Wildlife Wednesday - What exactly is a watershed?
by Andy Ames
We often use the term “watershed”, but what exactly is a watershed? At its most basic, a watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a common body. This can be as small as the area around a pond or as large as the Mississippi watershed, which drains from parts of 32 states and 2 Canadian provinces! The Estes Valley watershed encompasses all the land that drains into Lake Estes. But a watershed is much more than simply streams and rivers. It also includes all the geologic features and living creatures that occupy that area. The Estes Valley watershed encompasses a wide diversity of ecosystems starting with the high alpine tundra above tree line (generally starting around 11,000’) to the subalpine (9,000-11,000’), to the montane ecosystem (7,500-9,000’) with riparian areas (land next to water) connecting all three. All this makes the Estes Valley home to an incredible variety of plants and animals and why the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition’s tagline is “water, forests, wildlife.”
The headwaters of the Fall River can easily be seen from the Alpine Visitors Center. While the windward slopes of the alpine tundra are often blown clear of snow, snowfields and even cirque glaciers can be found on the leeward sides where that drifted snow accumulates. The alpine tundra (tundra is Russian for “land of no trees”) is known for its stunted plant growth due to the short growing season, cold temperatures, and high winds. The alpine tundra is a good place to see elk during the summer months as they seek out fresh vegetation and cooler temperatures. If you zoom in closely you may even be able to spot a few in this photo.
The subalpine zone is characterized by dense growth of Englemann spruce and subalpine fir. Our highest levels of precipitation fall in this area year-round and due to the heavy forest cover, snow can last well into the summer months.
The montane ecosystem occupies the lower elevations of the Estes Valley. While it is dominated by Ponderosa pines on south-facing slopes and Douglas firs on the cooler north-facing slopes, it also features grassy meadows, sagebrush hillsides, willowed streams, and aspen groves.
The major streams of the Estes Valley watershed are the Upper Big Thompson, Fall River, Fish Creek, and Black Canyon Creek - all converging into Lake Estes. It is bordered by the Mummy Range and Lumpy Ridge on the north, Forest Canyon Pass and the Alpine Visitors Center on the west, Longs Peak and Wind River Pass on the south, and Pierson Park and Kruger Rock on the east.