Monitoring
Evaluating Success
The Partnership will use the help of regional experts, the Strategic Action Plan, and the science-driven ATLAS tool to select projects and guide our path towards conservation success. To evaluate success, the Partnership will use the adaptive management approach outlined in our Strategic Action Plan. This approach leans on decades of learnings from restoration, monitoring, and research in the John Day Basin. The Partnership will use existing data, professional judgment, and monitoring to establish baseline conditions to judge progress towards basin-wide and sub-basin conservation targets. Appropriate milestones will be set to allow for an assessment of progress at our annual Partnership meeting. Check out the suite of tools in our Monitoring Toolbox below.
John Day Basin Partnership Progress Monitoring Framework
Implementation and Partnership Support projects funded by the Partnership will be required to set project metrics, pursue monitoring at the project-level, and adapt as needed during the term of funding. The Partnership's Progress Monitoring Framework was developed in partnership with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) and OWEB to track the effectiveness of the JDBP's FIP Award. This framework:
- Articulates the Partnership’s Theory of Change
- Helps to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties
- Provides a tailored monitoring approach for each action/strategy
- Supports a framework for monitoring and adaptive management
Visit the JDBP Implementation and Ecological Results page for additional Theory of Change information. The full Progress Monitoring Framework is available here.
Summer Steelhead and Spring Chinook Monitoring
ODFW is conducting steelhead and Chinook life-cycle and habitat metric monitoring using a structured, adaptive monitoring schedule that includes "learning years" and results chain "check-ins" to inform the Partnership's restoration work. During the “learning” years, the Partnership can test the short term linkages in each results chain, such as stream temperature, physical habitat, and juvenile fish survival. These periodic “learning” years are essential in this plan to ensure the time necessary for thorough feedback and course corrections to management actions on the way to our long-range goal of harvestable salmonid populations by 2040.
John Day Basin Partnership UAV Squadron
The JDBPS is a group of partnership members that have been meeting to increase Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or drone, capacities within the John Day Basin. This is being done through zoom meetings, field training, and videos. Squadron members plan to be available to assist with data acquisition, processing, and delivery in the future across the entire John Day Basin.
If you have a project and would like to request a drone flight, please fill out a request form. Forms can be found at the bottom of this page.
Riverscape Monitoring Methods
Field Survey Methods for In-Channel Geomorphic Units and Structural Elements
These field survey methods were designed to describe the dynamics and impacts of Low – Tech Process – Based Restoration (LT-PBR) projects. The surveys provide a set of protocols and attributes that are used to document the distribution and characteristics of in-channel geomorphic units and structural elements. The attributes allow generation of a diverse set of metrics that are descriptive of restoration structure behavior, riverscape health, and aquatic habitat quantity and quality. While designed in the context of LT-PBR projects, the surveys are equally effective when used to quantify the effectiveness of a variety of channel and riparian restoration treatment types. The protocol has been designed with a data collection and management solution that facilitates consistent data capture, visualization, and summarization.
This protocol version has been adapted to support monitoring of restoration effectiveness for projects implemented by the John Day Basin Partnership.
Download Protocol Resources
Download a draft version of the protocol and blank version of the field data collection application.
Survey Help and Information
Get help, ask questions, and comment on the survey protocol or data collection application.
Protocol Learning Tutorials
Video tutorials intended to facilitate project partners in implementing the survey protocols on their project or within their project area.
1. Protocol Introduction and Scope
2. Starting a New Survey
Basic operation of the data collection application and starting a new survey
3. Structural Element Observations
Documenting the distribution and characteristics of beaver dams and woody debris structures.
4. Geomorphic Unit Observations
Documenting the distribution of and characteristics of in-channel geomorphic (habitat) units.
5. Finishing, Exporting, and Sharing Survey Data
Finishing your survey exporting and sharing your file survey data.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the field survey protocol and resources....check back for additional updates.
MOBILE DATA COLLECTION
Which iPad should I use for field data collection?
It adds a bit to the price, but you need an iPad with cellular connectivity in order to spatially reference your observations. The WiFi only iPad devices do not have a GPS chip. Beyond that any relatively recent (i.e., < 5ish years old) iPad or iPad mini should work fine.
Can I use my Android phone or tablet for field data collection?
I'm sorry, no Android. Until recently the Filemaker platform was owned by Apple, so Android compatability has not been a priority. Ideally support for Android mobile devices will be supported in the future.
FIELD PROTOCOL QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATION
Does the survey direction matter?
It shouldn't matter if you survey in an up or downstream direction. If using an iPad with GPS enabled all of your observations should be spatially referenced. For context you could always record the survey direction in the survey comments.
Can I conduct the field survey during high flows?
The survey protocol has been designed to document the distribution and characteristics of geomorphic units and structural elements within the 'Active Channel'. Thus, it may be difficult to conduct the survey during high flows that extend beyond the active (i.e., bankfull) channel.
Bridge Creek and Middle Fork John Day Intensively Monitored Watersheds
The Middle Fork and Bridge Creek Intensively Monitored Watersheds are long-term, watershed-scale ecological research projects evaluating the effectiveness of habitat restoration practices, riverscape recovery, and steelhead and/or spring Chinook life-cycle responses in Bridge Creek (a tributary to the Lower Mainstem John Day River) and the Middle Fork John Day River. Visit the Bridge Creek IMW and Middle Fork IMW websites for more information.
