RCAT

Overview

The Riparian Condition Assessment Tool provides an estimate of overall riparian condition based on three lines of evidence: 1) land use intensity within the riverscape (calculated in the Anthropogenic Context Tool), 2) riparian vegetation departure from historic conditions, and 3) floodplain accessibility. These three inputs are combined in a fuzzy inference system to produce a single output index value from 0 (very poor condition) to 1 (in-tact condition).

Output Attributes

Channel Network Outputs (vwReaches)

ReachID: Unique identifier for each reach
FCode: NHD FCode for each reach
ReachCode: A unique identifier for each reach from the NHD attributes
NDHPlusID: Unique identifier for each reach in the NHDPlus dataset
StreamName: The name of the stream
level_path: A unique identifier for each individual stream from the NHD attributes
TotDASqKm: Total drainage area in square kilometers from NHD attributes
DivDASqMi: Total drainage area in square kilometers partioned among diversions, side channels, etc. from NHD attributes
WatershedID: Unique identifier for each watershed (the hydrologic unit code) from the NHD attributes
ownership: Dominant ownership of the reach (e.g. private, public, tribal)
divergence: An integer code from NHD attributes indicating channel divergence and type of divergence
stream_order: Strahler stream stream order from NHD attributes
us_state: The state in which the reach is located
ecoregion_iii: Level III ecoregion from the EPA
ecoregion_iv: Level IV ecoregion from the EPA
iPC_LU: The land use itensity within the valley bottom adjacent to the reach ranging from 0 (natural land cover) to 100 (urban land cover)
FloodplainAccess: The proportion of the floodplain associated with the reach that is accessible to the stream (0-1)
FromConifer: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that changed from conifer historically to riparian vegetation (0-1)
FromDevegetated: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that changed from bare or unvegetated cover historically to riparian vegetation (0-1)
FromGrassShrubland: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that changed from grass or shrubland historically to riparian vegetation (0-1)
NoChange: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that has was riparian historically and remains riparian (0-1)
GrassShrubland: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to grass or shrubland (0-1)
Devegetation: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to bare or unvegetated cover (0-1)
Conifer: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to conifer (0-1)
Invasive: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to invasive species (0-1)
Development: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to developed land (0-1)
Agriculture: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to agriculture (0-1)
NonRiparian: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that has experienced non-riparian conversion (i.e., from one upland community to another) (0-1)
ExistingRiparianMean: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that currently has riparian cover (0-1)
HistoricRiparianMean: The proportion of the riverscape associated with the reach that had riparian cover historically (0-1)
RiparianDeparture: The difference in riparian cover between the current and historic conditions (1 - (ExistingRiparianMean / HistoricRiparianMean)). In small, headwater streams where vegetation can't be meaningfully sampled, this is overridden to be 0 if there is no detectable land use change.
Condition: The overall condition of the reach based on the three lines of evidence (land use intensity, riparian vegetation departure, and floodplain accessibility) (0-1)
ConversionType: The dominant type of riparian conversion in the riverscape associated with the reach
Departure: Categorical classification of riparian departure

Riverscape Network Outputs (vwDgos/vwIgos)

IGODID/DGOID: Unique identifier for each riverscape polygon or point
FCode: NHD FCode for each riverscape polygon or point
level_path: A unique identifier for each individual stream from the NHD attributes associated with the riverscape polygon or point
seg_distance: A distance along a given level_path. In combination with level_path, this provides a unique identifier for each riverscape polygon or point
stream_size: A categorical classification of stream size from 0 (small, headwater streams) to 4 (large continental rivers)
centerline_length: (DGOs) The length of the centerline (m) of the riverscape polygon (riverscape network length)
LUI: The land use intensity averaged across the DGO or moving window, ranging from 0 (natural land cover) to 100 (urban land cover)
FloodplainAccess: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that is accessible to the stream (0-1)
FromConifer: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that changed from conifer historically to riparian vegetation (0-1)
FromDevegetated: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that changed from bare or unvegetated cover historically to riparian vegetation (0-1)
FromGrassShrubland: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that changed from grass or shrubland historically to riparian vegetation (0-1)
NoChange: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that has was riparian historically and remains riparian (0-1)
GrassShrubland: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to grass or shrubland (0-1)
Devegetation: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to bare or unvegetated cover (0-1)
Conifer: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to conifer (0-1)
Invasive: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to invasive species (0-1)
Development: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to developed land (0-1)
Agriculture: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that was riparian vegetation historically that has been converted from riparian to agriculture (0-1)
NonRiparian: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that has experienced non-riparian conversion (i.e., from one upland community to another) (0-1)
ExistingRiparianMean: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that currently has riparian cover (0-1)
HistoricRiparianMean: The proportion of the DGO or moving window that had riparian cover historically (0-1)
RiparianDeparture: The difference in riparian cover between the current and historic conditions (1 - (ExistingRiparianMean / HistoricRiparianMean)). In small, headwater streams where vegetation can't be meaningfully sampled, this is overridden to be 0 if there is no detectable land use change.
Condition: The overall condition of the reach based on the three lines of evidence (land use intensity, riparian vegetation departure, and floodplain accessibility) (0-1)
ConversionType: The dominant type of riparian conversion in the DGO or moving window
Departure: Categorical classification of riparian departure