A senior resource expert and cooperating experts were designated 

 in each state to oversee activities related to each resource 

 category. Cooperating experts provided input into the assess- 

 ment through the senior resource expert. 



Step 2 : Inventory of Information ana Identification of Experts 



Each state task force inventoried the availability of expertise 

 and information in each of the resource categories. Agencies, 

 groups, individuals, or other sources that had or could provide 

 useful data within the study period were identified. 



Step 3 : Criteria and Standards Development 



For each river resource category, evaluation criteria and stan- 

 dards were identified. An effort was made to standardize cri- 

 teria for all state level studies in order to ensure regionwide 

 consistency. Criteria were, however, refined at the state level 

 to meet the specific circumstances of each state. The develop- 

 ment of criteria and standards was the responsibility of 

 regional and state project staff. Input and review was received 

 from participating federal agencies and Indian tribes as well as 

 the interested public. The following chapters describe in 

 detail the criteria and standards used in Montana. 



In order to standardize the assessment process among the various 

 resource categories a list was developed of all river segments 

 that would be included in the assessment. The list included all 

 major rivers and significant tributaries. In Montana approx- 

 imately 2,000 individual stream reaches were included. This 

 list of stream reaches was computerized and provided to all 

 study participants. 



Step 4 : Individual Resource Category Evaluation 



An independent inventory of river resources was undertaken for 

 each resource value category. Under the direction of designated 

 senior resource experts, rivers and streams meeting minimum 

 threshold standards were assessed by field level specialists 

 using the identified standards and assessment procedures. 



Resource experts assigned a value class to each river segment on 

 maps and data forms. The terms "outstanding", "substantial", 

 "moderate", "limited", and "unclassified or unknown" were used 

 to denote relative significance. In addition, areas with no 

 resource value were identified. River segment descriptions and 

 rules governing treatment of tributaries were determined by the 

 state level project management staff. The relative number of 

 river segments to be included in each value class was determinea 

 by resource experts. No regionwide guidelines were given. 



