Anabranch Planning Protocol

Warning: Experimental Protocol

This protocol is experimental and has not been finalized by the protocol owner. It can be changed at anytime which can break existing data or cause data loss. Please backup data if using this protocol.

Overview

The Anabranch Planning Protocol is the standardized protocol for planning riverscape projects & collecting pre-design field data at Anabranch Solutions.

• Stream Assessment to assess riverscapes for LTPBR potential.
• Risk Assessment to identify nearby infrastructure risks that could impact LTPBR actions.
• Property Assessment to evaluate approval towards LTPBR by landowners and nearby stakeholders.
• Recovery Space to determine the area available for LTPBR recovery.
• Metrics to quantify risks and the range of potential recovery space.

Protocol Summary

Attribute	Value
Name	Anabranch Planning Protocol
Status	Experimental Grade
Version	1.0
XML URL	https://github.com/Riverscapes/RiverscapesXML/blob/master/QRiS/protocols/anabranch_planning_protocol.xml
Citation	NA
Author	Zach Burgert

Layers & Metrics

Assessment Layers

Layer ID	Label	Geometry	Metrics
stream_assessment	Stream Assessment	Line	NA
risk_assessment_point	Risk Assessment (Point)	Point	medium_risk count, high_risk_count
risk_assessment_line	Risk Assessment (Line)	Line	medium_risk count, high_risk count, medium_risk length, high_risk_length
risk_assessment_polygon	Risk Assessment (Polygon)	Polygon	medium_risk count, high_risk_count, medium_risk_area, high_risk_area, proportion_medium_risk_area, proportion_high_risk_area
property_assessment	Property Assessment	Polygon	NA

Recovery Space Layers

Layer ID	Label	Geometry	Metrics
minimum_recovery_space	Minimum Recovery Space	Polygon	area_minimum_recovery_space, proportion_minimum_recovery_space
maximum_recovery_space	Recovery Space	Polygon	area_maximum_recovery_space, proportion_maximum_recovery_space

Video Demonstration

Layer Attributes

Stream Assessment

Description: assessment of stream conditions and potential for LTPBR actions.

Field Label	Type	Values
Wadeability for Low-Tech	List	1st through 3rd Order Wadeable Stream 3rd through 5th Order Wadeable Stream 5th Order Non-Wadeable Stream or Higher
Slope	List	≤ 3% 3-6% ≥7%
Bank Erodibility	List	High Erodibility (loosely consolidated) Moderate Erodibility Low Erodibility (compact)
Bed Material	List	Clay Silt Sand Gravel Cobble Boulder Bedrock
Habitat Suitability for Beaver	List (Multi-Select)	Preferred/Suitable/Unsuitable Beaver Habitat Sufficient/Insufficient Food Sources Sufficient/Insufficient Vegetation Dam Building Possible/Unlikely Dam Building Possible/Unlikely Dam Blowout
Habitat Suitability for Fish	List (Multi-Select)	Preferred/Suitable/Unsuitable Fish Habitat Sufficient/Insufficient Habitat Units Sufficient/Insufficient Streamside Vegetation Sufficient/Insufficient Food Sources
Habitat Units	List (Multi-Select)	Riffles Pools Ponds Bank Attached Bars Mid Channel Bars Chutes Glide/Runs Rapids/Cascades
Material for Low-Tech	List	Bare (needs to be imported) Upland dominant Mixture Riparian dominant
Opportunity Rating	Integer Slider	Quantitative value from 0 to 5 to evaluate LTPBR potential
Notes	Text	Field for additional observations

Risk Assessment

Description: assessment of infrastructure risks from potential LTPBR actions.

Risk Assessment (Point)

Field Label	Type	Values
Type	List (w/Custom Values)	Diversion Culvert Retention Pond Dam Weir Barrier Ford
Ownership	List	Public Private Unknown
Potential Flood Risk	List	Floods Regularly (e.g., every year or floodway) Floods Occasionally (i.e. active floodplain) Floods Rarely (i.e. in very large events) Flooded Historically (i.e. plausible flooding - inactive floodplain) Minimal to No Flood Risk
Potential Fish Barrier	List	Yes No Unsure
Potential LTPBR Impacts	List	Likely increase in flood risk Negligible increase in flood risk possible No likely impact
Notes	Text	Field for additional observations

Risk Assessment (Line)

Field Label	Type	Values
Type	List (w/Custom Values)	Road (Paved/Dirt) Trail or Track Railroad Bridge Canal Levee Berm Utility Line
Ownership	List	Public Private Unknown
Potential Flood Risk	List	Floods Regularly (e.g., every year or floodway) Floods Occasionally (i.e. active floodplain) Floods Rarely (i.e. in very large events) Flooded Historically (i.e. plausible flooding - inactive floodplain) Minimal to No Flood Risk
Potential Fish Barrier	List	Yes No Unsure
Potential LTPBR Impacts	List	Likely increase in flood risk Negligible increase in flood risk possible No likely impact
Notes	Text	Field for additional observations

Risk Assessment (Polygon)

Field Label	Type	Values
Type	List (w/Custom Values)	Agriculture (Crops/Pasture) Commercial Residential Industrial Road or Parking Reservoir
Ownership	List	Public Private Unknown
Potential Flood Risk	List	Floods Regularly (e.g., every year or floodway) Floods Occasionally (i.e. active floodplain) Floods Rarely (i.e. in very large events) Flooded Historically (i.e. plausible flooding - inactive floodplain) Minimal to No Flood Risk
Potential Fish Barrier	List	Yes No Unsure
Potential LTPBR Impacts	List	Likely increase in flood risk Negligible increase in flood risk possible No likely impact
Notes	Text	Field for additional observations

Property Assessment

Description: assessment of land ownership and stakeholder approval for LTPBR actions.

Field Label	Type	Values
Parcel ID	Text	Unique Parcel Identifier
Landowner Name	Text	Name of Landowner or Organization
Current Land Use	List	Undeveloped Range or Forest Crop, Pasture, or Hay Developed
Riparian Veg Departure	List	Large Departure from Estimated Historic Conditions Small Departure from Estimated Historic Conditions
Landowner Approval	List	Approves of Low-Tech Restoration, Stream and Floodplain Adjustments by Beaver Activity and Wood Accumulation, and Adaptive Management Approves of Low-Tech Restoration but Willing to Only Allow Some Dynamic Processes in the Valley Bottom Approves of Low-Tech but Wants Limited Intervention(s) and Minor Processes in the Valley Bottom Doesn't Approve of Low-Tech
Adjacent Landowner	List	Overwhelming Approval of LTPBR Actions Majorty Approval of LTPBR Actions Minority Approval of LTPBR Actions Potential Water Rights Conflict(s)
Notes	Text	Field for additional observations

Recovery Space

Description: assessment of the area available for LTPBR recovery.

Layer	Description	Fields
Recovery Space - Minimum	Minimum Recovery Space for LTPBR	Notes (Text Field)
Recovery Space - Maximum	Maximum Recovery Space for LTPBR	Notes (Text Field)

Metric Atributes

Structure Metrics

Metric ID	Label	Precision	Description	Calculation
area_maximum_recovery_space	Maximum Potential Uplift Area	2	Area of maximum recovery space extent in sample frame	Sum(Maximum Recovery Space Area)
proportion_maximum_recovery_space	Maximum Potential Uplift (% of riverscape)	2	Ratio of maxmimum recovery space to sample frame area	Sum(Maximum Recovery Space Area)/ Sample Frame Area
area_minimum_recovery_space	Minimum Potential Uplift Area	2	Area of minimum recovery space extent in sample frame	Sum(Minimum Recovery Space Area)
proportion_minimum_recovery_space	Minimum Potential Uplift (% of riverscape)	2	Ratio of minimum recovery space to sample frame area	Sum(Minimum Recovery Space Area)/ Sample Frame Area
medium_risk_count	Medium Risk Count	1	Count of Points, Lines, and Polygons Identified as Medium Risk	Count(Medium Risk Point + Medium Risk Lines + Medium Risk Polygons)
high_risk_count	High Risk Count	1	Count of Points, Lines, and Polygons Identified as High Risk	Count(High Risk Point + High Risk Lines + High Risk Polygons)
medium_risk_length	Medium Risk Length	2	Total Length of Lines Identified as Medium Risk	Sum(Length of Medium Risk Lines)
high_risk_length	High Risk Length	2	Total Length of Lines Identified as High Risk	Sum(Length of High Risk Lines)
medium_risk_area	Medium Risk Area	2	Total Area of Polygons Identified as Medium Risk	Sum(Area of Medium Risk Polygons)
proportion_medium_risk	Proportion of Medium Risk Area (% of riverscape)	2	Ratio of Medium Risk Area to Sample Frame Area	Sum(Area of Medium Risk Polygons)/ Sample Frame Area
high_risk_area	High Risk Area	2	Total Area of Polygons Identified as High Risk	Sum(Area of High Risk Polygons)
proportion_high_risk	Proportion of High Risk Area (% of riverscape)	2	Ratio of High Risk Area to Sample Frame Area	Sum(Area of High Risk Polygons)/ Sample Frame Area

Resources

Weber et al. 2024

Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration Design and Monitoring Protocol: Standard Methods for Developing Project Designs and Assessing Riverscape Health