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WNTI Habitat Assessment Robin Knox – WNTI Coordinator. WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS. Approach 1 - Intermountain Cutthroat Assessment protocol Approach 2 - WNTI individual species status assessment. WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS. The range-wide assessment for BVCT will include:
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WNTI Habitat Assessment Robin Knox – WNTI Coordinator
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • Approach 1 - Intermountain Cutthroat Assessment protocol • Approach 2 - WNTI individual species status assessment
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • The range-wide assessment for BVCT will include: • estimating range that was historically occupied; • determining current distribution and identifying specific attributes associated with current distribution; • identifying the various conservation populations and assessing relative population health
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • evaluating the potential for further expansion and restoration of conservation populations.
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • Habitat Components: • Use National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) as the base for the effort • Use the 1:24,000 scale of NHD as available. Some watershed areas will require using the 1:100,000 scale and an effort will be made to correct the information to the 1:24,000 scale as it becomes available.
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • 3. Relative quality of occupied habitat a. Excellent habitat quality (e.g., ample pool environment, low sediment levels, optimal temperatures, quality riparian habitat, etc.) b. Good habitat quality (may have some habitat attributes that are slightly less than ideal) c. Fair habitat quality (has a greater number of attributes that are less than ideal) d. Poor habitat quality (most habitat attributes reflect inferior conditions) e. Unknown
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • Other Factors considered: • Connectedness/barriers • Presence/absence of non-natives • Stocking • Ability to improve habitat • Life History attributes • Capability for conservation actions • Population size • Genetics
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS Development of potential restoration areas: “A generalized restoration opportunity assessment for each potential restoration stream segment will be done by rating the information.”
WNTI HABITATASSESSMENTS • Completed for: • Bonneville CT • Colorado River CT • Greenback CT • Rio Grande CT • Yellowstone CT • Westslope CT (old, new 2008-2009) • Lahontan CT • Suggested for: • Coastal CT • Redband Trout • Other systems: • Bull trout • Apache trout • Gila Trout • Paiute Cutthroat