1. Booth, D. Singer, M. (2009) General Considerations for Watershed Health. Draft Watershed Health Metrics for Evaluating Restoration Progress in the San Geronimo Creek Watershed. Technical Memorandum. http://www.marinwatersheds.org/docs/final_SG_sep/B.%20Watershed%20Health.pdf
2. Berg, N., Carlson, A., Azuma, D. (1998) Function and dynamics of woody debris in stream reaches in the central Sierra Nevada, California. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 55(8):1807-1820. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/246264430_Function_and_dynamics_of_Woody_debris
This article describes the function and dynamics of woody debris in streams, analyzing how woody debris influenced channel morphology and fish habitat.
3. EPA – Healthy Watershed Overview (2015) https://www.epa.gov/hwp/healthy-watersheds-overview
This website provides useful information on watershed health by answering common questions tied to watershed dynamics, and highlighting the importance of watershed protection.
4. EPA – Healthy Watersheds Assessment Overview (2015) https://www.epa.gov/hwp/healthy-watersheds-assessment-overview
This webpage presents a conceptual framework that views watersheds as integrated systems with essential ecological attributes. It describes in detail the attributes of an healthy watershed and provides an overview of important parameters such as water quality, biological condition, hydrology, geomorpholofy and habitat condition.
5. EPA – California Integrated Assessment of Watershed Health (2013) A Report on the Status and Vulnerability of Watershed Health in California. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/201511/documents/ca_hw_report_111213_0.pdf
This is a comprehensive document that provides a thorough assessment of watershed health in California. One of the goals of this document is to integrate multi-disciplinary data to both identify healthy watersheds and characterize the relative health of watersheds across the state. This is a very useful resource for learning more about the characteristics and challenges facing watersheds throughout the state. The document also provides a useful overview on a number of stream health indicators and describes watershed condition indicators.
6. Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Riparian Vegetation Ecology and Management (n.d). http://www.clearwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Section-3.4-Importance-of-Riparian-Buffers-12.30.pdf
This document provides useful information on the importance of riparian vegetation, while displaying graphics and illustrations to highlight the different essential ecological functions that riparian vegetation has. Hydrologic influences, ecological importance, and characteristics of a healthy riparian plant community are also discussed.
7. Milone & MacBroom, Inc. (2008) The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Reach Habitat Assessment (RHA). http://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wsm/rivers/docs/rv_RHAProtocolReport.pdf
This comprehensive document provides an example of a habitat assessment developed as part of the Vermont Stream Geomorphic Assessment Protocols. The document describes the assessment protocol used, and identifies the key environmental parameters and variables that provide indication on the current habitat condition, while also highlighting appropriate data ranges for these parameters. The document provides a useful example of a systematic and comprehensive watershed assessment.
8. NOAA Watershed flooding and pollution (n.d.). http://www.education.noaa.gov/Freshwater/Watersheds_Flooding_and_Pollution.html.
This website developed by NOAA describes the link between watersheds, flooding and pollution.
9. Lower Colorado River Authority (n.d.). Water Quality Indicators. Colorado River watch network. http://www.lcra.org/water/quality/colorado-river-watch-network/pages/water-quality-indicators.aspx.
This website describes a number of important water quality indicators.
10. RAMP - Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (n.d). Water Quality Indicators: Conventional Variables. http://www.ramp-alberta.org/river/water+sediment+quality/chemical/conventional.aspx.
This website describes a number of water quality indicators as defined by the Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program.
11. Rehn, A.C., May, J.T., Ode, P.R. (2008) An index of biotic integrity (IBI) for perennial streams in California's Central Valley. https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/reports/ibi_perstrms_cen_val.pdf
This document describes a number of indices of biotic integrity analyzing the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities found in the Central Valley across a 14 year time frame.
12. SWAMP Bioassessment Procedures (2007) Standard Operating Procedures for Collecting Benthic Macroinvertebrate Samples and Associated Physical and Chemical Data for Ambient Bioassessments in California. http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/phab_sopr6.pdf
13. SWAMP (2016) Bioassessmnet. State and Water Resources Control Board. http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/bioassessment/
This website briefly describes the characteristics of a biological assessment, while also discussing some water quality indicators such as the benthic macroinvertebrates indicator.
14. Taylor, R. (1999) Using Stream Geomorphic Characteristics as a Long-term Monitoring Tool to Assess Watershed Function. Humboldt State University. http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/lisle/lisleHSU99.pdf
This document represents the proceeding of a workshop focused on assessing watershed function using stream geomorphic characteristics. It provides a good conceptual framework on the ways in which land use activities affect downstream resources, which in turn influence watershed health, and impact the ecological functions provided by the riparian areas.
15. USDA Forest Service (2010) Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Travel Management on the Coconino National Forest. Coconino and Yavapai counties, Arizona. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3817481.pdf
This environmental impact statement addresses changes to motorized use on roads, trails, and areas to meet requirements in the Travel Management Rule regulations in the Coconino National Forest. It provides a comprehensive overview of the environmental impacts of the proposed road development project, analyzing potential issues tied to air quality, soil and water quality impacts, changes to wildlife habitat and impacts on aquatic resources.
16. USDA Forest Service (n.d). Watershed Health and Riparian Areas. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3793768.pdf
This document briefly describes the key features of a watershed health assessment program. It analyzes the extent to which forest management actions are affecting water quality, quantity, flow timing, and influence the physical features of aquatic, riparian, or wetland ecosystems.