The Big Rivers Project with NPS Program Manager Dusty Perkins

Recorded along the banks of the Green River inside Dinosaur National Monument, Joey sits down with Dusty Perkins to explore the science, beauty, and ecological complexity of the Green and Yampa Rivers.Dusty serves as Program Manager for the National Park Service’s Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network and is a lead scientist on the Big Rivers Monitoring Project. In this conversation, he explains how scientists monitor some of the American West’s most iconic river systems, what happens when rivers are dammed and regulated, and why long-term ecological monitoring is critical for the future of these landscapes.From endangered fish and invasive species to river morphology, sediment flow, snowpack decline, and the emotional experience of rafting through canyon country, this episode offers a rare look at the science shaping our public lands.In this episode, we explore:  What the Big Rivers Monitoring Project actually does  How the Green and Yampa Rivers differ ecologically  The impact of Flaming Gorge Dam on river systems  Why sediment and seasonal flooding are essential to river health  The role of invasive species like tamarisk  How endangered fish species depend on natural river cycles  Why long-term monitoring matters in national parks  The effects of declining snowpack and aridification across the West  What it’s like conducting science on multi-day rafting expeditions  The emotional connection scientists develop with these landscapes Key Takeaways The Yampa River remains one of the last relatively free-flowing desert rivers in the American West.  Dams dramatically alter water temperature, sediment transport, and seasonal flooding patterns.  Native fish and plant species evolved over thousands of years around natural spring runoff cycles.  River complexity — including back channels and floodplains — creates biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.  Long-term monitoring gives park managers the scientific data needed to make informed conservation decisions. Featured LocationsDinosaur National MonumentEcho ParkCanyonlands National ParkBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkGreen RiverYampa RiverLearn MoreExplore the work of the Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network through the National Park Service official websiteLearn more about Dinosaur National Monument through the National Park Service Dinosaur page