In 2010, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment Non-Point Source Program (NPS) and the Colorado Water Conservation Board Watershed Restoration Program (WRP) partnered with the Colorado Watershed Assembly to create the Measurable Results Program. The Measurable Results Program (MRP) will scientifically document the effects of restoration efforts on water bodies in Colorado that receive restoration funding from the NPS Program and the WRP's two daughter programs, the Colorado Watershed Restoration Program and the Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund (CHRF).
The MRP will act as a toolbox to systematically and quantitatively measure the changes in river systems and characterize the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial environment at the project sites. Annual resurveys of these established sites will document the environmental impact benefits of the restoration activities over time. The types of data generated through the MRP are diverse and will be selected with the ultimate goals of the project in mind. Projects will be evaluated on 4 levels:
The documentation of these benefits will help the program report on those results and identify and prioritize the most cost effective measures to achieve water quality improvement. Cost benefits and savings of pollution prevention versus pollution cleanup will also be calculated. Data generated by the MRP will be used to select effective restoration techniques for future projects targeting NPS pollution in Colorado and in similar environments.
The complete MRP Factsheet.
Please visit this page periodically, as it will be updated with site-specific information.
The MRP will act as a toolbox to systematically and quantitatively measure the changes in river systems and characterize the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial environment at the project sites. Annual resurveys of these established sites will document the environmental impact benefits of the restoration activities over time. The types of data generated through the MRP are diverse and will be selected with the ultimate goals of the project in mind. Projects will be evaluated on 4 levels:
1. Chemical - Use water quality and bank sediment chemistry to determine concentrations of pollutants of concern and nutrient and sediment load to the system.
2. Biological - Use macroinvertebrate surveys to indicate overall river system health. Determine bank erosive potential using riparian zone vegetation surveys.
3. Physical - Determine changes in bank stability, sediment size, riffle/pool ratio and others to document how the system is changing over time in response to restoration.
4. Remote Sensing - The collection and utilization of land use and GIS data will allow the MRP to assess historical use of the landscape surrounding the project and provide a tool that will generate a "big picture" assessment of the area in question.
2. Biological - Use macroinvertebrate surveys to indicate overall river system health. Determine bank erosive potential using riparian zone vegetation surveys.
3. Physical - Determine changes in bank stability, sediment size, riffle/pool ratio and others to document how the system is changing over time in response to restoration.
4. Remote Sensing - The collection and utilization of land use and GIS data will allow the MRP to assess historical use of the landscape surrounding the project and provide a tool that will generate a "big picture" assessment of the area in question.
The documentation of these benefits will help the program report on those results and identify and prioritize the most cost effective measures to achieve water quality improvement. Cost benefits and savings of pollution prevention versus pollution cleanup will also be calculated. Data generated by the MRP will be used to select effective restoration techniques for future projects targeting NPS pollution in Colorado and in similar environments.
The complete MRP Factsheet.
Please visit this page periodically, as it will be updated with site-specific information.
