Because of the scarcity of water on the Colorado Plateau and their disproportionately high use by flora and fauna, riparian areas have been identified as an ecosystem of concern for Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) parks. Riparian ecosystems are potentially sensitive indicators of landscape-level change because they are linked to both aquatic and upland systems, perform important ecological functions, and are biologically diverse. Riparian systems face a number of anthropogenic threats, including stream-flow damming or diversion, channel-stabilization structures, invasive exotic species, livestock grazing, timber harvesting, agricultural clearing, groundwater pumping, and trail creation. These disturbances can alter watershed conditions and directly or indirectly influence downstream riparian ecosystems.

In the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, riparian monitoring of wadeable streams occurs in the streams of four parks: Courthouse Wash in Arches National Park, Armstrong Canyon in Natural Bridges National Monument, the Fremont River in Capitol Reef National Park, and the East Fork Virgin River in Zion National Park. This data package pertains to the vital sign riparian vegetation structure and composition. The goal for monitoring this vital sign is to determine long-term trends in vegetation dynamics in the context of changes in other ecological drivers, stressors, and processes. Above-ground structures of riparian plants modify the physical environment by shading and depositing litter, strongly affecting spatial and temporal patterns of soil-resource availability to other organisms. The data herein includes vegetation and surface cover, tree seedling counts, diameter and counts of overstory trees, canopy closure, and frequency of exotic species.