Project Number: 5342-13610-010-07
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 25, 2007
End Date: Dec 31, 2009

Objective:
As a component of efforts to attain sustainable ground water use in the Sierra Vista subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro Basin, and to sustain riparian ecosystems in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) of southeastern Arizona, riparian ecosystem monitoring is now required by federal law. The objective of this cooperative research is to assist the USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center (SWRC) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the monitoring of riparian vegetation within the SPRNCA.

Approach:
A recently published report described the status of the riparian vegetation within 14 delineated reaches of the SPRNCA. We will conduct an additional round of vegetation monitoring at a subset of sites, during the period 2008-2009. Vegetation condition will be sampled using established protocol at nine sites (St. David, Contention, Fairbanks, Boquillas, Charleston Mesquite, Moson, Hunter, Hereford, and Palominas). Sampling will encompass determination of four indices of plant species composition and diversity in the low-flow channel zone during the pre-monsoon summer dry season, and determination of five indices of woody vegetation structure within the flood plain. Documents SCA with AZ. State University.