My WebLink
|
Help
|
About
|
Sign Out
Home
Browse
Search
WSP12676
CWCB
>
Water Supply Protection
>
DayForward
>
1-1000
>
WSP12676
Metadata
Thumbnails
Annotations
Entry Properties
Last modified
1/26/2010 4:17:21 PM
Creation date
8/7/2007 9:48:22 AM
Metadata
Fields
Template:
Water Supply Protection
File Number
8282.300
Description
Colorado River Operations and Accounting - Lower Basin Administrative Procedures
State
CO
Basin
Colorado Mainstem
Water Division
5
Date
7/24/1997
Author
Mark K Briggs - Steve Cornelius
Title
Opportunities for Ecological Improvement Along the Lower Colorado River and Delta - 07-24-97
Water Supply Pro - Doc Type
Report/Study
There are no annotations on this page.
Document management portal powered by Laserfiche WebLink 9 © 1998-2015
Laserfiche.
All rights reserved.
/
30
PDF
Print
Pages to print
Enter page numbers and/or page ranges separated by commas. For example, 1,3,5-12.
After downloading, print the document using a PDF reader (e.g. Adobe Reader).
Show annotations
View images
View plain text
<br />l <br /> <br />002717 <br /> <br />Opportunities for Ecological Improvement Along the Lower Colorado River <br />Mark Briggs and Steve Cornelius <br />7/24/97 <br /> <br />chinensis), arrowweed (Pluchea sericea), and iodine-bush (Allenrolfea occidentalis) <br />Freshwater and brackish habitat still remain, but these areas are confined for the most <br />part to agricultural wastewater discharge points, artesian springs, and areas influenced <br />by tidal fluctuations. <br /> <br />Despite the tremendous changes that have occurred in the Colorado River delta, it is <br />important to emphasize that the delta is not a dead ecosystem. Particularly during the <br />last decade, considerable amounts of Colorado River water have reached the delta, <br />helping to maintain several key intertidal, brackish, and riparian wetlands south of the <br />agricultural fields (Glenn et al. 1992, Payne et al. 1992). <br /> <br />In the delta, as well as the mainstem, significant marsh wetlands still exist Marshes are <br />a critical component of the lower Colorado River ecosystem and are dominated by soft- <br />stemmed emergent plants such as cattails (Typha spp.), bulrushes (Sdrpus acutus), and <br />phragmites (Phragmites australis) and frequently occur next to terrestrial and aquatic <br />habitats. Marsh habitat is critical to a plethora of bird species, including waterbirds <br />such as the western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis), double-crested cormorant <br />(Phalacrocorax auritus), and gadwall (Anas strepera); shorebirds such as the killdeer <br />(Charadrius vodferus), long-billed curlew (Numenius american us), and sandpipers <br />(Calidris spp.); and wading birds such as the green heron (Butorides striatus), roseate <br />spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), and the endangered Yuma dapper rail (Rallus longirostris). <br /> <br />The principal wetlands in the delta are (1) the Rio Hardy wetlands, which are <br />supported by the Rio Hardy River and high flow events in the Colorado River; (2) the <br />Cienaga de Santa Clara, sustained by agricultural runoff emanating from the Wellton- <br />Mohawk canal and the Riito drain; and (3) EI Doctor wetlands, which are supported by <br />artesian springs (Glenn et al. 1996) [Fig. 2]. In addition, riparian plant communities <br />dominated by Populus fremontii/Salix gooddingii{Tamarix chinensis have established in <br />several locations along the main channel of the Colorado River just north of the areas <br />influenced by tidal fluctuations of the Sea of Cortez. These wetlands ecosystems are <br />critical to a variety of wildlife. The Cienega de Santa Clara, for example, provides <br />habitat for the endangered desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularis) and the Yuma <br />clapper rail (Ralus longirostris yumanensis) (Abarca et al. 1993). The delta's ecological <br />decline also appears to be intricately related to the decline of two other endangered <br />species: the totoaba fish (Cynosdon macdonaldl), which was once common throughout <br />much of the delta (Cisneros and Mata et al. 1995); and the vaquita porpoise (Phoceona <br />sinus), which is a harbor porpoise that is heavily dependent on the delta's protected <br />waters and nutrient supply (Mora lis and Abril 1994; Peggy Turk Boyer, pers. com., <br />1997). <br /> <br />Page 5 <br />
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.