WATERSHED INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT Module 7, part A – Issues and Description

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s2 Watershed Inventory and Assessment  Issues and Description  it’s about land use  Inventory  Indicators that measure watershed functions  Assessment (evaluation/monitoring) Issues and Description Identify Needs Project Organization Assessment Team Public Input Baseline watershed information

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s3 Issues and Description Unit  Identify needs  What is a watershed assessment?  Issue identification  Organization  Project management  Community component  Assessment team  Baseline watershed information  Baseline assessment  Components for detailed characterization

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s4 Why inventory and assess a watershed?  Holistic picture of the watershed, as a dynamic system  Better understanding of the ecological integrity, historical changes, and future needs  Identifies impacts to water resources  Knowledge for protecting and/or restoring resources through the development of action plans and monitoring strategies

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s5 What is a watershed assessment?  Evaluation of how well a watershed is working  Steps for the watershed include:  identifying issues  examining the land use history  describing features (ecological, biological, chemical, physical, social)  evaluating various resources (unique lands, steep slopes, cold water fishery, endangered species, forest types, etc.)

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s6 Conditions for assessment?  Incorporate natural resource planning to antiquated land use plan?  Desire to protect an undisturbed resource?  Threat to a valuable resource?  Need to restore a lost resource?  Determine which features and processes are working well and which are not.

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s7 Organization  Goal of management plan is to protect, preserve, restore natural resources through  Assessment – What is happening in the watershed?  Planning – What needs to be done  Implementation – How do you get there?  Evaluation – Did you make it?

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s8 Identify Project Manager  Project coordination  Facilitator at stakeholder meetings  Assists with data gathering  Compiles assessment and evaluation results MN Sea Grant, 2004

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s9 Community Component  Build support for project  Solicit input  Identify issues and needs MN Sea Grant, 2004 Desotelle Consulting, 2004

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s10 Assessment Team  Stakeholders of watershed  Federal, state, local agencies and Tribes  Private sector  Nonprofits  Citizens  Scientists, educators  Build a partnership  Form committee(s)  Technical advisory committee  Citizen advisory committee

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s11 Watershed Components  Functions for water resources and land use  Indicators, a measurement of functions  Valuation of functions (i.e., excellent, good, fair, poor condition)  Incorporation into watershed management plan Peterson Environmental and Desotelle Consulting, 1997

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s12 Example of Functions and Indicators Associated with Land Use Land useForestryCrop-land grazing Urban areasMiningRoad networks Habitat Function Channel modification Pool quantity/ quality Channel modification Pool quantity/ quality Flow alteration Channel modification Channel modification Pool quantity/ quality Flow alteration Channel modification Pool quantity/ quality Water quality Function Temperature Turbidity Fine sediments Temperature Dissolved oxygen Turbidity Temperature Dissolved oxygen Turbidity Suspended sediments Heavy metals Turbidity Suspended sediments Fine sediments

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s13 Baseline watershed information  Define watershed & subwatershed boundaries  Measure existing impervious cover  Assemble historical monitoring data  Assess existing mapping resources  Conduct an audit of local watershed protection capability

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s14 What is a watershed? A watershed is the area of land that drains to a particular lake, wetland or stream. MN Sea Grant NEMO Program

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s15 Watershed Delineation  Map outlining watershed boundary  Topographic map used help find watershed dividing lines  Basis for overlays (i.e., land use, water resources, political jurisdictions, etc.) Center for Watershed Protection, 1998

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s16 Watershed Boundaries

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s17 Impervious Surfaces  Indicates land uses causing pollution  Inhibits groundwater recharge  Prevents natural processing of pollutants  Accumulates pollutants  Express route MN Sea Grant NEMO Program

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s18 ADAPTED FROM SCHUELER, ET. AL., 1992 Relationship between % Imperviousness and Water Quality STREAM DEGRADATION WATERSHED IMPERVIOUSNESS (%) DEGRADED PROTECTED IMPACTED National NEMO Program and Center for Watershed Protection

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s19 Existing to potential impervious surface > 25% 10 to 25% <10% PERCENT IMPERVIOUS MN Sea Grant NEMO Program

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s20 Historical monitoring data helps  High quality data can reduce costs of baseline monitoring  Developing watershed goals  Future watershed monitoring  Calibrating a watershed model  Provide relative quality of subwatersheds

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s21 Key issues to explore  Settlement patterns  Direct impacts to stream channels  Riparian vegetation patterns and change  Natural and human- caused disturbance such as floods and fire  Fish presence and distribution  Resource use through time

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s22 Assess existing mapping resources National NEMO Program

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s23 Audit local watershed protection capability  Examination of the capability to implement watershed protection tools  Analysis of local plans, ordinances, funding, staff, review processes  Implementing the results of an inventory and assessment is only as good as the programs that can provide the services

Developed by: Desotelle Updated: Dec 2004 U3-m7a-s24 References  Cowardin et al. Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States FWS/OBS-79/31.  Shaw Samuel P. and Fredine C. Gordon. Wetlands of the United States Circular 39. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Center for Watershed Protection. Rapid Watershed Planning Handbook  EPA Surf your watershed  Indiana Dept of Environmental Management, Office of Water Quality  Minnesota Forest Resources Council. Sustaining Minnesota Forest Resources: Voluntary Site-Level Forest Management Guidelines for Landowners, Loggers, and Resource Managers  Oregon Watershed Assessment Manual  Rosgen, Dave. Applied River Morphology Wildland Hydrology, Pagosa springs, CO. Illustrations by Hilton Lee Silvey.  Snyder, Doug. A GIS Based Wetland Assessment Methodology for Urban Watershed Planning Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources.