In early September, The Nature Conservancy brought together a group of scientists and scholars for a multi-day tour of the Four Corners region focused on Tribally led restoration and river health projects and partnerships in the area.  

“We are working with Tribal nations in the San Juan River Basin to plan and co-create the itinerary for a San Juan River Tribal River Tour,” said Lanier Nabahe, a San Juan River Basin Fellow for The Nature Conservancy, ahead of the visit. “This trip is the fourth in an ongoing series of trips, each presenting an opportunity for discussion and collaboration. This three-day tour will include two Tribal restoration projects and group camping for additional discussion. In addition to the van tour, participants can expect to share knowledge over food, enjoy the natural environment, and discuss [ideas] at a campfire.” 

The overall goal of the program is to continue to build partnerships and share knowledge across Tribal, federal, state, and conservation agencies and organizations so that the respective entities and stakeholders can work on important issues in the Colorado River Basin together. The trip garned interest and participation from members of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, The Nature Conservancy, the River Network, Western Landowners Alliance, and Mesa Verde National Park. 

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Spring Creek restoration project was just one of the many stops on The Nature Conservancy’s tour of the region, which concluded at the Navajo Dam and San Juan River flowing south into New Mexico. The visiting tour was hosted by the Tribe’s Environmental Programs Department (EPD), together the group visited numerous locations along Spring Creek to view the work being done under the Water Quality Division.  

Spring Creek, which flows through the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, began undergoing restoration in 2018 and has now undergone four different restoration projects along different stream reaches. The most recent efforts are focused on Low-Tech Process Based Restoration work, which involves bringing in large woody material from the surrounding areas to create “beaver mimicry structures” or BMSs along the creek to slow the flow of water and prevent erosion. BMSs are in-stream structures that mimic the effects of beaver dams to restore wetlands, streams, and floodplains. 

“We continue monitoring a site for five years to make sure restoration activities are being maintained and reaching project goals,” said Dylan Ruckel, a Water Quality Scientist with the Tribe’s Environmental Programs Department. “We have just completed installation of project 4 and plan on continuing to work towards the restoration of Spring Creek via improved riverscape area and water quality through future projects.” 

In project planning and implementation, EPD also works closely with the Wildlife Resource Management Division to ensure that the Tribe’s fish and wildlife resources are taken into account and that the conservation of natural resources remains a top priority. “We [also] work with local landowners to improve irrigation and create healthier landscapes … and have the water arrive in better shape,” Ruckel said. 

“A previous project on Spring Creek that utilized Low-Tech Process Based Restoration work is showing great results,” Ruckel said. “Riparian vegetation is expanding, healthy, and offering enhanced habitat for terrestrial wildlife and aquatic species. Sediment that is reaching the waterway is being captured and helping to raise the streambed, thus ‘undoing’ the incision that was present and forming new banks for vegetation. There is more surface area of water as well as more diverse in-stream habitat and stream depths. We are seeing cottonwoods begin to re-establish, which is a great sign. We will continue to monitor each active site and plan for future management, as many sites benefit greatly from more than just a single treatment.” 

“Funding sources thus far have been from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants,” Ruckel said. “The support SUIT’s §319 program administration as well as on-the-ground project implementation such as stream restoration or our Cost-Share Program.” 

The Nature Conservancy field trip provided a look at these projects and environments firsthand, while also sparking ideas and discussion for future conservation efforts. The regional tour took place Sept. 11-13.