In 2014, a diverse group of
stakeholders working together on the Dolores River finalized the Lower Dolores
River Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Native Fish (‘2014
Plan’). The 2014 Plan was designed to provide specific guidance on monitoring
and management actions to improve the status of native fish populations on the
Lower Dolores River. Release management, and especially the management of
larger releases from McPhee Reservoir, was identified as an important
opportunity for native fish in the 2014 Plan. Project runoff for Spring 2017
offered the opportunity to conduct a large managed release from the reservoir
into the Lower Dolores River. The 2014 Plan sets forth specific habitat
objectives for native fish (and associated measurable benchmarks) hypothesized
to be achievable at four different flow ranges, as well as spelling out four
native fish assumptions for all managed release scenarios. Habitat goals range
from flushing of fine sediments and thermal regime management at lower forecasted
releases, to habitat maintenance and inducing channel heterogeneity at higher
forecasted release volumes. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Colorado Parks
& Wildlife (CPW), Fort Lewis College, and Colorado Mesa University
monitored sensitive native fish and in-channel and riparian habitat to
determine if goals were achieved. Volume 1 summarizes findings.
Volume 2 presents detailed methods and findings.
