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 30o. 5 points |
Moderately steep slope, about 45o. 3 points |
Steep
slope, about 90o, 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