Purpose
The purpose of this Performance Measure (PM) is to provide a general measure of a project’s contribution to water quality, habitat, riverine connectivity, and riparian property values.
Likely Project Categories
This PM would likely be applicable for projects in the following category:
- Site improvement/restoration
Variations
This PM is further classified into the following two variations:
- Linear Feet of Streambank Protected—protection actions might include installing riparian fencing or instream grade control structures, or implementing setback requirements.
- Linear Feet of Streambank Restored—restoration actions might include using bioengineering techniques such as transplanting mature willows or sedge mats along an outside streambank or downcutting side channel, or using native rock revetments to stabilize the toe of a bank.
Guidance on Applying this PM to Your Project
This is a recommended approach to collecting data and reporting on this PM. Grantees are asked to further evaluate how these steps may best be applied to your specific project and discuss with SNC any steps or considerations that may be unique to your project.
Data Collection
Apply field measurements of linear feet of streambank protected or restored. Note: The banks on both side of the creek or river that have been protected count towards the total linear feet. For example, if 100 feet of streambank on river right (the right side of the river facing downstream) has been fenced to protect it against cattle, and 500 feet on river left has been fenced, then the total number of linear feet protected would be 600.
Reporting
Provide the number of linear feet of streambank protected or restored.
Other
The cost to measure this PM is minimal and involves either a direct measure of linear feet of bank protected or restored using a measuring tape, or by plotting GPS points at the top end of the project and the bottom end of the project and using standard GPS software to calculate the distance.