Riparian Condition Assessment Tool (RCAT)

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).