18.01.2013 Views

watervulnerability

watervulnerability

watervulnerability

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Umatilla National Forest Watershed Vulnerability Assessment, Pacific Northwest Region (R6)<br />

Sensitivity (Resiliency, Watershed Condition, and Non-climate Stressors)<br />

Watershed sensitivity was evaluated by combining factors representing watershed resiliency, base<br />

watershed condition, and non-climatic stressors.<br />

Resiliency Factors, or “Buffers” to climate change<br />

• Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems – number of springs and wetlands and overall presence of<br />

GDEs, including springs, wetlands, rivers, and lakes per HU12, rated (also Value indicator)<br />

• Watershed restoration investment – 3 categories: 0= limited or no active restoration; 1= sustained<br />

ongoing actions to improve conditions and habitat; and 2=Focus watersheds with Action Plans,<br />

more than 50% percent complete.<br />

Resiliency factors considered but not used in this iteration include: elevation, aspect, relief ratio, geology,<br />

stream density, stream type, stability (mapped landslides and stability class), and other groundwater<br />

indicators (meadows, permeability, faults, and alluvial deposits).<br />

Watershed Condition<br />

We used available data from the Blue Mountains Forest Plan revision watershed condition model (Gecy<br />

file “KWS_August2010”). Watershed condition scores (-1 to +1) from “Netweaver” decision support<br />

model analysis, incorporated the following factors:<br />

• road density, road gradient, miles in buffer as % stream mile<br />

• range condition (AUMs/acre, compared range use based on 2009 AUMs compared to forage<br />

production<br />

• forest vegetation as weighted departure of stand condition, and<br />

• aquatic habitat attributes from stream survey (LWD, pools, shade, and riparian type).<br />

The score is the average of upslope (roads, range, and forest vegetation) and habitat (range-riparian).<br />

Scores for Umatilla HUC-6 subwatersheds range from -0.5937 to +0.6473.<br />

Watershed Condition Rating (See figure to right)<br />

Watershed<br />

Condition<br />

Class<br />

FPR Model<br />

Rating<br />

# HUC-6<br />

All<br />

# HUC-6<br />

UNF<br />

>25%<br />

1. Good >0.2 22 14<br />

2. Fair -0.2 to 0.2 101 62<br />

3. Poor

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!