A04 SOW Final_0001.docx

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Inventory & Monitoring Division

Statement of Work NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division Spring Wetland Flora Inventory at Seven Intermountain Parks in Utah and Colorado

Project Background Small water sources such as springs and wetlands in intermountain parks are often of resource management concern because they provide unique resources and habitat for park plants and wildlife, and they may be vulnerable to developments outside of park boundaries and to climate change. Some of these resources also have or could have special protections through water rights agreements with states. Measuring the hydrology of these water sources can be difficult because they often have diffuse to low flow. The parks would like to evaluate spring and wetland condition based on the presence/absence of perennial obligate and facultative wetland plant species known to occur in the parks (see example list in Table 1; full lists in Attachment A). These species lists will be used to complete perimeter mapping of the spring and wetland areas in the targeted spatial frame for each park. By mapping polygons with >50% obligate and facultative wetland plant species cover we will have areas sensitive to drying mapped and can use this baseline to monitor change.

Mapping is required at seven parks in Utah and Colorado served by the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BLCA), Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA), Capitol Reef National Park (CARE), Cedar Breaks National Monument (CEBR), Colorado National Monument (COLM), Curecanti National Recreation Area (CURE), and Dinosaur National Monument (DINO).

Project Goals This study establishes a baseline by which to provide supporting evidence for any future claims of impairment. The State Engineer determines impairment, but a decrease in obligate and facultative wetland species would be a good faith approach by the parks to document impairment and has been developed as an indicator of impairment in coordination with the National Park Service Water Resources Division.

The objectives of this project are to:

· Document the presence/absence of wetland vascular plant species (obligate and facultative wetland) within seven Northern Colorado Plateau Network parks.

· Map spring and wetland areas defined as those with more than 50% perennial wetland herbaceous and shrub plant cover.

· Take representative photos of the spring/wetland area. When provided by the parks, these may include rematches of historic photos.

Specific Project Objectives

1. Conduct standardized fixed-area surveys for target species (Attachment A) using standard sampling techniques that will sufficiently detect target species and measure % cover. Sampling will follow the design proposed by the offeror and are to be conducted in a way to ensure that all sites are sampled. The placement of plots must include spatial replication sufficient to discern presence of all targeted wetland species, and determine the peremiter of wetlands as defined by 50% cover of target species. The offeror must describe in detail how the data collection techniques used will accomplish the stated project objectives.

2. When conditions allow, create a survey-grade (sub-foot accuracy) perimeter of the area with >50% perennial wetland herbaceous and shrub plant cover. Some areas in canyons may not have sufficient skyview to receive a satellite signal. Cover of wetland trees such as cottonwoods without underlying wetland herbs and shrubs should be excluded from the perimeter. In spring systems that feed an extensive stream-type riparian area, the area for the purposes of this inventory may be capped at 50m downstream from the spring orifice.

3. Take representative photos of the spring/wetland area.

4. Collect ancillary data at each site related to specific park needs (to be determined prior to commencing field work). Each park may request additional simple metrics to be collected at a site that do not require additional expertise and are not to exceed 20 minutes of work. Examples might be checkboxes for the presence/absence of surface water, presence/absence of social trails, presence of invasive species, indicators of livestock use, retaking historic photos, etc.

5. Specimens are not to be collected, unless necessary to verify plant species identification. Specimens, if collected, are assumed to be destroyed during analysis.

6. Observation data will be summarized by site: wetland area, perimeter length, and wetland species diversity metrics will be reported. This analysis will be described in detail sufficient for peer review and repetition by independent statisticians.

Offeror must provide budget with costs separated by park.

Study Area Description and Sampling Windows

CEBR:

Water resources in Cedar Breaks are managed under an agreement between the state of Utah and Cedar Breaks National Monument. The agreement specifically states that the State Engineer will not approve new water development that will negatively affect or alter wetland resources in a wetland protection zone. Located adjacent to the northeast portion of the monument, the wetland protection zone has a legal description described in paragraph eight of the agreement, as follows: “…all land east of and within one-quarter (1/4) mile of the monument boundary in Sections 24 and 25, T36S, R9W, Salt Lake Basin and Meridian…” The monument boundary was fixed in paragraph four of the agreement, which states: “Cedar Breaks National Monument shall not be enlarged, expanded or re-quantified.” The monument wishes to revisit wet meadows and Arizona willow shrublands identified in the 2011 vegetation map in the wetland protection zone and the adjacent area in the monument, (Fig. 1 Priority One and Two zones) and record a baseline of conditions of wetland polygons in order to ensure that the agreement is upheld. Sampling must occur between 15 July and 31 August based on the phenology of the target species.

Figure 1. Sampling areas, priority zones, and wetland areas in Cedar Breaks National Monument.

BLCA:

Sampling is to be conducted in BLCA Uninventoried Wetlands within the park (Figure 2). There is significant travel time due to long drives and sometimes including long hikes through rough and rugged terrain. Primitive car camping would be efficient for some sections of the park. Park estimate is 1-2 weeks of fieldwork. Fieldwork window is June-July. Park is managed together with CURE.

Figure 2. Sampling areas within BLCA.

BRCA

Surveys are to be conducted within sedge and rush wetland herbaceous meadows and wetlands inside the park (Figure 3). There are 20 polygons totaling 105 acres. Most of the habitat is on top of the rim, and driving/hiking time should not be excessive. The contractor should be able to make a rough estimate of field time based on the map. Fieldwork window is July - August.

Figure 3. Sampling areas within BRCA.

CARE

The sampling frame is approximately 35 known spring locations scattered throughout the park (Figure 4). There is significant travel time, often due to long drives on 4WD roads and sometimes including long hikes through rough and rugged terrain in high temperatures. Primitive car camping would be efficient for some sections of the park. Park estimate is 3-4 weeks of fieldwork. Fieldwork window is June – August.

Figure 4. Known spring locations at Capitol Reef National Park.

COLM

The sampling frame is approximately 50 known spring locations scattered throughout the park (Figure 5). There is significant travel time, mostly hiking through potentially rough and rugged terrain in high temperatures. Park estimate is 2-3 weeks of fieldwork. Fieldwork window is mid June - mid September.

Figure 5. Spring and seep locations at Colorado National Monument.

CURE

The sampling frame is previously uninventoried wetlands at the park (Figure 6). There is substantial travel time, including driving and hiking. Park estimate is 3-4 weeks of fieldwork. Fieldwork window is June-July. Park is managed together with BLCA.

Figure 6. Survey areas at CURE.

DINO

Thespatial layer will be provided by the park but will focus on upland water sources on the Utah side of the park. There is significant travel time, often due to long drives on 4WD roads and sometimes including long hikes through rough and rugged terrain. Primitive car camping would be efficient for some sections of the park. Park estimate is 4-6 weeks of fieldwork. Fieldwork window is June - September.

Target species The focal species are perennial obligate and facultative wetland vascular plant species (see Table 1 for an example list of species at CEBR; a complete list of target species is included in Attachment 1). Obligate wetland species are those defined as “plants that occur almost always (estimated probability >99 percent) in wetlands under natural conditions, but which may also occur rarely (estimated probability <1 percent) in nonwetlands” (USACE wetland delineation manual). Facultative wetland species are those defined as “plants that occur usually (estimated probability >67 percent to 99 percent) in wetlands, but also occur (estimated probability 1 percent to 33 percent) in nonwetlands” (USACE wetland delineation manual).

Table 1. The list of family and species names (sensu A Utah Flora, 4th edition) of perennial obligate and facultative wetland species known to occur at Cedar Breaks National Monument

Deliverables The offeror will provide the following to NPS at the conclusion of the study:

1. Report and associated data table(s), spatial data, and map(s) identifying:

a. sample (e.g., plot) locations.

b. Spatial data and maps describing the perimeter of all wetlands/springs.

c. List of target species detected at all sample locations within each wetland.

d. Photos associated with each wetland/spring polygon.

e. an analysis and discussion of results pertaining to wetland area (defined by 50% cover of target species), perimeter length, and wetland species diversity.

2. All code (e.g., R, SAS, or other) used in to analyze the survey data.

3. Observation data for all species observations, submitted in standard Microsoft Excel template (Available at https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2272660).

4. Polygons of wetland spring perimeters should be submitted as a geodatabase.

Place of Performance Field work must be completed at each park listed in this request. All other activities associated with analysis and reporting can be conducted at the recipient’s location.

Period of Performance Field work is expected to be completed within one year of award.

Deliverables are expected within 18 months of award, with an additional 90 days for review and acceptance of products by NPS staff.

Other Considerations Offeror will be responsible for securing all required park, state, and federal scientific collection permits prior to commencing work. Please note that the study area ranges from arid to alpine environments, including high elevations.

Note that accessing sites may require 4WD vehicles and/or long hikes over rough and rugged terrain.

Attachments Attachment A. Target wetland plant species list for spring plant inventories at Colorado and Utah parks. Available at https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2275564.

Citations Tendick, A., B. Friesen, G. Kittel, P. Williams, J. Coles, A. Wight, G. Wakefield and A. Evenden. 2011. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Cedar Breaks National Monument. Natural Resurce Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2011/470. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. https://irma.nps.gov/Datastore/DownloadFile/576635 and https://irma.nps.gov/Datastore/DownloadFile/576636 image1.jpg image2.emf image3.jpeg image4.jpeg image5.tmp image6.emf