Springs Inventory Protocol (SIP)
Following SSI's systematic Springs Inventory Protocol (SIP) will guide surveyors through a comprehensive survey of a spring ecosystem, covering geology, geomorphology, water quality, flow, and biota. A team of experts with knowledge of geography, hydrology, and biology can typically complete the protocol in 1.5 to 3 hours using SSI’s standardized field sheets. Resulting data provide a detailed, interdisciplinary snapshot of the site, which is crucial for assessment, monitoring, and planning, and facilitates effective management practices. The SIP informs the next stage of inventory, the Springs Ecological Assessment Protocol (SEAP).
The techniques used in the SIP are derived from careful review of scientific literature and over a decade's worth of field experience across North America. SSI staff have used the SIP to survey many different spring types subjected to a variety of uses, from pristine springs in national parks, to springs developed for livestock grazing or domestic water supplies, and even urban springs used for intensive recreation.