Land management activities can result in the delivery of fine sediment
to streams. Over time, such delivery can lead to cumulative impacts t
o the aquatic ecosystem. Because numerous laws require Federal land ma
nagers to analyze watershed cumulative effects, field personnel need s
imple monitoring procedures that can be used directly and consistently
. One approach to such monitoring is described. The approach involves
sampling a longitudinal reach of stream channel several hundred feet l
ong using a zig-zag pebble count procedure that crosses all habitat fe
atures within a stream channel. The approach accommodates reference (u
nimpacted) and study (impacted) reaches so that impact comparisons can
be made. Case studies show how the procedure is applied.