The Ahakhav Tribal Preserve (Preserve) is located on the lower Colorado River, south of Parker, Arizona on the Colorado River Indian Reservation.
There are eleven restoration sites on the Preserve including the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) II project site, designed to benefit the Southwestern
Willow Flycatcher and the Yuma Clapper Rail.
Adjacent to the CRIT II site, new culverts were installed in the backwater system.
Non-native vegetation, (i.e.
Arundo Donax and Salt Cedar) that has taken over areas of the Preserve and culverts will be removed and replaced with native trees (i.e.
Gooding Willow, Fremont Cottonwood and Honey Mesquite).
The revegetation will foster new habitats for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, the Yuma Clapper Rail and the California Black Rail.
In addition, a system to monitor the backwater culverts to determine the impacts of the restoration efforts on the fish and plant communities will be developed.
Samples will be collected to analyze water quality, document aquatic vegetation, monitor fish habitat, and track depth and flow measurements.