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USFW Wyoming Assessment and Design Workshop

June 23–27, 2025

Workshop Description

This workshop provides advanced instruction on riverscape assessment and the design of low-tech process-based restoration (LTPBR) for resource managers, landowners, and conservation groups. We will cover:

  • Guiding principles of LTPBR
  • Beaver ecology
  • Construction and logistics for structures including BDAs (Beaver Dam Analogues) and PALS (Post-Assisted Log Structures)

Focus areas include:

  • Asking the right assessment and design questions
  • Managing uncertainty
  • Implementing adaptive management
  • GIS tools overview (no training, only a review)
  • Updates from dozens of real-world LTPBR projects

Recommended Pre-Workshop Review:

Free resources:

Logistics

Lecture Location:

  • Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center
    • Monday, June 23: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
    • Thursday, June 26: 8:30 am – 10:00 am
    • Address: 1625 St Joe St, Spearfish, SD 57799 (Classroom 214)
    • Park in public lot (no fee)

Field Sites:

  • Daily field visits to practice assessments and develop designs
  • Potential meet-ups at USFS offices in Spearfish or Sundance for morning logistics

Map of Sites (Google Maps)

What’s Provided

  • Daily lunch
  • Digital presentations and background documents
  • Carpooling (request ahead of time)

What to Bring

  • Closed-toe footwear
  • Clothes suitable for fieldwork
  • Wading boots or waders
  • Water and snacks
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
    • sun protection
    • ear protection
    • work gloves
    • eye protection
    • hard hat

(Some PPE will be available on-site by request.)

Reading Material

Please review these resources beforehand for workshop discussions:

Supporting Materials

Agenda

Monday, June 23

9:00–9:30 — Introductions, Agenda & Goals

  • Workshop logistics
  • Introductions
  • Objectives

9:30–9:45 — Background (PG p.5, DM Ch.1)

  • What we've lost
  • Importance of structure
  • Questions & Discussion

9:45–10:00 — Guiding Principles (PG p.1, DM Ch.2)

  • Process-based Restoration
  • Riverscape principles
  • Questions & Discussion

10:00–10:45 — Connecting Observations with Goals (PG p.7, DM Ch.3)

  • Historic imagery
  • Site assessment
  • Setting: flow, sediment, wood/veg, beaver
  • Managing risk and uncertainty
  • Adaptive management
  • Questions & Discussion

10:45–11:00 — Break

11:00–11:15 — Planning & Design (PG p.20, DM Ch.5)

  • Riverscape models
  • Elements of design

11:15–11:30 — Low-Tech Approaches & Implementation (PG p.23, DM Ch.4 & 6)

  • Beaver, riparian, forestry, structures
  • Questions & Discussion

11:30–11:45 — Science Behind LTPBR

  • Case studies: riparian, beaver, structures
  • Where it works and where it doesn’t
  • Questions & Discussion

11:45–12:00 — Permitting & Water Rights

  • Permitting, social, legal aspects
  • Questions & Discussion

12:00–12:30 — Participant Discussion / Q&A

12:30–14:00 — Lunch and Travel to Field Site (Spearfish & Little Spearfish)

14:00–16:30 — Field Trip

  • Explore beaver and wood-influenced sites
    • Rod and Gun campsite
    • Wider valley upstream
  • Tornado blowdown site review

Tuesday, June 24

8:00–12:00 — Beaver Creek Field Assessment & Design

  • Lower site + River Left tributary
  • Site condition, observations, risk
  • Design structures
  • Monitoring strategies

13:00–16:00 — Whitelaw Creek Assessment, Design, Implementation

  • Safety procedures
  • Install BDAs and PALS
  • Review and discussion

Wednesday, June 25

08:00–16:00 — East Fork Blacktail Assessment & Design

  • Field observation
  • Monitoring & risk
  • Structure review
  • Design planning

Thursday, June 26

08:00–10:00 — Classroom Review at BHSC

10:00–16:00 — Rapid and Silver Creek Field Tour

  • Rapid Creek trailhead
  • Beaver and risk discussion
  • Silver Creek & Green Gulch construction review

Friday, June 27

08:00–13:00 — Prairie Streams Field Tour

  • Observations
  • Risk and uncertainty
  • Monitoring
  • Design planning