Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks soundscape measures noise at Whiterocks 50% - 98% of the time
For this report, "noise" means any human-caused sound that masks or degrades natural sounds.
The City's Open Space and Mountain Parks works hard to protect nesting raptors on the plains and in the Flatirons. "OSMP annually institutes seasonal closures to protect nesting birds of prey from ground-based human disturbances like rock climbing and hiking off designated trails. A group of dedicated volunteers and staff regularly monitor cliff-nesting raptor territories and one of the things they record is low-flying aircraft because we have observed this noticeably disturbing nesting falcons and eagles."
OSMP rangers try to communicate raptor needs to pilots. They are trying to find "creative ways of providing pilots more useable data, such as digital maps of closures that they can load onto their on-board navigation devices." However, OSMP staff have been informed that if the pilots are 500 ft above ground level then they are not restricted in where or how they fly. They are free to behave as they see fit. No one tells pilots what to do.
"In 2022, OSMP contracted with Natural Sounds Night Skies Division of the National Park Service along with the listening lab at Colorado State University to study ambient noise levels at two sites on OSMP as part of our funded research program. The Whiterocks Nature Preserve was one site. See the report: Open Space & Mountain Parks - City of Boulder Acoustic monitoring report: 2022.
The Whiterocks Nature Preserve protects a unique, special piece of Boulder geography and history. Boulder Creek winds next to cliffs that host rare plants and wildlife. Native Americans used this spot to slaughter buffalo by running them off the cliff. It is also, sadly, at the end of the BDU touch and go loop, as well as bearing traffic from all other Front Range regional airports that comes to East Boulder County to fly.
Along Boulder Creek east of 75th St., propeller plane noise was audible almost 70% of the time, daily from 9-4, over eight days of analysis.
The City's Open Space and Mountain Parks works hard to protect nesting raptors on the plains and in the Flatirons. "OSMP annually institutes seasonal closures to protect nesting birds of prey from ground-based human disturbances like rock climbing and hiking off designated trails. A group of dedicated volunteers and staff regularly monitor cliff-nesting raptor territories and one of the things they record is low-flying aircraft because we have observed this noticeably disturbing nesting falcons and eagles."
OSMP rangers try to communicate raptor needs to pilots. They are trying to find "creative ways of providing pilots more useable data, such as digital maps of closures that they can load onto their on-board navigation devices." However, OSMP staff have been informed that if the pilots are 500 ft above ground level then they are not restricted in where or how they fly. They are free to behave as they see fit. No one tells pilots what to do.
"In 2022, OSMP contracted with Natural Sounds Night Skies Division of the National Park Service along with the listening lab at Colorado State University to study ambient noise levels at two sites on OSMP as part of our funded research program. The Whiterocks Nature Preserve was one site. See the report: Open Space & Mountain Parks - City of Boulder Acoustic monitoring report: 2022.
The Whiterocks Nature Preserve protects a unique, special piece of Boulder geography and history. Boulder Creek winds next to cliffs that host rare plants and wildlife. Native Americans used this spot to slaughter buffalo by running them off the cliff. It is also, sadly, at the end of the BDU touch and go loop, as well as bearing traffic from all other Front Range regional airports that comes to East Boulder County to fly.
Along Boulder Creek east of 75th St., propeller plane noise was audible almost 70% of the time, daily from 9-4, over eight days of analysis.
"Based on the results of this study, visitors and wildlife at the Whiterocks site are unlikely to experience a significant noise-free interval, as the presence of noise is consistent throughout the daytime and nighttime hours. .... Noise has the potential to affect a visitor’s experience in parks by causing annoyance, reducing the perceived scenic beauty, or simply by limiting opportunities for solitude. Increased sound levels may also have wide ranging effects on wildlife such as reduced predatory success, changes in vocal communication, or increased vigilance by keystone species. In a review of literature addressing the effects of noise on wildlife published between 1990 and 2013, wildlife responses to noise were observed beginning at about 40 dB. Of the papers reviewed, 20% showed impacts to terrestrial wildlife at or below noise levels of 50 dB."