Core Monitoring Plan

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This document describes a general plan and framework for the development of a core monitoring program for the GCDAMP during federal fiscal years 2011 through 2015. Detailed core monitoring plans with explicit methodologies for each resource category will be developed as outlined in this plan over the next several years. The proposed process is consistent with the strategies and objectives described in the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center’s (GCMRC) Strategic Science Plan (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007a) and Monitoring and Research Plan (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007b), and the GCDAMP Strategic Plan as amended by the Adaptive Management Work Group at their August 2003 meeting (AMWG written comm., 2003, hereafter cited as GCDAMP, 2003). Monitoring is a fundamental requirement of the adaptive management process (Walters, 1986; Walters and Holling, 1990). The Department of the Interior (DOI) Adaptive Management Technical Guide (Williams and others, 2007) identifies four primary purposes for monitoring within an adaptive management program: 1. To evaluate progress towards achieving management objectives 2. To determine resource status in order to identify appropriate management action 3. To increase understanding of resource dynamics via the comparison of predictions against field observations 4. To enhance and develop models of resource dynamics as needed In 1995, the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) was created to fulfill the mandate in the 1992 Grand Canyon Protection Act for the establishment and implementation of a long-term monitoring and research program to ensure that Glen Canyon Dam is operated in a manner that protects the values for which the Grand Canyon National Park and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area were created. Since its inception, many of the GCMRC activities have focused on continuing certain monitoring tasks previously established under the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies program (termed here as “Legacy” monitoring), conducting field experiments, and developing technologies in support of development of a core monitoring program. Implementation of a long-term core monitoring program will require a significant commitment of qualified personnel to ensure that the program is implemented in a sustainable and timely manner. With a few exceptions, much of the data collection is proposed to be performed by cooperating agencies and contractors as discussed below; however, some monitoring, such as quality of water and sediment monitoring that has historically been part of the USGS mission, is proposed to continue internal to the GCMRC and the Water Resources Discipline within USGS.

Strategic Science Plan	Core Monitoring Plan	Monitoring and Research Plan	Research Questions and Information Needs

2011 Core Monitoring Plan The Monitoring and Research Plan (MRP) describes a four-step process for defining and refining core monitoring projects associated with various GCDAMP goals and key resources based on the best currently available information. As described in the MRP, the four steps are (1) develop a general core monitoring plan (this document), (2) conduct information needs workshops with the Technical Work Group (TWG) in advance of convening independent protocol evaluation panel (PEP) reviews, (3) conduct PEP reviews for each resource goal, and (4) prepare final core monitoring program reports for each resource goal. This is then followed by review and approval by TWG and AMWG. The resource and programmatic goals of the GCDAMP are: Goal 1: Protect or improve the aquatic food base so that it will support viable populations of desired species at higher trophic levels Goal 2: Maintain or attain viable populations of existing native fish, remove jeopardy for humpback chub and razorback sucker, and prevent adverse modification to their critical habitats Goal 3: Restore populations of extirpated species, as feasible and advisable Goal 4: Maintain a naturally reproducing population of rainbow trout above the Paria River, to the extent practicable and consistent with the maintenance of viable populations of native fish Goal 5: Maintain or attain viable populations of Kanab Ambersnail Goal 6: Protect or improve the biotic riparian and spring communities, including threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat Goal 7: Establish water temperature, quality, and flow dynamics to achieve the GCDAMP ecosystem goals Goal 8: Maintain or attain levels of sediment storage within the main channel and along shorelines to achieve the GCDAMP ecosystem goals Goal 9: Maintain or improve the quality of recreational experiences for users of the Colorado River ecosystem, within the framework of the GCDAMP ecosystem goals Goal 10: Maintain power production capacity and energy generation, and increase where feasible and advisable, within the framework of the GCDAMP ecosystem goals Goal 11: Preserve, protect, manage, and treat cultural resources for the inspiration and benefit of past, present, and future generations Goal 12: Maintain a high-quality monitoring, research, and adaptive management program

Documents 2011 Core Monitoring Plan Papers and Presentations Links SCAHG ---- Steering Committee Ad-Hoc Group CMAHG ---- Core Monitoring Ad-Hoc Group AHCIO ---- Ad-Hoc Committee on What's In and Out of the Strategic Plan