Evaluation of unstable lands for interagency watershed analysis

Abstract

Although methods for evaluating landslide rates and distributions are well developed, much less attention has been paid to evaluating the biological and physical role of landsliding. New directions in land management on Federal lands of the Pacific Northwest now require such evaluations for designing Riparian Reserves. Traditional analysis methods are no longer sufficient, because: 1) the significance of instability is now partially defined on the basis of its ecological role; 2) Riparian Reserves are intended to serve terrestrial ecosystem needs as well as aquatic ones; 3) the level of effort justified in avoiding instability must be evaluated in the context of the economic and ecological impact of both the instability and its remedy; and 4) the existing distribution of ecosystem processes reflects the past history of instability; 5) rehabilitation plans must take into account the ecological role of instability; and 6) knowledge of such interactions is necessary to design monitoring plans.

Citation

Reid, Leslie M.; Ziemer, Robert R.; Smith, Mark E.; Close, Colin. 1994. Evaluation of unstable lands for interagency watershed analysis. Issues in watershed analysis. Discussions at interdisciplinary and interagency workshops held at the Humboldt Interagency Watershed Analysis Center in McKinleyville, California. 15 p.