INTERDISCIPLINARY ROAD & TRAIL INVENTORY DATA (PROOF-OF-CONCEPT)

The objective of this proposal is to perform a proof of concept analysis that determines if it is possible to link road and trail inventory and monitoring data collected in an infrastructure databse (especially, data on bridges, culverts and crossings associated with roads and trails) with aquatic resources and watershed inventory and monitoring data collected in a natural resource database. Additionally, the analysis will attempt to document/determine if and how this data can be used in an interdisciplinary manner by aquatic resource specialist and hydrologist in an analyses and reporting relative to restoration of aquatic organism passage and watershed improvement activities.

The proof-of-concept will focus on two existing Forest Service corparate databases. Specifically, the analysis will determine/document if INFRA modules and certain submodules of NRIS-Water are, or can be, linked to facilitate data storage and retrieval that assist in: 1) analyses relative to restoration of aquatic organism passage and watershed improvement activities, and 2) upward reporting of accomplishments. The focus will be on data output, as opposed to data input.

The specific business need/objective will be to:

• Determine/document how INFRA drainage structures (culverts, bridges, fords, water bars) are linked with NRIS - Water submodules: Aquatic Inventory and Aquatic Biota
• Determine/document how other INFRA fields realting to roads and trails are linked with NRIS - Water submodules (especially, Watershed Improvement Tracking (WIT)) for watershed restoration planning and accomplishment reporting.

Status:

Initiated coordination with the NRIS-Water Team and I-Web (INFRA) Culvert module Development Team began. Developed a Plan of Action to accomplish task of proposal. Participating in NRIS-Water, Watershed Improvement Tracking (WIT) User Group meetings.