UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Abstract

As a result of silvicultural activities in the Pacific Northwest, various levels of sediment and debris enter the streams, often degrading spawning substrate of salmonid fishes.Simple but reliable procedures are needed to monitor spawning gravels to assess the level of these impacts.This paper presents a preliminary rationale for conducting a monitoring program with the objective of assessing the level of sedimentation impact both locally in a given stream spawning site as well as more generally for the entire stream that might be impacted by watershed management activities.