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EXPERIENCE (continued) <br />Natural Variability in Stream Channel Dimension and Roughness Relative to Changes in Hydrologic <br />Condition in the Platte River Basin, Colorado. Beginning in Spring 2009. <br />Between 1983 and 1991, employees of the U.S. Forest Service (myself included) performed detailed <br />hydrological and geomorphological stream surveys in every drainage on National Forest Systems lands <br />within the headwaters of the Platte River Basin of Colorado, east of the continental divide. The surveys <br />included nearly 500 detailed cross sections and over 300 pebble counts that represent over 6900 kmZ of <br />drainage area. To test our hypotheses, we will resurvey a subset (20 control/20 impacted) of these cross <br />sections and pebble counts and relate the measured changes in channel geometry and or roughness <br />back to documented disturbance or land use changes within those catchments over the last 17-25 years. <br />If results of the initial study look promising, we expect to eventually revisit all sites. <br />Our objectives are to: <br />1) Define the natural range of variability for channel dimension and roughness. <br />2) Define the relative change between current and historical hydrologic condition of the watershed as <br />indexed by woody vegetation coverage. <br />3) Define relative influence of diversion over the last 17-25 years on stream channel dimension and <br />roughness. <br />4) Define temporal and spatial changes in stream channel dimension and roughness as influenced by <br />disturbance and land use changes over the last 17-25 years. <br />5) fdentify the magnitude (quantity/quality) of disturbance required to produce a significant change in <br />channel dimension and roughness. <br />6) Evaluate the usefulness of surveying stream cross sections and channel roughness as a monitoring <br />tool to detect changes in watershed condition. <br />Co-Investigators: <br />Blue Mountain Consultants <br />Black Creek Hydrology, LLC <br />C.A. Troendle <br />Contact: <br />John Potyondy, Program Manager <br />USDA Forest Service <br />Streams Systems Technology Center <br />2150 Centre Ave, Bldg. A, Suite 368, <br />Fort Collins, CO 80526 <br />(970) 295-5983 Ph <br />(970) 443-0953 Cell <br />PRRIP - Geomorphic Monitoring 14 of 20 Blue Mountain Consultants