Big rivers monitoring protocol for park units in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: Version 1.01

Perkins, Dustin; Scott, Michael; Auble, Gregor; Wondzell, Mark; Holmquist-Johnson, Chris; Wahlig, Eric; Thomas, Helen; Wight, Aneth

Because of the scarcity of water on the Colorado Plateau, the importance of large rivers, and their disproportionately high use by flora and fauna, riparian areas are an ecosystem of concern for the Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN). Following the determination of network-wide vital signs, parks were asked to select their top priorities for monitoring. Four NCPN park units were selected for big rivers monitoring: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (NP), Canyonlands NP, Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA), and Dinosaur National Monument (NM). This monitoring protocol consists of a protocol narrative and 18 standard operating procedures (SOPs) for monitoring big rivers in NCPN parks. The overall goal of NCPN big rivers monitoring is to determine long-term trends in hydrologic, geomorphic (channel and floodplain), and vegetation variables in the context of changes in stream flows that can act as large disturbances or re-setting events, and other ecological drivers, stressors, and processes. Specific objectives of the big rivers monitoring protocol are to determine the effects of different flows on vegetation and geomorphic indicators of channel simplification; the environmental flows necessary to maintain active-channel, active-floodplain, and inactive-floodplain components of the riparian community; status and trends in geomorphic processes as reflected in channel and floodplain form; status and trends in vegetation patterns, and rates of narrowing and changes in narrowing in response to regulated and unregulated flows using remote imagery. Objectives for Curecanti NRA are somewhat different. There, we aim to determine changes in the river channel (encroachment, channel migration, riparian vegetation) over time; regeneration rates for cottonwoods and if cottonwood recruitment is sufficient to maintain cottonwood gallery forests, and the environmental flows necessary to maintain cottonwood gallery forest. Data from these objectives will be integrated to produce models, such as stage-geomorphic process relationships, and correlations, such as vegetation assemblage by geomorphic surface. The protocol narrative describes the justification, sampling design, and field methods for NCPN big rivers monitoring. Details may be found in the SOPs, which are listed in Chapter 1 and available at irma.nps.gov. Other aspects of the protocol summarized in the narrative include procedures for data management, analysis, and reporting; personnel and operating requirements; and instructions for how to revise the protocol.

Big rivers monitoring protocol for park units in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: Version 1.01

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