Proper Functioning Condition Assessment of the Canadian River and Blue Creek in Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
Martin M, Wagner J, Folts-Zettner T. 2015. Proper Functioning Condition Assessment of the Canadian River and Blue Creek in Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. Water Resources Division. Fort Collins, CO
The National Park Service is preparing a Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. To inform this assessment, the NPS Water Resources Division was asked to evaluate the functional condition of several high priority riparian areas along the Canadian River and Big Blue Creek (Blue Creek) within the park. The authors conducted these assessments on May 28 and 29, 2014 using methods described in “A User Guide to Assessing the Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) and the Supporting Science for Lotic Areas” (U.S. Department of the Interior, 1998). We divided the Canadian River into three assessment reaches and Blue Creek into two reaches to facilitate consistent analyses. For each reach we evaluated 17 hydrology, vegetation, channel morphology and erosion/deposition factors according to PFC procedures. Based on our findings, we classified each assessment reach as “Proper Functioning Condition,” “Functional-at Risk” or “Non-Functional Condition.”
- Type
- Technical Assistance Report
- Authors
- Martin, Mike; Wagner, Joel; Folts-Zettner, Tomye
- Date of Issue
- 2015-01-27
- Publisher
- Water Resources Division
- Units
- LAMR
- Keywords
- Blue Creek, Canadian River, condition, fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, proper functioning condition, riparian, sediment deposition, vegetation, wetland
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Stream/River Channel Characteristics , Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Wetland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Riparian Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Communities , Ecological Framework: Human Use | Non-point Source Human Effects | Non-point Source Human Effects , Ecological Framework: Human Use | Visitor and Recreation Use | Visitor Use