Advanced LTPBR Planning

Overview to CEWA/WATS 6626

This is the main resource page for the CEWA/WATS 6626 - Advanced LTPBR Planning course offered at Utah State University. This course is part of an advanced series of courses on Low Tech Process Based Restoration (LTPBR) offered through USU and the Riverscapes Consortium. The course is designed to provide hands-on experience with LTPBR planning using QRiS and is a direct follow up to the Introduction to LTPBR Planning in the Intro to LTPBR Spring Series.

Description: Advanced course in site-scale planning of LTPBR projects using Riverscapes Studio. Students will assess current, historic and potential future conditions of riverscape health to prepare for design.

info

This page appears here on the QRiS documentation site as QRiS users may find it helpful for self-guided learning.

CEWA/WATS 6626 - Syllabus

Fall 2026 - Syllabus on LTPBR USU Site.

Community

Community Page on Riverscapes Consortium for Advanced LTPBR CEWA Series 6626-6629

Event Page for 2026 Course

Event Page with Meeting Joining Details

Prerequisites and Preparing for Class

Background or Catch-Up Reading

We assume you have read and are familiar with Chapter 3 of the Design Manual. This was assigned in WATS 5622/CEWA 5622, but if you have not taken that course, please read it now. If you have not taken WATS 5622/CEWA 5622, you should watch the self-paced lecures.

This course will be focused on how we quanatitative use mapping and analysis in QRiS to build off of these concepts from the Intro to Planning course:

Moudle 3C

Reading Riverscapes & Mapping the Valley Bottom

Moudle 3D

Mapping and Estimating Structural Forcing

Moudle 3E

Resource Inventory & Analysis - Risk Assessment, Condition Assessment & Recovery Space

Moudle 3F

Connecting & Clarifying Objectives & Tying to Goals

Conservation Planning Process

From Chapter 3 of the Design Manual, we learn that what we consider "planning" here is Phase One of a broader adaptive management process. This phase involves assessing the current state of the riverscape, identifying risks and opportunities, and developing strategies for effective management and restoration. Figure 2 from Bennett et al. (2019).

We will just focus on the top part of this flow chart in this class and the key questions that arise therein (in green and yellow) for the purposes of our planning analysis.

Software Requirements

• Install QGiS and the QRiS and Riverscapes Viewer Plugins (see here).

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Introduction & Background

Day 1 Slides - We will refer to for reference throughout.

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Main Assignment

The main outcome of this workshop is to complete a LTPBR Planning Analysis for a project reach of your choosing using QRiS.

You will:

1. Complete a Riverscapes LTPBR Planning Report (through planning section of template) with your supporting maps and analyses using QRiS. This report will be saved as a PDF, and added as an attatchment to your Riverscapes Studio Project.
2. Create a QRiS Project, and publish to the Data Exchange.
3. Create a PBR Explorer Project Entry for Proposed Work. You can optionally make this private and part of a Data Exchange Organization you create that you give instructor access to.
4. Present a 10 minute presentation on Thursday of your project to the class.
5. Post a link to your presentation and Riverscapes Studio Project in the Riverscapes Consortium Community.

tip

Yes, you can build off what you started. For those of you that completed the WATS/CEWA 5622 Introduction to Planning Course, you will already have chosen a site, and have the start of a report. It is perfectly reasonable to pick up the old report and the same site and just re-do and expand a more througough analysis and planning report using QRiS. It is also accepable to pick a new site and start fresh.

Those that have not taken WATS 5622 or did not complete that course assignment, will need to pick a site and write a report from scratch.

Formative Exercise Day 1 - Sharing your proposed site

Submit your proposed site as Private PBR Explorer Project

Everyone will submit their proposed site as a Private PBR Explorer Project to a Data Exchange Organization we create and give you all access to. We will do this as in-class demo together on Monday.

Homework

Due Tuesday

Today we covered how to create your own QRiS project, how to create an area of interset within it, how to bring datasets from Riverscapes Projects into your project, and how to read and map a riverscape. For homework, show up tomorrow with a QRiS project for your LTPBR Site populated with:

• An AOI of your "project area"
• At least one Catchment delineated from the bottom of your project area
• At least one Catchment promotoed to an AOI
• A current Data Capture Event with
  • Valley geomorhpic units mapped
  • Active confining margins mapped
• At least one riverscape (valley bottom) representing your mapping
• A VBET derived riverscape clipped to your project area
• Valley centerlines for both your riverscapes (manual and VBET)
• Stream centerlines for both riverscapes
• Some context layers clipped to your watershed or AOI
• An intrinsic analysis of the riverscape

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Community Resources

These communities from the Riverscapes Consortium are great places to ask questions, connect with colleagues and share your work.

Advanced CEWA LTPBR Series Community

The community for connecting with others in this class and the advanced series of Adavanced LTPBR courses.

Riverscapes Studio Users

Community of QRiS Users. Stay up to date on latest releases, webinars, trainings, ask questions and share your work.

LTPBR of Riverscapes - Practitioner Community

This community is intended to facilitate exchange between practitioners of LTPBR anywhere in the world.

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Assignment Resources

This section elaborates on some of the questions you engage with in the Conservation Planning Process (CPP) adapted from Bennett et al. (2019) and outlined in Chapter 3 of the LTPBR Design Manual. There are many ways to answer these questions. Here we focus on some workflows that still emphasize engagement with the questions, using QRiS to document what you are determining or mesuring, and leveraging (if appropriate) outputs from some of our nationally available datasets. You may be surprised for how many riverscapes you can do a decent job of this from the desktop.

Report Template

You can make your own report, or you can use this Google Docs template for the report. You can expand and refine the section headings as you see fit, but you need to minimally include these sections and answer the questions posed.

If you do use a Google Doc, please share it with your instructor(s), so they can give you suggestions when you submit your project. You may choose to add other students, or make it visible to those with the link.

We show you how to use it in this video:

Assignment Submission Instructions

When you submit your assignment, please do not submit it as a link to the Google Doc. Instead, export it as a PDF and submit the PDF as an attatchment in your Riverscapes Studio Project.

Using Zotero Cite While You Write Add-ON

Optional: Zotero is a powerful and free citation and bibliography manager (alternative to EndNote), which you can use to keep track of your citations. This help reference explains how to use Zotero with Google Docs. You will need Zotero Connector Extension installed in your browser for it tow work with Google Docs.

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CPP - Planning Resources

We follow an adaptation of the NRCS's Conservation Planning Process, for Phase 1 (i.e. planning) as illustrated below: Figure 3 from Bennett et al. (2019).

• Bennett, S., Wheaton, J., Bouwes, N., Shahverdian, S., Macfarlane, W.W. and Portugal, E. 2019. Chapter 3 - Planning for Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration. In: Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes: Design Manual - Version 1.0. Wheaton JM, Bennett S, Shahverdian S, and Maestas JD, (Editors). Utah State University Wheaton Ecogeomorphology & Topographic Analysis Lab. Logan, UT. 57 pp. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15815.75680.

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1. Problems & Opportunities

Perform an initial, broad-brush, description of problems and opportunities as suggested in page 5-7 of Chapter 3 of the LTPBR Design Manual.

Key Planning Question

What are broad management goals?

• Make sure to articulate the broad management goals as best you can. Your job is to restate those management goals as they are dictated by the client, project owner, land owner, policy or otherwise. It is not uncommon for the broad management goal to be somewhat peripherally connected to something that is likely to be improved or achieved by the proposed project. The goal of the conservation planning process is NOT to change the broad management goals. It is to assess whether or not proposed actions can reasonably be expected to achieve those management goals, or to contribute towards them. The broad management goals can act simply as a motivation for the proposed actions.
• In very simple terms, state the basic problems as posed by the client, project owner, land owner, policy or otherwise. This is not a detailed problem statement, but rather a simple statement of the basic problem(s) as you understand them.
• Include a simple articulation of the opportunties that exist within the riverscape to address the problems. This is not a detailed inventory of opportunities, but rather a simple statement of the basic opportunities as you understand them.
• Include a cursory assessment of whether or not the project reach is structurally starved to consider the appropriateness of Low-Tech PBR. Note, that in the resource analysis this is more explicilty considered by comparing existing conditions and expected or historic. This is a screening step to decide early if LTPBR is an appropriate or inappropriate course of action.

Also define your Areas of Interest in terms of property boundaries, land ownership/managment, and/or watersheds.

Potential Exit Point

Is the riverscape structurally starved?

LTPBR typically involves structural additions to a riverscape (e.g. wood, brush, rootmats, beaver dams) to address a deficit of such structure. Before a detailed planning process, is structure is not limiting (relative to intrinsic potential or historic conditions), there may be no need to proceed - and consider other types of treatments at this site, or another site alltogether.

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2. Project Objectives

It is important to restate the broad managment goals in terms of specific project objectives. Revisit the problem (from 1 above) and purpose and confirm or clarify and then recast management goals as SMART (Skidimore 2011) objectives (see page 8-9 of Chapter 3 and in terms of measurable objectives and indicators that tie to riverscape health. This is you articulating what success looks like in terms of measurable outcomes. Be clear as to whether or not the objectives are short-term (1-5 years), medium-term (5-10 years) or long-term (10+ years), and how many phases of work it might take.

• Clarify if the "project" is a series of project phases that collectively work together, or a single phase of work.

• Differentiate overall collective objectives towards achieving a sites full recovery space, versus objectives associated with a single phase of work (including a pilot phase) intended to contribute to that overall objective(s). The mapping of recovery space does not necessarily mean it is realistic to achieve that in a single phase of work with process based restoration.

• Skidmore, P.B., Thorne, C.R., Cluer, B.L., Pess, G.R., Castro, J.M., Beechie, T.J. and Shea, C.C., 2011. Science base and tools for evaluating stream engineering, management, and restoration proposals, U.S. Department of Commerce, Seatle, WA.

Indicator Template Resources

An example template based on Table 3.1 on page 8 of Chapter 3 of the LTPBR Design Manual. is provided below.

Resource Type	Suggested Resource Link	Notes or Alternative Resource
Project Indicator Template	Condition Worksheet.xlsx	This is an excel template worksheet for populating active channel, active floodplain, vs. inaccessed floodplain mapping of your valley bottom as a means of cataloging condition and estimating recovery space and constraining design. To the extent possible, you will be using QRiS Analyses to populate these tables (one for every sample frame or reach).

Overview of Project Indicator Template

This 7 minute video gives an over of the condition worksheet (from Capstone class and different example project).

This Table Confuses People

Warning, most people grasp the idea of choosing the rows for this table (i.e. metrics and indicators) fairly quickly. They then realize that planning is essentially three columns of this table: existing conditions, estimated historic (for reference) and estimated future conditions (i.e. recovery space). Most tend to grasp the concept of recovery space being limited by estimated histroic too. What confuses people most is how many tables they will end up with. You have a separate table for every sample frame or area of interest you choose as the spatial extent of your analysis.

Some think, all I need is one table for my entire property or project area. This may be simple and fine in some cases, but it often makes it difficult to differenatiate important spatial differences in condition and recovery space across the project area. This is why we often have multiple sample frames.

Populating Proportion of Active Valley Bottom Indicator

It is not always appropriate to use proportion of active valley bottom as an indicator, but it is a common indicator for many riverscapes where space has been encroached and recovery space could include reclaiming back some of that space. This video illustrates the concept from a Capstone class and different example project. Even if it is not used as an indicator, it is useful thing to understand and map as part of the planning process to ascertain whehter it is something that is impaired and is realistic to target (i.e. there the currently proportion active perscentage is less than the recovery space percentage - both expressed as proportion of valley bottom area).

For this course, our in class exercise covers proportion active mapping here and recovery space here.

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3. Inventory of Resources

See page 9-13 of Chapter 3

Valley Bottom Mapping

Key Planning Question

What part of valley bottom is available?

To answer this, you need to map your valley bottom(s) and then evaluate risks adjacent and therin.

Choose your riverscape extent (upstream and downstream) and map your valley bottom (laterally) as a riverscape in QRiS. If you are including multiple reaches on the same riverscape that are seperated, keep these as separate riverscapes. If you are including tributary riverscapes, also keep these as separate riversccapes in QRiS.

We recommend typically classifying and mapping your riverscape into active channel, active floodplain and inactive floodplain components. This begins with reading it and mapping it. We start this by mapping valley geomorphic units and then allowing the delineation of valley bottom to fall out of that mapping of channels, floodplains, terraces, fans and hillslopes.

We can use multiple lines of evidence, including seeing if what VBET estimates for our site is reasonable and confirms our mapping.

Identified Risks within & Adjacent to Riverscape

Key Management Questions

What are the key risks within and adjacent to the riverscape?

Do opportuinties (of restoration) outweigh risks? Are they acceptable to land owner(s)/manager(s)

Map all infrastructure and land use within and adjacent to your riverscape of interest, as well as immediately downstream; (use the risk matrix to evaluate). Ultimately, you will need decide what areas are inaccessible. This is a value judgement and management decision.

Recovery Space

Synthesis for each project reach of proportion of valley bottom available as/for recovery space. This should reflect the stakeholder/landowner’s current values.

RecoverySpace = ValleyBottom - InaccessibleAreas

One simple way of thinking about uplift potential is the gap between what is currently active (active channels and floodplains) and this recovery space is the overall area in which you have the opporitunity to activate and improve conditions. This is often the conversion of inactive floodplain and/or channel(s) into active floodplain and/or channel(s).

UpliftPotential = RecoverySpace - Active

4. Resource Analysis

Assessment of Current Conditions and Recovery Space

Geomorphic Context

Mapping geomorphic context starts with the valley bottom mapping (F) and basic geomorphic mapping (E), but is really improved when we add the mapping of active confining margins based on the Fryirs et al. (2015) and O'Brien et al. (2019). We can do this in QRiS by digitizing a line layer of active confining margins using our Geomorphic Mapping of Riverscapes Protocol, which we will do as an in-class exercise too (G).

• O'Brien, G.R., Wheaton, J.M., Fryirs, K., Macfarlane, W.W., Brierley, G., Whitehead, K., Gilbert, J. and Volk, C., 2019. Mapping valley bottom confinement at the network scale. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 44(9): 1828-1845. DOI: 10.1002/esp.4615
• Fryirs K, Wheaton JM, and Brierley G. 2015. An approach for measuring confinement and assessing the influence of valley setting on river forms and processes. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms. DOI: 10.1002/esp.3893

Details

This video below goes through some generic background on mapping confinement. It is based on a Capstone class and different example project at Brich Creek.

Geomorphic Condition

Key Planning Questions

What are the current riverscape conditions - geomoprhically?

There are various ways to assess geomorphic condition. Two possibilities in the Weber et al. (2024) LTPBR V. 2 Protocol included in QRiS are:

1. Maps (polygons) of active channel plus floodplain area of valley bottom as current vs. potential
2. Estimates of geomorphic condition using the Cluer & Throne (2012) Riverscape Evolution Model (see pages 16-18 of Chapter 3).

Note that the Cluer & Throne (2012) conceptual model does not necessarily apply to all riverscapes, but it can be a useful construct for some.

• Cluer, B. and Thorne, C.R., 2013. A stream evolution model integrating habitat and ecosystem benefits. River Research and Applications, 29(8), pp.992-1003.

tip

For an introduction to fluvial geomorphology, see Jordan & Joe's Fluvial Geomorphology Class. For an explanation of the Cluer & Thorne (2013) Riverscape Evolution Model, see the video in details below or Collin Thorne's lecture here in WATS/CEWA 5620.

Details

This video below goes through some generic background on assessing geomorphic condition, primarily by using the Cluer & Thorne (2013) riverscape evolution model.

It is based on a Capstone class and different example project at Brich Creek. Applying this to Birch Creek requires a visit in the field and broader training than we have provided you in fluvial geomorphology then this class. As such, I explain to students of that class in the video below how I obtained them.

Identification of pathways of recovery (optoinal)

If the riverscape evolution model is relevant to your site, it can be helpful to identify current stage(s) and target stage(s) and articulate what trajectory and geomorphic processes will be necessary to get to recovery space).

See page 16 of Chapter 3 for more details.

Flow Regime’s ability to "Do the Work" of Restoration

Key Planning Questions

What are the current riverscape conditions - hydrologically?

Geomorphic work is typically done by floods with process based restoration. So understanding the timing, magnitude, duration of the flow regime helps considering this question.

It is crucial to assess the flow regime of your riverscape for process-based restoration to see if the hydrologic engine is present to do the work necessary to follow the desired recovery trajectory. This is not a hydrologic analysis course, but we do need to at least assess whether or not the flow regime is likely to be sufficient to mobilize sediment and wood, inundate floodplains and reconnect them to the active channel, and move water through the riverscape in a way that supports riparian vegetation and beaver activity.

See pages 14-15 of Chapter 3 for more details. For the US:

Details

Resource Type	Suggested Resource Link	Notes or Alternative Resource
Flow Regime Assessment	StreamStats	Typical peak-flow statistics (e.g. Q2 and Q100) are easy to estimate using StreamSTats. You can download flow gague data and do your own regional curves, but this is a reasonable approximation in under 10 minutes.
Stream Power & Flow Assessment	Hydrologic Context Estimates	For a given segment of reach, anywhere in the lower 48, we provide a baseflow and Q2 streamflow estimate and stream power estimates.
Stream Gage Explorer in QRiS	Help Documentation	All this too does is is retrieve from NWIS (below) all the nearby stream gages and their records within your QRiS project.
National Water Information System (NWIS)	USGS Water Data for Nation	USGS's national repository of stream gage data and other water data.

Stream Stats is built into QRiS

You can run StreamStats (for US) with the Catchment tool in QRiS, that calls the USGS API. It is useful for returning a delineated watershed and basin statistics. But also to get estimated StreamStats flow statistics for your site.

In this video, I review how you can use StreamStats to address the flow regime's ability to "do the work" by simply getting you some discharge estimates.

It is based on a Capstone class and different example project at Brich Creek.

Riparian Condition to support Process of Wood Accumulation

Key Planning Questions

What are the current riverscape conditions - riparian?

Key processes with regards to structure, are associated with the ability to grow vegetation (root mat production, wood accumulation, beaver dam activity). Developing some understanding of current riparian conditions, and potential helps you consider this.

Think about what you can do map existing and potential woody resources (riparian and upland) for processes of wood recruitment, wood transport and wood accumulation. From page 19 of Chapter 3 of the LTPBR Manual, we look at riparian conditions to address the key question of “is it likely that a self-sustaining source of woody structure can be restored?”

We can ask:

• What is existing riparian vegetation in the valley bottom relative to historic conditions? with RCAT
• Can the riverscape and adjacent uplands support provide a source of woody debris and is natural wood recruitment possible?
• How accessible is the floodplain for flooding and riparian vegetation recruitment (infrastructure / like levees; this is the active channel plus active floodplain you did above?
• What land uses are taking place in the valley bottom and are they compatible with maintaining a self-sustaining source of structure?
• How many woody debris jams are currently present? How many could be given the current wood supply? How many could be given the potential wood supply?

As with geomorphic condition, these questions can often be answered simply by walking a site and assessing wood resources and recruitment potential. You can count jams off the imagery and report them as quantities or linear densities (i.e. jams per mile) for more consistent intercomparison across sites (e.g. as illustrated in Weber et al. (2024) LTPBR V. 2 Protocol included in QRiS).

Details

The Ripairan Condition Assessment Tool gets at some of these lines of evidence for some riverscapes. For others you will need to make an interpretation and your own assessment of riparian resources.

Resource Type	Suggested Resource Link	Notes or Alternative Resource
Riparian Condition Assessment Tool	Get RCAT data from Data Exchange	RCAT projects can be looked at to get a rough idea of riparian condition and wood recruitment potential. These are based on 30 m LANDSAT derivatives from LANDFIRE, and are descent. Sometimes combining this with aerial imagery and a site visit is adequate. Don't be afraid to overide what these models when run with coarse input data suggest, with what you observe on the ground.
National Wetland Inventory	NWI is now part of Riverscapes Context	NWI data can be useful to help identify existing wetlands and riparian areas. It is not perfect, but it is a good start.

Below we show what can be gleaned from RCAT as a line of evidence. It is based on a Capstone class and different example project at Brich Creek.

Riparian Condition Capacity to support Process of Beaver Dam Activity

Allowing beaver dispersing from upstream to move down in and maintain water in this reach could be adventagoues. Where beaver dam activity is an immediate, or long-term goal, the question to ask is whether or not beaver dam actiivty could be sustained and if so to what level? From basic observations (sometimes good enough from imagery at desktop - or improved with field visit)

• Nubmer of Dams in a reach that can be supported currently (e.g. count of capacity)
• Comparison to what might have been supported their historically (i.e. count of upper plausible extent of capacity)

With that information you can compare what sort of recovery space is possible in terms of a capacity bump. Note that the recovery space may be less than historic capacity if the area within 100 m of the channel is not likely to increase is favorable production of vegetation to support dam building activity. Finally, you can:

• Count existing beaver dams
• Compare existing dams to current and potential capacity (uplift potential)
• Consider if there are any areas where beaver could cause unintended harm that may need to be mitigated and/or identified in adaptive management plan.

Details

Resource Type	Suggested Resource Link	Notes or Alternative Resource
Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool	Get BRAT for your site from Data Exchange	See what BRAT estimates beaver dam capacity, risk of undesireable dams, and restoration and conservation opportunties with beaver dam building activity for your riverscape.
Perform your own BRAT assessment with QRiS or by hand	Experimental BRAT CIS Protocol (documentation forthcoming)	Simply fill out the form and it uses the CIS to calculate an estimated capacity. You can also make this assessment by asking the questions that BRAT does in the field or at the desktop with the BRAT cIS paper form.

This video shows how to download and use the primary outputs of BRAT. It is based on a Capstone class and different example project at Brich Creek.

Project Objectives

Revisit problem and purpose and confirm or clarify and then recast management goals as SMART objectives (see page 8-9 of Chapter 3) and in terms of measurable objectives and indicators that tie to riverscape health.

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In Class Exercises

Data for Exercises

Fall Creek Demo - Riverscapes Studio Projects

Riverscapes Studio Collection with Starter & Full Project for Fall Creek, Wyoming with context layers.

Fall Creek - Riverscape Models for Context

Collection of Riversapes Context and Valley Bottom and Antro Projects from Data Exchange

In class, we will work through exercises to practice the steps of LTPBR Planning using QRiS. We will use freely available datasets from the Riverscapes Data Exchange to create a QRiS project for a hypothetical assessment of Fall Creek, Wyoming.

tip

In general, you will be expected to apply what we cover in exercises to your own project for the assignment.

A. From Nothing to Something in under 20 minutes

Key Assessment

One of the most important outcomes in the planning process to prepare for design is to identify the space within the riverscape that could be improved.

What part of valley bottom is available?

We're going to do that very rapidly here, without digrssing into the why and how to do it better. We will just work quickly through the mechanics to the finish. By the end of this week, you will have done the same for your own site, but you will have iterated on that mutliple times and supported your answer more rigorously. For now, lets see what the whole process looks like without getting loss in weeds.

1. Open QGIS and start a New map.
2. We will all work on same parcel. Download this property_boundary.zip to a place on your computer you will work from (e.g c:\0_RS\CEWA_6626 folder), and unzip it. Add the property_boundary.geojson to the map (drag and drop works).
3. Get Oriented. Notice where in the world this is, by adding a Basemap (e.g. Google Imagery or Terrain) from the Riverscapes Viewer panel 'Basemaps' → 'Google'.

tip

If you don't like the look of a geographic projection, you can click on the EPSG:4326 Coordinate Reference System in lower right and filter for one you like (e.g. UTM Zone 12N) and select EPSG:3742 (or another appropriate projection) instead.

4. Make a new QRiS Project to work in. Create a new QRiS Project from QRiS menu - Project → New Project and Give it a name of something and store in a Project Path you can find again (e.g c:\0_RS\CEWA_6626 folder). An empty project container will appear in a new QRiS panel docked on the right.
5. Use Property as an Area of Interest. Expand the Inputs, and right click on AOIs and select Import AOI from → + Layer in the map, and select the property_boundary and click OK. You can rename it to "Project Property" if you like, and click on OK.
6. Clean up. Remove the property_boundary (now redundant) from the Layers manager by right clicking on it and clicking Remove Layer. Zoom into the polygon, and if you don't already have Google Imagery loaded, load it now from Basemaps.
7. Make a new Riverscape. Right-click on Riverscapes and select + Create New. Give it a name of Coburn Creek Valley Bottom. Select Start Edit Session before clicking OK.
8. Draw your riverscape. Using the Add Polygon Feature button in editing toolbar, digitize an approximate valley bottom extending just upstream (west) and downstream (east) of Property. Left click to add new verticies, right click to complete and click OK. Finish edit session, by toggling the Toggle Edit pencil button and Save your changes.
9. How big is this riverscape? In QRiS project, right click on your riverscape, view Propeties and switch to the Geometry tab. Toggle units to acres.
10. How long is this riverscape? To find out, right click on your riverscape, and Generate a Centerline. A Generate Centerlines dockable window will appear. Click Select for Polygon Feature and select your valley bottom in the map. Then click Capture Start of Centerline and draw a cross section (by clicking the right button and keeping it compressed until you drag it to end point) that starts outside the riverscape and extends across it to outside on the other end near the top of the reach. Repeat near downstream end for End of Centerline. Click Generate Centerline. If acceptable, click Save Centerline. Click OK. Close the dockable window. To see length, find your centerline under Profiles and right click on it and view Properties and switch to Geometry tab. How long is this in miles?
11. Make a new Data Capture Event for mapping recovery space. Right Click on Data Capture Events and + Add a New Data Capture Event, and give it a name of Some Mapping. Under Layers, expand out the "Anabranch Planning Protocol" and check the "Recovery Space - Minimum" and "Recovery Space - Maximum" layers. Toggle the option to Add New Layers to Map. Click OK.
12. Estimate the currently active riverscape as a minimum for recovery space. Right click in the Layers panel the "Recovery Space - Minimum" layer and Toggle Editing. Using the Add Polygon Feature tool, digitize a polygon for what you estimate the current active area of riverscape to be (active channel and active floodplain). Toggle Editing when done off, and save your changes.
13. Estimate maximum recovery space. Right click in QRiS Project Tree on "Recovery Space - Maximum (empty)" and Imprort Features From → Riverscape and select your valley bottom, and click OK. Toggle editing for this layer and use the Reshape Feature command to cut out what part of the riverscape you don't think can be recovered. Toggle editing off when done and save changes.
14. Report what the Uplift Potential is. Right click on Analyses and Create New Analysis. Give it a name (e.g. "Uplift"). Toggle on the following metrics:

• Riverscape Length
• Riverscape Area
• Minimum Potential Uplift Area
• Maximum Potential Uplift Area If you mapped Minimum potential uplift as currently ative, and maximum as what you think could be done, the difference in area is your uplift potential.

This video walks through these steps

B. Open Demo Project

QRiS and Riverscapes Viewer are plugins to QGIS. You will download and install them directly in QGIS.

1. In the QGIS menubar at the top of the page, Plugins > Manage and Install Plugins.
2. Install the Riverscapes Viewer plugin first. Search for Riverscapes Viewer and click the Install button. This is a required dependency for QRiS.
3. Install the QRiS plugin next. Follow the same steps to Plugins > Manage and Install Plugins and search for QRiS. Click the Install button.
4. Create a new project, or open the one provided after downloading

C. Download Riverscapes Projects and Explore Context layers

1. Under the QRiS Plugin pane, right click on your project name, and select Browse Data Exchange Projects. This will open a Data Exchange window in your web browser, zoomed to the map area open in QGIS.
2. In the Data Exchange, you can zoom out as needed to be sure you select the HUC 10 you’re working within. Click your HUC 10 and find a Valley Bottom (VBET) project. Click the project. A banner at the top of the project page will alert you if there is a newer version of the Valley Bottom project run. Download your Valley Bottom project.
3. Follow the same steps to find and download the Riverscapes Context and Anthro Projects as well.

D. Populate Project with Context layers

1. Open your Riverscapes Context Project throught the Riverscapes Viewer Plugin by browsing to and selecting the project.rs.xml

2. Browse the layers and double click on them to add them to the map, look for layers that help add context to our riverscape
3. Once you have located contextual layers in the riverscapes project we are going to import them into our QRIS project
   1. Right-click the DEM layer under Topography and Derivatives -> Add to QRIS
   2. Change the 'Clip to AOI' dropdown to our Project AOI -> click OK
   3. Repeat this process for Slope Analysis, Wetlands, Existing Riparian and Historic Riparian.

E. Delineate a Catchment and Export Watershed Statistics

1. Expand the Context node and right click Catchment Delineations then click + Run USGS Streamstats (US Only). Click OK on the pop up.
2. Now navigate on your map to the area where you want delineate upstream from, likely the bottom of your reach. Make sure a basemap is turned on so you can see where your stream is, click on the map on the stream to delineate the basin upstream from that point.
3. In the dialog that comes up, give your catchment a name, and select the option for Catchment with Basin Charcterisics and Flow Statistics, then click OK.

tip

Things will run in the background for a minute, if successful a delineation point and an upstream catchment will be added to the map. If that doesn't happen you will need to try again and slightly adjust where you click to delineate. Having the NHD Streamlines on the map is useful for finding the right place to click if you are having issues.

4. Back in the QRIS plugin you will see that you can now expand out Catchment Delineations and see the basin name you just delineated. Right click your delineation and select Properties. A pop up will open that shows the Basin Charcterisics as well as Flow Statistics if available.
5. CLick Export Table and change the file name/type if desired and click OK. This will export directly into a subfloder within your QRIS project. That file can be accessed by right clicking your project name and then selectinng Browse Containing Folder. There you will see an exports folder, where all future exports from your project will be stored.

tip

Also notice when right clicking your delineation that there is an option to Promote to AOI, this will duplicate the polygon into your AOIs. This is useful for clipping data on importing, and making project area maps.

F. Create a Data Capture Event

1. Right-click Data Capture Events node -> Add New Data Capture Event
2. Expand out the Geomorphic Mapping of Riverscapes protocol until you can select the following layers
   1. Geomorphic Units
   2. Active Confining Margins
   3. Project Reaches
3. Under LTPBR Protocol, Assessments, add the layers:
   1. Risk Potential (points, lines, polygons)
   2. Recovery Space
4. Name the DCE something useful, like 2025 Assessment
5. In the Basic Properties tab, set the data of the DCE based on the date or date range of datasets used as your evidence layers (this may be difficult to do in our example since we are using basemaps)
6. Under Surfaces, select your datasets that you plan to use as context for digitizing features
7. In the Description tab, write a brief description of this DCE. A good description in this example would be, “This DCE represents the planning portion of this project. It is based on freely available datasets from the Riverscapes Data Exchange”

G. Map Geomorphic Units

1. Add the Geomorphic Units layer to the map (either by double-clicking, or right-click -> add to map)
2. With the Geomorphic Units layer selected, toggle editing.
3. Click Add Polygon Feature. Using this tool, digitize terraces and fans, then digitize your active channel.
   1. Note: This is a great place to start using the Profile tool. The Profile Tool provides a better understanding of a landscape than visual identification, resulting in better mapping accuracy.
      1. Pull cross-sections from hillslope -> valley bottom -> hillslope to help verify valley bottom boundaries. Try it again across sections of the riverscape you suspect are hillslope transitioning to valley bottom to fan. This can help you draw your unit boundaries more accurately.
4. Save edits by clicking the toggle editing button and save on the pop-up window

H. Map Valley Bottom and Compare to VBET

Key Planning Question

What part of valley bottom is available?

Manually Map the Valley Bottom

1. Right-click Riverscapes node -> Create New (Manually Digitized) Valley Bottom. Name and describe the layer in the pop-up window.
2. With the new valley bottom layer selected -> toggle editing.
3. Click Add Polygon Feature.
4. Digitize valley bottom polygons, informed by the hillshade and valley geomorphic units we just digitized. The valley bottom only (this layer) includes active channel and floodplain, and excludes fans and terraces.
5. Save edits by clicking the toggle editing button and save on the pop-up window.

Open a VBET Project to Compare and Import into Project

1. Open the VBET Riverscapes project that we downloaded earlier through the Riverscapes Viewer by browsing to and selecting the project.rs.xml
2. Expand the Outputs folder -> Right click on "Valley Bottom Extent (Hollow)" and select 'Add to QRIS'
3. In the pop-up window select the "Project AOI" from the 'Clip to AOI' dropdown menu, click ok to import the layer
4. That layer will now appear in your project under the context node, we will now promote it to a Riverscape
   1. Right-click on the "Valley Bottom Extent (Hollow)" layer in Context -> Hover over 'Promote to...' and select "Riverscape Valley Bottom"
   2. Rename the valley bottom to Something like "Fall Creek Valley Bottom VBET" to indicate that this valley bottom is from VBET and its for the riverscape of Fall Creek
   3. Repeat steps i. and ii. but this time change the name to "Coburn Creek Valley Bottom VBET"
5. Individually edit each of the 2 new riverscapes to achieve a few different things
   1. Make sure there is one feature for each of the two riverscapes, you will need to delete extra features that dont correspond to the riverscape
   2. Edit the valley bottom extent to include or exclude places you think the VBET output is wrong (if necessary)
   3. Edit the valley bottoms to join in the correct location (sometimes vbet over exaggerates the mainstem valley bottom up the tributaries)

I. Map Active Confining Margins

1. In your DCE -> Active Confining Margins layer -> double-click or right-click -> add to map
2. With the Active Confining Margins layer selected, toggle editing.
3. Digitize places where the channel abuts a confining margin. Select the appropriate attributes associated with each mapped margin
4. Save edits by clicking the toggle editing button and save on the pop-up window.

J. Map Risk

1. Open the Anthro Riverscapes project that we downloaded earlier through the Riverscapes Viewer by browsing to and selecting the project.rs.xml
2. In the Riverscapes Viewer panel, add potential risk layers to the map (layers such as roads, canals, land ownership, etc). We’ll use these as the basis for delineating your risk layers next.
3. Add one of your QRIS risk layers to the map and toggle editing. There are three different Risk Potential layers: points, lines, and polygons. Digitize these as:
   1. Polygons: risk you may need to create a boundary on, like a building or pasture
   2. Lines: roads, canals, etc
   3. Points: culverts, bridges, etc
4. Assign risk attributes for features including type and severity
5. Repeat on each layer individually as necessary.

K. Map Recovery Space

The riverscape valley bottom is the baseline for recovery space, so we’ll start with that previously-digitized information. This step will duplicate the Valley Bottom geometry into the recovery space layer where we can make necessary edits without having to start from scratch.

1. Right-click on the recovery space layer -> Import Features from Riverscapes Valley Bottom
2. Toggle editing on the layer. Use the Reshape Features digitizing tool to make edits where necessary.
3. You will have to do this twice for your two different VBET riverscapes we created earlier.

Here, we can look at the risk layers we digitized and determine what we can actually recover in the riverscape. Consider what portions of the active floodplain are recoverable, versus parts separated by a berm, levee, or other limiting factor not involved in risk mapping.

L. Carol vs Pops, Differing Ideas on Recovery Space

In Our Module 4 example Carol and Pops have differing ideas on what recovery space should look like. If we compare what we digitized it matches pops, so we need a way to create another recovery space for Carol to compare against.

1. Create a New DCE and call it "2025 Assessment Carol"
2. Follow the same steps we did earlier for creating a DCE but only select the recovery space layer from the LTPBR Procotol
3. Rather than digitizing a new layer we can import from a previous DCE. Right-click the recovery space layer in the new DCE and select "+ Copy from Data Capture Event" -> Select the appropriate DCE.
4. Add that layer to the map and toggle editing
5. Delete the feature that corresponds to the Fall Creek Riverscape and edit the remaining feature to the extents that Carol drew as well as to the Property AOI
6. Saved edits

We now have 2 DCEs with different recovery space layers that we can compare in Analyses. However, we need a corresponding Sample Frame for that Analysis. This will be addressed when we generate sampe frames.

M. Assess the Riverscape Potential to Support Wood Accumulation and Beaver Activity

1. Right-click on your main DCE and add the BRAT CIS Reaches layer from the BRAT CIS Protocol. Add the Structural Elements Points and Inundation Extents layers from the LTPBR Protocol. Click Ok to add them to your DCE.
2. Use the Structural Elements layer to digitize dams and jams.
3. Use the BRAT CIS layer to assess beaver activity capacity at a reach scale.
4. Map the Inundation Extents layer.
5. Using these layers as well as model outputs from BRAT and RCAT assess whether or not there is structural starvation in your riverscape and whether or not the riverscape has the ability to support beaver activity.

N. Create a Planning Container

1. Right-click Data Capture Events Folder -> +Low Tech Process Based Restoration -> Add New Planning Container
2. In the pop-up, name it something useful, like 2025 LTPBR Planning. Click add -> select 2025 Assessment DCE. It will now populate the table. Change its representation to Contemporary.

Ideally, a planning container would also have both a Historic and Predicted DCE. A planning container simply copies DCEs into a new parent folder, which you’ll reference as the basis for LTPBR Design, when we get there.

O. Create a Sample Frame to Compare Carol and Pops Recovery Space

There are different ways to do this but the easiest uses a tool outside of QRIS to create a temporary layer to then import into the project

1. Add your Coburn Creek Valley Bottom VBET layer to the map -> use the selection tool to select the feature -> search the processing toolbox for 'Select Extracted Features' tool.
2. Make sure the correct layer is selected in the tool and click run (no need to save to a location, we just want a temporary layer)

3. Right-click the Sample Frames node -> Import Sample Frame from... -> select "Layer in Map"
4. Choose the Temporary Layer in the dropdown, Give it a name like "SF Property", and select the "Property AOI" in the 'Clip to AOI' dropdown
5. Leave all other fields as none and click ok

P. Map Project Reaches with Sample Frames

Sample Frames are what QRIS uses to calcualte metrics(i.e. zonal statistics) within as part of analyses. Sample Frames can be any polygon, but here we’ll consider two specific ways QRIS supports to create sample frames of riverscapes: i) using derived cross sections and ii) manually digitized cross sections (or reach breaks). If you want standardized reach lengths use derived cross sections. If you want to be in control of reach breaks then manually digitize cross sections. You may want to do this if there is a change in land ownership or a change in riverscape characteristics.

Derived Sample Frames

note

If you have already generated and saved a centerline, skip steps 1 and 2.

1. Right-click one of the Valley Bottom VBET layers -> Generate Centerline
2. Use the centerline tool to create and save a centerline to your project

3. Right-click the Centerline layer -> Generate Cross Sections
4. Use the cross section tool to create and save cross sections to your project

5. Now, we have the building blocks to create a sample frame. Right-click the Sample Frames folder -> Create New Sample Frame -> From QRiS Features
6. In the pop-up window, select the input layers to build a sample frame from(this will autopopulate with the layers you just created). Give it a helpful name. Check Infer Topology from Centerline.
7. Do this for both of your VBET riverscape layers

Manually Created Sample Frames

1. Right-click Cross Sections node → + Create New (Manually Digitized) Cross Sections
2. Add that layer to the map and begin editing that layer
3. Digitize cross sections where you have deemed reach breaks to be appropriate given reach objectives, risk constraints, and geomorphic characteristics
4. Save edits and toggle editing
5. Right click your cross sections layer in the QRIS panel and select Generate Sample Frames
   1. In the pop-up give the sample frames a unique name and select the appropriate valley bottom, centerline, and cross sections to derive the sample frames from, click OK

Demo Video

Q. Create Intrinsic Analysis and Export

An intrinsic analysis calculates metrics associated with our input layers from our project. These metrics help us better understand our riverscape and can help distguish differences between our project reaches.

1. Right-Click a valley bottom or sample frame that you want to create an intrinsic analysis from, think of this as the space in which the metrics are calculating. Select Analysis... and then + Create Intrinsic Analysis.
2. In the window that pops up ypu will need to give the analysis a name (something like Fall Creek Intrinsic Metrics). You will also select Analysis Masks, Valley Bottom, Centerline, and a DEM if you have one.

tip

Your analysis mask can be a valley bottom. This is basically saying you want the metrics calcualted across your entire valley bottom, not split up by reach breaks, which a a different input for analysis maks would achieve. There is also flexibility in the centerline input. You could input a river centerline and get stream gradient and sinuoisity if desired. Just be aware that a valley centerline will give you valley gradient and sinuosity. Just think about the inputs and how they may affect the calculated metrics chosen.

3. Select all the metrics from the Riverscape System Metrics Protocol and click OK.
4. In the Analysis window that pops up click Calculate. If appropriate in the pop-up window change the settings to All Data Capture Events and All Sample Frames, click OK.
5. You can run this analysis for multiple reaches if necessary and within any analysis you can choose to export the metrics table.
6. An optional step if you have multiple analysis is to right click on the Analysis node in the QRIS plugin and select Export all Analyses to Table. This allows you to open all the metrics in one table at the same time which can be helpful in comparing reaches to each other.

R. Analyses

Now that we have created sample frames we can use those to create an analysis and calculate metric values derived from features we digitized.

1. Right-click the Analyses folder -> Create New Analysis
2. Give the Analysis a name
3. Select the sample frame layer you want to use to calculate metrics in
4. Select the appropriate valley bottom layer, centerline layer, and DEM layer
5. You will see a large list of metrics to select from. Click none at the bottom-right to set all metrics to none. Setting all to none allows you to go through and only choose the ones you want to calculate. Change the dropdown to metric on the following metrics:
   1. Active Floodplain Proportion
   2. Active Channel Proportion
   3. Proportion of Riverscape with recovery space
6. Click OK

7. On the window that pops up click calculate
8. On the new window select All Sample Frames and click ok
9. Values will calculate and populate in the table of metrics. Under the Mask Polygon Dropdown you can switch between your different sample frames to see the different metric values.

Run the Analysis three times:

1. Run an analysis on Fall Creek (make sure to select all the appropriate inputs for Fall Creek )
2. Run an analysis on Coburn Creek (make sure to select all the appropriate inputs for Coburn Creek)
3. Run an analyis to compare Carol and Pops.
   1. Select the SF Property layer as the sample frame input and the Coburn Creek Valley Bottom and centerlines when creating the analysis.
   2. Select the Proportion of Riverscape with recovery space metric and set the rest to none, click ok

3. Run the calculation, but this time check "All Data Capture Events" options, click OK
4. Once it is calculated you can toggle between DCEs to see the differing values between Carol and Pops

Metrics can be recalculated at any time and values can be overridden with manual values if necessary. More help can be found on the Analyses help page.

Class Recordings

Details

Our 2025 meetings were recorded for your reference.

The playlist is organized by day from first year in 2025. We missed a few bits here and there where we forgot to start recording, but the vast majority is there. 2026 recordings can be found on the Canvas page under Zoom for registered students.