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Shasta Trinity National Forest Watershed Vulnerability Assessment, Pacific Southwest Region (R5)<br />

Highest priority actions are habitat protection and improving connectivity and access to existing habitat<br />

not currently occupied.<br />

Aquatic Species<br />

Sensitive aquatic species are represented in the analysis by springs and lentic habitats less than one acre in<br />

size. The primary risks to these habitats (and the species they support) are loss of suitability from<br />

warming and complete loss due to drying. Resource values were characterized by the density of the small<br />

waterbodies. Results of this analysis are displayed in Figure 19. Areas in green are watersheds supporting<br />

aquatic habitats that may provide greatest resilience to impacts associated with climate. Watersheds<br />

depicted in red are areas where habitats may be the most vulnerable to change. Investing in sensitive<br />

aquatic species habitat improvement projects may be most efficient in watersheds that are most resilient,<br />

and in watersheds with moderate resilience (yellow) that are adjacent to more resilient watersheds.<br />

Developing more reliable water sources and protesting acquisition of additional water rights in may<br />

improve resilience in all watersheds, and may help to retain water in small ponds and springs.<br />

Figure 19. Vulnerability of small aquatic features to drying<br />

203 Assessing the Vulnerability of Watersheds to Climate Change

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