NRM 140

1
NRM 140 Stream Evaluation (DRAFT 9/27/06)
DATE___________________ Group ______________
________________________ ________________________
______________ __________________________________
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Data Recorder(s)_______________________________
This is a document in process so please note
any errors or sections that are unclear, and
suggested additions/deletions in the notes
sections.
2
Land Use
sample points
Question A B C D E F Total Average
1                
2                
3                
4                
 
Physical Total Average
1                
2                
3                
4                
 
Biologic Total Average
1                
2                
3                
4                
Total Average
Pollution Potential
               
3
Study Site
Indicate your sampling points (A-F) on the map
4
Channel Map
5
Landcover Map
6
Land Use
Land use in riparian zone (adjacent to or w/in 10
meters of channel) Points
_____Natural or undisturbed forest or wetland

1.0 _____Minor disturbance (walking path, road)
with some natural vegetation
.75 _____Mostly grass/lawn with parking lot,
road, buidlings, within ____m/ft
.50 _____No or very little vegetation, adjacent
roads, lots, buildings etc. .25
Types of man-made structures _____No man made
structures
1.0 _____Minor disturbance (walking
path, road) with some natural vegetation
.75 _____Mostly grass/lawn with parking lot,
road, buildings, within ____m/ft
.50 _____No or very little vegetation, adjacent
roads, lots, buildings etc. .25
Landuse adjacent to riparian zone
(Within_____________m/ft) ____Undisturbed
forest, wetland or other natural habitat
1.0 ____ Limited disturbance (park, trails etc.)
.75 ____Lower impact human use (no
industry, mining, farming etc.) .50 ____ High
impact human use (industry, farming, business)
.25
Landuse adjacent to riparian zone
(Within_____________m/ft) ____Undisturbed
forest, wetland or other natural habitat
1.0 ____ Limited disturbance (park, trails etc.)
.75 ____Lower impact human use (no
industry, mining, farming etc.) .50 ____ High
impact human use (industry, farming, business
.25
7
Physical Habitat
Physical Habitat-Stream
Points _____Channel meandering with numerous
bends and undercuts 1.0 _____Channel with
both bends and straight areas
.75 _____Channel with only 1 or 2 bends but
mostly straight .50 _____Channel
with no bends
.25
Physical Habitat-Streambank
Points _____Natural (not man-made) Vegetated or
rock with no signs of erosion 1.0 _____Some
human alterations but vegetation present and no
erosion .75 _____Sparse vegetation, signs
of soil erosion clear
.50 _____No vegetation, erosion clearly ongoing

.25
Physical Habitat-Stream Bottom
Points _____Substrate a mixture of rocks and
gravel and sand
1.0 _____Bottom surface with rocs and gravel but
some silt .75 _____Channel mostly silt with
very little sand, gravel, or rocks
.50 _____Channel mostly silt with no sand,
gravel or rocks .25
Physical Habitat-Stream Surface
Points _____Riffles and pools clearly
evident and evenly spaced (5x stream width)
1.0 _____Riffles and pools present but
very irregularly spaced .75 _____Mostly
riffles w/ few pools or mostly pools with few
riffles .50 _____No riffles or pools
evident .25
8
Biologic Factors
Aquatic Vegetation Points
_____Various species (mosses, algae, cattails)
well dispersed (not cover all water)
1.0 _____Pools with large algae clusters
covering gt 50 of the surface .75 _____Algae
or mosses or larger plants covering much of the
creek channel .50 _____No or very
little vegetation present .25
Terrestrial Vegetation
Points _____Deciduous forest/wetland
vegetation
1.0 _____Some forest/wetland vegetation but not
covering entire riparian area
.75 _____Vegetation virtually all grass or
invasive/exotic with little or no forest/wetland
.50 _____No natural vegetation or no vegetation
present .25
Aquatic Points
_____Fish present in pools, amphibians or other
species seen or evident
1.0 _____Fish seen in some areas of the stream
but not all pools .75 _____Fish
scarce .50 _____No signs of aquatic
species .25
Terrestrial Wildlife
Points _____Birds, mammals observed using the
stream channel/riparian area
1.0 _____At least 1 group of organisms seen in
the channel/riparian zone .75 _____No
animals directly seen but tracks, nests or other
evidence visible .50 _____No
signs of terrestrial wildlife use .25
9
Potential Pollution Sources _____None visible (no
signs of erosion, runoff or point sources)
1.0 _____Some slight
bank erosion, no point sources
.75 _____More severe bank erosion, no or little
runoff potential, no point source
.50 _____Both bank erosion, runoff potential and
at least 1 point source visible .25
10
Provide a simple Channel Profile
______Water Temp ______ ______ ______Est Avg.
depth ______ ______ ______Speed ft/sec
______ ______