Sonoran Desert Heliograph Quarterly Newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network

National Park Service Inventory & Monitoring U.S. Department of the Interior

Volume 1, Issue 2 Sonoran Desert Heliograph Quarterly Newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network

Natural Resource Condition Inside this Issue Assessments Underway Manager’s Message...... 2 Arrivals and Departures...... 2 New on the Web!...... 2 ver the past year or so, the Intermountain Region Inventory & Monitoring Project Updates...... 3 (I&M) networks, including the Sonoran Desert Network, have taken on re- Staff profile: Kate Connor...... 4 sponsibility for a National Park Service (NPS) program that evolved sepa- O Trash Removed from Santa Cruz.....6 rately from I&M but shares similar goals. The Natural Resource Condition Assess- ments (NRCA) program was initiated by the NPS to provide current information on Where Are We?...... 8 the status of natural resources in park units across the nation. NRCAs utilize exist- ing data, observations, and expert opinion to determine the ecological condition of resources relative to established reference conditions. NRCAs are park-specific, and are intended to provide parks with information that will sup- port management and planning for natural resources. The NRCA program—originally the Watershed Condition As- sessment (WCA) program—was created in response to Con- gress’s Appropriations Act for FY 2003, which instructed (and funded) the NPS to assess environmental conditions in water- sheds. WCAs eventually became NRCAs and, in 2009, coordina- tion of the NRCAs was assigned to the NPS regions. In the Inter- mountain Region, the NRCA program was assigned to the I&M networks.

What is the purpose of an NRCA? NRCAs combine useful scientific documentation and new in- sights about current resource conditions and the threats and stressors that influence those conditions. NRCAs do not: • define the desired resource conditions for a park; • establish park resource management targets; • recommend specific park management actions or strategies; • give a single overall-condition score for park areas; • evaluate alternative futures (e.g., climate change scenario planning); • emphasize rigorous trend analysis; or

In the first stage of an NRCA, network staff meet with park • report on conditions for lands and resources outside park managers and delineate “management reporting areas” on boundaries. a park map. This is a finished example for Tuzigoot National . . . continued on page 7 → Monument.

Official newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network, Winter 2010 Sonoran Desert Heliograph 1(2) 1 Arrivals and Departures

Congratulations to former Assistant Data Man- ager KRISTEN BEAUPRÉ, who is now the SODN Data Manager. Learn more about Kristen at http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sodn/ bio_kristen.cfm. Message from the Program Manager Former Data Manager DEBBIE ANGELL is the new NRCA Information Manager for Southern IMR Parks (see cover story). As described in Deborah Angell’s article in this issue of the Heliograph, Natural Re- New in the SODN offices isLACRECIA JOHNSON, the new I&M program manager source Condition Assessments address for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lacrecia and her future staff will be co-located three essential questions: “What are the with SODN. Welcome, Lacrecia! current conditions of fundamental park natural resources?” “How do current con- ditions compare with similar resources off-park?” and “How have park resources Have you seen this plant? changed over time?” Matthiola parviflora (Shousb.) (Brassicaceae) Drawing from I&M results, legacy data- The University of Arizona is trying to catalog the current distribution of Matthiola parviflora, an exotic annual cru- sets, and the research literature, condition cifer, around Tucson (and anywhere else!). It will flower assessments provide context by evaluating and fruit in March and April. If you see this plant, please park natural resources from multiple per- e-mail detailed location information and any comments about extent or density to Jonathan Horst, jhorst@email. spectives and at varied scales. Originally arizona.edu. developed in response to Department of M. parviflora is similar to the more showy M. longipetala, the Interior land-health goals, natural re- a naturalized horticultural plant, but has much smaller source condition assessments have evolved (<1 cm diameter) and paler (lavender) flowers, without wavy margins on the to bridge planning, science, and park man- petals (visit www. agement by incorporating both formal (i.e., eebweb.arizona.edu/ established in planning or enabling legisla- faculty/venable/mat- thiola.htm for photos tion) and informal (park standard practices) of both species). Both management themes and emphasizing have characteristic spatial products like maps, remote-sensing long, narrow, horned imagery, and other GIS-related tools. siliques. Petals: 0.6–0.8 cm, I encourage you to check out the early lavender, obovate. products for other parks at http://www. Raceme: Usually <20 cm, often overtopped nature.nps.gov/water/NRCondition_As- by leaves sessment_Program/NRCA_Reports.cfm; the document for Rocky Mountain National Park is a good example. Please feel free to contact me for more information on Natu- ral Resource Condition Assessments in So- noran Desert Network parks.

—Andy Hubbard

New on the Web! Check out the network’s web site for new reports and briefs on uplands monitoring at Fort Bowie NHS, Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, and Saguaro NP (RMD); reports and briefs on network-wide landbird monitoring in 2009 and 2010; uplands trip summaries; and a plan for enhanced monitoring of climate- sensitive indicators in southwest desert parks. http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sodn/

2 Official newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network Project Updates

Exotic Plants NHS. The twenty-fourth year of ground- ment. The Rocky Mountain Bird Obser- water data collection will begin at Organ vatory, our primary cooperator for this The relatively new exotic plants–early Pipe Cactus NM, where park staff col- project, manages the bird monitoring detection protocol will be implemented lects quarterly data from nine sites. The data. The 2010 annual landbirds moni- at a few SODN parks in 2011. Currently, Arizona Department of Water Resources toring report is nearing completion. Casa Grande Ruins NM is scheduled to will continue to collect data at Tumacá- be sampled during March/April, in order cori NHP. For that monitoring, a man- Natural Resource to capture winter annual growth. This ual, as well as continuous data, are avail- sampling effort will provide useful infor- Condition Assessments able at https://gisweb.azwater.gov/gwsi/ mation on implementation effectiveness NRCAs for Chiricahua NM, Coronado SearchGWSI.aspx. Search for the regis- and usefulness of the data to park staff, NMem, and Fort Bowie NHS are near- tration numbers of the two wells, 551438 and provide estimates of time needed to ing completion. NRCAs are currently and 551439. The U.S. Geological Survey conduct the surveys. Other exotic plant underway for SODN’s five small cultural monitors one well at Coronado NMem; surveys will be conducted throughout parks with important riparian resources: the data for this well can be found at the year in conjunction with other sched- Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot nation- http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/dv/?site_ uled vegetation work at Gila Cliff Dwell- al monuments, Tumacácori NHP, Gila no=312044110141901&referred_ ings and Montezuma Castle national Cliff Dwellings NM, and Tonto NM. module=gw. Chiricahua NM staff will monuments. Servicewide, all NRCAs are scheduled continue to collect monthly data from for completion by 2014. Groundwater three sites at the monument. For more, see “Groundwater In-Depth,” page 5. SODN groundwater monitoring is con- Springs ducted through a combination of SODN Landbirds Springs inventories have been com- staff site visits and collaboration with pleted for Saguaro NP, Chiricahua NM, Landbirds were surveyed at all 11 SODN park staff and other agencies. Over the Fort Bowie NHS, Coronado NMem, parks in 2010. Species richness and next three months, SODN staff will and Gila Cliff Dwellings NM. SODN community composition varied widely make quarterly site visits to Saguaro staff will meet with staff from the Chi- among parks. White-winged doves were NP, Coronado NMem, and Fort Bowie huahuan Desert Network and Mojave the most commonly detected species (n Desert Network to support springs pro- = 785). New species were recorded for tocol development related to the NPS three parks, with five new species re- climate-change initiative (http://www. National Park Service corded for Chiricahua National Monu- U.S. Department of the Interior nature.nps.gov/climatechange/about. ©ROBERT SHANTZ cfm). Springs inventories will soon be completed at Organ Pipe Cactus and Tonto national monuments. The Sonoran Desert Network is one of 32 National Park Service inventory and monitoring networks nationwide that are Streams implementing vital signs monitoring in order Stream channel-morphology sampling to assess the condition of park ecosystems has been initiated at Gila Cliff Dwell- and develop a stronger scientific basis for stewardship and management of natural ings NM. The focus of this effort was to resources across the National Park System. resurvey existing stream-channel cross- sections and establish five new cross- Sonoran Desert Network sections, bringing the total to 11. Quar- 7660 East Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona 85710 terly streams sampling was implemented at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, Montezuma Phone 520-546-1607 Castle NM (both units), Tumacácori NHP, Tuzigoot NM, and Pecos NHP Website (Southern Plains Network; SOPN). Mul- http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sodn tiparameter probes have been deployed at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM and Tu- The National Park Service cares for the The first observation of a black phoebe special places saved by the American people (Sayornis nigricans) at Chiricahua NM macácori NHP. In addition, SODN and so that all may experience our heritage. was recorded in 2010. . . . continued on page 5 →

Sonoran Desert Heliograph 1(2) 3 Staff profile: Kate Connor

hen SODN biotechnician Kate Connor was grow- One obvious goal of all this ing up in Erie, Pennsylvania, no one was really is true sustainability—of W talking about Erie’s particular “sense of place,” or the sort to which the Na- about which species of trees lining the streets had been grow- tional Park Service aspires ing there for millennia or were new exotic transplants. The un- and is developing through derstanding that everything around us is part of a functioning its Climate-Friendly Parks system—or, at least, should be—came later, and it’s a lesson program (http://www. that’s stuck. nps.gov/climatefriendlyp- arks/) and the Intermoun- Kate, who has an environmental-studies background and is tain Region Sustainability currently serving a term appointment as SODN’s field crew Initiative (http://www.cfc. leader for vegetation monitoring, worked as a seasonal park umt.edu/cesu/NEWCE- guide and biotech at several National Park Service units, in- SU/Assets/Partner%20 cluding Saguaro NP, before returning to Tucson in 2007. Al- Activities/FY10%20Activities/10RMCluster_Meeting/RM_ though she was simultaneously offered a term position in Cluster10.html). As one of her future professional objectives, Moab, Utah, Kate’s love of the desert southwest compelled Kate would like to contribute to shaping that effort, including her to opt for what was then a seasonal position with SODN, investigating options for broad-scale implementation of solar instead. The Sonoran Desert lowlands, she says, are her favor- energy, composting toilets, and alternative fuels. ite ecosystem, and she understands why Arizona was author Edward Abbey’s favorite state of all. Kate is also an amateur herbalist with a strong interest in tradi- tional medicinal uses of local plants. She shares her home with Being part of a program that examines earth-based systems her husband, Pete, who works on the trail crew for Saguaro from an holistic perspective is a good fit for Kate, whose pas- NP, and their dog, Star. She is already looking forward to the sion outside work is permaculture, “an ecological design sys- April paloverde bloom. tem for sustainability in all aspects of human endeavor” (www. permaculture.org). On the ground, that means approaching —Alice Wondrak Biel your living space and environs as a system in and of itself; not SODN Writer-Editor only using natural building materials, for example, but also xe- riscaping, gardening, composting, and harvesting rainwater. Individually, those actions might be part of any personal “greening” program; what separates permaculture is its inte- gration of those actions into part of a multi-faceted system in which each component serves at least three household purpos- es. Harvested rainwater, for instance, is not just fed back into plants, but also used to cook food and wash clothing. The pas- sion flower (Passiflora arizonica, a native vine) Kate has plant- ed on her north-side deck lattice shades a large window from the hot summer sun, cooling the house and reduc- ing her cooling bill. The vines also bear fruit, have medicinal uses, and pro- PHOTOS COURTESY KATE CONNOR KATE PHOTOS COURTESY vide privacy. Of course, they are also aesthetically Left, passionflower. Above, paloverde in bloom. pleasing (see photo!). Learn more about Kate at http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sodn/bio_kate.cfm

4 Official newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network Project Updates with Pecos NHP staff regarding the in- work at Tonto NM. The first few months continued from page 3 stallation of monitoring equipment. of 2011 will be spent reviewing the data and finalizing the map. In addition, Uplands field work at will continue Saguaro NP SOPN staff met with natural and cultural (TMD), with the aim of interpolating resource staff at Pecos NHP to discuss Vegetation and soils monitoring crews field data collected during the fall to un- installation of stream-discharge and wa- will primarily be focused on data man- mapped areas. A scoping meeting will be ter-quality instruments at the park. agement during the upcoming winter months. Soil samples collected at each conducted for Montezuma Castle NM Upcoming work will include quarterly plot will be processed during this time (both units) in January, with mapping sampling at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, and plant specimens will be identified, work planned for early summer. Montezuma Castle NM (both units), Tu- vouchered, and accessed into the Uni- macácori NHP, Tuzigoot NM, and SOPN versity of Arizona herbarium. Field work Washes parks Pecos NHP, Lyndon B. Johnson will resume at full force in June, with the Testing of wash-monitoring techniques NHP, and Chickasaw NRA, as well as intervening months spent planning and has continued at Organ Pipe Cactus channel-morphology monitoring at Gila training new interns. NM, including the channel-morphology Cliff Dwellings NM and Pecos NHP. and riparian vegetation modules. SODN staff will meet with staff from Vegetation Mapping Lyndon B. Johnson NHP and Chickasaw During December, we completed the NRA for training and implementation of accuracy assessment phase of mapping quarterly sampling at those parks, and

Groundwater In-Depth Following are two examples of applications of water-level data, one short-term and one long-term.

Figure 1 (left) illustrates a record of water levels as depth-to-water at a pany to obtain additional water from another source. well in a SODN park. In this case, the park had agreed with a contrac- tor that groundwater pumping would occur only for a certain number In Figure 2 (right), data from the same well illustrate the importance of hours per day, and only during certain hours. Park managers were of long-term groundwater data and the impact of sampling frequency concerned about water levels declining due to the pumping, caus- on interpretation. The light-blue dots show water levels measured ing possible impacts to surface resources. The data shown in Figure 1 manually, with a water-level sounding tape. The dark-blue line shows were measured at a 30-minute interval, using a recording water-level water levels measured more frequently, with the recording water- sensor installed in a well near the pumping well. As the figure shows, level sensor that was installed for the data collection effort discussed water levels draw down during pumping and recover after the pump above. The figure shows that water levels in this well varied over a is turned off. The changes in measured water levels indicate when the range of more than 60 feet during the period shown. This puts the pump was turned on and off. The maximum change in water level two-foot change in water level observed for the data set shown in Fig- over the duration shown on the plot was about two feet. This is not ure 1 into perspective; sampling frequency between 1998 and 2008, a substantial decline over the short term, but the downward trend which took place approximately quarterly, was adequate to identify in static water levels indicates that if the project had continued for long-term changes in water levels at this location, but clearly would several more months, there might have been reason for concern. The not have provided the resolution needed to answer management contractor was revealed to be pumping for many more hours than questions such as the one discussed above. were agreed upon, and these data were used to convince the com- —Colleen Filippone, Regional Hydrologist

Sonoran Desert Heliograph 1(2) 5 Volunteers Pull Ton of Trash from Santa Cruz

Members of Southwest Conservation Corps Crew #130 pose with some of the trash they pulled out of the Santa Cruz River in September.

or 10 sweltering days in Sep- from the boundary fence and performed ports native fish populations and pro- tember, Southwest Conser- trail maintenance in the park—all the vides habitat for numerous mammals, Fvation Corps (SCC) Crew while dealing safely with daily tempera- reptiles, amphibians, and more than #130 worked to remove more than tures of more than 100 degrees. 200 bird species. Wildlife viewing op- one ton of garbage from the Santa portunities attract naturalists from all The Santa Cruz River has its headwa- Cruz River’s flow through Tumacá- over the world, including thousands of ters in the San Rafael basin in southern cori National Historical Park (NHP). birders hoping to catch a glimpse of mi- Arizona. From there, it flows south into grant species, such as the endangered Mexico, then makes a northerly U-turn Why so much trash in the river? Dur- southwestern willow flycatcher, colorful and returns to the U.S. via the Nogales ing the summer and winter monsoons, elegant trogon, or reclusive yellow-billed International Wastewater Treatment intense rainstorms carry debris and cuckoo. Plant. The river has sustained human garbage into the park, creating dams populations for over 3,500 years, and The park’s riparian area is a sensitive re- and redirecting water across the flood- with its current, effluent-generated source, and garbage removal is an ongo- plain within Tumacácori NHP. These flow, it continues to replenish ground- ing park activity in support of ecological fast-moving flows also deposit large water aquifers and support a ripar- health. This marks the fourth year that woody debris on fences. To prevent a ian area of cottonwood-willow forests. Tumacácori NHP has partnered with fence collapse and the arrival of trespass SCC to complete conservation projects, cattle into the park, that debris must Lowland riparian forests are among the and park managers look forward to con- be removed before the next big storm. rarest ecosystems in the Western U.S., tinuing this valuable partnership.

with an estimated 90% of presettlement In addition to removing more than a ton —Jason Welborn forest having been degraded by water of trash from the park’s stream channel Biotechnician, Tumacácori NHP extraction or converted to agriculture. and riparian areas, the hard-working The one-mile stretch of this stream and SCC crew, made up of six members and associated forest within the park sup- two co-leaders, also removed debris

6 Official newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network NRCAs Underway • Landscapes (2 topics): Extent and Pattern of Major Eco- logical Systems, Connectivity of Natural Landscapes continued from page 1 Each section listed above included a description of its topic Rather, they are intended to help park managers to: and a justification for its choice, an explanation of the ap- • develop near-term strategies and priorities by identifying proach and methods the authors used to address the topic, a park areas and resources that warrant the most immedi- description of the reference condition, an accounting and dis- ate attention so limited staff and funding can be better uti- cussion of findings, an explanation of uses and limitations for lized; those findings, and an overall topic summary. • participate in watershed- or landscape-scale resource That report, and examples of other completed reports, can be partnerships and education efforts; found at http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/NRCondition_As- • conduct formal planning to describe and quantify desired sessment_Program/NRCA_Reports.cfm. conditions for their most important resources and de- velop comprehensive strategies for how to best protect/ How has this program affected SODN? restore those same resources; and Integrating the completion of 11 NRCAs into the network’s • report to “resource condition status” performance/ac- extant workload required some internal juggling. To help meet countability measures as instructed by the Department of this challenge, SODN Program Manager Andy Hubbard reas- Interior and the Office of Management and Budget. signed SODN Data Manager Debbie Angell to the position of NRCA Information Manager for Southern IMR Parks. Debbie How is an NRCA created? is coordinating the search for and assembling the information The primary phases in developing an NRCA are: resources for these reports, not only for the SODN parks but also for parks in other southern IMR networks. In addition, a Planning and information gathering – SODN staff con- SODN NRCA Team was created to oversee the project. This duct a preliminary planning meeting with park staff, at which group, which includes Andy, Debbie, aquatic ecologist Evan “management reporting areas” are delineated on a park map Gwilliam, vegetation ecologist Sarah Studd, IMR regional hy- (see figure). For each area, a primary management or inter- drologist Colleen Filippone, and Sonoran Institute ecologist pretive theme, important resources, and character-defining Cheryl McIntyre, meets periodically to assess progress, assign features are identified. This spatial context guides the infor- priorities, and guide the search efforts. mation search and provides a reporting framework for the assessment. The search for various types of information (e.g., NRCAs for Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado Na- reports, plans, data sets, spatial data layers, species lists, pho- tional Memorial, and Fort Bowie National Historic Site are tographs) from multiple sources (e.g., Western Archeological nearing completion. NRCAs are currently underway for Mon- and Conservation Center archives and library, e-TIC online, tezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments, Tumacá- park library and files) is conducted and relevant materials are cori National Historical Park, Gila Cliff Dwellings National scanned and their locations recorded in a database. Monument, and Tonto National Monument. Servicewide, all NRCAs are scheduled for completion by 2014. Data synthesis – The information is analyzed, interpreted, and synthesized by network staff and partners. Local subject For more information, contact the NRCA Information Man- matter experts may also be consulted. ager for Southern IMR Parks, Debbie Angell, at 520-403-2716 or [email protected]. Product development – The assessment is written, following a standard outline, and spatial data layers are developed. —Debbie Angell NRCA Information Manager for Southern IMR Parks What’s in an NRCA? To show by example, a recent NRCA for Rocky Mountain Na- tional Park contained sections addressing the following topics: • Air and climate: Condition of Alpine Lakes and Atmo- For more information: spheric Deposition http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/ • Water: Extent and Connectivity of Wetland and Riparian NRCondition_Assessment_Program/Index.cfm Areas • Biotic Integrity (3 topics): Exotic Terrestrial Plant Species, Extent and Connectivity of Fish Distributions, Extent of Suitable Beaver Habitat

Sonoran Desert Heliograph 1(2) 7 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Sonoran Desert Network 7660 East Broadway Boulevard, Suite 303 Tucson, Arizona 85710

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™

Where Are We?

The Sonoran Desert Heliograph is a Monitoring currently scheduled during the next quarter includes: publication of the Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network. Month Project and Park Program Manager February Streams: Tumacácori NHP, Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, Montezuma Andy Hubbard Castle/Tuzigoot NMs

Editing and Design Vegetation Mapping: Saguaro NP (TMD) Alice Wondrak Biel Uplands: All parks, data management and reporting March Springs: Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, Tonto NM* Contributors Leslie Aills Streams: Pecos NHP (SOPN)* Debbie Angell Vegetation Mapping: Saguaro NP (TMD) Colleen Filippone Evan Gwilliam Uplands: All parks, data management and reporting Andy Hubbard April Springs: Organ Pipe Cactus NM Sarah Studd Jason Welborn Vegetation Mapping: Saguaro NP (TMD), data management and Alice Wondrak Biel map development; Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, preparation for field work All photos in this document are courtesy of Uplands: Organ Pipe NM (field); all parks, data management and the National Park Service. reporting Visit us on the web at Washes: Organ Pipe Cactus NM http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sodn *tentatively scheduled CHDN = Chihuahuan Desert Network; SOPN = Southern Plains Network

8 Official newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network