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From: Self <Single-user mode>
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Subject: Draft watershed protocol and update on watershed assessment
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Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 07:25:35 -0800

Dear YWI board and cooperators:

Enclosed please find the draft watershed assessment protocol I
suggest we use for the 'Inimim plan. This document is a legal
deliverable for the EPA contract, but it also provides a concise
summary of our methods and rationale, so you all should read it.

The document is 'draft' for only two remaining reasons:

1) For optimal results, we need to place samples in a relatively
undisturbed 'control' watershed, in addition to the three 'Inimim
watersheds. But we will be overbudget just completing the
assessment for the 'Inimim watersheds. To reduce costs I am
researching the possible use of previous benthic macroinvertebrate
studies in Spring and Shady Creeks (Randall 1997), and a control
watershed sampled by Don and Nancy Erman in New York Canyon (a
tributary of the North Yuba).

2) For an optimal assessment we should also tally roads and other
ground disturbance less than 30 years old within a 100 meter buffer
along the main channel and tributaries of all three 'Inimim
watersheds. Again, this is beyond our budget, but about 50% of this
work was completed in 1996 by the USFS, and one of our cooperators
could complete most of this task for us as all or part of their
match. I will discuss this work with Michelle Blaz at the NCRCD.

Work status

Today and tomorrow (10/22 and 10/23), Sarah Yarnell and I will use
GPS to locate the geomorphology benchmarks in Spring and Shady
Creeks. This will allow us to start sampling in these streams. I
would like to start sampling in Grizzly Creek in the week of 10/26,
but plans are held up by last minute controversy among several
consulting scientists on the appropriate sampling device to use.
Please, all of you, get back to me with dates that you can be in
the field in the last week of October and all November (which is
now more likely).

If you have questions or comments on the enclosed protocol, please
get back to me immediately.

Warm regards,

Eric Beckwitt
=========================
DRAFT DRAFT

SUMMARY OF PLANNED WATERSHED ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

October 15, 1998

Eric Beckwitt

Overall Goals

Before logging, fire and other ground disturbing activities commence
on `Inimim lands, YWI need to assess the current condition of the
watersheds and stream systems of which the `Inimim lands are a part.
One of the principles of ecologically sustainable forest management
is that water quality and watersheds are not degraded over time. YWI
and the BLM have only limited control over land-disturbing
activities in the `Inimim planning watersheds (Spring, Shady and
Grizzly Creeks). Since private lands (the majority ownership in
Shady and Spring Creeks) tend to be subject to intense disturbance
that results in steam degradation, `Inimim lands may need to be
managed even more gently than otherwise to allow stream systems to
support diverse natural aquatic communities, and to recover from a
legacy of intense mining and logging over the past 150 years.

The first step to watershed assessment is to measure physical and
biological conditions in the stream channels, and the watersheds as
a whole.

Background on previous watershed assessments

The USFS completed stream surveys and cumulative watershed impact
studies for the upper reaches of Spring and Grizzly Creeks in 1996.
This included locating roads and clearings on all ownerships, and
channel surveys that noted amphibians, fish, riparian vegetation,
sedimentation, and other physical channel conditions. David Lukas of
YWI surveyed Spring and Shady Creeks in 1996 and 1997 for
yellow-legged frogs. Eric Larsen and Sarah Yarnell established 20
long-term geomorphology benchmark plots in Spring and Shady Creeks
in 1997-98. These plots measure and describe physical channel
condition. As part of this plot work, flow gauging stations are
being established in Spring and Shady Creeks in fall 1998. (Eric
Larsen also has an extensive library on historic physical and
biological conditions in Spring and Shady Creeks.) In his MS Thesis
at UC Davis, Paul Randall (1997) established 7 plots in Shady and
Spring Creeks. He gathered data on fish, amphibians and benthic
macroinvertebrates.

Rationale for selection of assessment methodology

At inception of this study, Eric Beckwitt consulted/met with Ken
Roby (Plumas NF hydrologist), Eric Larsen (Geomorphologist, UC
Davis), Kai Snyder (Oregon State University), Sandra Coveny (Mary's
River Watershed Council), Jim Harrington, Monique Born, Jim
Hiscocks, Jeff Finn and others (CA Department of Fish and Game),
Tom King (Central Valley Water Quality Control Board), Sandy Frissel
(Gold Mine District State Parks), and Ann Carlson, Rick Weaver and
Chris Sexton (stream specialists and hydrologists, Tahoe NF). YWI
determined how to complete a watershed assessment process that is
scientifically objective and state-of-the-art, while simultaneously
building on previous assessment work in the watersheds.

Most of the previous assessment work focused on upland conditions
and physical channel condition. The assumption was that the overall
ecological health of the stream system watershed could be inferred
from these measurements. In this assessment, we will build on these
physical measurements by measuring stream biota directly. At the
recommendation of virtually all consultants, we will use the
California Stream Bioassessment Procedure (CSBP), a regional
adaptation of the EPA "Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for use in
Streams and Rivers: Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Fish." The
procedure has been developed by Jim Harrington and Robert Schroeter
at the Water Pollution Control Laboratory of the CA Department of
Fish and Game. Eric Beckwitt took a three day intensive training in
the procedure from Jim Harrington at Columbia College (in Sonora) on
Sept 19-21, 1998.

The CSBP system uses measurement of the relative abundance and
diversity of benthic (bottom dwelling) macroinvertebrates (mostly
stoneflies, caddisflies and mayflies) to assess water quality,
temperature and pollution, and the overall ecological health/status
of the watershed. Many of these organisms are long-lived (1-7 years
in-stream), and they are highly sensitive to even short-term pulses
of sediment or increased temperature. They can be sampled quickly
in the field using standard operating protocol admissible in
scientific studies and court. A series of samples taken over the
first year establishes baseline data that can be compared with
future surveys to detect long-term improvement or degradation in
water quality. Baseline measurements in nearby relatively
undisturbed watersheds in the same EPA subregion can be used to
evaluate relative watershed degradation today.

Macroinvertebrate Assessment Protocol

Following the California Stream Bioassessment Procedure, YWI will
sample the bottom of Spring, Shady and Grizzly Creeks at 9 locations
each using a 0.5 mm kick net. Twenty seven total samples will be
collected. At each location, three 1 foot by 2 foot samples will be
taken following standard operating protocols. Samples will be
clustered in three locations on each stream: near the headwaters,
near the confluence with the South and Middle Yuba Rivers,
respectively, and mid-way down the channel. At each sample site,
five riffles will be located, from which 3 will be selected using a
ramdom number table. Each selected riffle will be broken up into
potential sample sites using a 300 foot tape measure, and three
samples sites will chosen from the riffle using a random number
table. At each site, three subsamples will be collected and mixed to
form the final sample. All sample locations will be tagged with
their GPS coordinates.

Laboratory work will be conducted at Nevada Union High School, Grass
Valley (thanks to Sig Ostrum). In the laboratory, between 100 and
300 macroinvertebrates (depending upon time and resources) will be
collected from each sample using standard protocols. Quality
assurance and chain of custody will be maintained by Eric Beckwitt,
who has been trained by Jim Harrington. Depending upon available
staff and volunteer hours, the 300 bugs from each sample will either
be sent directly to a certified specialist for identification to the
required taxonomic level, or bugs will be keyed by YWI. Samples
keyed by YWI will be sent out to specialists for taxonomic control,
i.e., verification that all bugs in the vials are actually what the
label states. Alternatively, 20% of samples will be keyed out by a
professional taxonomist. Tentative arrangements have been made with
Wayne Fields of Newcastle, CA (at the recommendation of Jim
Harrington)

Original samples will be archived in 95% ethanol at the YWI office
(27 16 oz. plastic jars). This archival of raw material allows
future researchers to check our results and/or complete analysis to
a more precise taxonomic level.

Specific Survey Plans by Stream System

Grizzly Creek

Plots will be located in the field in association with sites
surveyed by the USFS in 1996. Michele Blaz (NCRCD) participated in
this 1996 survey, and will assist Eric Beckwitt and others in the
layout of the benthic macroinvertebrate sample sites.

Shady and Spring Creeks

Plot locations will be placed in association with long-term
geomorphology benchmark sites established by Sarah Yarnell and Eric
Larsen. Sarah (and/or Eric L.) will accompany Eric Beckwitt and
others in locating and establishing GPS coordinates for the
geomorphology benchmark plots.

Final Report

YWI will prepare a map showing watershed condition in Spring, Shady
and Grizzly Creeks based on the new macroinvertebrate sampling, and
previous studies. The map will display plot locations and findings,
mapped disturbance (from the USFS), and locations of the long-term
geomorphology study plots. A separate report will be published
describing the findings of the macroinvertebrate study in more
detail, and what the results mean about the condition of Spring,
Shady and Grizzly Creeks.