Mojave Desert Network selected large springs pilot study: Joshua Tree National Park 2014 data report
Bailard JL and Moret GJ. 2015. Mojave Desert Network selected large springs pilot study: Joshua Tree National Park 2014 data report. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/MOJN/NRDS—2015/794. Fort Collins, Colorado
The National Park Service (NPS) Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program (MOJN I&M) is developing a protocol to monitor the hydrology and ecology of large springs in the MOJN parks. The MOJN I&M Selected Large Springs (SLS) protocol will cover springs in Death Valley National Park (DEVA), Great Basin National Park (GRBA), Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR), Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LAKE), Mojave National Preserve (MOJA), and Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (PARA). The monitored springs have been selected in cooperation with park staff to address the parks’ resource management priorities. At JOTR, two springs have been selected for monitoring- Fortynine Palms Oasis and Smithwater Canyon Springs. MOJN I&M crews visit these springs each quarter, and monitor both the extent of surface water present and water quality. Every two years, MOJN I&M collects water samples for chemical analysis and samples of benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI). The purpose of this monitoring is to provide data regarding the overall health of the aquatic ecosystems in the monitored springs, and to provide baseline information that can be used to evaluate management actions or visitor impacts. MOJN I&M visited Fortynine Palms Oasis and Smith Water Canyon Springs in JOTR in March, June, September, and December of 2014. Water quality and spatial extent data were collected on each of these visits, and BMI samples were collected on the March 2014 visit. This report presents data from these visits.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Bailard, Jennifer; Moret, Geoffrey
- Date of Issue
- 2015-05
- Units
- JOTR , MOJN , NRSS
- Keywords
- benthic macroinvertebrate, Chironomidae, Ecology, Ephemeroptera, EPT, Fortynine Palms Oasis, Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave Desert Network, Monitoring, Plecoptera, Selected Large Springs Report, Smithwater Canyon Springs, Spring, Trichoptera, Water Quality
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Invertebrates