PREWORK

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PRE-WORK SELECTING THE DESIGNATED MONITORING
AREA (DMA)
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• If you have an important point to make, don't try
  to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit
  the point once. Then come back and hit it again.
  Then hit it a third time a tremendous whack.
• --Sir Winston Churchill

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Riparian Management Process

• Step 1 Inventory/assess existing potential
  condition
• Step 2 Define/stratify sub-areas to complex
  level
• Step 3 Select DMAs (Designated Monitoring Areas)
• Step 4 Establish Site Spec. Desired Conditions,
  Objectives, Indicators (MIM)
• Step 5 Develop/adapt grazing strategy
  implement
• Step 6 Monitor annual grazing use indicators
  each year condition indicators every 3-6
  years (MIM)
• Step 7 Adapt grazing strategy, annual grazing
  use indicators /or criteria as needed to
  meet desired conditions

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Step 1. Inventory/assess existing potential
condition

• Use all previous inventories, monitoring, etc.
• Look for reference areas
• Obtain and use local classifications

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Potential

• The highest ecological status an area can attain
  with little influence by man

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What does potential look like?
The Natural Conditions Database (Overton et.a.
1995)
Data for Granitic Streams in Central Idaho
Wilderness Areas (from 7406 observations)
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Determining Potential Using References
Big Creek Inside
Big Creek Outside
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Big Creek Box Whisker Plot - GGW
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Bear Valley, Idaho late 80s
Trampled
Unstable banks/channels

What can it become?
Loss of hydric vegetation
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Percent Fines Comparison to Reference Through
Time
BV7a Bear Valley Creek at Riparian Pasture
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Step 2. Stratify to Riparian Complex

• Valley Type
• Dominant soil family type
• Stream gradient (profile)
• Vegetation patterns along the stream
• Map the Riparian Complexes
• Level II Riparian Area Evaluation R4 Integrated
  Riparian Evaluation Guide

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Riparian Complex(s)

• DMAs should be selected and monitoring conducted
  within the same Riparian Complex (Winward 2000).
  
• Riparian complexes are defined by overall
  geomorphology, substrate characteristics, stream
  gradient, and vegetation patterns along the
  stream.
• They develop and function in response to
  interacting features of valley bottom gradient
  substrate or soil characteristics valley bottom
  width elevation and climate.
• Similar in definition to a valley segment but are
  polygon or area features

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Stratify Complexes
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Valley Bottom Classification

Rosgen 1996
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Type VI - fault control
Type V U-shaped

Type VIII Wide, gentle slope
Type VII Dissected fluvial slopes
Rosgen 1996
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Valley Types - Example (Rosgen 1996)

• II - Broad V-shape or narrow u-shape in colluvial
  valleys
• B channel type
• lt4 gradient
• Cobble and boulder
• Cryoplanated uplands with colluvial slopes. in
  narrow valley

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Same Pasture two valley types two different
complexes
Narrow V-shaped valley
Broad V-shape or narrow u-shape in colluvial
valleys
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Rosgen Stream Types
Rosgen, 1996
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Channel Type Example B channel

• Moderately entrenched, moderate gradient, riffle
  dominated channel, with infrequently spaced
  pools.
• Moderate relief, colluvial deposition, and/or
  structural.
• Narrow, gently sloping valleys.

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Inflection on profile reflects valley change
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Riparian Vegetation Patterns
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Imagery Identify Vegetative Patterns
Morgan Creek
Blue Creek
DMA
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Step 3. Locate DMA in the Field

• What kind of DMA is it? Representative, Critical,
  or Reference
• Use existing information local knowledge to
  determine which complex(s) best meet the criteria
  for a DMA (use pattern maps, extensive field
  recon. info, PFC Assess., condition/value
  ratings, levels 1 2 from R4 IREG)

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Designated Monitoring Area - DMA

• 3 Kinds of DMAs
• Representative DMA Reach chosen to be
  representative of a riparian complex typifies a
  larger area
• Critical DMA Reach is not representative but
  important enough that specific data is needed at
  the site
• Reference DMA Reach chosen to obtain data for
  use in helping to establish initial desired
  conditions for a similar area/complex

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DMAs must

• Have the potential to respond quickly to changes
  in management (that can be measured)
• Be able to help answer key monitoring questions
• Need to be selected by an ID Team of specialists
• Should not be compounded with other activities

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Representative DMAs

• Representative of grazing (or other
  uses/impacts) specific to the riparian area
• Where livestock are actually using the riparian
  area or other key activities/impacts are
  occurring (e.g. road impacts or fire effects)

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Representative DMAs

• Should be selected within a complex (similar
  geomorphology, substrate, gradient, veg pattern)
  (Winward 2000)
• Should be selected to best represent influences
  of major activities in that complex (Winward
  2000)

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Additional Thoughts on DMA Selection

• Select those areas that are most critical in
  influencing target riparian resources that
  overlap with grazing use
• Sensitive aquatic species habitat?
• Critical overwintering/rearing or spawning
  habitat for fish?

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Additional Thoughts on DMA Selection

• Multiple complexes in one watershed or allotment
  are very common? Use the most sensitive
  complex(s)!

Telephone Draw
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(No Transcript)
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Premise for Representative DMAs

• If proper management occurs on the DMA, the
  remainder of the pasture or use area will also be
  managed within requirements BUT, they should not
  be placed in livestock concentration zones (near
  fences, at bottlenecks, in watergaps, etc.)

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How many DMAs do you need?

• Depends on the nature of resource issues,
  monitoring questions, budget, and priorities
• One DMA per/pasture good rule to start with
• Use the most sensitive complex

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The Red Face Test on DMAs

• The ID team must provide a clear comprehensive
  rationale for the decision to place a DMA in a
  particular location and be able to articulate
  what the DMA is representative of (if it is a
  Rep. DMA) and what monitoring question it is
  designed to address!
• Document this!

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Thoughts to Ponder on DMA Selection

• If the DMA is not carefully selected, all
  subsequent data collected at the site may be, at
  best, of limited value or at worst, completely
  useless
• A poorly selected DMA represents a substantial
  waste of money and resources including
  opportunity costs

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Meadow-Forest Sequences
Which complex is the most sensitive to grazing
effects? Where should it be located in that
complex?
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Where to put the DMA in this Unit?
BLM - Scotchman Creek cutthroat trout
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Scotchman DMAs

• Most sensitive unit Meadows
• Reference DMA fenced exclosure
• Randomly selected Representative reach

Reference
Representative - Critical
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Summit Creek DMA
Complexes?
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Gradient Breaks Summit Creek
.0014
.00097
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
Ephemeral stream with no livestock use NOT a
good DMA
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Stream banks must NOT be in boulder or bedrock
Or dominated by rock larger than cobble in size
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
Heavy timber no livestock use Not a good DMA
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
No not a perennial stream and no livestock use!
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
No unavailable to livestock
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Good DMA?
Sheep Allotment in non-use during the past 6
years - Is a reference DMA
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
No site is a water gap
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
Yes, to compare effects of grazing using an
exclosure as an initial reference
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Good DMA for grazing impacts?
Yes site meets all criteria
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Good DMA?
Not for grazing since recreation impacts compound
grazing effects. This could be a good site to
monitor ORV impacts on the streambanks channel
works as a CRITICAL DMA
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WF Morgan Creek Is this the correct DMA
location?

• Stream is dominated by shrubs, except at this
  point just upstream of a beaver dam.
• There is a hunter camp adjacent to the site.
• Livestock concentrate at this convenient watering
  location.
• The stream channel is mostly B3, but locally
  here it is C4.

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Where is the DMA?
Its Here, Why?
This is the only spawning reach in the pasture
a critical reach.
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Step 4 Establish Site Spec. Desired Conditions,
Objectives, Indicators (MIM)

• Use SMART to establish objectives (Specific,
  Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Trackable).
• Objectives dictate monitoring approach what is
  the question?
• Use outline in Appendix B (MIM) to select initial
  monitoring indicators appropriate for the stream

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Identify Site Specific Objectives

• Effective to write an objective for a complex or
  reach indicate that progress will be measured
  at a specific Designated Monitoring Area
• Example
• Mammoth Creek (MA9) Complex (2006)
• -Decrease GGW 15
• -Increase the composition of obligate fac wet
  plants on the greenline from 45 to 80
• -Improve of stable banks from 65 to 80 by
  2013 (as monitored at DMA 1).

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Final Thoughts on Pre-work/stratification and
DMA Selection

• Dont rush into Monitoring w/MIM!
• Spend an appropriate amount of time and effort on
  determining existing and potential conditions,
  stratification, objective setting, and DMA
  selection
• Document your DMA selection rationale
• The Ready, Fire, Aim sequence does not work