Get reliable rangeland science

ASSESSING THE CONDITION OF UTAH BLM PERENNIAL STREAMS: A PILOT OF THE BLM's NATIONAL AQUATIC MONITORING PROGRAM
Author
Jimenez, Justin
Miller, Scott W.
Judson, Sarah
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2015
Body

Condition and trend information is critical to ensure the maintenance or improvement of riparian and stream systems under the BLM's multiple use doctrine. Historically, the BLM has lacked a quantitative, standardized monitoring program to assess the condition and trend of lotic systems at multiple spatial scales. We worked collaboratively with the BLM Assessment, Inventory and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy to pilot use of the AIM National Aquatic Monitoring Program to obtain unbiased estimates of the chemical, physical and biological condition of Utah BLM perennial streams at multiple spatial scales. Our results show that 29% of UT BLM, perennial streams are in good biological condition, 32% in fair and 38% in poor biological condition compared to least-disturbed reference sites. Of the four UT BLM districts, the Canyon Country and Green River Districts present the greatest concerns, with 49% and 52% of stream kilometers in poor biological condition, respectively. The most ubiquitous stressors were excessive nutrient loading (64% of stream kilometers), salinity loading (62%) and riparian alteration (20%). In contrast, less than 10% of UT BLM stream kilometers have excessive sediment loading, thermal pollution or invasive invertebrates. For indicators with the greatest extent of stream kilometers in poor condition, we are using data from the BLM Rapid Ecoregional Assessments to identify the land uses associated with departures from expected conditions. For example, 65% of the spatial variability in salinity exceedances was related to the percent of agricultural activity, hydrologic alteration and oil and gas development within a watershed. UT BLM is using this data state-wide as an overall report card for the health of BLM streams systems, while at the district level aquatic restoration and conservation priorities are being established.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Sacramento, CA
Collection
SRM Annual Meeting Abstracts