The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report 2005

• Year: 2005
• Title: The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report
• Author: Colorado Watershed Assembly
• Description: 2005
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

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The Aspen Field Biololry Laboratory
Project Overview
In the Roaring Fork Watershed,
there is no comprehensive inventory
of stream and riparian habitats. A
large portion of the watershed has
undergone significant alteration from
urban development, agriculture, road
construction, water diversion, and
other human activities. This project
is describing the current health of
the Roaring Fork River and its major
tributaries, as well as its physical
condition. With this information,
combined with data already maintained
and available from other scientific
endeavors, stakeholders will have the
comprehensive data needed to acquire
funding and responsibly manage
various river reaches of concern. The
project is in the third year of field data
collection, using a comprehensive and
cost - effective methodology for rapid
assessment of stream and riparian
habitat quality and restoration needs,
based on EPA, NRCS, BLM, and other
field- tested protocols.
Goals & Objectives
The Roaring Fork Stream Health
Initiative is providing the best available
watershed data to the public and
government in an effort to protect and
restore quality in- stream and riparian
habitat in the Roaring Fork watershed.
This baseline inventory and assessment
of the Roaring Fork River and major
tributaries identifies stream segments
in need of protection, provides analysis
of problem areas, and delineates a
roadmap towards a best restoration/
management plan when needed.
Products
The data accumulated from this
study will be in the form of a catalog
of stream reaches showing the location,
extent, and condition of habitats, as
well as a survey of riparian vegetation
and other native wildlife indicator
species including the American dipper,
riparian breeding songbirds, and
macro invertebrates. In addition to
the catalog, a website will be used to
dispense summarized data and a GIS-
based riparian physical habitat quality
mapping viewer, in cooperation with
the Colorado River Water Conservation
District, the Roaring Fork Conservancy,
the Nature Conservancy and other
partnering organizations.
Accomplishments and
Activities
Assessments of the main stem of
the Roaring Fork River and several
tributaries including Castle Creek and
the current health of
major and its
as
M
local watershed reports
Maroon Creek have been completed
in previous seasons. During this final
field season we have already completed
assessment of the Crystal and Frying
Pan rivers. We will complete assessment
of the following tributaries during the
remainder of the 2005 field season:
4 -mile, 3 -mile, Cattle, Snowmass and
Brush Creeks. Catalog development
has been completed on reaches that
have been assessed in previous seasons,
and the remainder will be completed by
April, 2006.
Comprehensive Participation
for a Comprehensive Study
This project involves the
participation, financially or in -kind, of
most of the counties and towns of the
watershed, as well as many citizens
and non - government organizations,
including the Nature Conservancy,
the Roaring Fork Conservancy, the
Colorado River Water Conservation
District, Big Country Resource
Conservation and Development, Ruedi
Power and Water Authority, and the
Maki Foundation.