2002 Nevada County Natural Resources Report
The Nevada County Natural Resources Report (NRR) is a 600-page scientific assessment of the county's natural resources, watersheds, GIS database, and aerial photographs. It was the primary product of the Natural Heritage 2020 project, a collaborative effort authorized by the Nevada County Board of Supervisors in May 2000 and carried out in partnership with the Sierra Business Council.
The project's goal was to develop a comprehensive strategy to identify, manage, and protect natural habitats, plant and animal species diversity, and open space resources in Nevada County. Over 35 volunteers from forestry, agriculture, business, development, and recreation collaborated on the effort, alongside a seven-member Scientific Advisory Committee that peer-reviewed the scientific data.
The Board of Supervisors voted to complete and publish the NRR in May 2002, with the final report delivered in July 2002. The Yuba Watershed Institute has since converted the original HTML files into a modern web application and hosts it here to make the report freely accessible to the public.
Report Contents
- Executive Summary
Overview of the report's goals, scientific advisory committee, methods, and key findings across Nevada County's watersheds, habitats, and species.
- Chapter I: Introduction
Background on the Natural Heritage 2020 initiative, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors resolution, and the role of the Scientific Advisory Committee and Sierra Business Council.
- Chapter II: Methods
Watershed-based mapping methodology, GIS database compilation from 200+ sources, vegetation and species survey protocols, and peer-review process.
- Chapter III: Results — Physical Resources & Species Occurrence
Watershed hydrology, native fish and amphibian populations, Redlist and Yellowlist species, and the Nevada County Wildlife Habitat Relationship matrix across 100 watersheds.
- Chapter III: Results — Aquatic & Riparian Ecosystems
Detailed results for streams, rivers, lakes, and riparian corridors including water quality, canals, dams, reservoirs, and streamside zone conditions.
- Chapter III: Results — Forested Ecosystems
Distribution of conifer forests, oak woodlands, chaparral, and other large-patch vegetation types mapped using the California Wildlife Habitat Relationship system.
- Chapter III: Results — Forested Ecosystems (continued)
Continued analysis of forest ecosystems including small-patch communities, contiguous unimproved lands, and open space resources across Nevada County.
- Chapter III: Results — Special-Status Species & Habitats
Summary of threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and vertebrate species with documented or potential occurrences by watershed.
- Chapter IV: Information Sources
Annotated bibliography and references for the 40+ electronic databases, agency sources, published literature, and field data used in the report.
- Tables, Figures, and Appendices
Vascular plant species list, vertebrate species list, Redlist and Yellowlist summaries, habitat association matrices, GIS database inventory, and watershed maps.