| To evaluate watershed conditions within the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, a preexisting landscape classification model was used to reduce variability among watersheds. Within two geographic clusters classified by the model, minimally impacted watersheds served as "references" for comparison to more heavily managed watersheds. Fifty-one watersheds (7 th level hydrologic unit codes) were randomly sampled to describe differences in stream habitat and macroinvertebrate populations between reference and managed watersheds. Additionally, I assessed differences between the two clusters to evaluate whether the classification model predictions were applicable to stream characteristics.; Results indicated that reference and managed watersheds had similar ranges in all attributes tested. Between the two clusters, there was little difference in the majority of stream attributes given the variables used in the classification. Ultimately, this study has generated useful baseline data and modifications to the current sampling protocol and classification scheme to facilitate future stream monitoring efforts. |
