ARWC has maintained a comprehensive aquatic monitoring program since 1996. The initial objective of the monitoring program was on assisting with the development of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) standards, and thus the focus was on trend monitoring. In addition to trend monitoring, ARWC conducts project-specific activities and biological monitoring including water quality testing, stream temperature, sediment, channel morphology, streamflow, and stream, juvenile salmonid, snorkel, steelhead spawning and lamprey surveys. (Monitoring Coordinator: Chris Vogel)

Water Quality – ARWC measures dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, water temperature, and nitrates. We measure these same parameters (except nutrients) with two continuously operating data sondes at several sites that are moved throughout the summer.

Stream Temperature – ARWC has an extensive continuous temperature monitoring program to track trends within the system and identify areas that do not meet temperature standards. Continuously recording thermographs are placed in approximately 35 sites each summer. Data is submitted to ODEQ. Information from past temperature monitoring (1997 – present) has been utilized to identify project priorities (i.e. riparian tree planting) and effectiveness monitoring for our Riparian Enhancement Restoration Program.

Channel Morphology – Cross sections are conducted in rivers to determine if certain streams are aggrading, degrading, or moving laterally. Cross sections have been conducted in Thompson, Slate, and Waters Creeks and the Applegate and Little Applegate Rivers.

Streamflow – Monitoring stream flows in the Applegate watershed is an important component of ARWC's monitoring program. ARWC has been collecting stream flow data regularly since 1999. We maintain four continuously-recording pressure transducer stations in the watershed to record summer streamflow, as well as conduct individual measurements at several other sites for project-specific objectives.

Stream Surveys – ARWC conducts stream surveys according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife protocol to determine pre- and post-project effectiveness.

Fish Presence/Absence (Snorkel) and Steelhead Spawning Surveys – In conjunction with our agency partners, we conduct snorkel and spawning surveys to determine salmonid populations in the Little Applegate River subbasin.

Pacific Lamprey Study – In 2003, the ARWC collaborated with the Medford District of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to study lamprey (Lampetra spp.) populations in the Applegate River Watershed. The objectives of the study included: identifying species composition; determining the distribution of lamprey species; and relating the distribution of lamprey ammocoetes (juveniles or larvae) to physical stream characteristics. Eight low gradient and slow water habitat sites within the Applegate basin were sampled and stream habitat surveys were conducted to determine if large-scale fluvial geomorphic features influenced ammocoete distribution.