CHAPTER 3 

 METHODOLOGY GUIDELINES 



Criteria and S tandards 



The following chapters identify the assessment guidelines to be followed in 

 conducting the Rivers Study. They were originally derived from the Maine 

 Ri vers Study , the Ida ho Rivers Inventory , the Mont ana Fish and Wildlife 

 Valuation Procedures, and the New Ha mpshire River Protection and Energy 

 Dev elopment Project and have been modified to suit unique state, agency, and 

 Tribal requirements. While specific methods will vary by state and resource 

 category, an attempt has been made to ensure an acceptable level of 

 consistency throughout the region. 



For each river resource category listed below, regional staff and senior 

 resource experts have identified standards and criteria by which data will be 

 evaluated. "Standards" refer to the evaluation measures used to determine 

 "minimum thresholds of significance." "Criteria" refers to those attributes 

 used to critically evaluate specific rivers or river systems meeting the 

 minimum threshold of significance for a given resource category. Minimum 

 thresholds will be set by each state level staff in consultation with regional 

 level project management and participating agency and Tribal resource 

 experts. As a general rule, thresholds will be set to ensure the valuation of 

 all rivers where documented resource data exists. Both quantitative and 

 qualitative criteria will be employed. In the development of standards and 

 criteria, documented or planned resource "potential" will be taken into 

 account. 



Resource experts will assign each river segment to a value class based on best 

 available information and judgment. The assessment guidelines shown in 

 Chapters 4-9 were designed to help determine the appropriate class. 

 Guidelines were developed in order to promote objectivity and consistency. 



Res ource Categories 



Fish and wildlife, natural, recreational, cultural, and institutional river 

 resource categories were chosen to: 



1. Accurately reflect the overall value of rivers and streams as natural 

 resources ; 



2. Reflect the interests of various public agencies and private interest 

 groups; 



3. Acknowledge the resource responsibilities of the Tribes, states, and 

 Federal agencies; 



4. Reflect the priorities of the Regional Act. 



Fish and wildlife categories based on qualitative measures of habitat value 

 have been included to ensure that the study meets the needs of the Council's 

 Fish and Wildlife Program. Tribal cultural and archeological values will be 

 included through a Council contract as well as Tribal participation in the 

 state level studies. Regional anadromous fish values will be developed by the 

 Council. A senior resource expert in each state will be designated to 

 coordinate activities related to each specific resource category. Public and 

 private experts will provide input into the assessment. The resource 

 categories will include, at a minimum, the following: 



