The Watershed Condition Framework

Anne Zimmermann, USFS Director, Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants
April 12, 2012

Secretarys Vision

"Clean, healthy forests are vital to our efforts to protect America's fresh water supply.

Forest Service Approach

Develop a comprehensive approach to strategically implement integrated restoration on watersheds on National Forests and Grasslands Develop an outcome-based performance measure for documenting improvement to watershed condition at Forest, Regional, and National scales

Forest Service Approach

The Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) is a comprehensive approach for:
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evaluating the condition of watersheds, prioritizing watersheds for restoration or maintenance, strategically implementing integrated restoration, and tracking and monitoring outcome based program accomplishments.

Required Outcome
Be able to demonstrate at a national scale that watershed condition has improved as a result of Forest Service integrated restoration activities

Watershed Condition Framework

Watershed Condition Framework

Watershed Condition Framework

Environmental Justice is practiced within the WCF steps involving public input and partnership collaboration.

Project planning (NEPA) Priority Watershed designation Development of action plans Doing the work local job opportunities Effectiveness monitoring

STEP A

Classify Watershed Condition

Classify Watersheds
1. 2. 3. 4. National Forest-based reconnaissance-level office evaluation of watershed condition Achievable within existing budgets and staffing A core set of 12 national watershed condition indicators Relies on professional judgment exercised by Forest interdisciplinary teams using available data.

Rapid Assessment to achieve National Baseline

Map of Condition Class National Forest System Watersheds

http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/watershed/

National Watershed Condition Class (WCC) Results NFS Watersheds

Class 1- Functioning Properly Class 2- Functioning at Risk Class 3- Impaired Function Total watersheds 7,882 6,751 431 15,064 52% 45% 3%

STEPB STEP A Classify Prioritize Watershed Watersheds for Condition

Restoration

Identify priority watersheds for restoration

A small number equivalent to a 5-year program of work (2- 5 per Forest) Completed at the Forest/Grassland level using an interdisciplinary team process. Initial designation of 247 priority watersheds completed September 30, 2011

STEPB STEP A Classify Prioritize Watershed Watersheds for Condition

Restoration

Identify priority watersheds for restoration

Public participation opportunity Selection criteria: Active collaboration and partnership opportunities Ecological, social, economic considerations Alignment with national/regional strategies and Forest Plan direction Outside Agency efforts and partnership opportunities

Designated Priority Watersheds in FY11 - Distribution by Condition Class

Class 1- Functioning Properly Class 2- Functioning at Risk Class 3- Impaired Function Total Priority Watersheds 63 163 21 247 26% 66% 8%

Interactive Map of Condition Class and Designated Priority Watersheds

USDA Forest Service Watershed Condition Classification and Priority Watersheds
Ratings based on assessment on National Forest System land in sixth-level watersheds November 15, 2011

Puerto Rico

Alaska

http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/watershed/

Action Plans

STEPC STEP A Classify Develop Watershed Watershed Condition

Develop action plans for priority watershed

Collaboratively engage with potential partners Field assessment to document specific problems Identify essential projects that address the problems Implementation schedule 205 Watershed Restoration Action Plans completed September 30, 2011

Essential projects are a discrete group of conservation actions and treatments that are implemented as an integrated suite of activities, focused primarily on restoring or protecting watershed health and therefore improving watershed condition class.

Watershed Restoration Action Plans (WRAPs)

Information contained in WRAPs: List of active partners Key watershed issues Important ecological values within watershed Description of essential projects Estimate of project costs

STEPD STEP A Classify Implement Watershed Integrated Condition

Projects

Implementation

May take 1-6 years or longer Planning, project design, NEPA, implementation NEPA provides an opportunity for citizens to be involved in the planning and environmental review of projects

A watershed is considered to have moved to an improved condition class when all of the essential projects identified in a Watershed Restoration Action Plan are completed.

STEP A STEP E Classify Track Restoration Watershed Accomplishment Condition

Tracking

Essential project completion in priority watersheds Change in condition class due to other reasons (major disturbances, other agencys actions, etc.) Beginning to look at Outcomes as well as Outputs: Outputs still recorded for traditional accomplishment reporting. Outcomes to be tracked for accountability.

STEPF STEP A Classify Monitor and Watershed Verification Condition

Two-tiered approach for monitoring

Tier 1 Performance accountability A sample of watersheds evaluated annually for classification process and project completion/anticipated results Tier 2 Comprehensive monitoring Demonstrate that concentration of activities within watersheds improves stream and habitat conditions

Watershed Condition Framework Results

Willamette National Forest Relative to Other Forests in Oregon

Click to edit Master subtitle style

Overlay the Watershed Condition Framework

A core set of 12 national watershed condition indicators. Professional judgment Existing information
How will WCF Results be Used? Show changes (hopefully improvement ) in watershed conditions over time. Develop restoration priorities at a broad Forest level (most useful at the indicator or attribute scale). Communicate and integrate our

GIS data

Green = Class 1 (Properly Functioning) Yellow = Class 2 (Functioning at Risk)

Staley Creek Sub-watershed

Willamette National Forest

WCF Model Indicators and their ratings

Aquatic Biota Condition

Poor Fair

Riparian/Wetland Vegetation Condition Water Quality Condition Water Quantity Condition Aquatic Habitat Condition Road and Trail Condition Soil Condition Fire Regime Condition Class Forest Cover Condition Forest Health Condition Good Fair Good Good Good Good Poor Poor

Terrestrial Invasive Species Condition

Good

Riparian/Wetland Vegetation Condition

Projects:
Data Sources: AREMP WCF riparian analysis

Commercial thinning in Riparian Reserves direct effect on structure and complexity Non-commercial thinning in Riparian Reserves direct effect on structure and complexity. Thinning and placement of small wood instream fall and leave or fall and carry Riparian planting direct effect over the long term Wet Meadow Treatment direct effect on wetland dependent ecosystems but small number of acres. Respect the River Projects direct and indirect effects, protection and

WCF Standards

Open Road Density

Open road density calculations were based on open system roads from all jurisdictions, (i.e., FS, State, County, private, etc.). Use operational maintenance level 2-5 roads. Use the following thresholds Good(1): Road density of < 1 mi/mi2 Fair(2): Road density of 1 to 2.4 mi/mi2 Poor(3): Road density of > 2.4 mi/mi2

Projects:
Road storage and decommission

Essential Projects to Address Problem Indicators:

1. Upland and Riparian Thinning 1. Road Treatments 1. Dispersed Campsite Treatments

Essential Project #1: Upland and Riparian Thinning

Indicators addressed: aquatic habitat, riparian/wetland vegetation condition
Even age stands have little diversity in both upland and riparian habitats due to lack of historical fire regimes and past plantation management

The Solution
Increase species and structural diversity by pre-commercial thinning, or falling and leaving trees in both upland and riparian areas. 550 acres have been identified as high priority ($210K)

The Situation

Potential Partner:

Essential Project #2: Road Treatments

Indicators addressed: aquatic habitat, roads & trails

The Situation Roads are located in steep

terrain and riparian areas. Erosion from roads negatively impacts aquatic species. In addition roads impact connectivity for fish and other aquatic species.

Twenty eight miles of high aquatic risk roads will be closed or stormproofed. Where necessary to protect aquatic resources fills will be removed. Culverts that are barriers to fish will be replaced or removed ($135k)

The Solution

Potential Partners:

Essential Project #3: Dispersed Camping Treatments

Indicators addressed: aquatic habitat, riparian/wetland vegetation condition

The Solution

The Situation Dispersed camping is common along

lower Staley Creek decreasing riparian vegetation leading to lack of shade and increased soil erosion.

Use Respect the River program to limit public access to fifteen acres of riparian floodplain, restore soil, re-plant vegetation and educate site users ($25K).

Potential Partners:

Staley Creek Watershed Restoration Action Plan

Describes the features of the subwatershed. Identifies the historic character that has been altered. Outlines essential projects that could be done to raise watershed condition class. This plan can be downloaded from the national website for WCF (Google Watershed Condition Framework).

Partnership and Collaboration

Partners may be unaware of WCF and Forest priorities.

Future Vision
Stakeholders are involved in restoration priority setting.

The Situation
Project planning, implementation and monitoring occurs without stakeholder involvement.

Stakeholders are aware of and involved in all stages of the project (planning, implementation, and monitoring).

Youth are involved. No youth involvement

Summary of WCF
Throughout the appropriate steps of the WCF process, the participation of partners and the public is both expected and highly encouraged The WCF is not perfect. It will evolve over time. Active collaborative partnerships are essential to the success of WCF.

Why your engagement is important today

The emphasis on water and watershed restoration is critical to the Nations health and is the FSs role. The FS must be able to demonstrate accomplishment and accountability in watershed restoration. We have tools to systematically demonstrate accomplishment. We manage public land we manage your land.

Questions and Discussion

Anne Zimmermann, USFS Director, Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants