner or streamside polygon boundary must be known at least approximately even on polygons that span the stream On most streams the area of the channel bottom is excluded from the polygon NOTE The whole channel width extends from right bankfull stage to left bankfull stage however we need to include the lower banks in all polygons therefore consider for exclusion ONLY the relatively flat and lowest area of the channel the bottom Low depositional bars gravel sand or silt that are logically a part of the channel by being between the banks and are less than 50 percent covered with vegetation are part of the channel and NOT part of the polygon This allows data to be collected on the riparian area while excluding the aquatic zone or open water of the stream The aquatic zone is the area
39. ctural diversity category it can meet To meet a category each lifeform by height named in the description must have a canopy cover of at least 15 in the polygon Combination groups 1 e medium trees shrubs and short medium and tall herbaceous must have at least 5 cover of both components or at least 15 cover of one component NOTE Structural diversity on a site can change as succession proceeds or if management changes Category Description Tall trees tall shrubs medium trees shrubs herbaceous understory present Tall trees tall shrubs herbaceous understory present Tall trees medium trees shrubs herbaceous understory present Tall trees herbaceous understory present Tall shrubs medium trees shrubs herbaceous understory present Tall shrubs herbaceous understory present Medium trees shrubs herbaceous understory present Tall herbaceous Medium herbaceous Short herbaceous Sparsely vegetated The herbaceous understory present does not need to have a minimum canopy cover Sparsely vegetated refers to polygons in which the minimum canopy cover by the various lifeforms is not met Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 9 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals D2a b If present record the 7 letter species code and the canopy cover in the two left most columns for ALL tree species observed Canopy cover is evaluated using ocular estimation following the Daubenmire 1959 met
40. e NOTE 1 Animal dung and dead non rooted plant material not considered wood are all considered litter and duff NOTE 2 Open water is area outside the stream channel that is covered by relatively permanent water that is not supporting erect vascular plant vegetation It may be a slough gravel pit old oxbow dugout etc NOTE 3 If planting stakes or rooted material has died or is less than one year old or dead it is included as non vegetated ground cover F17 Answer Yes if these bars are being colonized by perennial plant species and No if channel point bars older than the current season are not becoming vegetated by perennial plant species Answer NA if there is no channel F18 Check whether there are forested areas nearby upstream or up slope with potential to deliver significant amounts of large woody debris to the stream channel Consider scale of the system in this item but large woody debris is generally understood to mean tree trunks F19a b Apart from the streambank the remaining polygon area is naturally formed to perform riparian functions that may be disrupted by a variety of human caused disturbances If the non streambank area of the polygon has been physically altered by human causes F19a estimate the total amount of all kinds of physical site alteration to the polygon away from the streambanks F19b F19c Break down the total non streambank alteration among the listed potential agents of cause so that these add
41. eadcut may appear stationary i e Niagara Falls in the human timeframe of reference Headcuts should not be confused with boulder and log steps in a high gradient step pool mountain stream Such steps are not erosion features in the same sense Do not count headcuts less than 30 cm 1 ft high These smaller headcuts are taken into account in item F14 F13a b Record the percent of braided stream reach the stream has more than two active channels in the polygon A braided channel is more complex and divided than an occasional island and results most often from excess sediment in the system and or severe disturbance F14 An incised stream channel has experienced vertical downcutting of its bed Incisement can lower the water table enough to change vegetation site potential It can also increase stream energy by reducing sinuosity reduce water retention storage and increase erosion A stream becomes critically incised when downcutting lowers the channel bed so that the two year flood event cannot overflow the banks Some typical downcutting indicators are a Headcuts b Exposed cultural features pipelines bridge footings culverts etc c Lack of sediment deposits d Exposed bedrock and e A low vertical scarp at the bank toe on the inside of a channel bend A severe disturbance can initiate downcutting transforming the system from one having a high water table appropriate floodplain and high productivity to one of degraded w
42. ealing stages In either case the extent of incisement is minimal In Stage B the channel is just beginning to degrade and a 2 year flood event may still access some floodplain partially or in spots Downcutting is likely progressing In Stage D the system is healing Downcutting should have ceased at this stage A new floodplain should be well established with perennial vegetation although it may not be as wide as the stream type needs This is indicated by ongoing lateral erosion of high side walls of the original incisement as the system continues to widen itself at its new grade level 3 Moderate B D C F G This category also contains both degrading and healing stages In both cases the extent of incisement is significant In Stage B the channel has downcut to a level that floods of the 1 5 year magnitude cannot reach a floodplain Downcutting is likely still progressing but the channel may already look like a gully In Stage D the system has only just begun to heal A small floodplain along the new curves in the gully is forming and perennial vegetation is starting to colonize new sediment features The high side walls of the gully are actively eroding as the system widens and much of the fallen materials is being incorporated along the bottom 0 Severe C F G The worst case category where there is no floodplain in the bottom of a deep entrenchment and small to moderate floods cannot reach the original floodplain level Downcutting m
43. f the total reach with the exception of stream types G F and D which are considered degraded Rosgen 1996 Degraded streams of these Rosgen types should be noted regardless of length Stream reaches with sediment loads that appear higher than natural should also be noted in the comment section item F25 NOTE These observations are generally based on ocular estimates rather than quantitative measurements H8b Record the Rosgen valley type s for the stream reach within which the polygon is located and the percent of total stream reach of each type Typically there would only be one valley type per polygon and per reach because a change in valley type is criteria for a new polygon H8c Document how confident you are in your evaluation of stream and valley type High very confident The geomorphic features of the valley or stream are clear and you are certain you have described the type s and interpreted Rosgen s descriptions properly Moderate moderately confident The geomorphic features of the valley or stream are clear and you are fairly certain you have described the type s and interpreted Rosgen s descriptions properly Or the geomorphic features of the valley or stream type are a bit unclear but you are fairly sure you have described the type s and interpreted Rosgen s descriptions properly Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 28 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Low not very conf
44. for downloading to the computer later When starting work in a new location always check the GPS receiving unit against a known point by using the UTM grid and map B10d e Identify the GPS unit used and the name or number designator of the waypoints saved for the upper and lower ends of the polygon and for other locations Describe any comments worth noting about the waypoints i e monument referenced or general location descriptions Blla c Record the name s scale and publication year of the quadrangle map s or any other map s locating the polygon Use precisely the name listed on the map sheet Provision is made for listing two maps in case the polygon crosses between two maps B12 Record identifying data for any aerial photos used on this polygon Selected Summary Data C1 Wetland type is a categorical description of the predominant polygon character Select from the following list of categories that may occur within a lotic system the one that best characterizes the majority of the polygon Observers will select only one category as representative of the entire polygon If significant amounts of other categories are present indicate this in Vegetation Comments item D17 or consider dividing the original polygon into two or more polygons Category Description Perennial Stream A stream or stretch of stream that flows continuously for most of most years Perennial streams are generally fed in part by springs or discharge fr
45. frequently covered by water and lacking persistent emergent vegetation Persistent emergent vegetation consists of perennial wetland species that normally remain standing at least until the beginning of next growing season e g Typha species cattails Scirpus species bulrushes Carex species sedges and other perennial graminoids In many systems large portions of the channel bottom may become exposed due to seasonal irrigation use hydroelectric generation and natural seasonal changes such as are found in many prairie ecosystems In these cases especially the prairie streams the channel bottom may have varying amounts of herbaceous vegetation and the channel area is included in the polygon as area to be inventoried Typically these are the pooled channel stream type that has scour pools scattered along the length interspersed with reaches of grass bulrush or sedge covered channel bottom If over half gt 50 the channel bottom area has a canopy cover of persistent vegetation cover perennial species taken over the entire length of the polygon as a whole then it qualifies for inclusion within the inventoried polygon area If you are in doubt whether to include the channel bottom in the polygon then leave it out but be sure to indicate this in the comment section This is important so that future assessments of the polygon will be looking at the same area of land INVENTORY FORM CODES AND INSTRUCTIONS Class Codes Field observers wi
46. ft Therefore only in extreme cases with cutting on both sides of a stream at the same point might there be a value greater than 50 lateral cutting To answer this question add the footage of all observed lateral cutting in the polygon and divide by the total length of bank in the polygon NOTE In the past this question was answered differently as total lateral cutting length divided by stream length which theoretically could yield values greater than 100 F5 Record the range category estimated to best characterize the degree of polygon streambank instability There are several types of streambank instability Unstable banks can be described as follows Undercut banks most often indicate a binding root mass which will allow upper streambank layers to persist for some time without support underneath Highly cohesive soils in the upper banks may also persist above an undercut lower layer without a binding root mass but this is less common Not all undercut banks should be called unstable Some cuts under large trees or shrubs are more stable than banks not undercut held by strongly rooted herbaceous plants Therefore consider the timeframe for expected failure in making this call Vertically eroded banks are usually composed of cohesive soils silts and clays but lack a root mass to significantly increase resistance to erosion As the stream erodes the bottom of the bank the top almost immediately collapses Slumping banks usually represent the m
47. g hedging from the top down Moose during winter in deep snow browse exposed branches of shorter plants Umbrella shaped Heavily hedged High lined Shrubs that have most of the branches up to 1 5 m 5 ft in height removed by browsing Cut Off at or Near the Ground Shrubs that have been cut off by beaver or humans at or near the base of the main stem s Qa c D6e Skip this item if the polygon lacks trees and shrubs AND there are no stumps or cut woody plants to indicate that it ever had any and no other evidence e g surrounding landscape or historical imagery to support your call Excessive cutting or removing parts of plants or whole plants by agents other than browsing animals e g human clearing cutting beaver activity etc can result in many of the same negative effects to the community that are caused by excessive browsing However other effects from this kind of removal are direct and immediate including reduction of physical community structure and wildlife habitat values Do not include natural phenomena such as natural fire insect infestation etc in this evaluation e NC used in database for old polygons when data was not collected and used when insufficient data is available to make a call Example no historic photos or nearby comparison areas available e NA site does not have the ability to support trees and shrubs example prairie saline conditions Removal of woody vegetation may occur at once a logg
48. hod Within the total canopy cover of each species estimate the proportion of each of five groups seedling sapling pole mature and dead trees The canopy covers of the five groups of each species must total approximately 100 If some individuals in a size class have at least 30 of the upper canopy dead are decadent record the decadence as a percentage of that group Record the total group cover to the left of the slash and the decadent portion to the right Example Species Cover Sdlg Dec Splg Dec__ Pole Dec___ Mat Dec Dead POPUBAL 3 T 0 P 0 1 P 8 1 P Note 1 The most common usage of the term decadent may be for over mature trees past their prime and which may be dying but we use the term in a broader sense We count decadent plants both trees and shrubs as those with 30 or more dead wood in the upper canopy In this item scores are based on the percentage of total woody canopy cover which is decadent or dead not on how much of the total polygon canopy cover consists of dead and decadent woody material Only decadent and dead standing material is included not that which is lying on the ground The observer is to ignore not count decadence in poplars or cottonwoods which are decadent due to old age rough and furrowed bark extends substantially up into the crowns of the trees species Populus deltoides plains cottonwood P angustifolia narrow leaf cottonwood and P balsamifera balsam poplar because cottonwoods poplars a
49. ident The geomorphic features of the valley or stream are clear but you are not very certain you have described the type s and interpreted Rosgen s descriptions properly Or the geomorphic features of the valley or stream type are a quite unclear and you are not very sure that you have described the type s and interpreted Rosgen s descriptions properly Wildlife Data These wildlife data represent incidental observations only H9a b If waterfowl nests or young broods were observed describe location type and whether the nest was in use of the year or old H10a e Respond to the fishery questions based on observations H11a b Record the type and number of any amphibians observed H12a b Record the type and number of any reptiles observed H13 If possible record the species name number of individuals and sighting locations of amphibians and reptiles e g lower 1 3 of polygon throughout polygon upper 1 4 of polygon H14a d List threatened and endangered animal species observed in the polygon along with any nesting sites Space is provided to list species observed Consult relevant documents to determine appropriate species Record the location in the polygon where animals or nests were sighted H15 List incidental sightings of non waterfowl bird species on the polygon Give number of individuals seen and any pertinent location information for each species H16 List rare plant species found on the polygon Give number
50. in each of the three height layers Consider each group in each layer separately For example shrubs in layer 2 will be the canopy cover of all plants of all shrubs in the polygon between 0 5 m 1 5 ft and 1 8 m 6 0 ft tall roughly knee high to head high In estimating this value ignore all plants taller and shorter than this range Similarly estimate the cover separately of those taller and those shorter shrubs Proceed in this way through each lifeform and layer As a check refer to your species canopy lists to help remember what all you have seen on the site Leave no field blank enter 0 to indicate absence of a value A blank field means the observer forgot to collect the data a value means the observer looked See further discussion in the note for item D10 D10 Record the total percent of the polygon area occupied by canopy cover of each plant lifeform Include the canopy cover on the polygon that is provided by all rooted plants live or dead Do not include fallen wood or other plant litter Do not consider the polygon area that is covered by water such as between emergent plants Avoid counting overlapping areas more than once for one group For example an area is not counted twice for total tree cover if seedlings cover all ground under mature trees However the same piece of ground may occur under the canopy of more than one group For example areas covered by grass which are also under trees would be counted for both tree and g
51. ing operation or it may be cumulative over time annual firewood cutting or beaver activity This question is not so much to assess long term incremental harvest as it is to assess the extent that the stand is lacking vegetation that would otherwise be there today Give credit for re growth Consider how much the removal of a tree many years ago may have now been mitigated with young replacements Three nonnative species or genera are excluded from consideration because these are aggressive invasive exotic plants that should be removed They are Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive Rhamnus cathartica European common buckthorn and Tamarix species salt cedar Determine the extent to which woody vegetation trees and shrubs is lacking due to being physically removed 1 e cut mowed trimmed logged cut by beaver or otherwise removed from their growing position The timeframe is less important than the ecological effect Time to recover from this kind of damage can vary widely with site characteristics The objective is to measure the extent of any damage remaining today to the vegetation structure resulting from woody removal We expect that the woody community will recover over time re grow just as an eroding bank will heal with re growing plant roots This question simply asks how much woody material is still missing from what should be on the site The amount of time since removal doesn t really matter if re growth has been allowed to p
52. ing process proceeds Look especially for perennial vegetation becoming established on these depositional features as it is the vegetation that secures the newly gained floodplain increments The relative width of the active floodplain the lowest level the one that is most frequently flooded determines to what extent an Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 20 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals incisement has healed Remember that floodplain width is inversely proportional to stream gradient so that higher gradient B stream type channels typically have narrow floodplains typically less than one bankfull channel width and C and E stream type have wide to very wide floodplains typically greater than one bankfull channel width A top rating is given to un incised channels from which the normal 1 2 year high flow can access a well formed floodplain These can be meandering meadow streams E stream type and wide valley bottom streams C stream type which access floodplains much wider than the stream channel or they may be mountain and foothill streams in V shaped valleys which have narrow floodplains limited by topography or bedrock These latter types are usually armoured well rocked systems with highly stable beds and streambanks that are not susceptible to downcutting typically mountain and foothill streams of A and B stream types The lowest rating goes to entrenched channels F or G stream types where e
53. itat type or the Populus tremuloides Cornus stolonifera aspen red osier dogwood habitat type Currently many of these sites fail to meet jurisdictional wetland criteria Nevertheless these functional wetlands provide important wetland functions vital to wetland dependent species and may warrant special managerial consideration The current interpretation is that not all functional wetlands are jurisdictional wetlands but that all jurisdictional wetlands are functional wetlands Polygon Delineation The lotic wetland inventory process incorporates data on a wide range of biological and physical categories The basic unit of delineation within which this data is collected is called a polygon A polygon is the area upon which one set of data is collected One inventory form is completed i e one set of data is collected for each polygon One or more usually several polygons constitute a project A lotic riparian polygon is an area adjacent to a waterway stream or river Polygons are delineated on topographic maps by marking the upper and lower ends before observers go to the field The widths of most riparian wetland zones are unknown before the inventory and cannot be pre marked On topographic maps most polygons are usually drawn as a single line following the stream or river and are numbered sequentially proceeding downstream It is important to clearly mark and number the polygons on the topo map Polygons are numbered pre field in the office
54. ith a new floodplain Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 23 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals F15a b Record the portion of the polygon with exposed soil surface bare ground Bare ground is soil not covered by plants litter or duff downed wood or rocks larger than 6 cm 2 5 in Hardened impervious surfaces e g asphalt concrete etc are not bare ground these do not erode nor allow weeds sites to invade Bare ground caused by human activity indicates a deterioration of riparian health Sediment deposits and other natural bare ground are excluded as normal or probably beyond immediate management control Human land uses causing bare ground include livestock grazing recreation roads and industrial activities The evaluator should consider the causes of all bare ground observed and estimate the fraction that is human caused Stream channels that go dry during the growing season can create problems for polygon delineation Some stream channels remain unvegetated after the water is gone On most streams the area of the channel bottom is excluded from the polygon NOTE The whole channel width extends from right bankfull stage to left bankfull stage however we need to include the lower banks in all polygons therefore consider for exclusion ONLY the relatively flat and lowest area of the channel the bottom This allows data to be collected on the riparian area while excluding the aquatic zone or open w
55. l Government which have the potential to contain representative rare and fragile landscapes plants animals and geological features The intent is for the preservation of natural ecosystems habitats and features associated with biodiversity Public access to ecological reserves is by foot only public roads and other facilities do not normally exist and will not be developed Environmental Reserve generally are those lands that are considered un developable and may consist of a swamp gully ravine coulee or natural drainage course flood prone areas steep slopes or land immediately adjacent to lakes rivers stream or other bodies of water Governed by The Municipal Government Act Alberta Municipal Reserve may also be known in part as reserve park reserve park or community reserve Municipal reserves are lands that have been given to the municipality by the developer of a subdivision as part of the subdivision approval process Governed by The Municipal Government Act Alberta Other types of Protected Area Designated Nationally Provincially or Municipally such as Provincial Recreation Areas Wilderness areas Natural Areas Heritage Rangelands National Historic Sites and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries A9 If this polygon has an association with a Watershed Group Community Affiliation name the group A10 Identify the organizations project name This may be a internal name not recognized by the Watershed Group or Community Affiliation
56. lar kind of alteration may derive from more than one cause i e there may not be a one to one relationship between cause and kind Leave no line blank Enter 0 if there is none Potential kinds of alteration are Soil Compaction This kind of alteration includes livestock caused hummocking and pugging recreational trails that obviously have compacted the soil vehicle and machine tracks and ruts in soft soil etc Plowing Tilling This is disruption of the soil surface for cultivation purposes It does not include the alteration of drainage or topographic pattern which are included in the Topographic Change category Hydrologic Change Include area that is physically affected by removal or addition of water for human purpose The physical effects to look for are structures such as water diversions ditches and canals that affect the drainage pattern as well as erosion due to reduced or increased water bared soil surface that had water cover drained away or area now flooded that previously supported a drier vegetation type Road Railroad Bed Along many streams road and railroad beds are constructed adjacent to the stream channel These structures represent disruption to the bank integrity to the bank vegetation Topographic Change This is the deliberate alteration of terrain for human purposes It may be a result of earth moving by mining or construction activities for aesthetic reasons i e landscaping or other reasons I
57. ld copies of the topographic maps The original polygon numbers should be retained on the map for cross reference Polygons should not cross fences between areas with different management Upper and lower polygon boundaries are placed at distinct locations such as fences stream confluences or stream meanders that can be recognized in the field Polygons should not cross fences between areas with different management In most cases polygons are delineated 0 25 0 75 mi long On smaller streams polygons include the land on both sides of the stream On large rivers or if property ownership or access differs polygons may include only one side of a stream The outer boundaries of riparian polygons are at the wetland vegetation type outer edges These boundaries are sometimes clearly defined by abrupt changes in the geography and or vegetation but proper determination often depends on experienced interpretation of more subtle differences The area to be assessed includes any terraces dominated by facultative wetland and wetter plant species Reed 1988 the active floodplain streambanks and areas in the channel with emergent vegetation Figure 1 Reference to Reed s list of plants found in wetlands should not be necessary to determine the area for evaluation The evaluator should simply focus on that area which is obviously more lush dense or greener by virtue of proximity to the stream Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 2 Check www
58. ll use class codes to represent ranges of percent wherever percent data is recorded The class codes are defined below These codes and range classes are from the USDA Forest Service Northern Regions ECODATA 1989 program T 0 1 lt 1 2 15 lt 25 5 45 lt 55 8 75 lt 85 P 1 lt 5 3 25 lt 35 6 55 lt 65 9 85 lt 95 1 5 lt 15 4 35 lt 45 7 65 lt 75 F 95 100 Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 3 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals The class codes are converted to class midpoints in the office The class midpoints are T 0 5 P 3 0 1 10 0 2 20 0 3 30 0 4 40 0 5 50 0 6 60 0 7 70 0 8 80 0 9 90 0 F 97 5 These class midpoints are used in data reporting and in all calculations throughout the data analysis process Polygon Data The following are the codes and instructions for the individual data items on the form All data items are to be recorded in the field unless otherwise noted Numbering corresponds to that of items on the form Also included are comments about the data how it is collected and its meaning When the inventory methodology follows a published source that source is cited However in many instances due to the lack of pre existing guidelines we have developed our own methodologies Fill in all blanks on the field form except those that are completed in the office Enter 0 for any item to indicate the absence of value Do not use
59. lly browsed by ungulates Do not count current year s use because this would not accurately reflect actual use when more browsing can occur later in the season Browsing of second year or older material affects the overall health of the plant and continual high use will affect the plant s ability to maintain itself on the site Determine percentage by comparing the number of leaders browsed or utilized with the total number of leaders available those within animal reach on a representative sample at least three plants of each shrub species present Do not count utilization on dead plants unless it is clear that death resulted from over grazing NOTE If a shrub is entirely mushroom umbrella shaped by long term intense browse or rubbing count utilization of it as heavy Record to the right of the slash the one category that best describes shrub utilization for each size class using the five categories in item D5 above Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 12 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Example Species Cover Sdlg Splg Util Mature Util Dec Dead Util Shrub Growth Form ALNUTEN 2 P Moderate 7 Light 3 Unavail N D d Record the category best describing the dominant appearance of each shrub species in the polygon Code Description N Normal Growth Form No apparent deviation from the normal appearance of the lifeform F Flat Topped Growth Form Shrubs with the tallest leaders hedged e
60. more of the polygon The total must approximate 100 Slight deviations due to use of class codes or to omission of types covering less than 5 of the polygon are allowed NOTE For any area designated as an unclassified wetland type it is important to list any species present that can indicate the wetness or dryness of the site The things listed in item D15 HTs CTs and other coverages should account for the entire polygon area These values are used in analyses calculations that must account for the whole polygon The list of non riparian vegetation types is shown below but it is somewhat dynamic so that if others are encountered they can be added These other types are important to understand what is happening on the polygon e Building Complex e Gravel Surface human constructed e Paved Surface e Cropland e Hayfield Open Water e Unvegetated Mine Tailings e Nonriparian Upland Type and e Unclassified Wetland Type 1 2 3 etc NOTE Open water in the polygon that does not have emergent vegetation but that is less than 2 m 6 6 ft deep is counted as a type called Open Water The term Unclassified Wetland Type signifies a natural vegetation that does not yield a name when put through an HT CT key but which can be described by species dominance in upper and lower stories You normally should only need to use Unclassified Wetland Type when working in an area lacking a classification D16 Select the one categor
61. mpervious Surface Including hardened surfaces like roads sidewalks roofs boat launches or any human made surface from which water will run off rather than infiltrate the soil Other List any other kinds of physical alteration not described above and describe them in the space provided F19e Comment to explain your answers for F19c d Use this space to elaborate on any overlap between the various causes and kinds of alteration noted Also comment on severity of alterations using description provided in the lentic assessment i e no physical alterations slight moderate or severe F20a c If pugging and or hummocking is present in the polygon record the percent of polygon area affected in F20a Record the amount F20b and distribution of the pugging hummocks between area within the streambanks and area outside the banks in F20c Pugging is tracking depressions left by large animals typically hoofed animals but occasionally humans left in fine textured soil Moist clay or silt usually has a consistency to hold tracks Upon drying pugged areas will have a hard irregular surface difficult to walk across Bare soil may or may not be present Hummocking is a form of micro topographic relief characterized by raised pedicels of vegetated soil as much as 0 6 m 2 ft higher than the surrounding ground which results from long term large animal trampling and tracking in soft soil Vegetation on the pedicels usually differs from that on the
62. n zone Describe what you use as Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 26 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals the indicators of the wetland upland boundary Use localized geologic physical or vegetation information to identify these boundaries of the polygon for future polygon relocation Photograph Data NOTE Take at least one photo upstream and one downstream at each end of every polygon This applies even to situations where the polygon is at one end of an inventoried reach and one of the photos is taken into a non inventoried area as well as situations in which another polygon is adjacent to the one being inventoried G1 At the upstream end of the polygon take one photo with view upstream outside the polygon and one with view downstream into the polygon Identify the photo numbers and the enter a description of each photograph taken at the upper end of the polygon G2 At the downstream end of the polygon take one photo with view downstream outside the polygon and one with view upstream into the polygon Identify the photo numbers and the enter a description of each photograph taken at the lower end of the polygon G3 Take other photos as needed to illustrate key features or problems within the polygon For each Other photo enter the UTM location coordinates and identify each one with its photo number and description G3a Additional photo page entered Answer Yes or No If additi
63. naturally space out individual plants leaving bare ground between Typically this is a characteristic of arid land vegetation Saline Alkaline The natural accumulation of mineral salts often reaches local concentrations that either support no vegetation or support only sparse populations of adapted species The observer should decide whether the source of such mineral accumulation is natural or caused by human activity If unknown then default to the natural cause Within Vegetated Channel Bottoms If the channel is deemed to be vegetated and included as area of the polygon then what percentage of all the naturally occurring bare ground on the polygon does this represent e Cultivation Tillage and other mechanical activities in the process of cultivation of crops result in bare ground Vehicle Trails Trails caused by vehicles do not include built roads which are in construction and or recreational trails which are included in recreation Other Account for any naturally occurring bare ground that is not included in the categories named above and describe what caused it in the field provided Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 24 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Human caused bare ground may result from e Grazing Livestock use often results in bare ground from trailing trampling hoof shear and the removal of vegetation cover by overgrazing Timber Harvest Log skidding and other
64. of individuals seen and location information for each species NOTE Species listed must also be listed on the appropriate lifeform listing in the VEGETATION SECTION above Questions D2 D6 D7 or D8 H17 This space is provided for any additional commentary the observers may wish to record concerning any aspect of the site that is not more appropriately entered in the vegetation section item D17 or in the physical site section Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 29 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals LITERATURE CITED Adams B W G Ehlert C Stone M Alexander D Lawrence M Willoughby D Moisey C Hincz and A Burkinshaw 2003 Range health assessment for grassland forest and tame pasture Public Lands and Forests Division Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Publication No T 044 Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre 1999 Natural regions and subregions of Alberta Internet website http www govy ab ca env parks anhic abnatreg html Edmonton Alberta Canada T5K 2J6 American Fisheries Society Western Division 1980 Position paper on management and protection of western riparian stream ecosystems American Fisheries Society Bethesda Maryland USA 24p Boldt Charles D Daniel W Uresk and Keith E Severson 1978 Riparian woodlands in jeopardy on Northern High Plains In Strategies for protection and management of floodplain wetlands and other riparian ecosystems R
65. of precision For example two polygons rating 76 and 78 should not be interpreted as functionally different from each other but they both are more likely to differ functionally from a third polygon that rates 61 Therefore use of the descriptive categories may be more useful than referring to the specific numerical values The health ratings are presented both as an overall polygon score and in two subsections vegetation and physical site to give a broad indication of what part of the system may be in need of more management attention Vegetation Data D1a The wetland prevalence index is compiled by the computer from the U S National Wetland Inventory NWI wetland status classes for plant species recorded on the site Reed 1988 and weighted by species abundance measured in terms of canopy cover The range of index values is from 1 0 to 5 0 Lower values indicate wetter sites D1b The vegetation structural diversity category is automatically calculated in the office by computer using plant group and height layer data item D9 Trees and shrubs are considered major components of structural diversity These terms are used to describe vegetation height tall gt 1 8 m 6 0 ft layer 3 medium gt 0 5 1 8 m 1 5 6 0 ft layer 2 short lt 0 5 m lt 1 5 ft layer 1 Graminoids and forbs are combined as the herbaceous lifeform Trees and shrubs in layer 2 are also combined as medium trees shrubs A polygon is assigned the highest stru
66. om groundwater Perennial streams are distinguished from larger rivers by size Streams wider than 15 m 50 ft are considered rivers for the purpose of this inventory see below Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 7 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Intermittent Stream A stream or stretch of stream which flows only at certain periods of the year when it receives water from springs discharge from groundwater or melting snow in mountainous areas These streams generally flow continuously at least one month most years Ephemeral Stream A stream or stretch of stream that flows in normal water years only in direct response to precipitation In normal years it receives no water from springs and no extended supply from melting snow or other surface source Ephemeral streams are not in contact with groundwater and normally do not flow continuously for as long as one month Not all ephemeral streams support riparian plant communities Subterranean Stream A stream that flows underground for part of the stream reach This occurs on systems composed of coarse textured porous substrates Surface flow may disappear and re emerge farther downstream Pooled Channel Stream An intermittent stream that has significant channel pools after surface flow ceases Pools are generally at meander curves and are usually considerably deeper than the rest of the channel bottom Water sources for the pools may be springs or contact with
67. onal photos taken exceed space on the field form they will be entered on an additional photo page and entered into the database in this manner This includes additional photos taken outside of polygon i e non polygon photos For each additional photo taken record the waypoint name enter the UTM location coordinates and identify each photo with its photo number and description G4a b Indicate if there is another polygon adjacent upstream of this one and identify its polygon name G5a b Indicate if there is another polygon adjacent downstream of this one and identify its polygon name G6 Record the type of film digital or film film speed or digital quality dpi camera lens size and lens focal length range or magnification Lens filter used polarizer or none Additional Data Items H1 Record the rating category that best describes the vegetation use by animals Platts and others 1987 This is intended as a measure of herbivore utilization of available forage However it may be extended to include human removal of this same forage by mowing or other means Although Platts and others 1987 state that this available forage is mainly herbaceous the concept is extended to also include normally utilized and available woody species Record the category not a precise value Code Category Description 0 to 25 Vegetation use is light or none Almost all plant biomass at the current development stage remains Vegetative cover is close
68. ost unstable situation no cohesive soils or binding root mass Upper banks crack and give way often in large chunks back from the bank top with the material falling toward the stream in mass The degree of instability in all three cases increases with further disturbance NOTE 1 Assess both sides of the stream so total bank length evaluated will be approximately twice the stream reach length Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 17 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals NOTE 2 Rip rap is the addition of large rock concrete or other material along the streambank in an attempt to prevent erosion Banks treated with rip rap are unstable if the rip rap is becoming unstable Check whether the rip rap is eroding underneath or behind F 6a b The banks of a stream are formed to contain the channel flow in a delicate balance of forces that can be destabilized by human activities Altered streambanks are those having impaired structural integrity strength or stability usually due to human causes These banks are more susceptible to cracking and or slumping Count as streambank alteration such damage as livestock or wildlife hoof shear and concentrated trampling vehicle or ATV tracks and any other human caused disruption of bank integrity including rip rap or use of fill The basic criterion is any disturbance to bank structure that increases erosion potential or bank profile shape change One large exception is late
69. oth M Bryant J L Bufford P Cuplin S Jensen G W Lienkaemper G W Minshall S B Monsen R L Nelson J R Sedell and J S Tuhy 1987 Methods for evaluating riparian habitats with applications to management USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT 221 Intermountain Research Station Ogden Utah USA 187p Reed Porter B Jr 1988 National list of plant species that occur in wetlands Northwest Region 9 US Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 88 26 9 USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Research and Development Washington DC USA 89p Rosgen D L 1996 Applied river morphology Wildland Hydrology Pagosa Springs Colorado USA 246p Rosgen Dave 2006 Watershed assessment of river stability and sediment supply WARSSS Wildland Hydrology Pagosa Springs Colorado USA 628p Shaw S P and C G Fredine 1956 Wetlands of the United States Their extent and their value for waterfowl and other wildlife USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Circular 39 Washington DC USA 67p Stewart R E and H A Kantrud 1972 Classification of natural ponds and lakes in the glaciated prairie region USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Research Publication 92 57p Thompson William H and Paul L Hansen 2001 Classification and management of riparian and wetland sites of the Saskatchewan prairie ecozone and parts of adjacent subregions Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Corporation Regina Saskatchewan Canada 298p
70. ral bank cutting caused by stream flow even if thought to result from upstream human manipulation of the flow The intent of this item is to assess only direct on site mechanical or structural damage to the banks Each bank is considered separately so total bank length for this item is approximately twice the reach length of stream channel in the polygon more if the stream is braided NOTE Constructed streambanks especially those with rip rap may be stabilized at the immediate location but are likely to disrupt normal flow dynamics and cause erosion of banks downstream The width of the bank to be considered is proportional to stream size The table below gives a conceptual guideline for how wide a band along the bank to assess Stream Size Bankfull Channel Width Width of Band to Assess for Bank Alteration Rivers Larger Than 15 m gt 49 ft 4 m 13 ft Small Rivers amp Large Streams Approx 5 15 m 16 49 ft 2 m 6 ft Small Streams Up To Approx 5 m 16 ft 1m 3 ft If the streambank has not been altered by on site human activities answer No to F6a Otherwise in F6b record the total percent of the polygon streambank that is altered Then in F c break down the total streambank alteration into a distribution among the listed potential agents of cause so that these add to 100 F6c Break down the total streambank alteration into a distribution among the listed potential agents of cause so that these add approximately
71. rass lifeforms On the other hand when estimating total cover of all plants item D12 the area covered by both trees and grass would only be counted once trees and grass in this case being part of the same group all four plant groups D11 Record the percent of the polygon area covered by tree and shrub woody species canopy considered as a group in the sense described above Include the canopy cover on the polygon that is provided by all rooted plants live or dead Do not include fallen wood or other plant litter Do not consider the polygon area that is covered by water such as between emergent plants D12 Record the percent of the polygon area covered by the canopy of all four plant groups together Include the canopy cover on the polygon that is provided by all rooted plants live or dead Do not include fallen wood or other plant litter Do not consider the polygon area that is covered by water such as between emergent plants D13a b Invasive plants noxious weeds are alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm Without regard to whether the disturbance that allowed their establishment is natural or human caused weed presence indicates a degrading ecosystem While some of these species may contribute to some riparian functions their negative impacts reduce overall site health This item assesses the degree and extent to which the site is impacted by the presence of noxious weeds The
72. ratory 1987 Kovalchik 1987 Federal Interagency Committee for Wetland Delineation 1989 Mitsch and Gosselink 1993 and Kent 1994 Lotic wetlands are associated with rivers streams and drainage ways They contain a defined channel and floodplain The channel is an open conduit which periodically or continuously carries flowing water Beaver ponds seeps springs and wet meadows on the floodplain of or associated with a river or stream are part of the lotic wetland Lentic wetlands are associated with still water systems These wetlands occur in basins and lack a defined channel and floodplain Included are permanent i e perennial or intermittent bodies of water such as lakes reservoirs potholes marshes ponds and stockponds Other examples include fens bogs wet meadows and seeps not associated with a defined channel Functional vs Jurisdictional Wetland Criteria Defining wetlands has become more difficult as greater economic stakes have increased the potential for conflict between politics and science A universally accepted wetland definition satisfactory to all users has not yet been developed because the definition depends on the objectives and the field of interest However scientists generally agree that wetlands are characterized by one or more of the following features 1 wetland hydrology the driving force creating all wetlands 2 hydric soils an indicator of the absence of oxygen and 3 hydrophytic vegetation an
73. rbance a channel may progress through predictable stages of incisement and healing returning ultimately to a functional and stable system again Using the following descriptions and illustrations choose the stage of channel incisement none slight moderate or severe that best fits the predominant condition in the polygon Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 21 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Scoring Schumm s Health Channel Rosgen Assessment Incisement Evolution Types Scoring Class Stages Included Description of Incisement Situation 9 None A A B C E Channel is vertically stable and not incised 1 2 year high flows can begin to access a floodplain appropriate to stream type Active downcutting is not evident Any old incisement is characterized by a broad floodplain in which perennial riparian vegetation well established This category includes a variety of stream types in all land forms and substrates The floodplain may be narrow or wide depending on the type of stream but the key factor is vertical stability The system may have once incised and later become healed and is now stable again with a new floodplain appropriate to its stream type In this case the erosion of the old gully side walls will have ceased and stabilized A mature or nearly mature vegetation community will occupy much of the new valley bottom 6 Slight B D C F G This category contains both degrading and h
74. re early seral species and naturally die off in the absence of disturbance to yield the site to later seral species The observer is to consider count decadence in these species if apparently caused by de watering browse stress climatic influences or parasitic infestation insects disease The observer should comment on conflicting or confounding indicators and or if the cause of decadence is simply unknown but not due to old age Note 2 Do not count the resprouts from cut off stumps as regeneration of the plant that was cut As a general rule count sprouts ONLY that emanate from the soil and NOT from the stem above ground Tree Size Classes Size Class Conifers and Cottonwoods Poplars Other Broadleaf Species Seedling lt 4 5 ft tall OR lt 1 0 inch dbh lt 3 0 ft tall Sapling gt 4 5 ft tall AND 1 0 inch to 4 9 inch dbh gt 3 0 ft tall AND lt 3 0 inch dbh Pole 5 0 inch to 8 9 inch dbh gt 6 0 ft tall AND 3 0 inch to 5 0 inch dbh Mature gt 9 0 inch dbh gt 5 0 inch dbh Dead 100 of canopy is dead 100 of canopy is dead Juniperus scopulorum Rocky Mountain juniper is an exception to the specifications given because it lacks typical coniferous size age and growth form relationships Assign age classes to individuals based on relative size reproductive ability and overall appearance Other Broadleaf Species may include Fraxinus pennsylvanica green ash Acer negundo Manitoba maple Populus tremuloides aspen Betul
75. rface into two categories that resulting from natural and human causes These must total approximately 100 Examples of human causes include livestock wallows and trails hiking tails ATV trails roads timber harvesting skid trails mining and construction activities F15d Within both the natural and human caused categories record the proportions of exposed soil surface bare ground resulting from the listed causes Within each category the portions assigned to the individual causes must total approximately 100 Explain whatever is put in the other category Natural processes are Erosional Natural flows and flood events often result in erosion that removes the soil cover Attribute polygon bare ground to this process when there is no human cause apparent on the site that would cause the erosion Wave action along a lake shore is the most common case of erosional bare ground in lentic systems Depositional The deposition of sediment by water flow is perhaps the greatest source of naturally occurring bare ground This is a significant natural process on certain lotic sites but is less common on lentic sites If the source of sediment is some human activity i e sheet erosion from ploughed field road surface etc then list this bare ground under the most appropriate human caused process Wildlife Use Trails and digging are common wildlife activities that result in natural bare ground Type Dependent Some vegetation types
76. rogress If 20 years after logging the site has a stand of sapling spruce trees then it should get partial re growth credit but not full credit since the trees still lack much of their potential habitat and ecological value NOTE In general the more recent the removal the more entirely it should be fully counted and conversely the older the removal the more likely it will have been mitigated by re growth This question is really looking at volume three dimensions and not canopy cover two dimensions For example if an old growth spruce tree is removed a number of new seedlings saplings may become established and could soon achieve the same canopy cover as the old tree had However the value of the old tree to wildlife and overall habitat values is far greater than that of the seedling saplings It will take a very long time before the seedlings saplings can grow to replace all the lost habitat values that were provided by the tall old tree On the other hand shrubs such as willows grow faster and may replace the volume of removed plants in a much shorter time Answer this question by estimating the percent of woody material that is missing from the site due to having been removed by human action Select a range category from the choices given that best Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 13 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals represents the percent of missing woody material When no remnants remain
77. s are designated land as per Administrative data Habitat and Conservation Protection for private conservation lands example ACA or NCC lands Acreage refers to land often with a domestic dwelling in a rural setting of about 1 to 40 acres not designated as agricultural land Rural Residential includes residences outside of an incorporated area town city hamlet but with other residences in close proximity and normally in a subdivision or other development Select the most specific type applicable e g For a provincial recreation area select Parks Protected Areas not Recreation for an oil pipeline select Energy not Industrial for a cottage on the lake select Lakefront waterfront residence not Residential H4a b Break down the polygon and the area adjacent to the polygon into the land uses listed Name any others observed H5a b On many small streams the sinuosity river length divided by the valley length is not accurately represented on available topo maps due to limitations of map scale Field observers are to examine the topographic map to determine if sinuosity is accurately shown If the answer is Yes the field observer will leave blank item F10b and sinuosity will be determined from the map in the office to the nearest tenth i e 1 1 1 2 etc If the answer is No the observer will measure sinuosity in the field and enter it into item F10b Field measurement of sinuosity is done by
78. sands particle sizes less than 2 mm will act as a sponge while coarser substrates such as gravels cobbles and boulders will not Substrate particle size also plays an important role in a site s quality as a plant rooting medium Substrates dominated by bedrock exposed boulders gt 25 cm 10 in or large cobbles gt 12 5 cm 5 in provide a poor rooting medium for plant growth Record the percent range to represent the portion of the polygon having sufficient fine materials to perform these functions F9 Record the average non vegetated stream channel width through the entire polygon This is the portion of the stream channel which remains unvegetated due to the scouring action of the stream or due to the presence of continual water Describe in the blank for physical site comment any discontinuous unvegetated channel F10 Record the stream channel gradient percent A clinometer may be used to measure gradient of the water surface over a distance of at least two full meander cycles or 50 m 165 ft whichever is greater or the maximum distance practicable If the stream is large enough gradient may be determined in a gross manner from a topographic map On low gradient streams an estimate is sufficient for the purposes here It is important to know whether the gradient is more or less than 2 percent Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 19 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals F11a b Record the percen
79. t of channel length showing active downcutting Active downcutting of a stream may be hard to recognize Four typical downcutting indicators are a headcuts b exposed cultural features pipelines bridge footings culverts etc c lack of sediment and exposed bedrock and d a low vertical scarp at the bank toe on the inside of a channel bend Wetland vegetation perched on pedestals above degraded eroded surrounding areas can indicate downcutting The lack of distinct channel bottom materials different from materials comprising adjacent banks can also indicate downcutting Channels in equilibrium with their flow regime and sediment supply usually have bottoms composed of entrained fluvial materials that differ from the bank material If the stream has removed this bedload and is flowing on material similar to the banks this can indicate that the stream has destabilized and is downcutting Look also for headcuts and exposed bedrock on the bottom to indicate downcutting F12a d Record the presence number average height and location of erosional headcuts in the polygon A headcut is an abrupt step in the longitudinal profile of a stream channel It is caused by erosion of channel bed materials at a waterfall point and may be almost any height Typically headcuts are found more on systems with erodible substrates In more erodible substrates the headcut proceeds upstream as material is eroded away downstream However in very durable bedrock the h
80. ter body list the reference where the data can be found Physical Site Data F1 Record whether or not the polygon contains a defined bank or channel bottom A defined channel will have a mostly gt 50 unvegetated bottom and evidence of at least ephemeral flow If no defined channel with banks is found in the polygon skip the channel bank related items down to the bare ground item F15 F2a b If the channel bottom is visible water depth or turbidity or depth does not obscure the bottom record the percent of channel bottom materials in each size group Category sizes are based on the measurement of the middle length axis of the particle This is the dimension that would limit the screen size the particle could pass through The sum of these values must approximate 100 Consider the area within the generally flatter bottom that lies between the left and right bank toes The goal is to characterize the bed load or materials already entrained in the stream Of course some systems lacking stored bed load may be flowing on non alluvial parent material or native bedrock F3a b Some streambanks are completely vegetated so do not disrupt the vegetation to examine the substrates However if the bank substrate is visible record the percent of each size category of materials Category sizes are based on the measurement of the middle length axis of the particle This is the dimension that would limit the screen size the particle could pass through
81. time The data in this record may have been collected on an area that Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 5 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals coincides precisely with an area inventoried at another time and recorded as another record in the database It may also represent the resampling of only a part of an area previously sampled This would include the case where this polygon overlaps but does not precisely and entirely coincide with one inventoried at another time One other case is where more than one polygon inventoried one year coincides with a single polygon inventoried another year All of these cases are represented in the database and all have some value for monitoring purposes in that they give some information on how the status on a site changes over time This is done in the office with access to the database field evaluators need not complete these items A15a Has any part of the area within this polygon been inventoried previously or subsequently as represented by another data record in the database Such other records would logically carry different dates as well as Identification Numbers A15b If Al3a is answered Yes then enter the years of any inventories of this exact polygon A15c Does the area extent of this polygon exactly coincide with that of any other inventory represented in the database In many cases subsequent inventories only partially overlap spatially A15d If Al5Sc is
82. to maintain itself on the site Determine percentage by comparing the number of leaders browsed or utilized with the total number of leaders available those within animal reach on a representative sample at least three plants of each tree species present Do not count utilization on dead plants unless it is clear that death resulted from over grazing NOTE If a shrub is entirely mushroom umbrella shaped by long term intense browse or rubbing count utilization of it as heavy Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 11 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Category Description None 0 to 5 of the available second year and older leaders are clipped browsed Light gt 5 to 25 of the available second year and older leaders are clipped browsed Moderate gt 25 to 50 of the available second year and older leaders are clipped browsed Heavy More than 50 of the available second year and older leaders are clipped browsed Unavailable Woody plants provide no browsed or unbrowsed material below 1 5 m 5 ft or are inaccessible due to location or protection by other plants NA Neither seedlings nor saplings of tree species are present D5b Estimate the overall proportion percentage of all cottonwood regeneration on the polygon seedlings and saplings of Populus species other than P tremuloides aspen that are from seed rather than from any form of asexual reproduction such as root sprouts NOTE
83. to 100 Leave no line blank Enter 0 if there is none Grazing Long term livestock use often results in such physical alterations as erosion hummocking and pugging in soft soils and bank damage by hoof shear e Cultivation This is the mechanical disruption of natural soil structure by farming activities e Mining Mining activities usually cause physical damage to the soil surface but may also include introduction of waste materials to the site including chemical effects to the soil Timber Harvest Although it may be minimized timber harvest usually results in at least some physical damage to the soil surface by the machinery used in the process Construction Human infrastructure roads railroads and or earth moving for other construction purposes often is located near streams causing structural disruption or requiring rip rap protection Recreation Trails at popular sites often cause soil compaction and erosion especially where mechanical devices i e off road vehicles and ATVs are used The banks of popular fishing sites are often susceptible to trampling Bank Stabilization The primary reason is to reduce slumping and erosion i e stabilize the bank and often but not always this will be a site with rip rap Other List any other causes of physical alteration not listed above and describe them in the space provided In F d break down the total streambank alteration among the listed potential kinds so that these also
84. urrence A few sporadically occurring individual plants Asingle patch A single patch plus a few sporadically occurring plants Several sporadically occurring plants A single patch plus several sporadically occurring plants A few patches A few patches plus several sporadically occurring plants Several well spaced patches Continuous uniform occurrence of well spaced plants Continuous occurrence of plants with a few gaps in the distribution Continuous dense occurrence of plants Continuous occurrence of plants associated with a wetter or drier zone within the polygon Figure 2 Invasive plant species class guidelines figure adapted from Adams and others 2003 D13c Record total presence of all invasive plant species on the polygon Use the same method described above without consideration of individual species but instead by considering all weed species together as though they were one Enter the total canopy cover of all invasive plant species and the density distribution class of all invasive plant species considered together D13d e Does this county or municipal district place elevated weed status on other species that are present on this polygon If so then list the species elevated status noxious or prohibited noxious and give the canopy cover and density distribution D14a b Areas with historically intense grazing often have large canopy cover of undesirable herbaceo
85. us species which tend to be less productive and which contribute less to ecological functions A large cover of disturbance increaser undesirable herbaceous species native or exotic indicates displacement from the potential natural community PNC and a reduction in riparian health These species generally are less productive have shallow roots and poorly perform most riparian functions They usually result from some disturbance which removes more desirable species Invasive plant species considered in the previous item are not reconsidered here Record the percent area covered by this general group which may include the following listed species among others of like character Count overlapping areas only once The following list is intended only to be representative Additional species may be appropriate for specific regions and can be added in the spaces below Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 15 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals Antennaria species pussy toes Hordeum jubatum foxtail barley Potentilla anserina silverweed Brassicaceae mustards Plantago species plantains Taraxacum species dandelion Bromus inermis awnless brome Poa pratensis Kentucky bluegrass Trifolium species clovers Fragaria species strawberries D15 List the riparian habitat type s and or community type s found in the polygon using a manual for identifying types in the region in which you are working such
86. ven medium high flows which occur at 5 10 year intervals cannot over top the high banks Intermediate stages may be either improving or degrading and may reflect slightly incised channels that are not yet downcut so badly that some flood stages still cannot access the floodplain or they may be old incisements that are now healing and rebuilding a new floodplain in the bottom of the ravine Because a channel can be incised in any of several stages the observer is to examine the channel in the polygon for indicators of the degree of channel bed grade stability and stage of incisement as illustrated in Figure 3 Figure 3 adapts the Schumm channel evolution model to show a generalized schematic of stages through which a channel progresses from destabilization and downcutting to healing and re establishment of a new floodplain Actual sites will often have characteristics that are difficult to match with the generalized drawings in Figure 3 However make a best fit call for category of incisement based on available evidence If the indicators are confusing and inconclusive choose the higher less incised indicated category Explain your call in the comment field and be sure to provide photo documentation of evidence on severely incised channels The following table defines the categories of incisement severity in terms of channel evolution stages as adapted by Rosgen 2006 Note that with destabilizing disturbance and subsequent change to remove the distu
87. w the system goes from lentic to lotic Such communities are typically dominated by herbaceous hydrophytic vegetation that requires saturated soils near the surface but tolerates no standing water for most of the year This type of wetland typically occurs as the filled in basin of old beaver ponds lakes and potholes Spring Seep Groundwater discharge areas In general springs have more flow than seeps This wetland type may occur in a running water lotic or still water lentic system Irrigation Canal Includes all types of canals and ditches associated with irrigation systems Other Describe the water source e g irrigation return flow industrial discharge etc Nonriparian Upland This designation is for those areas which are included in the inventoried polygon but which do not support functional wetland vegetation communities Such areas may be undisturbed inclusions of naturally occurring high ground or such disturbed high ground as roadways and other elevated sites of human activity C2 The size acres hectares of polygons large enough to be drawn as enclosed units on 1 20 000 or 1 50 000 scale maps is determined in the office using a planimeter dot grid or GIS For polygons too small to be accurately drawn as enclosed units on the maps and which are represented by line segments on the map along the drainage bottom polygon size is calculated using polygon length and average polygon width items C5 and C7a C3a d Evalu
88. y Improving Degrading Static or Trend Unknown that best indicates the current trend of the vegetative community on the polygon to the extent possible Trend refers in the sense used not specifically to successional pathway change but in a more general sense of apparent community health By definition trend implies change over time Accordingly a trend analysis would require comparison of repeated observations over time However some insights into trend can be observed in a single visit For example the observer may notice healing revegetating of a degraded shore area and recent establishment of woody seedlings and saplings This would indicate changing conditions that suggest an improving trend If such indicators are not apparent select the category status unknown D17 Add any necessary commentary to explain or amplify the vegetation data recorded Do not leave this space blank Describe any unique characteristics of the site and other observations relating to the vegetation This space is the place for general commentary to help the reader understand the larger context of the data Such things as landscape setting and local land use history are appropriate Water Quality Data Lotic Inventory Manual current as of 5 27 2015 16 Check www cowsandfish org for latest forms and user manuals NOTE This data will be entered in the office E1 Give the water body number FMIS Hydro code E2a b If water quality data is available on this wa

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