5. Vegetative Structure/Diversity ; 



High - Riparian zone vegetation well-developed 

 and characterized by a wide variety of 

 vegetation types and structural types 

 appropriate for its size and configuration; 



M oderate - Riparian zone less well-developed 

 due to land uses or natural characteris- 

 tics; has moderate variety of vegetation 

 and structural types; 



Low - Riparian zone dominated by few to one 

 major vegetation type (e.g. crops, pasture, 

 range) or is unvegetated (urban, industrial 

 situations) . 



Each rating was multiplied by a value of 5 with two 

 exceptions: rivers with condition in excellent habitat 

 were multiplied by 5 and awarded 10 additional points; 

 and mature forests received less weight in western 

 Montana, where forests are more common than in eastern 

 Montana. 



Habitat Value Calculation 



Specialized land use points and habitat quality 

 point totals were combined to determine a final 

 habitat rating. Total cumulative points for Class I 

 habitat rating ranged from 79 to 179, Class II 55 to 

 78, Class III 39 to 54, and Class IV 23 to 38. 



Following a review of the results, it was apparent 

 that the specialized land use designations were the 

 driving force in determining the habitat rating. With- 

 out an official land designation within a unit, a 

 Class I habitat value was essentially impossible based 

 on habitat quality alone. To alleviate what was felt to 

 be an inaccuracy in the calculation of habitat value, a 

 system based on habitat quality alone was incorporated 

 into the analysis. The system established a series of 

 "bonus" points to be awarded for habitat quality 

 regardless of any formal land use designation. Habitat 

 quality points greater than 52, 41, and 32 were used to 

 change a unit's habitat rating from a II, III and a IV 

 to a Class I, II and III, respectively. As a result of 

 this change, an additional 32 units were awarded a 

 Class I habitat value. Only 2 units, however, were 

 elevated to a final Class I resource value as a result 

 of this change alone. Nearly 60% of the changes to a 

 Class I habitat value occurred in eastern MDFWP 

 regions. Apparently, wildlife habitat is in good to 

 excellent condition in many of these drainages but has 

 not received official agency protection or designation. 



