beaver instinct final
DESCRIPTION
Final presentation created by students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for completion of the Interactive Qualifying Project.TRANSCRIPT
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BEAVER INSTINCTNature’s Contribution to the Restoration of the
Santa Fe River Ecosystem
Jennifer GillAllison GrocelaChris HustonCarlos Sarria
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Special Thanks to:
Mark EricsonSanta Fe Indian School
Rich SchraderRiver Source
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Community Action
1996 – Tree Planting Campaign
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Reintroduced
RemovedCottonwoods Willows
Russian Olives
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Jenny’s Map
Beaver Habitat
Flood Zone
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Jenny’s Map
Land Affected:•Santa Fe County Open Space•Bureau of Land Management•Private Land - Ed Sceery
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Mission
The goal of this project is to assess the impacts of beavers on the ecosystem of the Santa Fe
River and on the surrounding population.
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Beavers
Range
Life Span
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Food
Habitat
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Impacts of Beavers
Equalize water flow
Reduce downstream flooding
Prevent erosion Recharge aquifers Filter sediment
Increase biodiversity Fish, Birds, Ponds
Dams Habitat
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Objectives
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on the Santa Fe River ecosystem
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on human activities
To develop an education platform for the continued monitoring of the Santa Fe River ecosystem
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Objectives
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on the Santa Fe River ecosystem
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on human activities
To develop an education platform for the continued monitoring of the Santa Fe River ecosystem
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Collect potentially relevant data
Aquifer level Stream flow Phosphates Nitrates Temperature pH Total Dissolved Solids Turbidity
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Data Collection Participants
Santa Fe Girls School – since 2005 Before and After Beavers Arrived
Santa Fe Indian School – since 2008
WPI project Team – March to April 2011 Upstream and Downstream of Dams
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Aquifer Level Data1/
1/20
05
7/1/
2005
1/1/
2006
7/1/
2006
1/1/
2007
7/1/
2007
1/1/
2008
7/1/
2008
1/1/
2009
7/1/
2009
1/1/
2010
7/1/
2010
1/1/
2011
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
Ave
rage c
m b
elo
w leve
l lin
e
Period of Beaver Activity
Deterioration of Dams
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Stream Flow
1/1/2008 5/1/2008 9/1/2008 1/1/2009 5/1/2009 9/1/2009 1/1/2010 5/1/2010 9/1/2010 1/1/2011 5/1/20110
5
10
15
20
25
30
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Cubic
Feet
per
Seco
nd
Beavers Left
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Total Dissolved Solids
7/1/2009 10/1/2009 1/1/2010 4/1/2010 7/1/2010 10/1/2010 1/1/2011 4/1/20110
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
ppm
Note: erratic
spikes after beavers left
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Stream Flow
3/23
/201
1
3/24
/201
1
3/25
/201
1
3/26
/201
1
3/27
/201
1
3/28
/201
1
3/29
/201
1
3/30
/201
1
3/31
/201
1
4/1/
2011
4/2/
2011
4/3/
2011
4/4/
2011
4/5/
2011
4/6/
2011
4/7/
2011
4/8/
2011
4/9/
2011
4/10
/201
1
4/11
/201
1
4/12
/201
1
4/13
/201
1
4/14
/201
10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
upstreamdownstream
Date
cfs
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Turbidity
3/31
/201
1
4/1/
2011
4/2/
2011
4/3/
2011
4/4/
2011
4/5/
2011
4/6/
2011
4/7/
2011
4/8/
2011
4/9/
2011
4/10
/201
1
4/11
/201
1
4/12
/201
1
4/13
/201
1
4/14
/201
10
2
4
6
8
10
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upstreamdownstream
Date
NTU
Turbidity higher downstream of the
dams
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Aquifer Level: Positive Impact of Beavers
1/1/
2005
7/1/
2005
1/1/
2006
7/1/
2006
1/1/
2007
7/1/
2007
1/1/
2008
7/1/
2008
1/1/
2009
7/1/
2009
1/1/
2010
7/1/
2010
1/1/
2011
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
Ave
rage c
m b
elo
w leve
l lin
e
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Objectives
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on the Santa Fe River ecosystem
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on human activities
To develop an education platform for the continued monitoring of the Santa Fe River ecosystem
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Santa Fe Airport
Built in 1942, adjacent to Santa Fe River
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SAF Number of Flights Annually
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
Number of Flight
s
Year
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SAF Number of Wildlife Strikes Annually
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
Number of Flight
s
Year= 1 Bird Strike
= 1 Prairie Dog Strike= 1 Bird Ingestion
Nationwide Wildlife Hazard Assessment
2009: Mandatory assessment at all Part 139 airports
Result of Flight 1549
US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River January 15, 2009
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Hudson River Accident
Wildlife Hazard Assessment
Wildlife Management Plan
Beavers Stay
Beavers Go
SAF Wildlife Hazard Assessment
Started last quarter of 2010
Full year assessment Finishes Fall 2011 Will assess:
Number, species, risk Hazardous land use:
cattle farms, crops, etc Hazardous facilities:
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Santa Fe Girls School Project Preserve Site
Beaver Flood Zone
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Management Plan Outcomes
Hudson River Accident
Wildlife Hazard Assessment
Wildlife Management Plan
Beavers Stay
Beavers Go
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Benefits of beaversEducational valueBeaver management techniques
Video
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Beaver Habitat Requirements
Vegetation: Cottonwoods Willows
Water Natural
Predators Coyotes, bears, dogs
TerrainDry, large area of landNo neighbors within ½ mile
Assessing Possible Beaver Site in Tesuque Pueblo
Water:Despite its weak flow, there is consistent flow
Food:Numerous willows and cottonwoods
More water needed
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Objectives
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on the Santa Fe River ecosystem
To assess the impacts of beaver habitats on human activities
To develop an education platform for the continued monitoring of the effects of beaver colonies on the Santa Fe River ecosystem
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Santa Fe River Teachers’ Coalition
Now
Outdoor education programs in schools all over Santa Fe
Lack of communication between educators
No support for starting outdoor education programs at other
schools
Goal
Organize Data
Forum for sharing resources and information
Provide computational tools for teachers and students
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Santa Fe Girls’ School
Santa Fe Prep
Desert Academ
y
SF School for the
Arts and Science
s
Santa Fe Indian School
Foundation for other schools to begin consistent monitoring along the Santa Fe River
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Data sharing through information platform created by
Water Knowledge Team
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Project Outcomes
Environmental Impact
Impact on Human Activities
Education Platform
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THANK YOU
Nature’s Contribution to the Restoration of the Santa Fe River
Ecosystem
Beaver Instinct
Jennifer GillAllison
Grocela
Chris HustonCarlos Sarria
Contact us at: [email protected] out our website:
https://sites.google.com/site/sf11beavers/