These data were compiled for monitoring riparian vegetation change along the Colorado River. This file contains data recorded at 42 sandbars between Lees Ferry and Diamond Creek, AZ, which are sampled for both geomorphic and vegetation change annually. Field data contained here were collected from 2012 to 2016 in September and October of each year. Plant species cover values in 5441 1m^2 quadrat frames, locations and elevations of those sampling frames, slope and aspect, sample dates, temperature and precipitation data, and flood frequency parameters were either recorded in the field or calculated. Annual and seasonal climate variables were estimated from eight weather stations distributed along the river corridor from data aquired from Caster et al. 2014. Data collected between 1 February 2008 and 31 January 2011 were used, as the greatest number of weather stations were recording data with the fewest data gaps during this time. Data were linearly interpolated to sandbars lacking weather data based on distance from adjacent weather stations. Available climate variables included minimum and maximum annual temperature; mean annual, winter (November - April) and monsoon (May - October) precipitation; and mean annual humidity. Inundation and depth to water table were estimated for each plot using plot elevation (acquired from Kaplinski et al. 2014), the 15-minute hydrograph from Glen Canyon Dam (https://www.gcmrc.gov/discharge_qw_sediment/?), and the stage calculator developed for sandbars by Hazel et al. (2006). Discharge data from the 365 days preceding the vegetation surveys were used to calculate the proportion of that year, and the maximum number of contiguous days in which a plot was inundated; minimum, mean and maximum inundation depth; and elevation above river stage at 566m3s-1 (average daily peak flow).

These data were collected to evaluate the cover and composition of native and nonnative vascular plant species within the riparian zone of the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to the historic high-water line of Lake Mead, approximately 240 river miles downstream of Lees Ferry. The overall objective of the ongoing study these data were collected for is to determine how plant cover and composition change over time in response to the operation of Glen Canyon Dam. This includes evaluating how plants respond to climate and other environmental factors, so that the effects of Glen Canyon Dam can be determined. These data represent 36 of the most common plant species observed in sample frames, estimates of how much aerial cover those plants have, and estimates of environmental variables associated with the sample frames. These data were collected from the riparian zone along the Colorado River between Lees Ferry, AZ and the confluence of the Colorado River and Diamond Creek, AZ. Data were collected in August and September for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center riparian plant program. These data are a combination of field observations and data downloaded from other sources. These data can be used to understand the general distributions of the 36 plant species in the study area at a given time and their change in cover and composition over time. These data are particularly suited to determine the environmental variables that are most related to the cover and occurrence of these 36 plant species.

These data were collected to evaluate the cover and composition of native and nonnative vascular plant species within the riparian zone of the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to the historic high-water line of Lake Mead, approximately 240 river miles downstream of Lees Ferry. The overall objective of the ongoing study these data were collected for is to determine how plant cover and composition change over time in response to the operation of Glen Canyon Dam. This includes evaluating how plants respond to climate and other environmental factors, so that the effects of Glen Canyon Dam can be determined. These data represent 36 of the most common plant species observed in sample frames, estimates of how much aerial cover those plants have, and estimates of environmental variables associated with the sample frames. These data were collected from the riparian zone along the Colorado River between Lees Ferry, AZ and the confluence of the Colorado River and Diamond Creek, AZ. Data were collected in August and September for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center riparian plant program. These data are a combination of field observations and data downloaded from other sources. These data can be used to understand the general distributions of the 36 plant species in the study area at a given time and their change in cover and composition over time. These data are particularly suited to determine the environmental variables that are most related to the cover and occurrence of these 36 plant species.

These data were compiled to assess the status and trends of riparian plant communities along the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead, AZ. Three metrics have been proposed to evaluate the "Riparian Vegetation" goal identified in the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program's Long Term Experimental and Management Plan (U.S. Department of Interior, 2016). The three metrics are total living plant cover, the proportion of living cover composed of native species, and native species richness. Current policies for Glen Canyon Dam operations result in three longitudinal bands within the riparian area that are flooded at different frequencies. The band, or hydrologic zone, that is most frequently inundated is referred to here as the “active channel” or “AC.” This includes all areas inundated by releases up to 25,000 cubic feet per second (707 m3/s). The “active floodplain” or “AF” is inundated by high flow experiments and includes areas that are inundated by releases between 25,000 cubic feet per second and 45,000 cubic feet per second (1,274 m3/s). The “inactive floodplain” or “IF” is the area along the river that is inundated by releases over 45,000 cubic feet per second, which is not planned under current policies. The metrics are assessed for each of these hydrologic zones. Data from the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center's riparian vegetation monitoring protocol (Palmquist and others, 2018) can be used to evaluate these metrics, which is what is provided here. In short, 80-100 sample sites are randomly selected each year. These sites include debris fans, eddy sandbars, and channel margins. At each randomly selected sample site, ocular cover estimates of each plant species occurring in 1-m2 quadrats spanning the hydrological zones are recorded, along with an estimate of total living plant cover and associated environmental variables. The first metric, total living plant cover, consists of two pieces of data; plant occurrence (a plant is present in the sample frame) and plant cover (proportion of the sample frame covered with living plants). Cover is represented by both an ordinal cover class (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.) and the midpoint of the cover class value (0.01%, 0.5%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, etc). The proportion of native cover is the sum total of native plant cover divided by the sum total of plant cover (native plus nonnative cover) for a sample frame. Native plant richness is the total number of native species rooted inside a sample frame. The total living plant cover data are available for 2016 through 2023. The native cover and richness data are available for 2014 and 2016 through 2023.

These data provide a comprehensive survey of peak-stage indicators along the Colorado River corridor between river mile (RM) 0 and RM 87 (see Figure 1 in the associated USGS-SIR). In 2008, the locations of peak-stage indicators in three short reaches downstream from RM 87 were measured using a handheld GPS unit (see Appendix 1 in the associated USGS-SIR). Total-station measurements were made using an established network of survey control that references the 2011 realization of NAD83 (NAD83 (2011)) (Kaplinski and others, 2017). The measurements were projected into the State Plane Coordinate System of 1983, Arizona central zone (FIPS zone 0202). Vertical positions are provided in both NAD83 ellipsoid heights and in NAVD88 orthometric elevations modeled from GEOID12b.

These data provide a comprehensive survey of peak-stage indicators along the Colorado River corridor between river mile (RM) 0 and RM 87 (see Figure 1 in the associated USGS-SIR). In 2008, the locations of peak-stage indicators in three short reaches downstream from RM 87 were measured using a handheld GPS unit (see Appendix 1 in the associated USGS-SIR). Total-station measurements were made using an established network of survey control that references the 2011 realization of NAD83 (NAD83 (2011)) (Kaplinski and others, 2017). The measurements were projected into the State Plane Coordinate System of 1983, Arizona central zone (FIPS zone 0202). Vertical positions are provided in both NAD83 ellipsoid heights and in NAVD88 orthometric elevations modeled from GEOID12b.

These data are a surface water classification map of surface water in the riparian corridor of Grand Canyon between Glen Canyon and Pearce Ferry, Arizona, published in ESRI shapefile format. The map was classified from 0.2 m resolution, multispectral imagery (Sankey and others, 2024) and are the same spatial resolution as the imagery. In order to differentiate between the boundary between each river reach in Grand Canyon, the map is categorized with a water channel name, including the mainstem Colorado River or other major tributaries by name. Data analyses were performed using ENVI V.5.6.1 and IDL V8.8.1, a registered trademark of NV5 Global, Inc. and ArcGIS PRO 3.3.1, a product of Esri, Inc.

These data consist of species relative cover, percent cover of dead plant material, percent cover of soil and rock, and a variety of broad - and local- scale environmental variables. These data relate to sample sites along the Colorado River through Grand Canyon between Lees Ferry and river mile 245. The plant and ground cover data included here were originally collected as a part of annual vegetation monitoring by Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. Environmental variables were either recorded in the field or obtained through other data sources. Species and ground cover data were collected in August and September 2014 at 96 randomly selected sample sites that were approximately evenly distributed along the river corridor. The sample sites were distributed among three geomorphic features: channel margins (44), debris fans (28), and sandbars (24).

These data consist of species relative cover, percent cover of dead plant material, percent cover of soil and rock, and a variety of broad - and local- scale environmental variables. These data relate to sample sites along the Colorado River through Grand Canyon between Lees Ferry and river mile 245. The plant and ground cover data included here were originally collected as a part of annual vegetation monitoring by Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. Environmental variables were either recorded in the field or obtained through other data sources. Species and ground cover data were collected in August and September 2014 at 96 randomly selected sample sites that were approximately evenly distributed along the river corridor. The sample sites were distributed among three geomorphic features: channel margins (44), debris fans (28), and sandbars (24).

These data area classified maps of water in the Colorado River at a discharge of approximately 227 meters squared/second in Grand Canyon from Glen Canyon Dam to Pearce Ferry in Arizona. The data are derived from interpretation of multispectral high resolution airborne imagery that was acquired in May 2013. The water classification data have the same 0.2-meter ground resolution as the imagery. These data have not undergone a statistical accuracy assessment, but they are based on methods that included image interpretation to exhaustively identify water which have been shown to produce very high classification accuracies and excellent correlation between maps of total vegetation produced by independent analysts and ground truth. When developing these data from the native raster format we also considered the differences in water origin, and differentiated between water in the Colorado River mainstem as opposed to within tributary channels. Backwaters with fluid connection to the mainstem river channel were categorized as mainstem water. Backwaters completely disconnected from the mainstem were grouped with the tributary water. We created a water classification dataset from multispectral high resolution imagery. All processing steps were completed in ENVI + IDL 5.3 a product of Harris Geospatial Solutions (copyright 2017 Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of Harris Corporation) and ArcGIS 10.3 a product of ESRI (copyright 2017).