TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Choose an area to census
  • Find a watershed on the tracking spreadsheet
• Acquire data for censusing
  • Download data from the Riverscapes Data Exchange
    • Extract Data to Box Directory
• Configure and use QGIS for censusing
  • Set up layout and tools
    • Install QGIS Plugins
    • Add USGS NAIP WMS layers to QGIS
      • Find acquisition date for NAIP imagery
  • Use Riverscapes Plugins
    • Create a QRiS Project
    • Working with the Riverscapes Viewer
      • Open a Riverscapes Project
      • Add data from Riverscapes Viewer to QRiS Project
      • Close a Riverscapes Project
    • Create a Data Capture Event
  • Further QGIS layout configuration
    • Create Map Themes
    • Add and configure Map Views
  • Work with beaver dam points
    • Add beaver dam observation points
    • Edit beaver dam observation points
      • Modify point attributes
      • Move a point 
      • Delete a point
• Finalize 

Choose an area to census

Find a watershed on the tracking spreadsheet

Use the tracking spreadsheet to find an area to census. Rows are divided into HUC8s (aka subbasin) and HUC10s (aka watershed). HUC8s are bolded and underlined. HUC10s are italicized. Censusing is conducted at the HUC10 level and organized at the HUC8 level. You will be responsible for censusing all of the HUC10s for the HUC8 you choose.

1. Choose a HUC8. 
   • Add your initials to the cell in the Observer column.
   • Click on the dropdown in the Status column and select
2. Click the plus boxto the left the row to view the HUC10s within that HUC8.
3. Choose a HUC10 to census
   • Add your initials to the cell in the Observer column.
   • Click on the dropdown in the Status column and select
   • Copy the 10-digit code for that HUC10.

Remember the names and codes for your watersheds!

Acquire data for censusing

Download data from the Riverscapes Data Exchange

You will need data for the area you are censusing, namely the stream network and borders for that watershed. These data can be found in Riverscapes Context projects that are housed on the Riverscapes Data Exchange for easy access.

1. Go to the Riverscapes Data Exchange and log in.
2. Click Explore our Project Map.
3. Clickin the top ribbon.
4. Click on the Project type dropdown, scroll and select Riverscapes Context.
5. Fill in the Metadata row as follows:
   • Click on the first box and select HUC.
   • Click on the second box and paste the 10-digit code for your HUC10.
6. Clickat the bottom of the window.
7. Find the most recently updated project in on the left side and select Download Project Zip

Extract Data to Box Directory

Make sure you have downloaded Box Drive for this process.

1. Locate the ZIP file you downloaded from the data exchange.
2. Right-click on the file and select Extract All...
3. Navigate to the rs_context folder and choose the folder with the name and code of your HUC10.

For example: Box\0_RAM\Projects\USA\NewMexico\2024_NM_VBDC\wrk_Data\censuses\Huc8_Code\rs_context\Huc10_Code

4. Select Extract.

Configure and use QGIS for censusing

Set up layout and tools

Install QGIS Plugins

You need the following QGIS plugins for beaver dam censusing:

• Riverscapes Viewer
• QRiS
• autoSaver

Refer to this guide on how to install plugins for QGIS.

Add USGS NAIP WMS layers to QGIS

1. Go to USGSNAIPPlus (Image Server)
2. Towards the top of the webpage above the heading, right-click on the blue WMS hyperlink and select Copy Link.
3. In QGIS, right-click on WMS/WMTS in the Browser panel and select New Connection...
   
4. In the New WMS/WMTS Connection window, enter a name in the Name field (ex. "USGSNAIPPlus").
5. Paste the link you copied into the URL field.
6. Click OK. You will now see the connection listed under WMS/WMTS in the Browser panel.
7. Expand the connection by clicking the arrows next to it and drag your layers onto the map canvas to add them to your project.
8. You will want to add:
   • FalseColorComposite
   • NaturalColor
   • NDVI_Color

Find acquisition date for NAIP imagery

1. Select Identify Featuresin the Attributes Toolbar.
2. Select a NAIP layer in the Layers panel. The Identify Features tool will only work on the active layer.
3. Click on the map within the area you are censusing.
4. In the Identify Results panel, click on the dropdown for USGSNAIP and scroll until you find acquisition_date.
5. Make note of the year.

Remember to check the acquisition date before censusing as it will change depending on the area you are in!

Use Riverscapes Plugins

Create a QRiS Project

1. In the QRiS toolbar, select the dropdown arrow for Project > New QRiS Project.
2. In the Create New Project window under the Project Properties tab:
   1. Project Path: Click and navigate to the HUC8 folder for your area. Select the folder that ends with _BDI (e.g., \censuses\Conejos_13010005\Conejos_BDI\).
   2. Name: Enter a name for the project using the Huc10_Code format (e.g., RioSanAntonio_1301000503).
   3. Description and Tags are optional

Always choose a Project Path before entering a Name!

3. Select the Metadata tab and click Add.
   1. Type HUC in the Key box.
   2. Type the 10-digit code for your HUC10 in the Value box.
4. Click OK.

You now should see a QRiS Plugin panel with your project.

Working with the Riverscapes Viewer

Open a Riverscapes Project

1. In the Riverscapes Viewer toolbar, select Open Riverscapes Project.
2. Navigate to your HUC10 folder within the rs_context folder and select project.rs.xml.
3. Click Open. A snapshot of various hydrology layers will be added to your Layers panel. Remove this for now.
   • Right-click on Riverscapes Context for HUC (10 digit code) and click Remove Group...

Add data from Riverscapes Viewer to QRiS Project

After opening a project, the Riverscapes Viewer panel will appear. This contains all of the layers associated with a Riverscapes project and will allow you to add these layers to your QRiS Project.

1. Right-click on a layer in the Riverscapes Viewer panel.
2. Select Add to QRiS. A dialog box will pop up allowing you change any values related to that layer.
3. Make sure Add to Map is checked.
4. Click OK.

Repeat this process for each layer you want to add. For censusing, we want to add the following layers:

• Hydrology > Hydrography (NHD HR+) > Perennial Drainage Network
• Hydrology > Watershed Boundaries (HUCs) > Watersheds - 10-Digit HUC
• Political Boundaries > State Boundaries

Close a Riverscapes Project

After you have added the layers for censusing to your QRiS project, you can close the Riverscapes project.

1. In the Riverscapes toolbar, select Close all Riverscapes Projects.
2. Click Yes in the dialog box.

Create a Data Capture Event

QRiS uses Data Capture Events to capture data input at a point in time. For censusing, you will be using Data Capture Events to mark the locations of beaver dams. You will make separate Data Capture Events based on the acquisition date of the imagery you are using, along with the provider. For example, if you were using NAIP 2020, NAIP 2022, and Google Earth imagery, you would make a Data Capture Event for each one.

1. In the QRiS Plugin panel, right-click on Data Capture Events and select Add New Data Capture Event. This will pull up a dialog window.
2. In the Name box, type a name for your Data Capture Event that uses the imagery name and acquisition date (e.g., "NAIP_2020").
3. For the following tabs:
   • Layers: From the LTPBR BASE list, select Beaver Dam and click Add >>.
   • Basic Properties: Check Single Point in Time, click on the Year dropdown and select the year from the acquisition date.
   • Description: Add a brief description for your data capture event (e.g., "Beaver dam inventory based on NAIP 2020 imagery").
4. Check the box for Add New Layers to Map.
5. Click OK.

Further QGIS layout configuration

Create Map Themes

Using Map Themes will allow you to quickly switch between different configurations of the Layers panel. For censusing, this will allow you to utilize different basemaps simultaneously with additional map views. In this example, we will create an NDVI map theme.

1. Check only the layers you want to show.
   
2. On the Layers panel toolbar, select Manage Map Themes > Add Theme...
   
3. Enter the map theme's name (in this case "NDVI") and select OK.

Repeat the process for additional map themes (FalseColor, Google Satellite, etc.). Map themes will need to be updated as new layers are added. To update a map theme, reconfigure your visible layers, select Manage Map Themes > Replace Theme and select your theme.

Add and configure Map Views

1. Select View > New Map View or press Ctrl + M.
2. On the new map view toolbar, select View Settings
   • Check Synchronize View Center with Main Map and Synchronize scale.
3. Select Set View Themeand check your desired map theme.

Repeat the process for any additional map views you want to use. In this example I have map views for NDVI and False Color basemaps: 

Work with beaver dam points

Add beaver dam observation points

1. In the Layers panel, in the Data Capture Events group, select the Beaver Dam [0] layer.
2. Select Toggle Editing from the Digitizing Toolbar.

If you can't find this button, check that the Digitizing Toolbar is enabled by going to View > Toolbars and checking Digitizing Toolbar.

3. Select Add Point Featureor press Ctrl + .
4. Clicking on the map will show a red dot where your point will be and pull up the Attributes dialog
5. Fill in the values that best describe your observation.
6. Select OK to create a point feature.
7. Select Save Editsto save your point.

Remember to save regularly or use the autoSaver plugin!

Edit beaver dam observation points

If you make a mistake, you can always edit your feature after creating it.

Modify point attributes

1. In the Selection Toolbar, select Select Features by Area or Single Click
2. Click on the point to select it or click and drag to select multiple points. Click anywhere else to deselect.
3. Select Modify Attributesand adjust the values as desired.
4. Select OK.
5. Select Save Editsto save your point.

Move a point 

1. Select the Vertex Tool
2. Hover the mouse over the point you want to move (highlighted with a red circle) and click. The cursor should have a red X to indicate that the point is being moved.
3. Move the mouse to the correct location and click. The point will now be moved to the new location.
4. Click Save Editsto save your point.

Delete a point

1. In the Selection Toolbar, select Select Features by Area or Single Click
2. Click on the point to select it or click and drag to select multiple points. Click anywhere else to deselect.
3. Select Delete Selectedand a dialog window will pull up.
4. Confirm your selection to delete the features.
5. Select Save Editsto save your edits.

Finalize 

Once you are done adding points, remember to save your editsand share a Box link to your QRiS project geopackage on the tracking sheet. Change the status to NEEDS REVIEW.