California Rapid Assessment Method

CRAM

Documents

Contents

Getting Started Documents

CRAM Prospectus

Overview of CRAM: Why are we doing this? What is it? How is it being developed? What are its possible applications? Who can use it, and when will it be available?
2 pages; January 24 2008 PDF

CRAM Factsheet

2 pages; December 2008 PDF

CRAM method documentation comes in three parts:

  1. The CRAM User’s Manual, which contains a complete description of the CRAM method;
  2. The CRAM Field Books, which contain, for each wetland type, paper assessment forms and form completion instructions;
  3. The eCRAM Installation & Use Guide, for the CRAM field software.

All CRAM practitioners need to read the CRAM User’s Guide. Field Books for the wetland types you will be working with should be brought to the field. Users of the optional eCRAM software will need the eCRAM Installation & Use Guide.

CRAM User’s Manual

Full description of the method; does not include paper CRAM forms;
does not address installation & use of sofware.
CRAM method version 6.1; April 2013.
PDF | Version history | Citation

CRAM Field Books

Includes paper CRAM forms and form completion guidance

eCRAM Installation & Use Guide

For CRAM software 1.0.0 and CRAM website
May 22, 2007 PDF

CRAM Validation and Peer Review

Validation of a Wetland Rapid Assessment Method: Use of EPA's Level 1-2-3 Framework for Method Testing and Refinement

Stein E.D. , A.E. Fetscher, R.P. Clark, A. Wiskind, J.L. Grenier, M. Sutula, J.N. Collins, C. Grosso. Wetlands 29(2):648-665. 2009 PDF PPT

A case study of the validation of the riverine and estuarine modules CRAM. This work evaluated responsiveness of the method to “good” vs. “poor” wetland condition, ability to represent a range of conditions, internal redundancy, alternative combination rules for constituent metrics, and reproducibility of results. The use of existing avian diversity, benthic macroinvertebrate indices, and plant community composition datasets as validation of CRAM results demonstrated. Results indicate that CRAM is an effective tool for assessing general riverine and estuarine wetland condition based on its correspondence with multiple independent assessments of condition. This study demonstrates that, when validated, rapid assessment methods provide a meaningful and reliable tool for assessing wetland condition.

SWS Research Brief: Diagnosing Wetland Health with Rapid Assessment Methods

Stein E.D., M. Sutula, A.E. Fetscher, R.P. Clark, J.N. Collins, J.L. Grenier, C. Grosso. No. 2009-0010. 2009 PDF

USACE ERDC Peer Review

C. Klimas January 2008 PDF

This review is intended to examine CRAM from the perspective of Corps of Engineers’ regulatory responsibilities, specifically with regard to its potential applications in determining project impacts, conducting alternatives analyses, establishing compensatory mitigation requirements, and in monitoring mitigation projects to determine whether they are performing satisfactorily. These considerations are equally important in many planning applications, therefore this review may be of interest to persons involved in ecosystem restoration and similar initiatives that concern evaluation of wetland systems before and after changes to ecosystem processes or structure. The review discusses concerns about the sensitivity of CRAM.

SWRCB peer review

The SWRCB report on the peer review of CRAM as a means for assessing wetland condition is available at this link.


Condition assessment in California using CRAM

Demonstration of an integrated watershed assessment using a
three-tiered assessment framework

Solek, C.W., E.D. Stein, M.A. Sutula. Wetlands Ecology and Management 19(5):459-474. 2011. PDF

Use of CRAM in the evaluation of mitigation projects in California

Ambrose, R. F. , J. C. Callaway , and S. F. Lee . 2006. An evaluation of compensatory mitigation projects permitted under Clean Water Act Section 401 by the California State Water Quality Control Board, 1991–2002. Report to the State Water Resources Control Board. University of California. Los Angeles, CA, USA.
December 2004, 253 pages Final Report

Wetlands Demonstration Project (WDP)

California’s Wetland Demonstration Program Pilot. A Final Project Report to the California Resources Agency MA Sutula, JN Collins, R Clark, RC Roberts, ED Stein, CS Grosso, A Wiskind, C Solek, M May, K O’Connor, AE Fetscher, JL Grenier, S Pearce, A Robinson, C Clark, K Rey, S Morrissette, A Eicher, R Pasquinelli, K Ritter. PDF

Prospectus Wetlands Demonstration Project

PDF

State of the State’s Wetlands

The Status of Perennial Estuarine Wetlands in the State of California Fact Sheet link


Use and application of CRAM

Technical Bulletin: Using CRAM to Assess Wetland Projects as an Element of Regulatory and Management Programs

California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup
This document supports consistent and appropriate application of CRAM for regulatory, mitigation, and restoration projects across a variety of state and federal agency programs. It does not constitute official guidance or policy by any agency, rather it addresses a set of technical issues and considerations. Users are encouraged to consult with agency staff on questions regarding use of CRAM in specific project circumstances.
October 2009 46 pages PDF

CRAM Photo Dictionary

Download PDF


CRAM Development Process

Steps to Develop a Module for the California Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands (CRAM)

7 pages; March 17 2011 PDF

A practical guide for the development of a wetland assessment method: the California experience

2006. Sutula, M.A., E.D. Stein, J.N. Collins, A.E. Fetscher, R. Clark. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 42(1):157-175. PDF

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Development of a Wetland Rapid Assessment Method in California Phase II

46 pages; May 3 2005 PDF

Wetlands Demonstration Project Steering Committee Charter

draft; 2 pages; May 22 2006 PDF

Information for 3rd party developers of CRAM-related documents and materials

1 page; December 6, 2010 PDF

Related Rapid Assessment Publications

Review of Rapid Methods for Assessing Wetland Condition

M. Siobhan Fennessy, Amy D. Jacobs, and Mary E. Kentula EPA/620/R-04/009 January 2004 link

EPA Guidance Document

Elements of a State Water Monitoring and Assessment Program for Wetlands. 12 pages; April 2006 PDF

EPA Wetland Monitoring & Assessment: A Technical Framework

2 pages; April 8 2003 PDF

Testing the Basic Assumption of the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions

Hruby, T, Environmental Management Vol. 27, No. 5, pp. 749–761 link

Wetland Assessment Alphabet Soup: How to Choose (or not Choose) the Right Assessment Method

2009. Stein, E., M. Brinson, M. Rains, W. Kleindl, and F. Hauer, Wetland Science and Practice, Vol. 26, No. 4. PDF

Meetings & Workshops

No meeting documents at this time

Version History