Biologists survey a restored stream.

Project Title

Monitoring stream and watershed restoration

Description

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent annually to restore streams and watershed throughout North America and Europe yet only a small number of projects are ever monitored for effectiveness. Scientists have noted the need for improved monitoring and evaluation of habitat restoration and rehabilitation for decades. Limited information exists on the response of salmonids and other fishes to both large (watershed scale) and small (reach scale) habitat restoration and enhancement efforts. Moreover, little guidance exists on how to properly monitor physical and biological responses. Scientists and watershed groups implementing restoration activities and developing monitoring programs are in need of a comprehensive guide on how to develop rigorous monitoring programs for various restoration techniques.

The objective of this project is to provide guidance on how to design monitoring and evaluation programs to determine the physical and biological effects of different restoration techniques at various scales. In cooperation with the American Fisheries Society, we prepared a book that includes chapters on the following topics: monitoring design, monitoring of road improvement, riparian, grazing, floodplain restoration, instream restoration, conservation easements, and other restoration projects.

Investigators (chapter lead authors)

Northwest Fisheries Science Center – Phil Roni, Tim Beechie, Peter Kiffney, George Pess, Michael Pollock, Sarah Morley, Casey Rice, Mark Plummer; U.S. Forest Service – John Rinne; King County Department of Natural Resources – Gino Lucchetti.

Collaborators

American Fisheries Society, King County Department of Natural Resources, NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Washington Trout, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Weyerhaeuser Company, Skagit Systems Cooperative, University of Washington, U.S. Forest Service, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, R2 Resource Consultants.

Support

NOAA Fisheries

Project Status

Project completed.

Relevant Publications

Roni, P., editor. 2005 Monitoring stream and watershed restoration. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.