Beaver Dam Analogs Study

At several locations along the I-25 South Gap Project, Carpenter Creek and East Plum Creek cross or run adjacent to I-25. To regenerate riparian habitat that supports Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse (PMJM), CDOT installed 8 Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) near the Spruce Mountain Road/I25 intersection (E. Plum Creek) and 7 BDAs adjacent to I25 near East Noe Road (Carpenter Creek). The installation of BDAs provides an opportunity to understand the value of BDAs for regenerating habitat along streams, particularly PMJM habitat. If BDAs are a viable PMJM habitat regeneration tool, they may be an an effective method for recovering PMJM populations. Connecting PMJM habitat and populations, by restoring degraded riparian habitats, is a priority for recovering PMJM and delisting the subspecies from the Endangered Species Act. The goal of this Study is to conduct sampling of the number of PMJM in, and adjacent to BDAs installed by CDOT, to determine the level of PMJM use prior to, and after BDA installation. Recommendations will be made for the use of BDAs on future habitat restoration and PMJM mitigation projects, if applicable.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Colorado Department of Transportation

  Applied Research and Innovation Branch
  Denver, CO  United States  80204
• Project Managers:

  Roeder, Bryan

• Start Date: 20230223
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20261230

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Dams; Habitat (Ecology); Interstate highways; Rivers; Wildlife
• Geographic Terms: Colorado
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01927166
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Colorado Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 13 2024 5:30PM