PacFish/InFish Overview

Workers performing measurements in a stream

Goals

The goal of the PacFish/InFish Biological Opinion Monitoring Program (PIBO MP) is to monitor stream and riparian habitats throughout the interior Columbia River and upper Missouri River basins.

The PIBO MP was established in 1998 in response to the Pacific Anadromous Fish Strategy (PacFish, 1995) and the Inland Native Fish Strategy (InFish, 1995) and other consultation documents associated with subsequent amendments (1996 - 1998).  The PIBO MP evaluates stream and riparian habitat status (i.e., current condition) and trend for a wide range of aquatic and riparian attributes, to assess the effectiveness of conservation strategies laid out in the original biological opinions.

Since its inception, the program has geographically expanded to areas outside the interior Columbia River Basin to address needs identified by federal land management agencies. Currently, the PIBO MP provides data and data support to multiple federal and state agencies across a wide spatial extent, mostly in the interior Columbia and upper Missouri River basins.

Objectives

  • Determine whether a suite of biological and physical attributes, and functions of upland, riparian, and aquatic systems are being degraded, maintained, or restored across the PIBO MP landscape.

  • Determine the direction and rate of change in riparian and aquatic habitats over time as a function of management practices.

  • Determine if specific Designated Management Area practices related to livestock grazing are maintaining or restoring riparian vegetation structure and function.

Program Description

This program monitors stream and riparian conditions on United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Department of Interior (DOI) Bureau of Land Management, and DOI National Park Service lands. During each field season, staff members collect information on approximately 450 randomly selected watersheds throughout the Intermountain West. 

Other PacFish/InFish Information