Sycan River: Yainix Ranch Monitoring

Although this project is listed as completed it is a continuing project supported under other sources of funding. The project supported a HEB to work on several aspects of monitoring the Sycan River: Yainix Ranch Easement. Although this component designates funds to monitor the Sycan River this project is intertwined with the Upper Klamath Lake Catchment Habitat Enhancement project (2007-2). The Sycan River monitoring allows for basin wide comparisons . During the FY2008 the HEB was involved in conducting riparian plant community monitoring, WARSSS, photo-point, and reviewing and analyzing water quality data.

This project will provide the means to quantify the cumulative effectiveness of management changes and restoration projects on a section of river that has experienced major degradation. By quantifying the stream morphologic changes that have occurred on the Yainix Ranch this project will provide an excellent baseline data set for future management decisions concerning restoration of salmonid spawning and rearing habitat. Furthermore this project will assist in the development of baseline data for monitoring and evaluate future and ongoing restoration projects. The methodology used for this monitoring project can be utilized throughout the basin to establish a quantified data set that can be used to assist in choosing proper management and restoration actions.