Meadows are areas of high diversity and often provide habitat for sensitive or threatened species. Mountain meadows occur are areas of relatively flat ground where sediment and water accumulates. Most meadows of the Sierra Nevada have been greatly altered by cattle grazing activities and the resulting impacts include domination of by exotic vegetation and degradation of the stream channel. In some cases, the most severe impact to meadows involves the reduction in groundwater storage.

Meadows vary in their degree of wetness, but all are capable of functioning as natural water storage reservoirs. When streams degrade, they cut deeper through meadows and lower the water table. Degraded meadows provide less “hydric” soils for vegetation and store less water in subsurface soils. The loss of stored water potential in meadows represents a significant opportunity for restoring natural hydrologic function in our watersheds.

Scientists with Sacramento State University, UC Davis and the Natural Heritage institute are working to estimate the amount of increased water storage that may be available through the restoration of meadows. In the meantime, many scientists are already developing improved assessment and restoration techniques for meadows.

The Natural Heritage Institute came to SYRCL for help develop a citizen-based protocol for assessing the condition of meadows. The goal of the SYRCL“NHI project is to provide watershed and citizen groups through the Sierra Region with a standard and consistent protocol to assess meadow health and support the prioritization of restoration actions.

In 2007, SYRCL tested the UC Davis Meadows Health Assessment Protocol on 4 meadows in the Yuba River Basin. Four more meadows, including the Bear Valley meadow were assessed with a modified protocol in 2008. In addition to preparing the final protocol for use by other groups, SYRCL plans to continue assessing the health of 4-10 meadows in the Yuba River Basin each year. Eventually, some meadows will be re-assessed every five years or so in order to monitor trends. By then, we hope that meadow restoration will have begun, and our watershed will be in better condition for protecting biodiversity and scarce water resources.

For a more information on SYRCL’s Meadow Project, see the article by Wendy Thompson prepared for Tree Rings, a publication of the Yuba Watershed Institute:
Meadow Sampling in the Yuba Watershed — Volunteers Lead the Way

For more infomation, see the following documents:

• UC Davis Meadows Health Assessment Protocol
• Health and Status of Meadows in the Cosumnes, American, Bear and Yuba Watersheds (report by the Natural Heritage Institute)