Stream Condition Inventory (SCI) Technical Guide Pacific Southwest Region July 2005 United States Department of Agriculture Version 5.0 Forest Service Acknowledgements Special thanks and recognition are extended to those who have contributed extensively to the content of this publication: The initial SCI development team, for research, writing, field-testing and analysis: Dave Azuma, Jerry Boberg, Ann Carlson, Jim Frazier, Dave Fuller, Karen Kenfield, Jeff Reiner, and Ken Roby; The recent SCI revision team, for updating attributes, improving protocols and procedures, and editing the document: Sharon Grant, Joseph Furnish, Brian Staab, and initial team members Frazier, Roby, Kenfield and Boberg. Together they have completed the task of producing the Pacific Southwest Region Stream Condition Inventory Technical Guide. Suggested Citation Frazier J.W.1, K.B. Roby2, J.A. Boberg3, K. Kenfield4, J.B. Reiner5, D.L. Azuma6, J.L. Furnish7, B.P. Staab8, S.L. Grant9 2005. Stream Condition Inventory Technical Guide. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region - Ecosystem Conservation Staff. Vallejo, CA. 111 pp. Current Job Title 1 Forest Hydrologist, Stanislaus National Forest 2 Fisheries Biologist, Lassen National Forest 3 Fisheries and Watershed Program Leader, Six Rivers National Forest 4 Fisheries Biologist, Six Rivers National Forest 5 Ecosystem Restoration Supervisor, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 6 Research Forester, Pacific Northwest Research Station 7 Regional Aquatic Ecologist, Pacific Southwest Region 8 Regional Hydrologist, Pacific Southwest Region 9 Hydrologic Technician, Stanislaus National Forest Cover Photos South Fork Stanislaus River at Fraser Flat, Stanislaus National Forest. Illustrations Jerry Boberg The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Acknowledgements Table of Contents I. Overview .........................................................................................................................................6 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................................6 B. Background ................................................................................................................................6 C. Components of the SCI..............................................................................................................7 D. Inventory and Monitoring Design ...............................................................................................7 E. Relation to Other Inventories and Programs..............................................................................8 F. Relation to Forest Service Handbooks.......................................................................................9 G. Data Quality .............................................................................................................................10 H. Data Storage and Retrieval......................................................................................................10 II. Stream Condition Inventory Attributes and Protocols .............................................................11 A. Stream Condition Inventory Attributes .....................................................................................11 B. Stream Condition Inventory Protocols......................................................................................12 Macroinvertebrates ..................................................................................................................13 Particle Size Distribution ..........................................................................................................16 Stream Temperature ................................................................................................................18 Large Woody Debris (LWD) .....................................................................................................19 Bankfull Stage ..........................................................................................................................20 Cross-section ...........................................................................................................................22 Water Surface Gradient ...........................................................................................................26 Width-to-depth Ratio ................................................................................................................29 Entrenchment Ratio .................................................................................................................30 Habitat Type.............................................................................................................................31 Pools ..................................................................................................................................32 Pool Tail Surface Fine Sediment..............................................................................................34 Streambank Stability ................................................................................................................36 Stream Shading .......................................................................................................................39 Streamshore Water Depth .......................................................................................................41 Streambank Angle....................................................................................................................43 Aquatic Fauna ..........................................................................................................................45 V*W ..................................................................................................................................46 C. References...............................................................................................................................49 III. Stream Condition Inventory Procedures ...................................................................................51 A. Pre-Field Procedures ...............................................................................................................51 Step 1. Determine What and Where to Inventory .................................................................51 Step 2. Identify Watersheds to Inventory ..............................................................................51 Step 3. Characterize the Watershed.....................................................................................51 Step 4. Identify Stream Reaches to Inventory ......................................................................51 Step 5. Select Reaches ........................................................................................................52 Step 6. Determine the Length of the Sensitive Reach ..........................................................54 Step 7. Survey Safety ...........................................................................................................54 Table of Contents B. Field Procedures ......................................................................................................................54 Step 1. Conduct Reach Reconnaissance .............................................................................54 Step 2. Document the Start of the Sensitive Reach..............................................................55 Step 3. Collect Stream Data .................................................................................................55 Pass 1. (Upstream – Sensitive Reach) ..........................................................................56 Pass 2. (Downstream – Sensitive Reach)......................................................................57 Pass 3. (Upstream – Survey Segment)..........................................................................58 Pass 4. (Downstream – Survey Segment) .....................................................................59 C. Post-Field Procedures..............................................................................................................60 Step 1. Data Check...............................................................................................................60 Step 2. Data Entry.................................................................................................................60 D. Remeasurement of SCI Reaches ............................................................................................60 IV. Quality Assurance/Quality Control.............................................................................................62