Riparian Vegetation

Riparian Vegetation Maintain native vegetation and wildlife habitat, in various stages of maturity, such that they are diverse, healthy, productive, self-sustaining, and ecologically appropriate. Desired Future Condition for Native Species and Biotic Communities Nonfish Biotic Communities: Native non-fish aquatic biota and their habitats are sustainably maintained with ecologically appropriate distributions. • Populations of native non-fish species (invertebrates and vertebrates, including Northern Leopard Frog). - AMP support, actions and funding are limited to incorporation of dam operations which are conducive to restoration of extirpated species. • Minimize the abundance and distribution of non-native species in the CRE. • Sustainable dam-influenced aquatic, wetland, and springs plant communities and associated biological processes, including those supporting threatened and endangered species and their habitats. CRE Riparian Domain: Native riparian systems, in various stages of maturity, are diverse, healthy, productive, self-sustaining, and ecologically appropriate. • Native, self-sustaining riverine wetlands, and riparian vegetation and habitat, with appropriate mixture of age classes. • Healthy, self-sustaining populations of native riparian fauna (both resident and migratory). • Habitat for sensitive species within the CRE • Encourage the resolution of the taxonomic status of the Kanab ambersnail (e.g., completely describe the taxa and subspecies). • Habitat for neotropical migratory birds, waterfowl, and other appropriate native bird species. • Ecological functions of tributary mouths and riverside springs, including habitat for native species. LTEMP Experimental Action: Native and Nonnative Plant Management and Experimental Treatments (BA, pages 41-42) [1] Experimental riparian vegetation treatment activities would be implemented by NPS under the proposed action and would modify the cover and distribution of riparian plant communities along the Colorado River. All activities would be consistent with NPS Management Policies (NPS 2006) and would occur only within the Colorado River Ecosystem in areas that are influenced by dam operations. NPS would work with tribal partners and GCMRC to experimentally implement and evaluate a number of vegetation control and native replanting activities on the riparian vegetation within the Colorado River Ecosystem in GCNP and GCNRA. These activities would include ongoing monitoring and removal of selected nonnative plant species, systematic removal of nonnative vegetation at targeted sites, and native replanting at targeted sites, which may include complete removal of tamarisk (both live and dead) and re-vegetation with native plants. Treatments would include the control of nonnative plant species and revegetation with native plant species.

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Updates Riparian Vegetation [2] [3] [4]

Papers and Presentations 2016 Riparian Vegetation Monitoring with Remote Sensing Sankey, T.T., Sankey, J.B., Horne, R., Bedford, A., 2016, Remote Sensing of Tamarisk Biomass, Insect Herbivory, and Defoliation: Novel Methods in the Grand Canyon Region, Arizona: Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 82(8), pp. 645-652 Linkages between controlled floods, eddy sandbar dynamics, and riparian vegetation along the Colorado River in Marble Canyon, Arizona, USA Riparian vegetation monitoring with remote sensing Southern Paiute Consortium Vegetation and Cultural Resource Monitoring Program Historical Changes to Culturally-Important Riparian Plants along the Colorado River: A Progress Report on Project 12 Report of Riparian Vegetation Workshop, June 23-25, 2015 in Flagstaff, AZ 2015 Collaborative Riparian Restoration in Glen Canyon NRA at Leopard Frog Marsh 2014 2012 Other Stuff General Plant Species Approximately 129 vegetation communities, Over 850 species have been reported from GCNRA, and over 1,750 vascular plant species from GCNP (NPS CFMP-EA_pg 19) Riparian communities are dominated by species such as coyote and seep willows, arrowweed, western honey mesquite, catclaw acacia, and exotic tamarisk with many other species present. Desert Scrub communities are dominated by species such as creosote, white bursage, brittle bush, ocotillo, four-wing saltbush, big sagebrush, ephedra, dropseed, brome grasses, and many other species. Approximately 11% of flora in GCNP and GC reach is exotic.