Condition assessment of streambanks and streamside vegetation on perennial streams in Wind Cave National Park: 2009-2012
Burkhart BA and Kovacs KL. 2013. Condition assessment of streambanks and streamside vegetation on perennial streams in Wind Cave National Park: 2009-2012. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/WICA/NRTR—2013/758. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
A project was developed and implemented at Wind Cave National Park (WICA) by WICA Resource Management personnel using the BLM Multiple Indicator Monitoring of Streambanks and Streamside Vegetation (MIM) protocol. The purpose of the project was to assess condition of WICA perennial streams relative to production of ecological services, including forage and browse production; wildlife use; species richness (plant and animal); compositional, structural, and functional diversity; and hydrologic function. MIM measurements were made for baseline condition assessment in 2009-2010 from nine Designated Monitoring Areas (DMA) on the three perennial streams in the park: Beaver Creek, Highland Creek, and Cold Spring Creek. MIM measurements were again collected in seven DMAs in 2012 to provide information on change in condition (Cold Spring Creek was dry in 2012 so data could not be collected in two DMAs). Streamside condition was extrapolated to the full lengths of Beaver Creek and Highland Creek by identifying and ground-checking segments similar to representative DMAs. Both Beaver and Highland Creeks were categorized in poor ecological condition and stable from 2009 to 2012. Wildlife population numbers and other disturbances and management activities stayed essentially the same in WICA from 2009 to 2012. MIM data from Cold Spring Creek in 2010 indicated poor ecological condition in the two DMAs. No change information was produced and DMA data were not extrapolated to assess overall stream condition of Cold Spring Creek. Based on MIM indicators, WICA perennial streams are primarily providing an important ecological service of water for wildlife. However, other ecosystem services are at risk and vulnerable to future reductions or losses. Given projections of climate change impacts in WICA, it is unlikely that the limited surface water resources in WICA, especially perennial streams, will be able to provide a wide range of desired ecological services without strategic management. The results of this project could provide a foundation for development of a WICA Surface Water Resource Management Strategy, including prioritization of desired ecological services for WICA perennial streams, identification of streams/segments with different goals and objectives, and development of possible management tools (short and long term) as well as triggers for implementation.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Burkhart, Beth; Kovacs, Kevin
- Date of Issue
- 2013-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- NGPN , NRSS , WICA
- Keywords
- Beaver Creek, Cold Spring Creek, ecological services, Highland Creek, MIM, monitoring report, Multiple Indicator Monitoring, plant community monitor, Plant community monitoring, Stream condition assessment, streambanks, streamside vegetation, surface water management, Wind Cave National Park
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Riparian Communities