Final Environmental Impact Statement	 		 Kings River Experimental Watershed Project

Appendix B	 	B-1

Appendix B Monitoring Plan

Monitoring	is	critical	component	of	each	of	the	action	alternatives.	Specific	resource	monitoring	includes	

the	following	types	of	monitoring:	

IMPLEMENTATION MONITORING

Implementation	monitoring	includes	a	combination	of	administrative	controls	on	project	preparation,	

review	of	completed	plans,	and	inspections	during	operation	to	ensure	that	project	activities	are	

accomplished	consistent	with	any	decision	associated	with	this	analysis.	Administrative	controls	include	

having	qualified	staff	prepare	contracts	and	plans	to	implement	the	actions.	Those	plans	are	reviewed	by	

higher	level	staff	or	Line	Officers	to	ensure	the	plans	include	required	resource	protections	measures.	

Project	implementation	is	overseen	by	qualified	staff	with	the	delegated	authority	to	make	sure	the	

project	is	implemented	according	to	the	approved	plans,	and	to	take	corrective	action	during	project	

implementation	if	actions	are	not	in	compliance	with	the	approved	plans.	

EFFECTIVENESS MONITORING

Effectiveness	monitoring	includes	site	review	after	treatments	to	determine	if	the	required	measures	

achieved	the	intended	results.	Examples	include	post	burn	surveys	to	determine	if	adequate	ground	

cover	remains	after	treatment.	The	protocols	associated	with	the	Best	Management	Practices	Evaluation	

Program	(BMPEP)	will	be	applied	concurrently	with	treatments	to	provide	“real	time”	monitoring	of	the	

effectiveness	of	water	quality	protection	measures.	

VEGETATION

Changes	in	canopy	cover,	stand	density	and	tree	species	by	aspect	zone	and	stocking	and	survival	in	

plantations	will	be	determined.	In	addition,	fisher	rest	sites	identified	during	sale	preparation	will	be	

revisited	to	determine	if	they	remained	intact	following	treatments.		

TRANSPORTATION

Monitoring	includes	review	of	road	contract	packages	and	maintenance	standards	to	insure	that	

mitigation	and	design	measures	are	implemented.	Road	projects	are	supervised	by	qualified	inspectors	

to	ensure	that	measures	are	implemented	and	corrective	action	is	taken	if	those	measures	are	not	

implemented	correctly.	

BMPEP	evaluations	E08:	Road	Surface,	Drainage,	and	Slope	Protection;	E09:	Stream	Crossings;	E11:	

Control	of	Sidecast	Material;	and	E13:	In-Channel	Construction	Practices	will	be	conducted	on	selected	

road	segments	where	road	reconstruction	or	maintenance	occurs.	See	the	description	of	watershed	

monitoring	for	more	information.	

FUELS – PRESCRIBED FIRE MONITORING

Direct	and	indirect	effects	of	prescribed	burns	will	be	monitored	using	a	modified	National	Park	Service	

format.	Monitoring	plots	will	be	initiated	for	all	prescribed	burn	units	using	the	Browns	Planar	Intercept	

method	to	collect	pre-	and	post-	burn	dead	and	down	fuel	loading,	and	duff	and	litter	consumption,	and	

to	inventory	overstory	and	understory	vegetation,	brush,	and	down	logs,	soil	hydrophobicity,	and	post	

burn	severity.	Plots	are	permanent	and	are	re-monitored	immediately	post	burn	(as	conditions	

warrant),	and	at	one,	three	and	five	years	post	burn.	Plots	are	reset	prior	to	second	entry	burns.	

Monitoring	will	not	be	done	on	pile	burn	projects.			

BMPEP	evaluation	F25:	Prescribed	Fire	will	be	conducted	in	selected	burn	units.		
Final Environmental Impact Statement	 		 Kings River Experimental Watershed Project

Appendix B	 	B-2

Evaluation	V28:	Vegetation	Manipulation	will	be	conducted	in	selected	treatment	units	to	evaluate	

tractor	piling,	mastication,	and	other	mechanical	treatments.	See	the	description	of	watershed	

monitoring	for	more	information.	

BOTANY/NOXIOUS WEEDS – PLANT SPECIES COMPOSITION AND INVASIVE PLANT MONITORING

To	date	(April	2010),	no	known	Sierra	National	Forest	TES	plant	species	were	found	in	the	KREW	

Project	stands.	However,	it	does	not	preclude	new	findings	of	TES	plant	species	in	the	future	and	if	there	

are	new	occurrences	found,	the	following	monitoring	will	occur:

Monitoring	of	known	sensitive	plant	occurrences	within	the	KREW	Project	stands	will	be	done	when	

possible	to	ensure	that	populations	are	not	being	affected	significantly.	If	observations	reveal	that	

significant	impact	is	taking	place,	then	treatments	are	expected	to	be	modified	to	reduce	impact	and	

subsequent	effects	evaluations	will	take	this	into	account.	

Noxious	weed	monitoring	for	KREW	Project	stands	will	be	done	concurrently	with	planned	noxious	

weed	treatments	as	well	as	the	standard	post­treatment	surveys	throughout	the	project	following	

the	early	detection	and	rapid	response	(EDRR)	strategy	the	SNF	employs	for	all	projects.	

WILDLIFE

Fisher monitoring The	Kings	River	Fisher	Project	is	funded	through	2013.	Using	a	variety	of	overlapping	

monitoring	techniques,	this	project	will	provide	estimates	of	population	density,	survival,	and	

reproduction	for	the	Kings	River	Project	area,	including	the	KREW	Project.	Live	trapping	will	provide	

data	on	population	structure	and	individual	health.	Telemetry,	both	conventional	VHF	and	GPS,	will	

provide	data	on	animal	movement,	home	range	sizes	and	habitat	use,	dispersal,	survival,	and	resting	and	

denning	sites.	Scat	detector	dog	surveys	will	provide	additional	information	on	population	density,	

habitat	use,	and	diet.	Treatments	applied	in	areas	where	fishers	occur	will	be	used	to	examine	the	effects	

of	the	treatments	on	fisher	behavior	and	habitat	selection.	

Spotted Owl monitoring – The	PSW	California	spotted	owl	demographic	study	was	initiated	in	1990	to	

estimate	spotted	owl	reproduction,	survival,	and	population	rate	of	change	and	to	examine	the	effects	of	

habitat	and	habitat	alteration	(timber	harvest	and	fuels	treatment)	on	these	parameters.	The	

demography	study	will	continue	over	the	next	five	years.	Owls	will	be	captured	and	banded	or	resighted	

each	year	to	determine	survival	and	population	trends.	Reproduction	will	be	monitored	by	locating	

nests	and	counting	the	number	of	fledglings	produced.	Results	from	owl	surveys	in	treated	areas	will	be	

compared	to	results	from	the	larger	demographic	study	area	and	may	provide	insights	on	the	effects	of	

the	treatments	on	spotted	owls.	

Northern goshawks will	be	monitored	according	to	the	2002	goshawk	protocol.	Surveys	will	be	

conducted	within	the	KREW	Project.	According	to	the	Sierra	Nevada	Forest	Plan	Amendment	surveys	

will	be	conducted	when	activities	are	planned	within	or	adjacent	to	a	PAC	to	establish	or	confirm	the	

location	of	the	nest	or	activity	center.	

WATERSHED

Monitoring	of	watershed	and	hydrology	in	the	project	area	will	be	based	on	the	Region	5	Best	

Management	Practice	Evaluation	Program	(BMPEP).	This	program	serves	a	duel	purpose.		It	determines	

if	BMPs	were	implemented	and	if	they	were	effective.		It	provides	a	feedback	loop	of	on­site	evaluations	

to	document	observations	of	how	well	BMPs	protect	water	quality.		It	will	also	identify	deficiencies,	their	

causes	and	necessary	corrective	actions.		In	addition,	baseline	SCI	data	have	been	taken	and	post­project	

monitoring	of	these	same	stream	reaches	will	be	conducted	using	this	protocol.	
Final Environmental Impact Statement	 		 Kings River Experimental Watershed Project

Appendix B	 	B-3

AQUATICS

Yosemite	toad	population	and	habitat	monitoring	requested	under	Technical	Assistance	from	the	

USFWS	should	be	continued	through	implementation	of	all	treatments.	Annually	monitor	water	

temperature	at	representative	sites	within	treatment	areas	and	within	control	units	for	the	life	of	the	

KREW	Project.	

HERITAGE

In	accordance	with	the	stipulations	of	the	First	Amended	Regional	Programmatic	Agreement,	

monitoring	will	be	conducted	as	necessary	to	ensure	that	identified	cultural	resource	protection	

measures	are	effective.	Sierra	NF	heritage	program	staff	will	determine	the	schedule	and	requirements	

for	monitoring,	based	on	the	project	implementation	schedule	and	locations	of	cultural	resources.	A	

record	will	be	completed	of	each	monitoring	event,	and	included	in	the	Forest's	Programmatic	

Agreement	annual	report.	

HUMAN HEALTH FOR GLYPHOSATE AND R-11 APPLICATION

Herbicide	use	is	proposed	for	the	KREW	Project	in	reforestation	areas.	There	is	little	chance	

glyphosate	or	the	surfactant	R11	will	reach	waterways,	following	application	by	ground	spraying;	

however	in	response	to	concerns	by	Californians	for	Alternatives	to	Toxics	on	past	projects	similar	to	

KREW	Project,	the	High	Sierra	Ranger	District	plans	to	carry	out	monitoring	to	test	for	glyphosate	and	

R11	in	waterways.	

SAMPLE COLLECTION

Background	data	for	this	project	will	be	collected	prior	to	application.	When	a	perennial	stream	is	

adjacent	to	an	application	area,	one	sample	will	be	gathered	from	the	stream	above	and	below	the	

application	area	prior	to	spraying	glyphosate	and	R-11.	Sample	collection	will	be	accomplished	

according	to	Standard	Methods.	(Standard	Methods,	20th	edition,	page	1-27,	1-28).	Sample	bottles	

will	be	obtained	from	a	certified	water	quality	laboratory.	Bottles	will	be	prepared	by	the	laboratory	

in	accordance	with	standard	methods	for	the	detection	of	glyphosate	(page	6-114).	Sample	bottles	

for	R-11	only	need	to	be	one	liter	plastic	or	glass.	Samples	will	be	collected	for	analysis	of	both	

glyphosate	and	R11	as	follows:	

1.	Samples	will	be	collected	the	day	prior	to	the	application.	

2.	The	day	of	the	application,	samples	will	be	collected	immediately	following	application	of	the	

chemicals.	

3.	Additional	samples	will	be	collected	daily	during	project	implementation.	

4.	Additional	sampling	at	the	same	locations	in	perennial	streams	adjacent	to	application	areas	will	

be	collected	following	a	significant	rain	event	within	90	days	of	application.	Significant	means	a	

rain	that	result	in	overland	runoff.	

QUALITY CONTROL

1.	A	blank	sample	of	distilled	water	in	a	similar	container	for	each	chemical	will	be	included	with	

the	transported	samples	for	quality	control.	It	will	be	labeled	similarly	to	the	other	bottles.	It	

should	not	be	labeled	as	Distilled	Water.	

2.	Individual(s)	collecting	the	samples	will	not	be	allowed	to	come	in	contact	with	any	spray	

apparatus,	or	bulk	containers	of	glyphosate	or	R-11.	Samplers	will	not	ride	in	vehicles	with	

people	doing	the	application	or	come	in	contact	with	them	during	or	after	application	or	mixing	

of	chemicals.	

3.	A	spiked	sample	containing	the	chemicals	may	included	with	the	transported	samples	to	test	for	

the	laboratory	accuracy.	
Final Environmental Impact Statement	 		 Kings River Experimental Watershed Project

Appendix B	 	B-4

TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE

All	samples	will	be	iced	to	2°	C,	kept	away	from	light	and	transported	to	the	laboratory	the	same	day	of	

sampling	or	the	following	Monday	if	a	weekend	(samples	may	be	safely	stored	up	to	2	weeks	under	

these	conditions	(pg	6-114,	B,	2)).		Chain	of	custody	procedures	will	be	followed	using	the	laboratory’s	

forms.	(pg	1-30)