Ski Resort Key to Maintaining Healthy Meadow Ecosystem
In 2015 CalTrout is partnering with Kirkwood Mountain and Vail Resorts to help steward Kirkwood Meadow and Creek, which are important headwaters to the American River. Kirkwood Meadows is a beautiful and historic high sierra meadow that provides ecological services to local flora, fauna, and critical downstream water supplies. It also provides recreational opportunities for homeowners and guests. CalTrout is engaging Kirkwood to establish a partnership aiming to enhance this beautiful and important meadow.
CalTrout is conducting a comprehensive habitat assessment to help determine the overall health of the meadow in it’s current state. This assessment will take into consideration the following factors: meadow size, floodplain connectivity, channel geomorphology, hydrologic indicators of water table, bank stability of creek, in stream habitat, range of habitat variability, riparian plan communities and structure, stream shading and woody debris, load stability, sediment sources, basic water quality, temperatures, areas of use and connectivity. This data will then be analyzed to identify restoration priorities and help influence future management decisions to maintain a healthy and functioning meadow ecosystem.
A healthy meadow provides a significant recreational attraction to the Kirkwood Resort. In good condition, Kirkwood Creek is capable of supporting a robust population of wild trout. A healthy meadow also supports more native plant communities, which will equate to better wild flower viewing for summer guests. Most importantly, healthy meadows store and filter more water more effectively, which could help diffuse some of the non-natural particulates that come off the ski resort affecting water quality all the way down stream into the El Dorado Irrigation District who use the water from the American River for Municipalities.
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