Constrained streams for biological integrity in California

Stream management goals for biological integrity may be difficult to achieve in developed landscapes where channel modification and other factors impose constraints on in-stream conditions. To evaluate potential constraints on biological integrity, we developed a statewide landscape model for California that estimates ranges of likely scores for a macroinvertebrate-based index that are typical at a site for the observed level of landscape alteration. This context can support prioritization decisions for stream management, like identifying reaches for restoration or enhanced protection based on how observed scores relate to the model expectations. This dataset is a shapefile of the model results for California that maps each stream as likely unconstrained, possibly unconstrained, possibly constrained, and likely constrained. Stream reaches are those in the NHDPlus dataset. Each reach includes information on the reach COMID, expected index scores at different quantiles (California Stream Condition Index, Mazor et al. 2016), and assigned stream class for three potential biological objectives (first, tenth, and thirtieth percentile of scores at reference sites). All data are considered draft products that are currently under review.