Hydrologic reconnaissance of the Yampa River during low flow, Dinosaur National Monument, northwestern Colorado

Invasive exotic plant (IEP) species are a significant threat to natural ecosystem integrity and biodiversity, and controlling them is a high priority for the National Park Service. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) selected the early detection of IEPs as one of 11 monitoring protocols to be implemented as part of its long-term monitoring program. We also calculated a patch management index (PMI) to quantify the extent and density of invasive patches into a single value that helps identify the scale of the problem. Park managers can use this tool to help prioritize IEP treatment. At Dinosaur National Monument, the NCPN monitors IEPs in the Green and Yampa river corridors. This report summarizes data from monitoring on the Green River in 2019, and monitoring on the Yampa River in 2017, to represent the completion of the third monitoring rotation of the entire river corridor (2002–2005, 2010–2011, 2017–2019). During surveys conducted from June 26 to July 2, 2019, NCPN staff detected 12 priority IEP species and two non-priority species in a 84.6-hectare (209-acre) area along 74.4 kilometers of the Green River above (“upper”) and below (“low-er”) its confluence with the Yampa. A total of 2,535 IEP patches were detected. Of those patches, 24.2% and 15.6% were smaller than 40 m2 on the upper and lower Green River reaches, respectively. The patch management index (PMI) was low or very low for 95.7% of patches on the upper Green River and 90.9% of patches on the lower Green River. Tamarisk (Tamarix sp.), broad-leaf pepperwort (Lepidium latifolium), and yellow sweetclover (Meli-lotus officinalis) were the most widespread species. For the first time, NCPN monitoring detected teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris) on the upper Green River. Yellow sweetclover has increased on all three river reaches during the survey years. Musk thistle (Carduus nutans) was found at considerably lower levels than yellow sweetclover but has also increased on all three river reaches. Leafy spurge is increasing on the lower Green River and Yampa River. Cheatgrass was not monitored in the first rotation, but increased substantially in cover and percent frequency on all three river sections from 2010–2011 to 2017–2019. This increase may be due to a lack of recent high-flow scouring events. The highly regulated upper Green River generally has the highest number of IEPs, while the lower Green River has a moderate amount of IEPs. The largely unregulated flows of the Yampa River continue to result in a lower number of patches per kilometer, lower percent cover, and lower percent frequency than the upper or lower Green River. Network staff will return to the monument in 2022 to begin the fourth monitoring rotation.

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Inventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Taxa of Dinosaur National Monument

The UW National Parks Service Research Station Annual Reports ◽

10.13001/uwnpsrc.1987.2617 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 33-37

Author(s):

David Kuntz ◽

Susan Galatowitsch ◽

Tamara Naumann ◽

Steven O'Kane ◽

Elizabeth Neely

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Rare Plants ◽

Rare Plant ◽

High Quality ◽

Rare Plant Species ◽

National Monument ◽

Dinosaur National Monument ◽

Special Concern ◽

Yampa River

Approximately one-third of Dinosaur National Monument was surveyed in 1987 for rare plants, general flora and high quality vegetation sites.The inventory focused on areas containing habitat with the highest probability of supporting rare plant species south of the Yampa River.

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Inventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Flora of Dinosaur National Monument

The UW National Parks Service Research Station Annual Reports ◽

10.13001/uwnpsrc.1988.2701 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 69-72

Author(s):

David Kuntz ◽

Tamara Naumann

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

High Probability ◽

Rare Plant ◽

Field Surveys ◽

National Monument ◽

Dinosaur National Monument ◽

Special Concern ◽

Second Year ◽

Yampa River

Field surveys during the second year (1988) of a botanical inventory of Dinosaur National Monument (DNM) concentrated in the Yampa River Canyon, its tributaries and selected adjacent uplands, and on Wild Mountain. Inventory efforts focused on areas not represented in historical collection records and on habitats with a high probability of supporting rare plant taxa. A museum research conponent was added to the study in the second year.

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