Monitoring Questions, Potential Indicators of Resource Stress, and Associated
Monitoring Options
A monitoring question was developed for each of the five general aquatic resource vital signs categories. Each question was general in scope so as to be applicable to each park unit. Next, a list of potential stress indicators (i.e., characteristics that can be measured and are useful indicators of change and/or perturbation) for each vital sign category was created by compiling and synthesizing indicators from each park-specific Vital Signs Table (Tables 14-20). Indicators were chosen that could be used to answer each monitoring question. Finally, a list of potential monitoring options consisting of a parameter or set of parameters to be sampled and useful for quantifying resource change and/or perturbation was also created by compiling and synthesizing responses from the park-specific Vital Signs Tables. This process created a relatively detailed outline of potential stress indicators and monitoring options. Indicators and monitoring options can be revised and refined as necessary during the development of the Klamath Network water quality monitoring program.
1. Basic information that would be helpful to have for each resource-type prior to implementation of a monitoring program:
A. Complete inventory (or as complete as possible) of sites in each park unit.
B. Status and trends:
1) Analyze data to elucidate the present physical, chemical and biological characteristics of (at least) a subset of sites; and
2) Determine the present variability among sites.
C. Identify sites potentially not affected by impacts due to recreational visitor use, park unit operations, or nearby past and present land use activities. These sites will be potentially useful for determining, at least in a relative sense, the characteristics and variation among ‘pristine’ sites to which impacted sites can be compared.
2. Climate change (e.g., temperature and precipitation regimes):
A. Monitoring question: What impacts do global and local changes in climate have on Klamath Network park unit aquatic resources (especially regarding such parameters as the timing and extent of precipitation, water and air temperature ranges, air currents, relative humidity, evaporation rates, ozone-levels, and UVB radiation flux and attenuation); and how do these impacts affect resource condition, quality, and ecosystem dynamics?
B. Indicators of stress:
1) Change in climate-related parameters such as (a) water and air temperature, (b) relative humidity, (c) timing and amount of precipitation (rain and snow), (d) water-level, (e) flow and discharge rates, (f) ozone levels, (g) UVB radiation flux and attenuation, and ocean processes (e.g., upwelling, wave action, nearshore currents);
2) Change in the timing, longevity and physical characteristics of intermittent ephemeral ponds (primarily at LABE).
