Name_________________________ Stream______________ Station_____ Score_____________ Date________

Stream Habitat Survey

The habitat available for fish and stream macroinvertebrates will be evaluated at each station. Stream habitat includes: channel bottom materials, streamside vegetation, and the channel characteristics. Answer the questions below by checking the box that most closely corresponds to the condition of the stream. You may opt to choose an in-between value, such as 2 or 4. Record the points assigned to that parameter in the last column. Total all points from the front and the back of this sheet—this total will be the stream habitat score. Use this score to determine if your stream habitat is considered excellent, good, fair, or poor. Score: 0-15 poor; 16-29 fair; 30-44 good; 45-50 excellent.

Habitat Parameter	Good to Excellent	Fair to Good	Poor	Points
1. Does the stream flow all year?	Yes, the stream is perennial (flows year-round). 5 points	Occasionally the stream doesn’t flow during the summer and fall. 3 points	No, the stream is always dry during some part of the year. 1 point	____
2. What types of materials are on the channel bottom?	Mostly gravel, logs, and/or boulders. 5 points	Some gravel, logs, and loose sand. 3 points	Mostly sediments, clay, and loose sand. 1 point	____
3. Are both deep pools* and riffle** habitats present in the stream?	Yes, both are present and frequent. 5 points	Occasional pools, mostly runs*** and riffles present. 3 points	Almost no riffles and pools, only runs present. 1 point	____
4. Are obstructions to streamflow common and frequently moving?	Occasional logs and rocks are present, but are firmly embedded in the channel bottom. 5 points	Logs are present, sometimes obstructing flow. 3 points	Logs and other obstructions to flow are common, they move during high flows, and cause sediment to accumulate. 1 point	____

*Pools are the deeper parts of the stream and usually form on bends. They provide the coldest and most-oxygenated water in summer and are least likely to freeze in winter.

**Riffle areas are straight stretches of stream containing rocks that churn up the water, adding oxygen.

*** Runs are straight stretches of stream.

Habitat Parameter	Good to Excellent	Fair to Good	Poor	Points
5. How much streambank erosion is occurring?	Very little. Bare, unvegetated banks are rare. 5 points	Some streambank erosion is occurring, but it is less than 6” in height. 3 points	Bare, unvegetated banks are common, and are often more than 12” in height. 1 point	____
6. Does the channel have lots of curves and bends?	Yes, bends in the channel are frequent. 5 points	There are occasional bends. 3 points	No, the channel is mostly straight. 1 point	____
7. How steep is the slope of the strembanks?	Gentle slope, less than 30^o. 5 points	Moderately steep slope, about 45^o. 3 points	Steep slope, about 90^o, creating a drop-off. 1 point	____
8. Are streambanks covered with a variety of different classes of vegetation: trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses?	Shrubs are dominant; trees of different ages, and some grasses may be present. 5 points	Mature trees are the dominant class of vegetation. 3 points	No, bare soil, rock, mine tailings, or grass are the dominant vegetation. 1 point	____
9. Does the streambank vegetation overhang the channel, providing shade and a source of insects and other food?	Overhanging shrubs and undercut banks are frequent. 5 points	Some vegetation overhangs the water. 3 points	No vegetation overhangs the water. 1 point	____
10. Are sand or sediments being deposited on top of stream gravels?	There is slight deposition on the outside of stream bends; stream bottom is hard. 5 points	Deposition is common where the current is slow; sediment is filling in the pools. 3 points	More than half of the stream bottom is loose sand, moving with high flows. 1 point	____

Score (total # of points) = ____

Adapted from the U.S. Forest Service Stream Reach Inventory and Channel Stability Evaluation (1978)

Designed by the GEM Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Tech University

1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, MI 49931-1295 (906) 487-3341