Location: Water Management and Systems Research
Project Number: 3012-13660-010-029-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Mar 15, 2024
End Date: Jul 21, 2026
Objective:
This project seeks to establish the Colorado South Platte research site as part of USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Program. The overall objective of the Colorado South Platte River CEAP project is to expand the understanding of conservation strategies and surface water quality.
Approach:
Project funds will support implementation of water quality monitoring and AgES modeling. Watershed monitoring stations will be established at targeted sites across the SPRB. Sites will provide data to assess BMP effectiveness at the appropriate scale, from edge-of-field to small watershed. The network may also include monitoring of groundwater monitoring stations connected with SPRB surface waters. The water quality monitoring network Foundational modeling will be carried out in headwater and agricultural watersheds to enable comparison of management strategy outcomes.
We will engage local (SPAN, Northern Water, City of Fort Collins, private land owners and public organizations), state (NRCS, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Parks and Wildlife) and national (especialy NRCS's CEAP and National Water Quality and Quantity Team,) who are involved in research, conservation and water quality monitoring. A Colorado South Platte River CEAP coordinator will oversee both internal and outreach/extension activities.
