Spring ecosystems in the arid southwest provide habitat for a diverse array of species and can be sensitive to the effects of human activities ranging from local groundwater diversion and mining operations to global climate change.

Numerous springs exist in the Grand Canyon region, but little is known about many of these, as they occur in remote areas and require significant amounts of time and energy to access. In recognition of the biological significance of springs in the Grand Canyon region, Grand Canyon Trust, Grand Canyon National Park NPS Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory and Monitoring Program and the Desert Botanical Garden have joined together to bring their collective resources toward inventorying these important ecosystems.

In this hands-on class, GCFI participants will receive training and assist hydrologists and botanists from these organizations to document baseline conditions and at springs in the tributaries of Bright Angel Creek using a comprehensive set of methods developed by scientists that include physical characterizations of each spring and collection of biological and hydrologic data.

This project is part of a broader partnership to bring together volunteers, regional experts, and representatives of multiple government entities in an effort to update and broaden knowledge of these important ecosystems on the Colorado Plateau.  Data collected through these efforts will be entered into a shared database, accessible to the agencies, organizations, and the public.