Fullerton, A., T. Beechie, S. Baker, J. Hall and K. Barnas.  2006. Regional Patterns of Riparian Characteristics in the Interior Columbia River Basin, Northwestern USA: Applications for Restoration Planning. Landscape Ecology 21: 1347-1360.

Functioning riparian areas are an integral component of salmon habitat.  Authors used GIS to identify stream reaches in the interior Columbia River basin that are accessible to salmon and are lacking in native riparian cover.  They then assessed riparian areas using remotely sensed data, aerial photographs and some field observations.  Based on these assessments authors identified riparian areas that were inadequate, prioritizing these sites for salmon habitat restoration.  The majority of these sites occurred in low-gradient streams, with floodplains, in semi-arid ecoregions.  Authors also found that the number of restoration projects varied greatly from one sub-basin to the next and that restoration sites were often determined by opportunity (landownership, funding)  rather than ecological need.  This technique of using GIS to identify restoration opportunities provides a cost-effective means for resource managers to consider ecological needs while still working within the confines of social constraints.  Authors recognize the restrictions of identifying restoration sites on a coarse scale and recommend local field surveys to further identify restoration priorities.

Estimated % of riparian areas >22.8 m wide for streams accessible to anadromous salmonids in the interior Columbia River basin.