Abstract:
In the late 1970s, approximately 400 miles of streams were inventoried by the
Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management for in-stream and riparian condition.
During the summer of 1994, the riparian portion of the survey was repeated on 17 of the
original streams miles, contained within 11 stream sections where grazing strategies had
been altered. This project was a case study designed to evaluate efficiency of the original
methods and identify factors involved in individual stream responses. The streams
selected to be resurveyed varied in community types present, gradient, elevation, grazing
system, disturbance history, influence of beaver, and restoration efforts. Community types
were identified by their major components (grass-shrub, sedge-rush) and measured for
length and width. Length of stream bank damage was estimated and causes noted.
Stream sections were surveyed between matching points for the 1976-78 and 1994
surveys. Most streams had increases in riparian area and decreases in bank damage and
lengths of cutbanks, suggesting an upward trend in condition.
The bank damage, riparian area, and community identification portions of the survey
were identified as useful though composition measurements were determined to be less
dependable and repeatable.
