Field Assessments

An excuse to get away from your desk, our stream and upland assessment protocols include the Unified Stream Assessment, the Unified Subwatershed and Site Reconnaissance, Outfall Reconnaissance Investigation, and retrofit inventory (to name a few).  Field forms and post-processing spreadsheets are also provided.

Guidance Manuals

Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual No. 10: Unified Stream Assessment: A User's Manual (Version 2.0)
Authors: A. Kitchell, T. Schueler Released: 2005 rev.
Cost: $35 Add to Cart
Download for Free: Manual 10 Appendix A Field Forms Manual 10 Data Entry Database

The Unified Stream Assessment, or USA, is a rapid technique to locate and evaluate problems and restoration opportunities within the urban stream corridor. It describes how to perform the USA, and interpret the data collected to determine the stream corridor restoration potential for your subwatershed.

Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual No. 11: Unified Subwatershed and Site Reconnaissance: A User's Manual (Version 2.0)
Authors: T. Wright, C. Swann, K. Cappiella, T. Schueler Released: 2005
Cost: $35 Add to Cart
Download for Free Manual 11 Appendix A Field Forms Appendix C Hotspot Field ID Sheet

Examines pollution sources and restoration potential within upland areas of urban subwatersheds. The manual provides detailed guidance on how to perform each of its four components: the Neighborhood Source Assessment, Hotspot Site Investigation, Pervious Area Assessment and the analysis of Streets and Storm Drains. Together, these rapid surveys help identify upland restoration projects and source control to consider when devising subwatershed restoration plans.

Field Forms

USSR field assessment forms for ArcPad
Authors (for conversion and user's guide): C. Swann and L. Fraley-McNeal Released: 2008
USSR Forms for ArcPad User's Guide Neighborhood Source Assessment Forms
Hotpsot Source Investigation Forms BMP Evaluation Form

Use of the forms assumes that the reader has basic ArcGIS knowledge and skills. Users must open the zip folders and extract all the files to a folder onto a local computer. All dbf files must stay in the same folder as the shapefile, since the form references back to the dbf files to fill in the drop down menus on the forms. The Center would appreciate any feedback from users on improvements they make to the forms and would be interested in having users share back the forms with the changes made. We can then continue to offer newer versions of the forms as corrections or improvements are integrated. There is also a BMP evaluation form created for a different project that may be of interest to readers, although there is no guidance manual for the form.

Unified Stream Assessment Field Forms
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2004

Included are Storm Water Outfalls, Severe Bank Erosion, Impacted Buffer, Stream Crossing, Channel Modification, Trash and Debris, Utility Impacts, Miscellaneous, Reach Level Assessment, Photo Inventory. Refer to USRM Manual 10 Unified Stream Assessment: A User's Guide for supporting documentation.

Unified Subwatershed and Site Reconnaissance Field Forms
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2004

Includes Neighborhood Source Assessment, Hotspot Site Investigation, Pervious Area Assessment, and Streets and Storm Drains. Refer to USRM Manual 11: Unified Subwatershed and Site Reconnaissance: A User's Guide for supporting documentation.

NSA jr. Field Form
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2007

Neighborhood Source Assessment Short Form for High Density Residential Areas

Urban Reforestation Site Assessment
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2004

An appendix of Urban Tree Planting Guide, Part 3 of the Urban Watershed Forestry Guide, The Urban Reforestation Site Assessment (URSA) is used to collect detailed information about planting site conditions. It provides a tool to help organize important data to help determine where and what to plant, and what special methods are needed to prepare the site and reduce conflicts due to existing site constraints. Used to collect data at the most promising reforestation sites in an urban watershed, in order to develop detailed planting plans. All available information about an individual planting area is contained in a single form.

Contiguous Forest Field Form
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2004

Use the Contiguous Forest Assessment field sheet to develop good representative characterization of the land under consideration for protection.

Wetland Impacts Assessment
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2006

Presented in Wetlands & Watersheds Article #2: Using Local Watershed Plans to Protect Wetlands, this form includes guidance for completing the assessment.

Future Forest Cover (Leaf Out Analysis)
Authors: K. Cappiella Released: 2006
Instructions Spreadsheet

This method is a GIS analysis that estimates future forest cover (and other land cover types) in a watershed, and can also be used to evaluate the effect of different watershed protection scenarios on future forest cover. The results are useful for predicting future health of streams, setting numeric goals for forest cover, and developing watershed protection recommendations. An addition to Part 1 of the Urban Watershed Forestry Manual.

Retrofit Reconnaissance Investigation Form
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2004

Stream Repair Investigation Form
Authors: Center for Watershed Protection Released: 2004

Much of the initial concept design can be developed based on USA survey data and field observation, although in some cases, a second visit to a project reach may be needed to verify site information, collect more stream assessment data, and work up a more detailed design sketch. This form, the SRI, is available as a standalone her, but is discussed in Urban Stream Repair Practices.

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