THE ROLE OF GEOCORPS INTERNS IN EVALUATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHARACTERIZING WETLANDS AND SPRINGS AT THE GLACIER ECOSYSTEMS EXPERIMENTS SITE (GLEES), WY AND THE FRASER EXPERIEMENTAL FOREST, CO

The US Forest Service is monitoring climate change via wetlands and springs in the Glacier Ecosystems Experiments Site (GLEES), WY., and the Fraser Experimental Forest, CO. GeoCorps interns (GCI) were employed to conduct field work by measuring changes in wetlands and springs at these sites, identifying areas that represent permanent versus seasonal wetlands, and observing the movement of groundwater and fluctuating water tables.

GCI collected for each spring one water sample and compiled a data sheet characterizing each spring. Data were recorded for the elevation, aspect, UTM coordinates, spring ID, pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, and a spring was characterized as being in a basin, on a slope, in a depression, or a spring mound. The width, flow, depth, and number of channels were also recorded. Data were also collected for the vegetation types observed around the springs. Finally, the type of spring was classified, and most were characterized as rheocrene springs.

GCI estimated the size of each wetland, and collected and analyzed core samples. Each core sample was analyzed to determine soil horizons, soil texture, percent rock fragments, percent roots, any abrupt boundaries, matrix color (hue, value, chroma), iron and magnesium concretions, mottling, and oxidized root channels. The peat in the core was classified using a Von Post Value, and characterized as fibric, hemic or sapric. Groundwater measurements were collected including depth to saturation, depth to water table, water temperature and pH, and electric conductivity. Soil samples were collected at 10 cm intervals, and examined for the amount of organic matter and carbon. Wetlands were characterized as groundwater-dominated, surface-water dominated, or a combination, and groundwater and surface water flow directions were determined.

The impact of GCI has been to assist the federal agencies in managing public lands and natural resources by collecting and analyzing diverse field data, and analyzing the field data to determined the effects of climate change on the hydrology of the wetlands and springs in the southern Rocky Mountains. Knowledge and data collected for these wetlands, springs, and vegetation enables an understanding of hydrogeomorphic relations, and specifically how water moves with the landscape and ecosystems on public lands.