Rangeland Ecology & Management

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SPRINGS OF THE CROOKED RIVER BASIN, OREGON: INVENTORY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION.
Author
Aldous, Allison
Freed, Zach
Blevins, Emilie
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2016
Body

Springs in semi-arid landscapes such as Oregon's Crooked River Basin are important habitat for freshwater biodiversity because they provide oases of perennial water supply in a water-limited environment. Springs also are important to local economies because they are frequently developed for livestock water supply. Very little is known about aridland springs in Oregon; however, studies from other western states estimate approximately 90% are ecologically impaired because developments are not protective of ecological function (Stevens and Meretsky 2008). To address this issue, we undertook a multi-year project to inventory spring ecological types, assess their condition, and evaluate opportunities for protection and restoration. Since 2013, we have inventoried 94 springs and spring complexes (clusters of springs) of the nearly 2000 that are mapped in the basin. Of the inventoried springs, 69% are rheocrene (discrete orifice associated with a springbrook), 22% are hillslope (diffuse orifice and not accumulating peat), and 9% are helocrene (diffuse orifice, possibly peat-accumulating fens). Flow rates are highest for the rheocrene springs (mean=7.6 gpm, se=1.5) compared to hillslope (mean=1.9 gpm, se=0.6) and helocrene springs (mean=1.8 gpm, se=1.2). Biological inventories of a subset of higher flow rheocrene springs show they support significant populations of spring-dependent species, including spring snails, bryophytes, vascular plants, and amphibians. Field inventories also indicate that more than 80% of springs in the Crooked Basin have been developed for livestock watering, and the vast majority of these are developments are not protective of the spring ecosystem due to lack of or neglect of protective structures such as fences. To improve conservation of springs across the basin, we are taking a two-fold approach. On springs where water developments are no longer needed, we are testing methods for complete spring restoration. Where developments are still needed for livestock, we are testing some simple spring development designs that will meet both ecological and economic needs by splitting the water in a way that provides clean water for livestock while leaving water in the spring to support the spring ecosystem.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Corpus Christi, TX