1.0 Quality Assurance Protection Plan Introduction

1.1 Goals and Objectives

1.2 Work Scope Overview

1.3 Expected Types of Data Analyses

1.4 Site Name

1.5 Responsible Organizations

1.6 Project Organization

1.7 Statement of Specific Problem

1.8 Data Uses

2.0 Background

2.1 Project Location (general)

2.2 Geographic Location

2.3 Specific (site name) Location

2.4 Geological Information

2.5 Environmental and/or Human Impact

2.6 Previous Investigations

2.7 Regulatory Involvement

3.0 Project Data Quality Objectives

3.1 Data Uses

3.2 Project Tasks

3.3 Expected Data Quality

3.4 Data Quality Indicators

3.5 Data Management Checklist

3.6 Assessment Oversight

4.0 Sampling Oversight and Design

4.1 Requests for Information and Analysis

4.2 Environmental Measurements

5.0 Methods and Procedures

6.0 Field Health and Safety Procedures

7.0 Field Procedures

7.1 Equipment

7.2 Equipment Calibration and Maintenance

7.3 Field Sampling Procedure

7.4 Personnel

7.5 Personnel Qualifications

7.6 Getting Started

8.0 Stream Reach Attributes to be Monitored

8.1 Air and Water Temperature

8.2 Channel Longitudinal Profile

8.3 Pool Tail Substrate

8.4 Channel Cross-sections

8.5 Identification of Bankfull

8.6 Channel Entrenchment

8.7 Channel Width-to-depth Ratio

8.8 Streambank Stability

8.9 Stream Shading

8.10 Macro-invertebrate Sampling

8.11 Channel Substrate Sampling

8.12 Stream Shore Water Depth

8.13 Bank Angle

8.14 Aquatic Fauna

9.0 Permanent Station Data Collection

9.1 Streamflow Measurements

9.2 Turbidity Sampling

9.3 Suspended Sediment Sampling

9.4 Bedload Sampling

TABLE OF FIGURES

Table 1 Measurements taken at permanent stations

Table 2 Bi-annual reference reach data

1.0 Quality Assurance Protection Plan Introduction

Numerous watershed restoration activities have occurred in the Feather River watershed in recent years. The Feather River Coordinated Resource Management (FRCRM), which includes 21 public agencies, private interests, and local landowners has completed over 40 watershed projects in the Feather River watershed since 1985 including studies and assessments, resource management plans, stream restoration projects, community outreach and educational efforts.

This 319 grant establishes a regional monitoring a program in the upper Feather River basin to provide insight on overall trends resulting from restoration, land management changes and natural processes. The program targets the North Fork and Middle Fork Feather River watersheds. Smaller scale effectiveness monitoring to identify specific restoration benefits will be conducted in other proposed programs, and will be designed to compliment the regional program.

The data will be used to document trends in watershed condition resulting from restoration activities. The result will hopefully answer the question of whether restoration above the Central Valley’s major foothill reservoirs can increase reliable water yield, and enhance flood protection above and within the Central Valley.

These data will provide critical input to the restoration program conducted by the Feather River CRM. Identification of conditions throughout the watershed will allow prioritization of restoration projects in terms of location and goals. Benefits of past restoration efforts will be quantified. Information on watershed condition will serve as a baseline data for future projects.

1.1 Project Goals and Objectives

The long-term goals of this project are to develop, implement and evaluate a monitoring program, which documents, at the watershed scale, long-term trends in watershed condition cumulatively resulting from restoration activities, land management changes and natural processes.

Long-term Objectives

· Continuously monitor changes in water temperature over time as a key parameter in assessing changes in watershed condition. A significant reduction in summer water temperatures over time is indicative of improving watershed condition.

· Continuously monitor changes in surface water flow over time as a key parameter in assessing changes in watershed condition. A significant increase in summer base flow and reduced peak flow are indicative of improving watershed condition.

· Continuously monitor changes in turbidity over time as a parameter in assessing watershed condition changes. An overall long-term decrease in turbidity is indicative of improving watershed condition.

· Monitor bedload and suspended sediment at various flows.

· Monitor, bi-annually, physical and biological changes in reference reaches:

Channel morphology, including channel cross sections, channel entrenchment and gradient, channel bed material sampling, large woody debris, (LWD), and pool tail fines. Transect data includes bank stability, shade, width/depth ratio, stream shore water depth, and bank angle. Bankfull will be estimated based on known procedures and field indicators.

Water chemistry, including water, air temperature and turbidity.

Habitat, including spatial distribution of fast and slow water via longitudinal gradient (i.e. pool and riffle orientation), pools (size, depth and number), pool tail substrate (% fines), shading, and stream bank stability (i.e. vegetation cover).

Macro-invertebrates, including analysis of population numbers and species diversity in comparison to Sierra Nevada reference sites. Not originally part of SCI protocol, but has been added on with the availability of reference site data.

Aquatic fauna, includes ocular observations of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and bivalves.

Aerial and ground photographs to provide visual documentation of in-stream and upland changes in vegetation and channel structure, and to support other monitoring results.

Short-term Goals

The short-term goals of this project are to evaluate the pilot monitoring strategy and determine whether it meets long-term project goals, is viable for long-term application, includes appropriate sampling intensity and parameters, and is reproducible. We will also solicit funding to continue the monitoring program beyond the two-year pilot.

Short-term Objectives

· Evaluate the effectiveness of the monitoring plan upon completion of the two-year pilot program. We will use the qualitative checklist in Table 1 to assess the success or failure of the program in meeting goals. Based on preliminary results of the pilot program, we will rate its effectiveness and provide recommended modifications.

· Develop a spatially referenced data management system to track, organize, and store monitoring data, facilitate analysis, and support production of reports needed to evaluate long-term trends. The system used should be compatible with other data sets managed by QLG, USFS etc.

· Coordinate with Plumas National Forest, DWR, UC Cooperative Extension, ICE, QLG, Feather River College, etc. on data collection and management approaches.

1.2 Work Scope Overview

The monitoring approach in this QAPP consists of two basic components as described below. The first two tasks vary in parameters measured, location and sampling. See Table 1., and Table 2.

Work products are to:

Conduct continuous monitoring of temperature and flow at eleven permanent sampling stations.

Conduct continuous turbidity monitoring at two locations.

Collect conductivity and pH data periodically at all stations.

Collect bedload and suspended sediment data in various flow regimes at two stations.

Conduc

RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION: Plumas Corporation

Feb.2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.1 Goals and Objectives

1.2 Work Scope Overview

1.3 Expected Types of Data Analyses

3.3 Expected Data Quality

9.3 Suspended Sediment Sampling

TABLE OF FIGURES

Short-term Goals

Short-term Objectives

1.2 Work Scope Overview