ASSESSMENT OF RESTORED RIVERINE HABITAT USING RCHARC

The Riverine Community Habitat Assessment and Restoration Concept (RCH ARC) was developed to integrate habitat enhancement into the stream re storation process. RCHARC assumes that aquatic habitat quality is clos ely related to hydraulic diversity based upon a ''comparison standard' ' reach approach to stream restoration. A Beta test was performed by a pplying the RCHARC process to Rapid Creek in Rapid City, South Dakota. Standard and restored stream reaches were selected and data were coll ected. A comparison of field data and velocity-depth distributions ind icated that the restored stream closely replicated the standard reach. The RCHARC methodology has the potential to assess habitat quality fo r planned comparison reaches and indicate the level of success resulti ng from restoration.