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This field manual provides detailed protocols for riparian restoration effectiveness monitoring for the Greater Rio Grande Watershed Alliance (GRGWA) restoration projects. This field manual is meant to supplement the GRGWA Riparian Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring Plan (SWCA Environmental Consultants 2012). The monitoring plan provides an overview of the restoration effectiveness monitoring and the general methods used in this manual, and users of this field manual should first read over the monitoring plan to understand the general approaches and context for specific monitoring protocols.

Low-intensity rapid assessment method of photographic monitoring (photo monitoring) to evaluate thinning effects on soils, vegetation and wildfire fuels across many of the individual land-owner thinning treatment project sites, using repeat photographic points and comparative analysis of the repeat photographs. (DRAFT)

This Greater Rio Grande Watershed Alliance (GRGWA) riparian restoration effectiveness monitoring plan (Monitoring Plan) presents background information and monitoring approaches for comprehensive monitoring of riparian restoration projects and natural resources management within the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) watershed. The monitoring approaches and methods will evaluate the effectiveness of riparian restoration projects conducted by GRGWA members whose projects are aimed at removing non-native vegetation and restoring a sustainable landscape that provides vital economic and ecological services to riverside communities in central and northern New Mexico. The monitoring approaches found within this plan will help the GRGWA achieve the objectives it has developed as an alliance, which are detailed below. This Monitoring Plan details the evaluation criteria and monitoring methods of the following items: riparian vegetation communities (wildlife habitat), shallow groundwater, soil health, and wildfire fuel loading. Monitoring will provide data to address how parameters representing those items respond to restoration treatments, and will show whether or not the restoration treatments are meeting goals outlined in the project proposal and by the GRGWA.

This manual describes how to monitor three rangeland attributes: soil and site stability, hydrologic function, and biotic integrity.

Winward, Alma H. 2000. Monitoring the vegetation resources in riparian areas. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRSGTR- 47. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 49 p. This document provides information on three sampling methods used to inventory and monitor the vegetation resources in riparian areas. The vegetation cross-section method evaluates the health of vegetation across the valley floor. The greenline method provides a measurement of the streamside vegetation. The woody species regeneration method measures the density and age class structure of any shrub or tree species that may be present in the sampling area. Together these three sampling procedures can provide an evaluation of the health of all the vegetation in a given riparian area. Keywords: riparian sampling, vegetation cross-section, greenline, woody regeneration

Final Report to Ciudad SWCD, April 2015

South Mountain Weather Station Fact Sheet

SOUTH MOUNTAIN WEATHER STATION: HISTORY, DATA SUMMARIES, AND CONTINUED OPERATION

SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR THE ESTANCIA BASIN WATERSHED HEALTH, RESTORATION, AND MONITORING PROJECT - POST-FIRE MONITORING STUDY In April 2008, a large area of the Estancia Basin watershed was burned in the 13,709-acre Trigo wildfire. This burn area encompassed a large portion of the Cibola National Forest and also included 3,712 acres of private land on its eastern fringe. Fire creates significant impacts to watershed health, which in turn impacts water yield and groundwater recharge. Since three large wildfires (Ojo Peak, Trigo, and Big Spring) have now burned a considerable portion of the eastern slopes of the Manzano Mountains, the impacts of wildfire on Estancia Basin watershed health are likely significant. SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) is currently monitoring the effects of thinning treatments in the area as part of the Estancia Basin Watershed Health, Restoration and Monitoring Project since 2007. That project is overseen by the Estancia Basin Watershed Health, Restoration and Monitoring Steering Committee (Steering Committee), with funding from the New Mexico State Water Trust Board. The Steering Committee recently awarded SWCA additional funding to develop and implement post-fire monitoring to evaluate wildfire impacts to Estancia Basin watershed health. SWCA developed this proposed scope of services, task list, study plan, and budget that will investigate the impacts of wildfire on forest and watershed health, and to enhance our knowledge of forest disturbances and their impacts on hydrology of the Estancia Basin. Of the three major wildfires, Ojo Peak, Trigo, and Big Spring, SWCA has chosen to focus efforts on the Trigo fire. Replicated study sites across watersheds will be more comparable if they are located within an area that burned at about the same time. The Trigo fire also was the largest of the three, it was centrally located within the study region and relative to the existing forest thinning monitoring site, and it burned more watersheds than the other two .

Forest Stewards Guild flyer. Handout at April 21, 2017 Coordinating Group meeting.