Optimizing Restoration Benefits in the Truckee River Watershed Modeling exercise using Resource Investment and Optimization System (RIOS) model Assess how to optimize return on restoration investments in terms of water quality benefits Restoration Activities: Forest Restoration (thinning) Meadow Restoration Riparian Restoration Dirt Road Maintenance Land Protection NNWPC – August 3, 2016 – Item 10

Questions: Do the modeled activities provide more ecosystem service benefits than the planned activities (2015-2020) for the same budget allocation? Does increasing the budget result in ecosystem services that meet the sediment and nutrient load reduction goals?

Land use/Land cover Topography Climate Soil properties Watershed areas and associated properties Topography Climate Soil properties Watershed areas Biophysical factors Feasible activities Stakeholder preferences Cost data Budget Investment portfolio Beneficiaries

Landscape Context stream Upslope source On-pixel source On-pixel retention Downslope retention …and many are also used for creating derivative factors that take the landscape context into consideration. What’s happening on each grid cell is important, as well as what’s happening upslope of that cell (generation of sediment/nutrient/etc) and downslope of that cell (ability to retain sediment/nutrient/etc.) stream

Modeled Activities

Modeled Activities (10% area treated)

Next Steps: Complete return on investment analysis using InVest model Final stakeholder meeting – August 2016 Landscape Conservation Forecasting Model application