Springs Monitoring at Montezuma Castle National Monument: 2024
Callie B, Munson A, McIntyre C , Hubbard A . 2026. Springs Monitoring at Montezuma Castle National Monument: 2024. Science Report. NPS/SR—2026/448. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2318587
The Sonoran Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors one spring, Expansion Spring, each year at Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona. We assess the condition of the site, measure spring discharge and wetted extent (area that contained water), collect core water quality and water chemistry data, note the wetland plants and invasive plants and animals present, and sample for environmental DNA (eDNA) to inventory springs for rare species, invasive species, and pathogens. Each spring is somewhat unique, and Arizona has not adopted water quality standards that apply across the diversity of springs in the state. Therefore, we continue to collect water quality data at the spring to form a baseline reference of natural variance. We did not detect any of our eDNA target organisms at Expansion Spring in 2024. Expansion Spring surfaces at the base of a limestone outcrop and flows down a narrow channel to a large, shallow pool. The site is well-shaded by cottonwoods. The spring had water during our visit in 2024 but we were unable to find the temperature sensor, so there are no data on water persistence for the rest of the year. Prior data show the spring has had water throughout most years. The site is largely undisturbed, but we detected invasive crayfish for the first time in 2024, perhaps due to winter floodwater from Beaver Creek flushing these invasive animals into the spring. No invasive plants and no wetland plants were found in 2024.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Callie, Bryn; Munson, Annika; McIntyre, Cheryl; Hubbard, Andy
- Date of Issue
- 2026-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2318587
- Units
- MOCA , NRSS , SODN
- Keywords
- discharge, eDNA, invasive species, monitoring, monitoring report, springs, springs monitoring, water chemistry, wetland plants
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic animals , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Wetland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Amphibians and Reptiles