R1 M LIBRARY 88072847 Rio de Truchas Riparian Monitoring Study Report 2005 Prepared for: S DEPARTMENT Of THI INTER** A U.S. Department of the Interior % MtfUOf lANO fekvAAiaUM M BLM Library Bureau of Land Management Denver Federal Center rr Farmington District Office Bldg. 50, OC-521 Taos Field Office P.O. Box 25047 Taos, New Mexico QH Denver, CO 80225 541.5 Prepared by: . R52 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation R56 Technical Service Center 2005 Environmental Services Division Fisheries & Wildlife Resources Group Denver, Colorado May 2006 tyol-mi ID-, <2H sll.g' 'f&L /> rV)*. Rio de Truchas Riparian Monitoring Study Report prepared by Rebecca Siegle, Natural Resources Specialist DATE DUE LIBRARY MAY 2 5 2007 Bweeti! of f*tofli*nnation Denver, Colorado O-- jyJ5ruE)(T 0f vSjjjEAU OF RBXWFjSL* U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Technical Service Center Environmental Services Division Ecological Planning and Assessment Denver, Colorado May, 2006 f\ \ Mission Statements The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our commitments to island communities. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. I Contents Page INTRODUCTION. 1 METHODS.2 Vegetation mapping.2 Photo stations.2 Vegetation monitoring.4 Soil moisture/groundwater monitoring.5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.5 Vegetation mapping.5 Photo stations.7 Vegetation monitoring.7 Groundwater monitoring.9 RECOMMENDATIONS.9 Vegetation mapping.9 Photo stations.9 Vegetation monitoring.11 Groundwater monitoring.11 LITERATURE CITED.11 APPENDIX A.12 Photo points and exclosure locations APPENDIX B.14 Vegetation map and classification codes APPENDIX C.17 Comparison of photos APPENDIX D. 25 Groundwater monitoring results L INTRODUCTION The Bureau of Reclamation began riparian monitoring within Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Taos Field Office’s Rio de Truchas grazing allotment in October of 2003. The Rio de Truchas is a tributary of the Rio Grande, located east of Highway 68, south of the town of Velarde, New Mexico (Figure 1). This report summarizes the information that has been collected to date in association with this study. The purpose of monitoring was to assess the impacts of winter/spring grazing on riparian health. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Biological Opinion for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher in the Taos Resource Area (1997) defines the Rio de Truchas area as potential short-term habitat (1-3 yrs) for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher. As such, the Biological Opinion recommended that the impacts of winter grazing during the dormant season in riparian habitats be evaluated. These recommended studies “should assess whether riparian vegetation has had time to become established and has grown to sufficient size to withstand grazing pressures.” . Figure 1 Location map. 1 h