Welcome to the Lower Colorado River Basin Aquatic Gap Analysis Project Home Page!

The intent of an aquatic Gap Analysis Project (GAP) is to examine the current level of aquatic biodiversity within a system to identify gaps in distribution and protection of species so managers, planners, scientists, and policy makers may use these data to make better-informed decisions or to focus future research. The Lower Colorado River Basin Aquatic GAP (LCRBGAP) was initiated in 2004 as a one-year feasibility study to gather existing datasets, and to evaluate the stakeholder interest in participating in the development and use of Aquatic LCRB GAP products. Interest levels from stakeholders was strong enough to justify continuation of the LCRBGAP. We have compiled much of the environmental data we intend to use and have summarized those at the stream segment, catchment, and upstream watershed scales. This fall we will complete a heirarchical classification system and begin creating predictive species distrbution models. The final stage will be to define conservation units for the basin based on native biodiversity and threats to the system including non-native fishes. Products from this assessment will include a database of relevant literature with scanned copies of distributable documents, a database with point locations by species linked to data source, and maps portraying current distributions of aquatic biota based on available information.

Updated 09-Nov-2007