Reclamation Information Sharing Environment (RISE)

This investigation focused on large-scale vegetation patterns related to the physical formation of delta-backwater landforms and their dynamic response to fluctuations in reservoir pool elevations. The study includes detailed analyses at Fort Peck Lake and Lake Powell. Additionally, the report describes characteristics for Lake Mead and Elephant Butte Reservoir, which may be analyzed in future studies. Hybrid plant communities have established, expanding available habitat at the reservoirs we examined. Some of this new habitat appears to be of high quality with an abundance of native species, whereas other reservoirs appear to support primarily non-native species. Further, sustained, climate-driven declines in pool elevations at Lake Powell are initiating new vegetation establishment processes and subjecting established vegetation to stress and mortality. Given the expanding presence of invasive, non-native species across ecosystems world-wide, water management actions are needed that would favor the establishment and persistence of native species and improve plant community responses to projected climate warming.