Environmental Monitoring in the Lower Colorado River

Location

Lower Colorado River
California and Arizona

Client

US Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region, Boulder City, Nevada

Project Description

GSA is monitoring soil moisture and salinity, and groundwater elevations and salinity in restored riparian habitat areas in the Lower Colorado Region as part of the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (MSCP). Soil and groundwater monitoring data will be used to assess how these factors affect habitat stability and success. Monitoring is also a necessary component of the adaptive management phase of riparian restoration, and will aid in developing salinity, irrigation, and soil moisture management recommendations to improve habitat for target MSCP species such as riparian obligate birds.

GSA is installing 60 soil monitoring stations, 40 groundwater monitoring stations and is monitoring an additional 20 soil moisture monitoring stations. Soil sensor specific calibrations are being developed for the various soil monitoring material types. Data is transmitted daily via cellular communication with data processing, review, and compilation into a geodatabase.

Project Highlights