River and Riparian Adaptive Management
We are collaborating with partners to develop and implement a shared adaptive management framework for assessing watershed health in the St. Vrain Basin with a focus on river and riparian systems. We will develop the shared framework collaboratively, with input from diverse entities that currently manage and monitor watershed health throughout the basin. Our goal is to create a framework that will help us make more informed management decisions as a basin and better track broad progress towards basin-wide watershed health goals.
Project Partners
Adaptive Management Process
This figure shows each component of the adaptive management process. Based on this process, we developed this Adaptive Management Plan to assess watershed conditions and guide informed actions. On the following pages we describe each step of the process as it relates to our plan using the same colors and numbers as in the figure.
Data Collection
Bugs
Benthic Macro Invertebrate (BMI) data tells us if we have water quality issues.
Percent Sands
Pebble Count data tell us if we have issues with sediment sources, erosion, and/or flow.
Pool Habitat
Pool Habitat data tell us if we have pools that are large and deep enough to provide reliable fish habitat, and serves as an indicators of larger watershed functions.
Vegetation Composition
Vegetation data helps us determine if we are increasing native plant composition year to year.
Floodplain Connectivity
Floodplain inundation helps us understand lateral floodplain connectivity and width of the functional riparian corridor.
Water Quality
Water quality data helps us understand the issues and solutions related to inherent watershed characteristics (mines, diversions).
View watershed reports and request data from The Watershed Center.
Adaptive Management Guide
This guide introduces the concept of adaptive management and describes how The Watershed Center developed an adaptive management plan for watershed resilience in Left Hand Creek Watershed.
Funding for river and riparian adaptive management provided by
Boulder County, City of Boulder, City of Longmont, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Keep it Clean Partnership, Left Hand Water District, Mile High Flood District, and St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District. See a full list of funders here.