Since the late 1990's the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Utah State University, and the US Environmental Protection Agency have been working on models to assess the biological integrity of Oregon's streams and rivers. These statistically rigorous models compare macroinvertebrate test samples to a large database of samples from reference streams (streams with least disturbed watersheds).

In 2005, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation was awarded a generous grant from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) to format existing macroinvertebrate data sets from the McKenzie, Nehalem, and Walla Walla Watershed Councils for use in the models. In collaboration with the Oregon DEQ, Xerces Society staff have formatted and analyzed these existing data sets, and used the lessons and experiences to write the materials contained in this guide.

The information presented here should provide users with backgound to the model and guidance to convert existing data, run the models, and think about the meaning of your results. The major sections include:

Obtaining a password to run the models may take some time, so click here to get a head start (click cancel when it asks you to log in).

• PREDATOR - information and background on the models
• Macro taxonomy - macroinvertebrate identification needs
• Macro input file - how to create the macroinvertebrate data input file
• Habitat input file - how to gather and prepare the habitat data input file
• Run the models - running the model and viewing the output
• Interpretation - interpreting output
• Resources - websites, literature
• Thanks - acknowledgment