Core monitoring
Core Monitoring Information Need: Core 

monitoring is consistent, long-term, repeatemeasurements using set protocols and is designed to establish status and trends in meeting specific management objectives. Cmonitoring is implemented on a fixed schedregardless of variable factors or circumstan(e.g., water year, experimental flows, tempercontrol, stocking strategy, non-native controetc.) affecting target resources.
The value of core monito

• Decisiveness• Consistency• longevity
Assumptions

• Use available technology, as appropriate• Remote sensing is integral and interdisciplin• Minimalist framework• Meet the needs of stakeholders• Development is collaborative (TWG Ad Hoc)• Assume level funding• 40-60% of our budget• Build for consistency• Build for longevity (10+ years)• Based on solid experimental design and pow

analysis

• Try to be succinct • Whatever we generate will be reviewed by SA

and AMWG
Core Monitoring Core Monitoring

 Resources to be monitored: Resources to be monitored:

 A. Sediment Sediment B. Vegetation Vegetation C. Fish D. Food base Food base E. Cultural Resources Cultural Resources F. Hydrology Hydrology G. Water Quality Water Quality H. Recreation Recreation I. Threatened and endangered species Threatened and endangered species
For Each Resource...

For Each Resource...

 What do managers want to know? What do managers want to know? Where do they want to know it? Where do they want to know it? How frequently do they need to know

How frequently do they need to know

 What are the general methods to ob

What are the general methods to ob

this information? this information?

 What is the level of accuracy needed What is the level of accuracy neede
Sediment Sediment

 What:

1.Is there any significant Is there any significant change in the trend 

change in the trend 

storage over time? storage over time?

2.What is the effect of natural perturbations o

What is the effect of natural perturbations o

sediment storage? sediment storage?

 Where: Lees Ferry, Marble Canyon, below the Low

Lees Ferry, Marble Canyon, below the Low

Colorado River Colorado River

 How often How often: Fine sediment storage Fine sediment storage- every 2 years every 2 years Methods Methods: Sand bar area & Volume Sand bar area & Volume

Mass balance sediment tr Mass balance sediment transport determinations ansport determinations
Vegetation Vegetation

1.What: Status of non Status of non-native plant species a

native plant species a

river?

2.What: Status of the old high Status of the old high-water zone water zone 

vegetation? vegetation?

3.What: Changes in plant communities? (are

Changes in plant communities? (are

location) location)

 Where: CRE When: Every 5 years Every 5 years  Methods: Methods: Remote sensing will be used fo

Remote sensing will be used fo

trend analysis. trend analysis. Invasive species and comm

Invasive species and comm

competition will require some field samplin

competition will require some field samplin

ground truthing. ground truthing. 
Fish

 What? 1.Status and trends of Humpback Chub (po

Status and trends of Humpback Chub (po

levels, location, demographics). levels, location, demographics).

 2.Status and trend of Lees Ferry Rainbow Trout, Status and trend of Lees Ferry Rainbow Trout, 

(population and proportional stock density). (population and proportional stock density).

 3.Status and trends of native species (non Status and trends of native species (non-endang

endang

 a. Western Speckled Dace Western Speckled Dace b. Flannelmouth Sucker Flannelmouth Sucker c. Bluehead Sucker Bluehead Sucker

 4. Status and trends of non Status and trends of non-native fish species in 

fish species in 

Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon.

 5. Status and trends, and distribution and abu

Status and trends, and distribution and abu

of nearshore of nearshore-rearing habitat in the CRE? rearing habitat in the CRE?

 Where: CRE When: Annually Annually
Fish cont.....methods Fish cont.....methods

Lees Ferry Rainbow Trout: Lees Ferry Rainbow Trout:

1. Where: Where: Dam to Lees Ferry Dam to Lees Ferry

2. When: Annually Annually

3. Methodology: Methodology: Semi

-annual sampling using annual sampling using 

electrofishing techniques electrofishing techniques

Humpback Chub Humpback Chub

1. Where: LCR and confluence zone LCR and confluence zone

2. When: Annually Annually

3. Methodology 3. Methodology: One mark/recapture samplin

One mark/recapture samplin

year, using Hoop netting/Tr year, using Hoop netting/Trammel netting tec

ammel netting tec
Fish cont.....methods Fish cont.....methods

 Native species Native species

1. Where: Where: CRE

2. When: Annually Annually3. Method: Method: Hoop net and trammel net

Hoop net and trammel net

 Non

-native fish species native fish species 

1. Where: CRE2. When: Annually Annually3. Method: Method: Electrofishing, random sa

Electrofishing, random sa
Food base Food base

 What: Status and trend of primary prod

Status and trend of primary prod

composition of the benthic and drift composition of the benthic and drift invertebrate community, and utilization 

invertebrate community, and utilization 

community in the CRE community in the CRE

 a.How is the food base changing ove

How is the food base changing ov

 b.Is there sufficient food to feed the 

Is there sufficient food to feed the 

 c.Is the food base available to the fis

Is the food base available to the fis

(drift)? (drift)?

 Where: CRE When: Annually Annually Methods: Methods: Metabolism measurement, ca

Metabolism measurement, c

budget, benthic dredge, drift nets budget, benthic dredge, drift nets
Cultural Resources Cultural Resources

(tentative) (tentative)

 1.What: Status and trend of cultural pro

Status and trend of cultural pro

in the CRE? in the CRE?

 Where: Where: the entire CRE the entire CRE When: Once every 5 years for each si

Once every 5 years for each si

annually for a subset of sites. annually for a subset of sites. 

 Methods: Methods: Remote sensing supplemen

Remote sensing supplemen

site visits site visits
Hydrology Hydrology

 1.What: Flows (CFS) in various points in th

Flows (CFS) in various points in th

mainstem and certain tributaries? mainstem and certain tributaries?

 Where: Where: CRE- Lees Ferry, Sixty Lees Ferry, Sixty-mile, Gra

mile, Gra

Canyon, Diamond Creek, Paria, LCR, and 

Canyon, Diamond Creek, Paria, LCR, and 

lesser tributaries in Marble Canyon lesser tributaries in Marble Canyon

 When: Continuous Continuous Methods: Methods: Selected Conventional Combine

Selected Conventional Combine

Surrogate In Situ Monitors and USGS Gau

Surrogate In Situ Monitors and USGS Gau
Water Quality Water Quality

 1.What: Status and trends of water qua

Status and trends of water qua

(temperature, DO (dissolved oxygen), (temperature, DO (dissolved oxygen), conductivity, pH, turbidity) conductivity, pH, turbidity) 

 Where: Where: CRE

- Glen Canyon, Lees Ferr

Glen Canyon, Lees Fer

Grand Canyon, Diamond Creek Grand Canyon, Diamond Creek

 When: Continuous Continuous Methods: Methods: in situ sensors in situ sensors
Recreation Recreation

(tentative) (tentative)

 1.What: The level of visitor satisfaction 

The level of visitor satisfaction 

the recreational activities in the CRE? the recreational activities in the CRE?

 Where: CRE wide CRE wide- anglers at Lees Fe

anglers at Lees Fe

private boaters, commercial river private boaters, commercial river-runn

runn

clients clients

 When: every 5 years every 5 years Methods: Methods: Visitor Satisfaction Survey Visitor Satisfaction Survey
Other Threatened & Other Threatened & 

Endangered Species Endangered Species 

(e.g. KAS) (e.g. KAS)

 What: Status and trends of Kanab ambersna

Status and trends of Kanab ambersna

at Vasey’s Paradise? at Vasey’s Paradise?

 Where: Where: Vasey’s Paradise Vasey’s Paradise When: every 3 years every 3 years Methods: Methods: Remote sensing, with annual Remote sensing, with annual 

presence/absence surveys of Kanab ambers

presence/absence surveys of Kanab ambers