A LIVING RIVERS PROGRAM FOR THE GILA BOX RIPARIAN NATIONAL CONSRVATION AREA. Shawn Nelson Eastern Arizona College

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1 A LIVING RIVERS PROGRAM FOR THE GILA BOX RIPARIAN NATIONAL CONSRVATION AREA Shawn Nelson Eastern Arizona College

2 Dr. Jony Cockman Lead Natural Resource Specialist AZ BLM Safford Field Office And Dave Henson Biology Dept. Chair Eastern Arizona College

3 The Living Rivers Program, initiated in 2011, is made possible through the STEM Assistance Agreement, a partnership between BLM Safford Field Office and Eastern Arizona College.

4 RIPARIAN PROPER FUNCTIONING CONDITION The Living Rivers Program is designed to support Riparian PFC. Students work alongside BLM professionals.

5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BLM National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) Science Program for grant funding. BLM River Rangers and volunteers for logistical support. New Mexico Environmental Department,Surface Water Quality Bureau for training in EPA TMDL protocol.

6 THE GILA BOX RNCA Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 1990 (PL H.R Public Law ) 23 river miles designated for preservation and conservation 4 perennial waterways 21,767 acres public land, 1720 acres private land

7 GILA BOX RNCA IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA GILA BOX RNCA IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA

8 Eagle Creek Freeport-McMoran Copper San Fransico River Gila River Bonita Creek

9 PFC OBJECTIVE In the BLM, the objective is to achieve an advanced ecological status except where resource management objectives would require an earlier succession stage. BLM National Riparian Service Team

10 SELECTION OF SAMPLE LOCATIONS

11 WATER CHEMISTRY ph Dissolved Oxygen Temperature Electrical Conductivity Total Dissolved Solids Salinity Turbidity

12 Macro-Invertebrates Pebble Count Flow Rate WATER QUALITY

13 MACRO-INVERTEBRATES

14 PEBBLE COUNT

15 FLOW RATE

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17 Cottonwood Gallery Mesquite Bosque

18 VEGETATION MONITORING PLOTS 10 M 10 M 50 to 100 M

19 Tree and shrub species density Separated by age class Adult living/dead Sapling living/dead Seedling living/dead SUBPLOT DATA ATTRIBUTES Size of largest tree trunk/branch in ¼ subplot Understory coverage from ocular estimates Grasses, forbs Litter classes Permanent litter Non-permanent litter Cow flops Other flops

20 YELLOW BILLED CUCKCOO

21 Plant vitality notes Related wildlife notes Presence of wildlife Direct observations Tracks Nests Webs Scat Activity SUBPLOT DATA ATTRIBUTES

22 Table 4. Hydrology questions from the PFC check list are addressed. M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 HYDROLOGY 1. Floodplain above bank full is inundated in "relatively frequent" events. Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 2. Where beaver dams are present they are active and stable. NA NA NA NA NA NA 3. Sinuosity, width/depth ratio, and gradient are in balance with the landscape setting. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 4. Riparian-wetland area is widening or has achieved potential extent. Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 5. Upland watershed is not contributing to riparian-wetland degradation. No No No No No No Table 6. Erosion and deposition questions from the PFC check list are addressed. M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 EROSION/DEPOSITION 13. Floodplain and channel characteristics are adequate to dissipate energy. Yes Yes No No Yes Yes 14. Point bars are revegetating with riparian-wetland vegetation. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 15. Lateral stream movement is associated with natural sinuosity. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 16. System is vertically stable. No No No Yes No No 17. Stream is in balance with the water and sediment being supplied by the watershed. No No No Yes No No

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24 DOWN CUTTING

25 SHORE LINE VEGETATION

26 OLD WATER WHEEL

27 VEGETATION 6) There is diverse age-class distribution of riparian-wetland vegetation (recruitment for maintenance/recovery) 7) There is diverse composition of riparian-wetland vegetation (for maintenance/recovery) 8) Species present indicate maintenance of riparian soil moisture characteristics 9) Stream bank vegetation is comprised of those plants or plant communities that have root masses capable of withstanding high stream flow events 10) Riparian-wetland plants exhibit high vigor 11) Adequate riparian-wetland vegetative cover present to protect banks and dissipate energy during high flows 12) Plant Communities are an adequate source of coarse and/or large woody material (for maintenance/recovery)

28 MESQUITE AGE STRUCTURE % Composition from Density Data 27% Adult Alive 8% 51% Adult Dead Sapling Alive Seedling Alive 14%

29 COTTONWOOD % AGE GROUP Cottonwood: % Age Group 1% 14% Adult Alive Adult Dead 85% Sapling Alive

30 NARROW LEAF WILLOW Salix exigua: % Age Groups 0% 0% BLACK WILLOW Salix goodingii nigra: % Age Groups 0% 38% 63% Adult Alive Adult Dead Sapling Alive Seedling Alive 20% 20% 60% Adult Alive Adult Dead

31 GALLERY COMPOSITION Cottonwood galleries are characterized by seven tree/shrub species Cottonwood Riparian Velvet mesquite Facultative Broom baccharis Upland Narrowleaf willow Riparian Salt cedar Riparian Hackberry Facultative Black willow Riparian Also: Velvet ash Riparian Mexican elder Riparian Desert willow Riparian Black walnut Riparian

32 SHORELINE VEGETATION

33 LIVESTOCK GRAZING IS PRESENT IN GALLERIES, BOSQUES AND SHORELINE AREAS

34 SOIL TYPE Structure Texture Color Depth Presence of Roots

35 CONCLUSION

36 BLM-EAC INTERNS SUMMER LIVING RIVERS 2014