TUSCARORA PMU & INDEPENDENCE VALLEY BASIN WATERSHED ASSESSMENT

TUSCARORA PMUTUSCARORA PMU& &

INDEPENDENCE VALLEY BASININDEPENDENCE VALLEY BASIN

WATERSHED ASSESSMENTWATERSHED ASSESSMENT

PROJECT UPDATE – FALL 2007

SRK Consulting Inc.

By:

For:

Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group

Watershed Assessment

The Approach:• Assess the current landscape condition

with respect to ecological site potential.• Assess the current riparian area

condition with respect to proper functioning condition characteristics.

• Identify opportunities for changing management to address landscape scale problems.

Watershed Assessment - IntroductionWatershed Assessment - Introduction

• Assessment Team Members– Gary Back, PhD ~ Principal Ecologist– Ryan Shane ~ Natural Resource & GIS Specialist– Angel Nicholson ~ Staff Biologist

• Contributors– Natural Resource Conservation Service – Bureau of Land Management – U.S. Forest Service – Nevada Department of Wildlife– Private Landowners– Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group

Watershed Assessment - LocationWatershed Assessment - Location

PMU and Sub-basin BoundariesPMU and Sub-basin Boundaries

– Watershed Assessment Process (RIEC&IAC 1995)

1

2

34

5

6

WE ARE HERE

Watershed Assessment Process (RIEC&IAC 1995)

• Characterization – Identifying dominant physical, biological, and human processes or features

• Issues and Key Questions – Focusing on management questions, objectives, human values, and resource conditions

• Current Conditions – Establish the current range, distribution, and conditions of relevant ecosystems

Watershed Assessment Process- Cont’d. (RIEC&IAC 1995)

• Reference Conditions – Ecological Site Descriptions, Riparian Proper Functioning Condition

• Interpretation – Comparison of ecological site conditions and current conditions; interpretation of differences, similarities, trends, and their causes

• Recommendations – Integration of all steps to provide recommendations that are based on data and sound scientifically-supported concepts

Watershed Assessment Process- Cont’d. (RIEC&IAC 1995)

• Goal – Enable landowners and land managers to implement ecologically sound management activities to improve and/or sustain watershed health

• i.e., identify what is broken, determine ecologically sound fixes, and implement actions to sustain landscape health while maintaining desired land uses.

Watershed Assessment - ProcessWatershed Assessment - Process

• First, understand the collective ecosystem elements

• Which enhances the ability for estimating impacts and benefits of management and use activities, and

• Allows for the development and implementation of appropriate resource use, management, and conservation

• Maintain “Healthy Landscapes and Quality Lifestyles” for the long-term

Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology

• Cooperation

• Landowner permissions

• Data research and request

• Heritage information survey

• Collaboration with similar efforts

• Landowner and public concerns

• Consultation• Coordination

• Collaboration

Watershed Watershed Assessment – Assessment – MethodologyMethodology

• Heritage Survey

How long have you lived and worked in the area?Have you witnessed flooding events in area?Has water quantity, quality, or usage changed?Have you seen any issues that pose risks to the health of the watershed?Would improvements, treatments or a management change improve these conditions?Why is the watershed and associated resources important to you and your family?

Watershed Watershed Assessment Assessment

- Methodology- Methodology

• Sub-watershed Delineation


• Data request, organization, and assembly• Ecological

– Soils– Ecological sites

• Water Courses– Ditches– Pipelines– Stream– Drainages

• Stream Condition– PFC – Stream Survey

• Spring Condition– PFC

• Roads– Highways– two-tracks

• Fires – Size, area, year

• Grazing – Use Pattern Maps– Key Areas and Use – Range improvements– Allotments

• Topography– 24K, 100K, and 250K

• Aerial Photos

Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology• Field Map Construction


• Field Binder Assembly

• Reference Collection– PFC for lotic areas 1737-15

– PFC for lentic areas 1737-16– Applied River Morphology (Rosgen 1996) – Interpreting indicators of rangeland health 1734-6

– reference area worksheets– ecological site descriptions

– Utilization studies and residual measurements 1734-3– stubble height– key species use and browse

– Tuscarora PMU sage grouse conservation plan– habitat r-value definitions

• Data sheet Construction– Site Assessment– Photo-point



• Site Selection

– Assessment Sites • Upland• Riparian

– Photo-point Sites

Watershed Assessment - MethodologyWatershed Assessment - Methodology Science BackgroundScience Background

• Uplands – comparison of current conditions with ecological site description; i.e., an assessment of rangeland health (soils, vegetation, and hydrology)

• Uplands – use of State and Transition Models to determine if the site is likely to transition to another state; i.e., is the site approaching thresholds

• Uplands – use of thresholds to determine if management changes are necessary and what changes are likely to achieve the desired result

HERBACEOUS DOMINANT

DECLINING HERBACEOU

S UNDERSTOR

Y

UNDERSTORY ABSENT

TH

RES

HO

LD

REQUIRES ADDITIONAL INPUTS

SAGEBRUSH DOMINANT

REQUIRES ADDITIONAL INPUTS

UNDERSTORY ABSENT

JUNIPER/PINYON DOMINANT

ALTERED SITE POTENTIAL

(NEW ECOLOGICAL SITE)

MAY REQUIRE THOUSANDS OF YEARS OR MAY NEVER RETURN TO ORIGINAL ECOLOGICAL SITE POTENTIAL.

SUCCESSION

FIRE OR FIRE SURROGATE

UNKNOWN SPECIES

COMPOSITION

TH

RES

HO

LD

TH

RES

HO

LD

DECLINING SHRUB

UNDERSTORY


• Riparian Channels - Rosgen Stream Channel Classification – use of the channel morphology to determine potential for change given current conditions

• Riparian Systems – Stream Condition Attributes – use of PFC-related attributes to identify specific stream characteristics compromising stream resilience and resistance to disturbances


• Sage-grouse Habitat Assessment –“Restoration Value” or R-value Rating System

– R1: Perennial herbaceous understory is present, but sagebrush cover is limited or lacking

– R2: Sagebrush is present in adequate amounts, but herbaceous understory is limited or lacking– R3: Pinyon and/or juniper are replacing the

sagebrush on range sites

– R4: Perennial species and sagebrush are lacking; annual grassland (e.g., Cheatgrass)

– R0: Suitable habitat for sage-grouse for one or more seasonal habitats



• Field Data Collection– Logistics

• ATVs, GPS, Cameras

• 8 days

– Sites Visited• ~520 sites documented

– 350 photo-points

– 170 assessments

Waypoint: R098

Direction: East and West

Photo Number: 182-184

Description: Road crossing washing out, thistle infestation, uplands barren to sparse cheatgrass

GPS Coordinate: 4571988, 577288

Critical deer habitatGrazed moderate to light

None

Grazing Mining

10-8-07 R080 0579186 4575708RSS 136-144 RSS

Independence Burns

South Slope 14-16

PUTR, ARTRV, ELCI, BASA, PSSP, CHVI, AMAL

BRTE Sporadic

Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Tuscarora PMU / Independence Basin Watershed AssessmentWatershed Assessment

• Examples of Non-management oriented issues – i.e., things over which the landowner or land manager have no control

Geologic Features

Climatic Events

Vegetation Mortality Events

Topographical Effects

Channel Types

Ecological Sites

A B C

Slope: <2%

Sinuosity: >1.2

Width:Depth: >12

Entrenchment: >2.2

Slope: 2-4%

Sinuosity: >1.2

Width:Depth: >12

Entrenchment: 1.4-2.2

Slope: 4-10%

Sinuosity: 1-1.2

Width:Depth: <12

Entrenchment: <1.4

Channel Types

Loamy 10-12 p.z. Claypan 10-12 p.z.

Ecological SitesCover: 30-40%

Species: Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Thurber’s Needlegrass

Big Sagebrush

Production: 800 lbs/ac.

Composition: 65% grasses

10% forbs

25% shrubs

Increasers: Big Sagebrush

Rabbitbrush

Sandberg bluegrass

Bottlebrush squirreltail

Invaders: Cheatgrass

Annual mustards

Cover: 20-30%

Species: Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Thurber’s Needlegrass

Low/Early Sagebrush

Production: 600 lbs/ac.

Composition: 60% grasses

10% forbs

30% shrubs

Increasers: Low/Early Sage

Rabbitbrush

Sandberg bluegrass

Bottlebrush squirreltail

Invaders: Cheatgrass


Example Management-Oriented Issues

Weeds

Fire & Fuels

Vegetation Community Composition

Resource Exploration

Mining

Agriculture

Recreation

Roads

Influential Structures

Buildings and Development

Garbage and Pollutants


• Assessment Results and Provisions

– ID and Assessment of Dominant Features– Activities, Uses, Risks– Historical and Present Resources & Processes– Cumulative Impacts

– Prioritization for Addressing Issues

– Recommendations– General Management Guidelines – Range of Options– Identify Empowered and Responsible Entities

– Monitoring Guidelines


• Next Steps

– Develop Access Data Base for Data Input– Input Data– Conduct Data Analysis and Spatial Analysis– Develop Management Recommendations– Prepare Landscape Scale Management Plan– Develop Monitoring Guidelines

Tuscarora PMU / Independence Valley Basin Watershed Assessment

Healthy Rangelands + Healthy Creeks = Healthy Landscapes

Tuscarora PMU / Independence Valley Basin Watershed Assessment

Healthy Landscapes = Quality Lifestyles

TUSCARORA PMUWATERSHED ASSESSMENT

PROJECT UPDATE – FALL 2007

SRK Consulting Inc.

By:

For:

Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group

TUSCARORA PMU & INDEPENDENCE VALLEY BASIN WATERSHED ASSESSMENT

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