PFC Assessments

PFC Stream Assessment Protocol Surveys

Using the Bureau of Land Management’s Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) Stream Assessment Protocol, seven EOR professionals conducted field surveys spanning two weeks for Lotic areas on 221 miles of streams on U.S. Forest Service lands of the McKenzie Ranger District in the prairies and badlands of western North Dakota. This qualitative stream assessment methodology evaluates the condition of riparian corridors through analysis and interpretation of vegetation, hydrology, and geomorphology.

The project included a digital copy of stream assessment forms using PFC protocols, collection of georeferenced imagery, collection of georeferenced points of interest such as beaver dams, springs, landscape features, and detailed field notes to assist the USFS’s management of federal grasslands.
Logistically complex travel over rough terrain on foot and in four-wheel drive vehicles allowed access to remote streams. Deliberate coordination and planning ensured the safety of all field staff in extreme weather conditions and remote locations.

Extensive data processing and quality assurance was conducted to return clean and tidy data. GIS programming was used to develop informative figures for every stream included in the project. Programming languages automated the development of detailed tables for each stream, reducing errors. Photo logs and a discussion of each stream added context to the report.