Our Work at
Whitewater Ranch
Riparian Restoration
We focused on monitoring the growth and survivability of the restoration efforts added by past Restoration and Research teams. The plant health was determined by tracking the growth height of plants planted in previous years and comparing it to the base information collected by previous teams. To determine the survival rate of the plants we looked for signs of disease, animal grazing, and competition from other species. We then recorded the status of the plants (dead, alive, damaged), growth of the plant, damage characteristics of the plant (location, type, quantity) and noted any type of competitors to our riparian plants.
To observe the change of Goose Creek at Whitewater Ranch over time, we used photo points to record the progression of the plant growth. The plants we added during the restoration process have been noted and had their heights measured to provide baseline information for future projects.
Water Quality
To evaluate the overall health of Goose Creek we monitored the water quality at three sites along the length of the creek, as well as a point in Trout Creek. Trout Creek was originally measured as a reference point for Goose Creek, but it is now measured for recovery monitoring following the Holiday Farm Fire.
To measure the water quality, we first recorded the depth of each test site, and then measured the temperature of the water. The temperature probe is held in the water for 60 seconds to ensure the standardization of data collection. Water temperature is an easy to measure indicator of water quality, as higher water temperatures would suggest poor habitat for aquatic biota.
Pollinator Pockets
In order to promote local pollinator health and the overall health of riparian zones, past ELP team’s have planted “pollinator pockets” along Goose Creek. Pollinator pockets are concentrated areas of plantings that have native flowering species beneficial to pollinator promotion, allowing for a greater distribution of ecosystem services across the breadth of the farm. Our goal was to monitor the health of past team’s pockets and observe which species were successful and which species were not, to inform current and future restoration decisions concerning successful species along Goose Creek. We then used this data to curate and design our own pollinator pocket for 2024.
