Our efforts to approach conservation in a pragmatic, collaborative way have served us well for more than two decades. It is for that very reason we are applying this philosophy to our stream work across the state, through our freshwater program.
Since the launch of the program in 2012, we completed a three-year monitoring plan on 15 streams at various Conservancy preserves. With the help of staff and volunteers, we collected aquatic data on the biology, water quality, hydrology, and geomorphology. This data will be utilized to refine conservation strategies and track conservation results in the future.
The Canadian River and its floodplain encompasses the active river channel and immediately adjacent floodplain. Historically, the Canadian River was much broader, and was subjected to frequent scouring flows. Early surveys and aerial photography indicate a wide, braided sandy channel over 3/4 miles wide. At present, the river occupies a relatively narrow channel approximately 100 yards wide; flood events rarely occur. Though substantially reduced, the river supports viable populations of the federally endangered interior least tern and federally threatened Arkansas River shiner, as well as other species of conservation concern.
Learn more about Oklahoma's Freshwater Initiative
