Monitoring Program
Soil and Water
Forest Plan Objectives and Monitoring Plan Questions
The following objectives, monitoring questions, evaluation criteria, and adaptive feedback mechanisms are identified in Table 6-1 of the 2008 Forest Plan.
ObjectiveSoil productivity is maintained to Alaska Region (R-10) Soil Quality Standards. Soil erosion from land disturbing activities is minimized. Sediment transport to streams from land disturbing activities should be minimized. The biological, physical, and chemical integrity of Tongass National Forest waters should be maintained to the State of Alaska Water Quality Standards. Ecological function is maintained within watersheds of the plan area while resource management activities sustain human needs and uses. |
Monitoring Plan Question1. Are the soil conservation practices implemented and effective in meeting Alaska Regional Soil Quality Standards and maintaining soil productivity? 2. Are the soil and water conservation practices as described through the Best Management Practices and site specific prescriptions implemented and effective in minimizing soil erosion and maintaining the State Water Quality Standards? 3. What is the ecological condition and trend of watersheds in terms of key characteristics (such as soil productivity, water quality and quantity, invasive species, etc.) of watershed health identified in the desired condition (aquatic ecosystem potential) of the plan area? How effective are management actions in improving watershed health (maintaining or moving watersheds toward Condition Class I)? |
Sampling/Reporting Period1. Annual/5 Year 2. Annual/Annual 3. Bi-annual/5 Year |
Evaluation Criteria1. Compliance and implementation of the Region 10 Soil Quality Standards SW3 I.A.4. 2. Compliance and implementation of BMPs and the State Water Quality Standards SW3 I.A.2 and 3. 3. Effects of management activities on Watershed Condition Class SW4 I.A.1. |
Data and Inventory SourcesField-collected data; Forest wide data bases; BMP Soil and Water Monitoring |
Feed Back Mechanism1. Evaluate site characteristics and change if needed; logging systems implementation; road design and construction; recreation design and development; Soil and Water Standards and Guidelines 2. Evaluate site characteristics and restoration practices |
Monitoring Activities and Projects
The following activities and projects are being conducted to address the monitoring plan questions identified above:
- Questions 1 and 2: Implementation of Best Management Practices for soil and water was monitored using 100 percent monitoring of final inspected units and roads. In addition, 10 percent of these units and roads were subjected to quality control checks by interdisciplinary teams. In addition to implementation, these monitoring efforts make observations regarding effetiveness as well.
- Questions 1 and 2: Soil and water effectiveness monitoring is completed through monitoring the soil quality standards as described in Forest Service Manual 2554. These are addressed in two parts: soil disturbance and landslide frequency.
- Question 2: Turbidity compliance monitoring is conducted before, during, and after road construction activity. The objective of the turbidity monitoring is to determine if the erosion control measures are achieving State water quality criteria for turbidity.
- Question 2: Field check on effects of buffer windthrow.
- Question 3: Three case study watersheds (Thompson 2007) have been identified and continuous water quality and stream stage instruments have been installed to monitor turbidity and temperature.
- Question 3: Restoration monitoring (links to forest-level expansion of Prince of Wales watershed scoring with The Nature Conservancy, which addresses forest-wide condition and trend).
Inventory and Monitoring Data and Reports
This section is a location where resource-specific inventory and monitoring data and reports can be stored and made available for review by Forest Service and other participating agencies, as well as interested members of the public. Data and reports that are relevant to the Soil and Water Monitoring questions are listed below:
Thompson, Julianne and Emil Tucker. 2007. Effectiveness of Best Management Practices for Water Quality Forest Plan Monitoring - Aquatic Synthesis Tongass National Forest Progress Report - July 2007. Tongass National Forest, Petersburg, Alaska. 22 pages.
(Report presents preliminary results of water quality monitoring from July 2004 through October 2006. Specific objectives were to determine the baseline characteristics of stream temperature and turbidity data collected near the mouth of three case study watersheds on Prince of Wales Island, and compare turbidity measurements up and downstream of new road construction across Shaheen Creek.)
Landwehr, Dennis J. 2008. Soil Quality Monitoring on the Tongass National Forest - The Tongass's Interpretation of the Region 10 Soil Quality Standards. Tongass National Forest. 14 pages.
(Report presents results of an evaluation of small physical soil disturbances after 10 years and recommends a change in the minimum size criteria for detrimental soil conditions. It also presents an evaluation of the assumption that small soil disturbances are not having an impact on long-term soil productivity.)
Procedures and Tools
The Procedures and Tools subsection of this web site provides information on important procedures and tools used in Forest Plan implementation. These procedures and tools are provided on this web site to help ensure that they are applied in an accurate and consistent manner.