Engaging Community through the Yampa River Scorecard Project
Kim Lennberg (Alba Watershed Consulting)
The Yampa River Scorecard Project (YRSP) is a long-term monitoring and evaluation program for the Yampa Basin that aims to (1) serve as an ongoing source of river condition data collection and reporting in order to track change over time; (2) analyze and interpret data annually in order to highlight opportunities to improve river health and stewardship; and (3) spark conversations among diverse stakeholders to foster relationships and support mutual understanding. The YRSP considers a broad array of indicators associated with river health, from water quality, quantity, and timing to riparian condition, sediment regime, floodplain connectivity, and aquatic habitat. These indicators were selected to provide a holistic assessment of river health that extends beyond the channel to encompass the entire riverscape including floodplains and resident biotic communities. This presentation will discuss ways in which the YRSP incorporates some unique methods of data collection and dissemination:
The YRSP is more than a river health assessment. It captures the connection the community has with the river and highlights ways in which residents along the river’s length benefit from and depend upon the river. This is accomplished by considering three distinct attribute areas: ecological health and function, river uses and management, and people and community benefits.
In an intentional and inclusive process, the YRSP engages the community in collecting some of the data used to inform river health scoring through development of an annual summer field course in partnership with Colorado Mountain College and Colorado State University.
Data and results are presented in a way that encourages engagement and science education for interested residents and the general public through a visually appealing and approachable website that incorporates images, definitions, maps, and storytelling.