Selected Large Springs Monitoring

Two scientists monitor water quality at MC Spring in Mojave National Preserve

NPS Photo

Overview

Beneath the desert is a vast system of groundwater stored in aquifers—underground layers of unconsolidated, porous, or fractured rock containing water. A natural spring occurs where water breaches the ground.

In the Mojave Desert, springs often represent the only surface water over large areas. As a result, springs are extremely important as habitat to aquatic and amphibian animal species and riparian plant species, and as water sources for terrestrial wildlife. Springs in the western United States support several hundred endemic plant and animal species, some of which are listed as endangered.

Numerous populations of springsnails, fish, insects, and other species rely on these springs for survival. The water quality and spring discharge monitoring in this protocol will allow us to detect habitat changes that could threaten endemic and endangered species in the selected large springs in our network parks.

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  How to Protect and Preserve a Desert Spring

  Learn more about desert springs in the Mojave Desert, the life they support, and how we're monitoring them.

  Duration:

  6 minutes, 8 seconds

Mojave Desert Network staff interviewed about desert springs!

National Public Radio station KNPR staff interviewed the MOJN program manager and ecologist about the importance of desert springs and why we are monitoring them, along with the vegetation associated with them. Listen as they discuss these vital ecological resources in the network parks in Nevada and what we are learning so far. You can also read a portion of the interview.

Selected Large Springs Monitoring occurs at

Death Valley National Park
Great Basin National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Mojave National Preserve
Parashant National Monument
 

Monitoring Objectives

• What is the status of and what are the trends in discharge from each of the selected large springs in the Mojave Desert Network parks?
• What is the status of and what are the trends in water quality and water chemistry in each of the selected large springs in the Mojave Desert Network parks?
• What is the status of and what are the trends in benthic macroinvertebrate communities and springsnail populations in each of the selected large springs?

Reports, Publications, and Datasets

Monitoring protocols describe why and how we collect, manage, analyze, and report monitoring data about the network's Vital Signs. Each protocol consists of a narrative and an associated set of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Monitoring reports summarize data and findings from our Vital Signs monitoring activities, and monitoring data include final datasets, data packages, and metadata.

Monitoring Reports

Source: Data Store Collection 4275. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Monitoring Data

Source: Data Store Collection 9376. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Monitoring Protocol and Procedures

Source: Data Store Collection 4279. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Briefs
Here you will find project overviews and recent findings as they are available.

Source: Data Store Collection 7917. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.