Dominant Plant Community Type: Aspen-Shrub/Conifer

Impacts: Cumulative impacts from livestock utilization have severely degraded major portions of this creek. Utilization has been concentrated along the creek and in accompanying meadow and riparian habitat. Understory removal and impacts to riparian regeneration range from heavy to severe. The creek channel has been widened and flow has been disrupted. Trampling and disturbance of the banks and channel have also initiated down-cutting and head-cutting. Erosion is leading to high levels of sedimentation, which can seriously affect fisheries values.

Recommendations: It is recommended that livestock be removed from the Cold Spring Creek riparian zone. Significant riparian recovery and bank stabilization will require 3-6 years or more. This site would benefit from mitigation efforts such as the planting of appropriate species in sections that have experienced complete removal of the riparian structure.

                    1. Severe erosion, utilization impacts; confluence of Cold Spring Cr. and Canyon Cr.

                    2. Loss of channel, disruption of flow.