LaBarge Watershed Assessment

The Green River contributes significant amounts of sediment and salinity to the Colorado River watershed. Salinity concentrations at the border with Mexico require costly desalinization, which has led to efforts to reduce non-point sources of sediment and salinity where possible throughout the watershed. The BLM retained RDG under subcontract with Jackola Engineering to conduct a 250 square-mile watershed assessment of over 600 miles of perennial and ephemeral drainages that are highly unstable and deliver significant loads of sediment and saliently to the Green River.

Our team developed a remote sensing model for identifying degradation and high priority conservation locations. The remote sensing model incorporated a wide variety of ecological and physical parameters including soils, slope, vegetation, ungulate habitat, disturbance, culvert locations, oil pad density, and other available GIS data. Results were delivered to BLM in a final technical report and series of public and private presentations. Recommendations were provided for restoration priorities including dam removals, channel reconstruction, culvert replacement, and conservation. Conceptual designs were developed for the highest priority sites and a formal restoration plan was created and combined with the watershed assessment report. RDG continues to provide design and engineering services to implement this plan with the BLM over the next several years.