The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the State Water Resources Control Boards Surface Waters Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) request your assistance for a multi-agency survey to assess the condition of wadeable streams and rivers throughout the state for programs named the Perennial Stream Assessment (PSA) and the Reference Condition Monitoring Program (RCMP). As part of the programs, over 100 sites were randomly selected for 2018 throughout the state, and one or more of these sites are located on your property. We want to assure you that this study is not connected to any specific regulatory action or activity. The data collected for the PSA and RCMP surveys will be used to provide information that will help the states water quality agencies evaluate the overall condition of streams and rivers in California. PSA is a continuation of the states California Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP), and US EPAs Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) which were designed to assess the condition of wadeable streams and rivers at national and statewide scales. In all of these surveys, data from randomly sampled sites are used to make general assessments at large scales with sites not being chosen for any specific regulatory purpose. It is extremely important that we collect data from the randomly selected locations, whether they fall on private or public land, so the results of the studies provide an objective representation of Californias streams and rivers. Description of Indicators: In Situ Water Quality Measurements Measurements for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and conductivity are taken with a calibrated water quality probe meter or multi-probe sonde at the base of each river or stream sampled. This information will be used to detect extremes in condition. Water Chemistry and Associated Measurements Water chemistry measurements will be used to determine the acidic conditions and nutrient enrichment, as well as classification of water chemistry type. Chlorophyll-a Chlorophyll-a is the pigment that makes plants and algae green. Its measurement is used to determine algal biomass in the water. Periphyton Assemblage Periphyton are diatoms and soft-bodied algae that are attached or otherwise associated with channel substrates. They can contribute to the physical stability of inorganic substrate particles, and provide habitat and structure. Periphyton are useful indicators of environmental condition because they respond rapidly and are sensitive to disturbances. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblage Benthic macroinvertebrates are bottom-dwelling animals without backbones (invertebrates) that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye (macro). Examples of macroinvertebrates include: crayfish, snails, clams, aquatic worms, leeches, and the larval and nymph stages of many insects, including dragonflies, mosquitoes, and mayflies. Because many macroinvertebrates have relatively long life cycles of a year or more and are relatively immobile, the structure of the macroinvertebrate assemblage is a response to exposure of present or past conditions. Physical Habitat Assessment The physical habitat assessment of the sampling reach and the riparian zone (the region lying along a bank) is essential to the interpretation of ecological condition. Habitat evaluation is a reproducible, quantified estimate of habitat condition, serving as a benchmark against which to compare future habitat changes. The physical habitat description of each site includes many map-derived variables such as stream order and drainage area. Furthermore, an array of information, including watershed topography and land use, supplements the physical habitat information. Together with water chemistry, the habitat measurements and observations describe the variety of physical and chemical conditions that are necessary to support biological diversity and foster long-term ecosystem stability. California Rapid Assessment Method-CRAM CRAM is a diagnostic tool used to assess the condition of a riparian area. CRAM assesses riparian condition based on four attributes: landscape context, hydrology, physical structure, and biotic structure. More information about CRAM can be found at http://www.cramwetlands.org/

Approved