CMER Completed ProjectsBackground Information:The CMER work plan is organized by Forests & Fish Report “rule groups”. A rule group is a set of forest practices rules relating either to a particular resource, such as wetlands, or fish-bearing streams, or to a particular type of forest practice, such as road construction and maintenance. Although the rule group divisions are somewhat arbitrary, they provide a useful framework for the research and monitoring strategy. Critical research and monitoring questions are identified at the rule group level to address information gaps related to scientific uncertainty and resource risk associated with the rules. Once the research and monitoring questions are identified, programs are developed to address them. Programs consist of one or more related projects designed to strategically address a set of related scientific questions. Completion of a CMER project will typically result in one or more final CMER products. Final products come in a variety of formats including but not limited to reports, models, data, websites, and software.
The tables below are organized in rule groups with programs that have one or more completed projects. For active projects, please visit the Active CMER Projects page
Stream Typing Rule Group ▬ Stream Typing Program
| Last Fish/Habitat Prediction Model Development Project | | Develop a multi-parameter, field-verified GIS logistic regression model that accurately predicts the locations of Type F (fish bearing) and Type N (non-fish bearing) boundaries across eastern Washington. | | CMER 01-178
CMER 02-197 |
| Last Fish/Habitat Prediction Model Field Performance Assessment | | Assess the field methods and data processing protocols of a study plan designed to provide an unbiased characterization of model performance. | | CMER 02-212
CMER 03-312 |
Annual/Seasonal Variability Project
| | Characterize annual variability in the upper limits of fish distribution in eastern Washington streams and to identify habitat attributes likely to influence distribution variability at the stream reach scale. | | CMER 02-211 |
Type N Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Type N Delineation Program
Perennial Stream Survey Pilot Project
| | Develop a field protocol and test its adequacy while collecting sufficient data on basin area variability to determine a sample size for the following phase of the study.
| | PIP REPORT |
Type N Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Type N Riparian Effectiveness Program
| Westside Type N Buffer Characteristics, Integrity, and Function | | This project evaluated the effectiveness of the Type N stream riparian prescriptions on riparian stand conditions, fallen trees, LWD recruitment, shade, channel wood loading and soil disturbance from wind thrown trees. | | CMER 12-1201 |
Type N Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Type N Amphibian Response Program
Amphibian Diversity and Gene Flow | | This study examined how forest buffers surrounding non-fish-bearing streams may influence stream-associated amphibian populations. This study reports baseline, pre-treatment measures of genetic structure for three species of steam-associated amphibians. | | CMER 06-605 |
Amphibian Survey Methods in Seeps
| | This report compared the effectiveness of three amphibian survey methods (trapping, light-touch, and destructive sampling) in seeps. The study sites were located on managed forests in southwest Washington State.
| | CMER 04-402 |
| Amphibian Survey Methods | | Two instream sampling methods, rubble-rousing and light-touch, were compared to determine their success at detecting amphibian presence. Light-touch was found to be the method of choice for studies examining species presence, since it can produce low false negative error rates at a relatively low cost compared to rubble-rousing. | | CMER 01-101 |
SAA Detection/Relative Abundance Methodology
| | This study examined the relationship between the distribution of coastal tailed frog by life stage within and among non-fish-bearing headwater basins on an intrusive basalt lithology in southwest Washington State.
| | CMER 05-500 |
Type F Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Type F Statewide Prescription Monitoring ProgramSuitability of Aerial Photography for Riparian Buffer Monitoring
| | The purpose of this project was to evaluate the suitability of collecting riparian vegetation monitoring data by different remote methods that have varying degrees of resolution, accuracy, and cost.
| | CMER 06-604 |
Type F Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Type F DFC Validation ProgramWestside Type F Riparian Rules Desktop Analysis and Field Check | | A field analysis of riparian site attribute and stand inventory data from approved Forest Practices applications along west-side type F streams. | | CMER 10-1003 |
DFC Desktop Analysis Project | | An overview of the DFC model and an analysis of west-side type F riparian prescriptions and projected stand basal area per acre. | | CMER 10-1002 |
DFC Target Validation Project
| | Evaluate the current riparian Desired Future Condition (DFC) performance targets for riparian stands adjacent to fish-bearing streams in western Washington.
| | CMER 05-507 |
Type F Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬
Eastside Riparian Type F ProgramEastside LWD Literature Review Project
| | Identify the current state of knowledge regarding instream wood, wood recruitment and fluxes, and the function of wood in streams of eastern Washington.
| | CMER 03-308 |
Eastside Disturbance Regime Literature Review Project | | Analyze the state of knowledge relative to disturbance in eastside riparian vegetation and to produce a thorough, annotated literature review and summary of the best available information. | | CMER 02-205 |
Type F Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Bull Trout Habitat Identification ProgramBull Trout Presence/Absence Protocols Project
| | Develop methods for estimating fish movement and incorporating these into sample size requirements for detecting the presence of native salmonids.
| | CMER 01-104 |
Bull Trout Habitat Prediction Models Project
| | Develop models to predict suitable habitat for Bull trout in Washington State.
| | CMER 01-103
CMER 01-105 |
Type F Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Eastside Type F Riparian Effectiveness Program
Solar Radiation/Effective
Shade Progect
| | This project tested the amount of solar radiation reaching the stream
following harvest under the "all available shade" rule. | | CMER 02-214 |
Type F Riparian Prescriptions Rule Group ▬ Hardwood Conversion Program
Riparian Hardwood Conversion Project - Temperature Component
| | This report provides results of field-measured canopy cover and water temperatures before and after harvest on nine hardwood conversion study sites
| | CMER 05-513 |
Unstable Slopes Rule Group ▬ Unstable Landform Identification ProgramShallow Rapid Landslide Screen for GIS (Westside) Project
| | Evaluate, test and improve Western Washington GIS-based slope stability models for use in regulatory watershed analysis and routine forest management.
| | TFW-PR10-99-001 |
Landform Hazard Classification System & Mapping Protocols Project
| | Develop a methodology to provide standardized methods for conducting landslide inventories and producing unstable-slopes-hazard maps to support the forest practices rules in identification of unstable slopes. Also to provide a framework for monitoring the success of new forest practices strategies relating to unstable slopes.
| | LHZ Protocol |
Landslide Hazard Zonation Project
| | Develop a vastly improved screening tool by better describing and mapping all potentially unstable slope areas in priority watersheds.
| | LHZ Review |
Unstable Slopes Rule Group ▬ Glacial Deep-seated Landslide Program | Model Evapo-Transpiration in Deep-Seated Landslide Recharge Areas Project | | Assess the change in evapotranspiration that may result from timber harvest, and the groundwater storage response to predicted evapotranspiration changes using an analytical model. | | TFW UPSAG 01-001 |
Roads Rule Group ▬ Roads Sub-Basin Scale Effectiveness Monitoring ProgramRoad Surface Erosion Model Update Project
| | Develop model to calculate average annual road surface erosion and sediment delivery to channels in a standardized manner. | | WARSEM |
| Road Sub-basin Scale Effectiveness Monitoring Phase 2 Project | | Determine if road characteristics that affect runoff and sediment delivery to streams are improving through time and the extent to which roads meet the FFR performance targets. | | CMER 08-801 |
Wetland Protection Rule Group ▬ Forested Wetlands Revegetation Effectiveness Program Forested Wetlands Literature Review & Workshop Project
| | Perform a literature review and synthesis of relevant forested wetland research with an emphasis on interactions of commercial forest management activities and forested wetland functions emphasizing topics listed in the WDNR Forests and Fish Report.
| | CMER 04-406 |
Statewide Forested Wetland Regeneration Pilot Project
| | Develop and test methods for collecting, summarizing, and analyzing data on the effectiveness of forested wetland regeneration.
| | CMER 03-303 |