Habitat Monitoring Programs
rAPID sTREAM sURVEYS
Rapid stream surveys involve the collection of habitat and fish data to assess the condition fish habitat. These surveys include water quality inspections, underwater dives, and habitat typing. Specific emphasis is placed on habitat typing which collects information about protective cover, pool depth, nutrients and toxins, invasive aquatic species, temperature and flow. The MSG follows the habitat typing methods outlined in the Coastal Watershed Planning and Assessment Program.
Temperature Monitoring
The Temperature Monitoring program has been operating in the Mattole since 1995. Small monitoring devices called temperature “loggers” (pictured below) are placed in nearly every fish-bearing tributary of the Mattole River for the dry season, and also in the mainstem. The loggers record the water temperature every hour for six months. In 2009 temperature loggers were placed for the first time at the USGS flow monitoring stations in Petrolia and Ettersburg. Temperature data collected from the loggers are used to determine areas limiting salmonid survival and identify areas in need of restoration.
Estuary Monitoring
The lagoon that forms in the Mattole estuary each year is shallow in many places and heats up to unsafe temperatures for fish throughout the summer. The MSG monitors the temperature and water quality during this time using state-of-the-art monitoring equipment. Large, multi-parameter datasondes are placed in a few main monitoring locations. These datasondes record water temperature, pH, and conductivity (used to monitor salinity and particulate matter) every hour. This information creates a picture of how the lagoon conditions change throughout the day, and throughout the season. Periodically throughout the monitoring season a hand-held water quality sensor (pictured below) is used to test multiple areas around the estuary to compare to the datasonde monitoring stations. This information is paired with observations from underwater fish surveys, which show how water quality in the lagoon affects the fish residing there throughout the dry season. This information is used to guide habitat restoration planning.
Headwater Habitat Monitoring
The headwaters of the Mattole are important habitat for both spawning adult salmon and juveniles. The MSG monitors the Mattole River headwaters through Rapid Stream Surveys and collects water quality data during underwater dives. Using hand held water quality testing equipment the MSG collects data on water temperature, pH, and conductivity.
MSG staff collecting quality information in the Mattole River headwaters
To view the complete list of MSG monitoring reports, see the page Reports and Documents
Monitoring
