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Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest Watershed Vulnerability Assessment, Rocky<br />

Mountain Region (R2)<br />

Sensitivity × Stressors Risk<br />

Ranking Matrix<br />

Sensitivity<br />

Sensitivity x Stressors<br />

Low Moderate High<br />

Low Low Low Low<br />

Moderate Low Low High<br />

High High High High<br />

The GMUG team working on the WVA felt that the inherent characteristics of a subwatershed would<br />

have greater influence on the overall watershed risk than the effects of past management activities. For<br />

this reason, if a subwatershed was ranked “High” for either one of the sensitivities, the watershed risk<br />

ranking was “High.” If the subwatershed ranking for either sensitivity was “Low,” the watershed risk<br />

ranking was “Low.” The following figures show the resulting watershed risk ranking for the erosion<br />

sensitivity combined with activity stressors (Figure 24) and the resulting watershed risk ranking for the<br />

runoff response sensitivity combined with activity stressors (Figure 25). In both figures, the<br />

subwatersheds with the highest risk are shown in red, and those with the lowest risk are shown in green.<br />

Figure 24. Erosion Sensitivity × Activity Stressors Ranking<br />

98 Assessing the Vulnerability of Watersheds to Climate Change

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