Riparian Evaluation Monitoring: Utilizing Texas Stream Citizen Science to Evaluate Riparian Health
Aspen Navarro1
1The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment – Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States; Aspennavarro@txstate.edu
In collaboration with the Nueces River Authority, The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment’s Texas Stream Team Citizen Science program established a Riparian Evaluation Citizen Science Training to monitor for riparian health and potential hindrances. Citizen scientists trained in Riparian Evaluation capture georeferenced images and use the Riparian Bull’s-Eye Evaluation Tool to assess ten key indicators: Active Floodplain, Energy Dissipation, New Plant Colonization, Stabilizing Vegetation, Age Diversity, Species Diversity, Plant Vigor, Water Storage, Bank/Channel Erosion, and Sediment Deposition. Riparian Evaluation monitoring procedures are documented in a quality assurance project plan as this data may be supplemental to Texas Stream Team’s citizen science water quality data. Session attendees will learn about the Riparian Bull’s-Eye Evaluation Tool, quality control protocols that ensure consistent, quality data, and monitoring limitations to replicate riparian monitoring in their region.