USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Arizona

Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guide for Cold Water Fish Streams

Owner/Operator / District
County / Field Office
Program / WHEG No. / Assisted by
Map No. / Location:Sec T R / Acres / Date:
Home Range: Trout use up to 1/2 mile of linear stream. Applies to perennial streams and stretches of live water in intermittant/ephemeral streams capable of sustaining aquatic life. One WHEG per 1/4 to 1/2 mile of stream.
Species commonly benefitting from improving fish stream habitat include native Apache and Gila trout and introduced species such as rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. This guide may also apply to native non-game species with similar habitat requirements. Various levels of macroinvertebrates will also benefit depending on the water quality parameters.
Principle fish species of concern: ______
Factor - Components / Values / Before / After / Weight / Weighted
Score
Before / Weighted Score
After
1 Cover - Instream structure
a) wide, shallow channels; negligble rock/woody cover
b) shallow pools, scattered debris, undercut banks
c) deep pools, large woody debris, overhanging banks
& vegetation in-stream and along banks / 0 - .3
.4 - .7
.8 - 1.0 / X 2
2 Cover - Escape areas providing protection from terrestrial, avian, & aquatic predators
a) little vegetation, pools, debris or bank cover
b) scattered vegetation, pools, debris or bank cover
c) shrub or dense streamside vegetation, large woody
debris, deep pools, large boulders / 0 - .3
.4 - .7
.8 - 1.0 / X 2
3 Spawning areas and sites
a) lack of gravel, poor channel substrate, or siltation
fills all gravel pores
b) scattered sites or siltation problem in low flow years
c) plentiful gravels, minimal siltation, flushing flows / 0 - .3
.4 - .7
.8 - 1.0 / X 1
4 Food supply - Forage fish & insects including aquatic worms, shredders, beetles, flies, etc.
a) 1-3 species, no shredders
b) 4-8 species including shredders
c) >8 species including shredders / 0 - .3
.4 - .7
.8 - 1.0 / X 3
5 Water Quality - Visual indications of water quality or listing on Az Water Quality Impaired list.
a) evidence of non-point source pollution (murky, algae
bloom, weed choked) or segment/stream is on state list
b) clear water, some indications of fish, segments of the
stream are on state list
c) clear water, good populations of fish & insects apparent,
stream not on state list / 0 - .3
.4 - .7
.8 - 1.0 / X 2
6 Human impacts - Related to aquatic habitat and water quality
a) heavy recreation use, riparian grazing, logging, or road
erosion; very evident non-point source pollution
b) moderate recreation use, logging, road erosion & grazing;
segments have evidence of NPS pollution
c) low, managed levels of recreation & riparian grazing, no
evidence of NPS pollution / 0 - .3
.4 - .7
.8 - 1.0 / X 2

Sum ______

Overall score = sum  12  ______

AZ WHEG 8 (FOTG Section II - Wildlife Interpretations) 3/99