RIPARIAN AREAS• A form of wetland transition
between permanently saturated wetlands and uplands areas
• Exhibit vegetation or physical characteristics of permanent surface or subsurface water
• Examples: LAND ADJACENT to PERENNIAL or INTERMITTEN FLOWING STREAMS, LAKESHORES, GLACIAL POTHOLES
PROPER FUNCTIONING CONDITION
• RIPARIAN-WETLAND areas are functioning properly when adequate vegetation, landform, or large woody debris is present to:
– Dissipate STREAM ENGERGY associated with high flows
– Filter SEDIMENT and CAPTURE BED LOAD– Aid FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT– Improve FLOOD WATER RETENTION and
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE– Stabilize STREAMBANKS
PROPER FUNCTIONING CONDITION
ACHIEVED PROVIDES FOR:
• Habitat for FISHFISH and WILDLIFE
• Improved WATER QUALITY
• Improved FORAGE PRODUCTION
• Decreased SOILSOIL EROSION
• Greater BIODIVERSITY
FUNCTIONAL AT RISK• RIPARIAN-WETLAND areas that are in
Functional Condition, but an existing Soil, Water, or Vegetation attribute makes them
• SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEGRADATION
NONFUNCTIONAL• RIPARIAN-WETLAND areas that CLEARLY ARE
NOT PROVIDING adequate Vegetation, Landform or Large Woody Debris to:
• Dissipate Stream Energies associated with higher flows• Filter Sediment and Capture Bedload• Aid in Floodplain Development• Improve Floodwater retention and Groundwater Recharge• Stabilize Streambanks
NONFUNCTIONAL• Areas that are Nonfunctional
– DO NOT provide Wildlife Habitat
– DO NOT provide improved Water Quality
– DO NOT improve Forage Production
– EXHIBIT INCREASED Soil Erosion
– EXHIBIT DECREASED Biodiversity
ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST
• HYDROGEOMORPHIC– GROUND-WATER DISCHARGE– ACTIVE FLOODPLAIN– GROUND-WATER RECHARGE– FLOODPLAIN STORAGE & RELEASE– FLOOD MODIFICATION– BANKFULL WIDTH– WIDTH/DEPTH RAITON– SINUOSITY– GRADIENT– STREAM POWER– HYDRAULIC CONTROLS– BED ELEVATION
ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST
• VEGETATION– COMMUNITY TYPES
– COMMUNITY TYPE DISTRIBUTION’SURFACE DENSITY
– CANOPY
– COMMUNITY DYNAMICS & SUCCESSION
– RECRUITMENT/REPRODUCTION
– SURVIVAL
ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST
• EROSION/DEPOSITION– BANK STABILITY
– BED STABILITY
– DEPOSITIONAL FEATURES
ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST
• SOILS– CAPILLARITY
– ANNUAL PATTERN OF SOIL WATER STATES
– ERODIBILITY
– FERTILITY
ATTRIBUTES/PROCESS LIST
• WATER QUALITY– TEMPERATURE
– SALINITY
– NUTRIENTS
– DISSOLVED OXYGEN
– SEDIMENT
POTENTIAL
• The highest ecological status a Riparian-Wetland area can attain given no political, social, or economical constraints
DETERMINATIONOF RIPARIAN-WETLAND SYSTEMS
CAPABILITY AND POTENTIAL• Relic areas
information
• Historic information
• Species Lists
• Habitat Needs
• Soils Information
• Hydrology Information
• Current Vegetation
• Watershed Condition/Major Landforms
• Limiting Factors
PFC
Vulnerable
Time
Decision Space
Fisheries ValuesLivestock ValuesRecreation ValuesWildlife ValuesWatershed Values
Desired Condition
Bare Ground
PNC
VEGETATIONYES NO N/A 6.) There is diverse age-class distribution of
riparian-wetland vegetation (formaintenance/recovery)7.) There is diverse composition of riparian-wetland vegetation (for maintenance/recovery)8.) Species present indicate maintenance ofriparian-wetland soil moisture characteristics9.) Streambank vegetation is comprised of thoseplants or plant communities that have root massescapable of withstanding high-streamflow events10.) Riparian-wetland plants exhibit high vigor
11.) Adequate riparian-wetland vegetative cover ispresent to protect banks and dissipate energy duringhigh flows12.) Plant communities are an adequate source ofcoarse and/or large woody material (formaintenance/recovery)
VEGETATIONYES NO N/A 6.) There is diverse age-class distribution of
riparian-wetland vegetation (formaintenance/recovery)7.) There is diverse composition of riparian-wetland vegetation (for maintenance/recovery)8.) Species present indicate maintenance ofriparian-wetland soil moisture characteristics9.) Streambank vegetation is comprised of thoseplants or plant communities that have root massescapable of withstanding high-streamflow events10.) Riparian-wetland plants exhibit high vigor
11.) Adequate riparian-wetland vegetative cover ispresent to protect banks and dissipate energy duringhigh flows12.) Plant communities are an adequate source ofcoarse and/or large woody material (formaintenance/recovery)
9.) STREAMBANK VEGETATION IS COMPRISED OF THOSE PLANTS OR PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ROOT MASSESS CAPABLE
OF WITHSTANDING HIGH STREAM FLOW EVENTS
12.) PLANT COMMUNITIES IN THE RIPARIAN AREA ARE AN ADEQUATE SOURCE OF COARSE AND/OR LARGE WOODY DEBRIS
12.) PLANT COMMUNITIES IN THE RIPARIAN AREA ARE AN ADEQUATE SOURCE OF COARSE AND/OR LARGE WOODY DEBRIS
PLANNING PROCESS
• STEP 1. EXISTING CONDITION
• STEP 2. POTENTIAL CONDITION
• STEP 3. PFC
• STEP 4. RESOURCE VALUES
• STEP 5. MANAGEMENT GOALS and OBJECTIVES
• STEP 6. PLANNED ACTIONS
• STEP 7. MONITORING
• STEP 8. FLEXIBILITY
SUMMARY
• MINIMUM ASSESSMENT TOOL
• PFC USUALLY NOT THE SAME AS DFC
• POTENTIAL VS. CAPABILITY
• QUALITATIVE VS. QUANTITATIVE
• INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM
• BE CONSERVATIVE
• DO THE PREP. WORK
• NORMAL STREAM PROCESSES (25 YR FLOOD EVENT)
WHY MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN PFC??
• ENGAGES PUBLIC IN COOPERATIVE RIPARIAN RESTORATION
• MANY RIPARIAN PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED OR AGGRAVATED BY OFF-SITE MANAGEMENT
• AN ID TEAM CREATES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BASIS FOR INTERATED MANAGEMENT
• QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT SUPPORTED BY QUANTITATIVE SCIENCE WITH MEASUREMENT TOOLS WHEN NEEDED