Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

Development of Sampling Designs and Statistical Approaches for Monitoring Status and Trends in Indicators of Riverbank Condition along the Merced River in Yosemite National Park

Project ID: J8W07110005

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: University of Idaho

Fiscal Year: 2011

Initial Funding: $9,500

Total Funding: $9,500

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary

National Park: Yosemite National Park

Principal Investigator: Steinhorst, R. Kirk

Agreement Technical Representative: Newburger, Todd

Abstract: Yosemite National Park will collaborate with the University of Idaho (UI) in a technical assistance project to conduct an analysis of a set of visitor use and vegetation data focused on determining impacts to riverbank vegetation and bank stability along the Merced River within Yosemite Valley. The project involves the statistical analysis of three years of consecutively collected data at randomly selected monitoring sites along a 17km reach of the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. The cooperator will provide statistical and modeling expertise in order to assist with the data analysis and planning for future monitoring plan design and implementation. The objectives include: 1) perform a power analysis for the test of a mean falling above a threshold; 2) create models of condition ratings based on California Rapid Assessment Method data using univariate and multivariate analyses; and 3) provide a full reporting of findings and analyses. The National Park Service will provide all data collected on vegetation impacts, visitor use and associated spatial data sets, and all background information related to data collected, site selection and sampling design. This collaborative effort will benefit the public by providing an understanding of the relative impacts caused by visitor use along riverbanks to channel morphology, bank stability, and vegetation structure. This knowledge will assist land managers and scientists to develop management strategies related to visitor use along riverbanks with sensitive riparian vegetation and soils. The implications of the proposed methodologies and associated analyses will influence future efforts related to monitoring of impacts to Wild and Scenic Rivers and other protected riparian systems.

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