Big Meadows
The Big Meadows Restoration Project is located in the Sequoia National Forest, Hume Lake Ranger District approximately 56 miles east of Fresno, CA at a mean elevation of 7,600’. Big Meadows Creek is in the South Fork Kings River watershed. The drainage area above the stream monitoring station is approximately 4 square miles and receives 45.9” mean annual precipitation (USGS StreamStats, 2018). Prior to restoration in 2007 Big Meadows Creek was incised in Big Meadows for many years (e.g., Figure 11), a presumed result from the combined effects of drainage manipulation and historic livestock grazing. The incision gradually dried a wet meadow system and began a conversion of vegetation to a more xeric community, similar to what is observed in the five un-restored meadows that are part of this project. Eight years post-restoration, Big Meadows scored the highest CRAM (California Rapid Assessment Method) score yet documented statewide for wet meadows (EcoAtlas, 2017).
Map showing locations of 2017-2021 data collection at Big Meadows/Big Meadows Creek (South Fork Kings River watershed).
Types of data collected include:
Types of data collected include:
- * Stream flow measurements (manual & continuous logging)
- * Water temperature
- * Groundwater level
- * Electrical conductivity
- * Air temperature (manual & continuous logging)
- * CRAM (California Rapid Assessment Method)
- * Seismic characterization of meadow basin – groundwater capacity
- * Photo points
- * UVA/drone surveys – sedimentation
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550 Crescent Street, PO Box 3880, Quincy, CA 95971
(530)283-3739
(530)283-3739
