D'Olive Bay Watershed 2019 Stream Quality

Rapid Stream Assessment (RSA) was performed in the field in four stream restoration catchments including Joe's Branch, D'Olive Creek, D'Olive Creek DA Tributary, and Tiawasee Creek. For inaccessible locations, assessment of stream quality was made though Level 1 evaluation of adjacent land cover, prior observations, and best professional judgment. RSA scores were determined during 2019 field surveys at restoration sites and stream reaches upstream and downstream. The RSA evaluates 100-m reaches and includes 12 metrics, including canopy cover, local watershed erosion, sediment deposition, habitat availability, habitat smothering, channel alteration, channel sinuosity, bank stability, bank vegetative protection, riparian buffer width, riparian vegetative quality, and stream macroinvertebrates. Stream locations are based on National Hydrology Dataset (NHD) flowlines and 2011 LiDAR data. Digital spatial data were analyzed in ArcGIS 10.3.7.