Search

Northern tamarisk beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) were released in the Upper Colorado River Basin in the United States in 2004–2007 to defoliate introduced tamarisk shrubs (Tamarix spp.) in the region's riparian zones. The primary purpose was to control the invasive shrub and reduce evapotranspiration (ET) by tamarisk in an attempt to increase stream flows. We evaluated beetle–tamarisk interactions with MODIS and Landsat imagery on 13 river systems, with vegetation indices used as indicators of the extent of defoliation and ET. Beetles are widespread and exhibit a pattern of colonize–defoliate–emigrate, so that riparian zones contain a mosaic of completely defoliated, partially defoliated, and refoliated tamarisk stands. Based on satellite data and ET algorithms, mean ET before beetle release (2000–2006) was 416 mm/year compared to postrelease (2007–2015) ET of 355 mm/year (p < 0.05) for a net reduction of 61 mm/year. This is lower than initial literature projections that ET would be reduced by 300–460 mm/year. Reasons for the lower‐than‐expected ET reductions are because baseline ET rates are lower than initially projected, and percentage ET reduction is low because tamarisk stands tend to regrow new leaves after defoliation and other plants help maintain canopy cover. Overall reductions in tamarisk green foliage during the study are 21%. However, ET in the Upper Basin has shown a steady decline since 2007 and equilibrium has not yet been reached. Defoliation is now proceeding from the Upper Basin into the Lower Basin at a rate of 40 km/year, much faster than initially projected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deserts have been used for waste disposal due to presumed low groundwater recharge. The US Department of Energy is evaluating groundwater flow and contaminant transport at a former uranium mill site near Tuba City, Arizona. They developed a groundwater flow model to determine how fast contaminants were moving towards a downgradient stream, Moenkopi Wash, used to irrigate crops. We used remote sensing algorithms and precipitation (PPT) data to estimate ET and the ET/PPT ratios within the 3513 ha groundwater model domain (GMD) from 2000 to 2012. ET and PPT were nearly balanced (125 mm yr −1 and 130 mm yr −1 , respectively). However, seasonal and interannual variability in ET and PPT were out of phase. Spatial variability in vegetation differentiated areas where ET was less than PPT (potential recharge areas) from those where ET exceeded PPT (potential discharge areas) within the GMD. ET estimates predicted that 0.2 million cubic meters per year of groundwater contributed to surface flows in Moenkopi Wash, supported by measurements of streamflow at the upstream and downstream boundaries of the GMD. Even small differences between ET and PPT can influence groundwater flow, hence land use practices that enhance discharge through ET can be part of an overall remediation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being the driest inhabited continent, Australia has one of the highest per capita water consumptions in the world. In addition, instead of having fit-for-purpose water supplies (using different qualities of water for different applications), highly treated drinking water is used for nearly all of Australia's urban water supply needs, including landscape irrigation. The water requirement of urban landscapes, particularly urban parklands, is of growing concern. The estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) and subsequently plant water requirements in urban vegetation needs to consider the heterogeneity of plants, soils, water, and climate characteristics. This research contributes to a broader effort to establish sustainable irrigation practices within the Adelaide Parklands in Adelaide, South Australia. In this paper, two practical ET estimation approaches are compared to a detailed Soil Water Balance (SWB) analysis over a one year period. One approach is the Water Use Classification of Landscape Plants (WUCOLS) method, which is based on expert opinion on the water needs of different classes of landscape plants. The other is a remote sensing approach based on the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors on the Terra satellite. Both methods require knowledge of reference ET calculated from meteorological data. The SWB determined that plants consumed 1084 mm· yr-1 of water in ET with an additional 16% lost to drainage past the root zone, an amount sufficient to keep salts from accumulating in the root zone. ET by MODIS EVI was 1088 mm· yr-1, very close to the SWB estimate, while WUCOLS estimated the total water requirement at only 802 mm· yr-1, 26% lower than the SWB estimate and 37% lower than the amount actually added including the drainage fraction. Individual monthly ET by MODIS was not accurate, but these errors were cancelled out to give good agreement on an annual time step. We conclude that the MODIS EVI method can provide accurate estimates of urban water requirements in mixed landscapes large enough to be sampled by MODIS imagery with 250-m resolution such as parklands and golf courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floodplain red gum forests ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis plus associated grasses, reeds and sedges) are sites of high biodiversity in otherwise arid regions of southeastern Australia. They depend on periodic floods from rivers, but dams and diversions have reduced flood frequencies and volumes, leading to deterioration of trees and associated biota. There is a need to determine their water requirements so environmental flows can be administered to maintain or restore the forests. Their water requirements include the frequency and extent of overbank flooding, which recharges the floodplain soils with water, as well as the actual amount of water consumed in evapotranspiration (ET). We estimated the flooding requirements and ET for a 38 134 ha area of red gum forest fed by the Murrumbidgee River in Yanga National Park, New South Wales. ET was estimated by three methods: sap flux sensors placed in individual trees; a remote sensing method based on the Enhanced Vegetation Index from MODIS satellite imagery and a water balance method based on differences between river flows into and out of the forest. The methods gave comparable estimates yet covered different spatial and temporal scales. We estimated flood frequency and volume requirements by comparing Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values from Landsat images with flood history from 1995 to 2014, which included both wet periods and dry periods. ET during wet years is about 50% of potential ET but is much less in dry years because of the trees' ability to control stomatal conductance. Based on our analyses plus other studies, red gum trees at this location require environmental flows of 2000 GL yr−1 every other year, with peak flows of 20 000 ML d−1, to produce flooding sufficient to keep them in good condition. However, only about 120-200 GL yr−1 of river water is consumed in ET, with the remainder flowing out of the forest where it enters the Murray River system. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper San Pedro River is one of the few remaining undammed rivers that maintain a vibrant riparian ecosystem in the southwest United States. However, its riparian forest is threatened by diminishing groundwater and surface water inputs, due to either changes in watershed characteristics such as changes in riparian and upland vegetation, or human activities such as regional groundwater pumping. We used satellite vegetation indices to quantify the green leaf density of the groundwater-dependent riparian forest from 1984 to 2012. The river was divided into a southern, upstream (mainly perennial flow) reach and a northern, downstream (mainly intermittent and ephemeral flow) reach. Pre-monsoon (June) Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values showed a 20% drop for the northern reach ( P < 0·001) and no net change for the southern reach ( P > 0·05). NDVI and enhanced vegetation index values were positively correlated ( P < 0·05) with river flows, which decreased over the study period in the northern reach, and negatively correlated ( P < 0·05) with air temperatures in both reaches, which have increased by 1·4 °C from 1932 to 2012. NDVI in the uplands around the river did not increase from 1984 to 2012, suggesting that increased evapotranspiration in the uplands was not a factor in reducing river flows. Climate change, regional groundwater pumping, changes in the intensity of monsoon rain events and lack of overbank flooding are feasible explanations for deterioration of the riparian forest in the northern reach. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Evapotranspiration (ET) and other water balance components were estimated for Cienega de Santa Clara, an anthropogenic brackish wetland in the delta of the Colorado River in Mexico. The marsh is in the Biosphere Reserve of the Upper Gulf of California and Delta of the Colorado River, and supports a high abundance and diversity of wildlife. Over 95% of its water supply originates as agricultural drain water from the USA, sent for disposal in Mexico. This study was conducted from 2009 to 2011, before, during and after a trial run of the Yuma Desalting Plant in the USA, which will divert water from the wetland and replace it with brine from the desalting operation. The goal was to estimate the main components in the water budget to be used in creating management scenarios for this marsh. We used a remote sensing algorithm to estimate ET from meteorological data and Enhanced Vegetation Index values from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) sensors on the Terra satellite. ET estimates from the MODIS method were then compared to results from a mass balance of water and salt inflows and outflows over the study period. By both methods, mean annual ET estimates ranged from 2.6 to 3.0mmd−1, or 50 to 60% of reference ET (ETo). Water entered at a mean salinity of 2.6gL−1 TDS and mean salinity in the wetland was 3.73gL−1 TDS over the 33 month study period. Over an annual cycle, 54% of inflows supported ET while the rest exited the marsh as outflows; however, in winter when ET was low, up to 90% of the inflows exited the marsh. An analysis of ET estimates over the years 2000–2011 showed that annual ET was proportional to the volume of inflows, but was also markedly stimulated by fires. Spring fires in 2006 and 2011 burned off accumulated thatch, resulting in vigorous growth of new leaves and a 30% increase in peak summer ET compared to non-fire years. Following fires, peak summer ET estimates were equal to ETo, while in non-fire years peak ET was equal to only one-half to two-thirds of ETo. Over annual cycles, estimated ET was always lower than ETo, because T. domingensis is dormant in winter and shades the water surface, reducing direct evaporation. Thus, ET of a Typha marsh is likely to be less than an open water surface under most conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Ciénega of Santa Clara is a valuable coastal wetland sustained almost entirely by discharge of brackish agricultural drain water from the U.S. and Mexico. In other locations, agricultural drain water has been problematic in supporting wetlands due to problems of salinity buildup, toxic substances and undesirable plant succession processes. We studied the development of the Cienega de Santa Clara from its creation in 1977 to the present to determine if it is on a sustainable trajectory in terms of vegetation, hydrology and habitat value. We used Landsat NDVI imagery from 1975 to 2011 to determine the area and intensity of vegetation and to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) to construct a water balance. Remote sensing data were combined with hydrological data, site surveys and other sources of information on the Cienega. The vegetated area increased from 1978 to 1995 and has been constant at about 4200ha since then. The dominant vegetation type is Typha domingensis (southern cattail), and peak summer NDVI since 1995 has been stable at 0.379 (SD=0.016), about half of NDVIMax. Flows into the marsh have been stable both month-to-month and year-to-year, with a mean annual value of 4.74m3 s−1 (SD=1.03). Salinity has been stable with a mean value of 2.09gL−1 TDS (SD=0.13). About 37% of the inflow water is consumed in ET, with the remainder exiting the Cienega as outflow water, mainly during winter months when T. domingensis is dormant. The sustainability of the Cienega is attributed to: stable inflow rates; salinities within the tolerance limit of the dominant vegetation; and tidal flushing which maintains the wetland as an open system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Crop coefficients were developed to determine crop water needs based on the evapotranspiration (ET) of a reference crop under a given set of meteorological conditions. Starting in the 1980s, crop coefficients developed through lysimeter studies or set by expert opinion began to be supplemented by remotely sensed vegetation indices (VI) that measured the actual status of the crop on a field-by-field basis. VIs measure the density of green foliage based on the reflectance of visible and near infrared (NIR) light from the canopy, and are highly correlated with plant physiological processes that depend on light absorption by a canopy such as ET and photosynthesis. Reflectance-based crop coefficients have now been developed for numerous individual crops, including corn, wheat, alfalfa, cotton, potato, sugar beet, vegetables, grapes and orchard crops. Other research has shown that VIs can be used to predict ET over fields of mixed crops, allowing them to be used to monitor ET over entire irrigation districts. VI-based crop coefficients can help reduce agricultural water use by matching irrigation rates to the actual water needs of a crop as it grows instead of to a modeled crop growing under optimal conditions. Recently, the concept has been applied to natural ecosystems at the local, regional and continental scales of measurement, using time-series satellite data from the MODIS sensors on the Terra satellite. VIs or other visible-NIR band algorithms are combined with meteorological data to predict ET in numerous biome types, from deserts, to arctic tundra, to tropical rainforests. These methods often closely match ET measured on the ground at the global FluxNet array of eddy covariance moisture and carbon flux towers. The primary advantage of VI methods for estimating ET is that transpiration is closely related to radiation absorbed by the plant canopy, which is closely related to VIs. The primary disadvantage is that they cannot capture stress effects or soil evaporation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On average, Australia is a dry continent with many competing uses for water. Hence, there is an urgent need to know actual evapotranspiration (ETa) patterns across wide areas of agricultural and natural ecosystems, as opposed to just point measurements of ETa. The Australian Government has tasked the science agencies with operationally developing monthly and annual estimates of ETa and other hydrological variables, and with forecasting water availability over periods of days to decades, as part of its national water assessment programme. To meet these needs, Australian researchers have become leaders in developing large-area methods for estimating ETa at regional and continental scales. Ground methods include meteorological models, eddy covariance towers, sap flow sensors and catchment water balance models. Remote sensing methods use thermal infrared, mid infrared and/or vegetation indices usually combined with meteorological data to estimate ETa. Ground and remote sensing ETa estimates are assimilated into the Australian Water Resource Assessment, which issues annual estimates of the state of the continental water balance for policy and planning purposes. The best ETa models are estimated to have an error or uncertainty of 10% to 20% in Australia. Developments in Australian ETa research over the past 20 years are reviewed, and sources of error and uncertainty in current methods and models are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, expansion of non-native woody vegetation across floodplains has raised concern of increased evapotranspiration ( ET) water loss with consequent reduced river flows and groundwater supplies. Water salvage programs, established to meet water supply demands by removing introduced species, show little documented evidence of program effectiveness. We use two case studies in the USA and Australia to illustrate factors that contribute to water salvage feasibility for a given ecological setting. In the USA, saltcedar ( Tamarix spp.) has become widespread on western rivers, with water salvage programs attempted over a 50-year period. Some studies document riparian transpiration or ET reduction after saltcedar removal, but detectable increases in river base flow are not conclusively shown. Furthermore, measurements of riparian vegetation ET in natural settings show saltcedar ET overlaps the range measured for native riparian species, thereby constraining the possibility of water salvage by replacing saltcedar with native vegetation. In Australia, introduced willows ( Salix spp.) have become widespread in riparian systems in the Murray-Darling Basin. Although large-scale removal projects have been undertaken, no attempts have been made to quantify increases in base flows. Recent studies of ET indicate that willows growing in permanently inundated stream beds have high transpiration rates, indicating water savings could be achieved from removal. In contrast, native Eucalyptus trees and willows growing on stream banks show similar ET rates with no net water salvage from replacing willows with native trees. We conclude that water salvage feasibility is highly dependent on the ecohydrological setting in which the non-native trees occur. We provide an overview of conditions favorable to water salvage. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Arid regions in southwestern U.S. are faced with increased water shortages with the possibility of compromised water quality. The use of impaired water resources, including saline water, for agriculture is a possibility. The halophyte forage shrub Atriplex lentiformis (quailbush) was irrigated over three growing seasons with brine (2.6–3.2gL−1 total dissolved solids) from a reverse-osmosis water treatment plant in an agricultural district in Marana, Arizona, in the Sonoran Desert, U.S. The goal was to determine if a halophyte crop could be grown productively on saline irrigation water in a way that maximized yield yet minimized excess deep percolation of salt past the root zone. Our hypotheses for this project were: (1) A. lentiformis could consume water at or above the potential evapotranspiration rate (ETo) measured at an on-site meteorological stations; (2) need for a leaching fraction could be minimized due to the high salt tolerance of the crop; and (3) water could be presented on a constant schedule typical of the delivery from a desalination plant, with excess water presented in winter utilized in summer via the deep rooting systems of A. lentiformis. Three irrigation treatments were tested based on the potential evapotranspiration rate (ETo): (1) plots irrigated at ETo adjusted daily via an on-site micrometeorology station; (2) plots irrigated at 1.5 ETo adjusted daily; (3) plots irrigated at a constant rate throughout the year based on the mean of annual ETo. The plants produced 15–22tonsha−1 year−1 of biomass and could be irrigated at the rate of ETo, ca. 2myear−1 at this location. Drainage volumes ranged from no drainage in Treatment 1 to 12–14% of applied water in Treatments 2 and 3. It is concluded that irrigation of halophyte forage crops provide a viable strategy for extending water supplies and disposing of saline water in arid-zone irrigation districts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We used the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from MODIS to scale evapotranspiration (ETactual) over agricultural and riparian areas along the Lower Colorado River in the southwestern US. Ground measurements of ETactual by alfalfa, saltcedar, cottonwood and arrowweed were expressed as fraction of potential (reference crop) ETo (EToF) then regressed against EVI scaled between bare soil (0) and full vegetation cover (1.0) (EVI*). EVI* values were calculated based on maximum and minimum EVI values from a large set of riparian values in a previous study. A satisfactory relationship was found between crop and riparian plant EToF and EVI*, with an error or uncertainty of about 20% in the mean estimate (mean ETactual = 6.2 mm d-1, RMSE = 1.2 mm d-1). The equation for ETactual was: ETactual = 1.22 × ETo-BC × EVI*, where ETo-BC is the Blaney Criddle formula for ETo. This single algorithm applies to all the vegetation types in the study, and offers an alternative to ETactual estimates that use crop coefficients set by expert opinion, by using an algorithm based on the actual state of the canopy as determined by time-series satellite images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large quantities of water are consumed by irrigated crops and riparian vegetation in western U.S. irrigation districts. Remote sensing methods for estimating evaporative water losses by soil and vegetation (evapotranspiration, ET) over wide river stretches are needed to allocate water for agricultural and environmental needs. We used the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from MODIS sensors on the Terra satellite to scale ET over agricultural and riparian areas along the Lower Colorado River in the southwestern U.S., using a linear regression equation between ET of riparian plants and alfalfa measured on the ground, and meteorological and remote sensing data, with an error or uncertainty of about 20%. The algorithm was applied to irrigation districts and riparian areas from Lake Mead to the U.S./Mexico border. The results for agricultural crops were similar to results produced by crop coefficients developed for the irrigation districts along the river. However, riparian ET was only half as great as crop coefficient estimates set by expert opinion, equal to about 40% of reference crop evapotranspiration. Based on reported acreages in 2007, agricultural crops (146,473 ha) consumed 2.2 × 109 m3 yr-1 of water. All riparian shrubs and trees (47,014 ha) consumed 3.8 × 108 m3 yr-1, of which saltcedar, the dominant riparian shrub (25,044 ha), consumed 1.8 × 108 m3 yr-1, about 1% of the annual flow of the river. This method could supplement existing protocols for estimating ET by providing an estimate based on the actual state of the canopy as determined by frequent-return satellite data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delta of the Colorado River in Mexico supports a rich mix of estuarine, wetland and riparian ecosystems that provide habitat for over 350 species of birds as well as fish, marine mammals, and other wildlife. An important part of the delta ecosystem is the riparian corridor, which is supported by agricultural return flows and waste spills of water originating in the U.S. and Mexico. These flows may be curtailed in the future due to climate change and changing land use practices (out-of-basin water transfers, increased agricultural efficiency, and more optimal management of dams) in the U.S. and Mexico, and resource managers need to monitor the effects of their water management practices on these ecosystems. We developed ground-validated, remote sensing methods to monitor the vegetation status, habitat value, and water use of wetland and riparian ecosystems using multi-temporal, multi-resolution images. The integrated methodology allowed us to project species composition, leaf area index, fractional cover, habitat value, and evapotranspiration over seasons and years throughout the delta, in response to variable water flows from the U.S. to Mexico. Waste spills of water from the U.S. have regenerated native cottonwood and willow trees in the riparian corridor and created backwater and marsh areas that support birds and other wildlife. However, the main source of water supporting the riparian vegetation is the regional aquifer recharged by underflow from U.S. and Mexico irrigation districts. Native trees have a short half-life in the riparian zone due to human-set fires and harvesting for timber. Active management, monitoring, and restoration programs are needed to maintain the habitat value of this ecosystem for the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tamarix spp. removal has been proposed to salvage water and allow native vegetation to recolonize western U.S. riparian corridors. We conducted wide-area studies on the Lower Colorado River to answer some of the scientific questions about Tamarix water use and the consequences of removal, combining ground surveys with remote sensing methods. Tamarix stands had moderate rates of evapotranspiration (ET), based on remote sensing estimates, averaging 1.1 m/yr, similar to rates determined for other locations on the river and other rivers. Leaf area index values were also moderate, and stands were relatively open, with areas of bare soil interspersed within stands. At three Tamarix sites in the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, groundwater salinity at the site nearest to the river (200 m) was relatively low (circa 2,250 mg/L) and was within 3 m of the surface. However, 750 and 1,500 m from the river, the groundwater salinity was 5,000–10,000 mg/L due to removal of water by the Tamarix stands. Despite the high groundwater salinity, the sites away from the river did not have saline surface soils. Only 1% of the mean annual river flow is lost to Tamarix ET on the Lower Colorado River in the United States, and the opportunities for water salvage through Tamarix removal are constrained by its modest ET rates. A possible alternative to Tamarix removal is to intersperse native plants among the stands to improve the habitat value of the riparian zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiraton (ET) is the second largest term in the terrestrial water budget after precipitation, and ET is expected to increase with global warming. ET studies are relevant to the plant sciences because over 80% of terrestrial ET is due to transpiration by plants. Remote sensing is the only feasible means for projecting ET over large landscape units. In the past decade or so, new ground and remote sensing tools have dramatically increased our ability to measure ET at the plot scale and to scale it over larger regions. Moisture flux towers and micrometeorological stations have been deployed in numerous natural and agricultural biomes and provide continuous measurements of actual ET or potential ET with an accuracy or uncertainty of 10-30%. These measurements can be scaled to larger landscape units using remotely-sensed vegetation indices (VIs), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and other satellite data. Two types of methods have been developed. Empirical methods use time-series VIs and micrometeorological data to project ET measured on the ground to larger landscape units. Physically-based methods use remote sensing data to determine the components of the surface energy balance, including latent heat flux, which determines ET. Errors in predicting ET by both types of methods are within the error bounds of the flux towers by which they are calibrated or validated. However, the error bounds need to be reduced to 10% or less for applications that require precise wide-area ET estimates. The high fidelity between ET and VIs over agricultural fields and natural ecosystems where precise ground estimates of ET are available suggests that this might be an achievable goal if ground methods for measuring ET continue to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Over the past century, the natural flow regimes of the major western U.S. rivers have been altered by dams, flow regulation and diversion of water for human use. As a result, the floodplains of many rivers have become drier and more saline than in the pre-dam era, and riparian water tables have declined. These conditions have favored the replacement of native mesic trees such as Populus spp. (cottonwood) and Salix spp. (willow) by saltcedar, (Tamarix ramosissima), an introduced, stress-tolerant shrub from Eurasia. Saltcedar is now the dominant woody species on many perennial rivers systems in the arid southwestern U.S. and northwest Mexico A review of the research literature shows that saltcedar has greater salt tolerance, drought tolerance, resistance to water stress, and fire tolerance than mesic native trees. On the other hand, under a natural flow regime, native trees are competitive with saltcedar in germination and establishment during a flood year and they have equal or faster growth rates. On rivers that still experience a pulse flood regime or where floods have been reestablished, cottonwood and willow have shown the ability to establish despite the presence of saltcedar. Contrary to previous reviews, the current evidence does not support the conclusion that saltcedar has unusually high evapotranspiration rates or leaf area index that would allow it to dessicate water courses. According to most researchers, an effective management strategy for saltcedar must include the return of a more dynamic hydrological regime to regulated rivers, allowing saltcedar and native trees to coexist to maximize the habitat value of the riparian zone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the southwestern U.S., many riparian ecosystems have been altered by dams, water diversions, and other anthropogenic activities. This is particularly true of the Colorado River, where numerous dams and agricultural diversions have affected this water course, especially south of the U.S.–Mexico border. In the spring of 2014, 130 million cubic meters of water was released to the lower Colorado River Delta in Mexico. To understand the impact of this pulse flow release on vegetation in the delta’s riparian corridor, we analyzed a modified form of Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI*) data. We assessed greenup during the growing period and estimated actual evapotranspiration (ET a ) for the period prior to (yr. 2013) and following (i.e., yr. 2014 and 2015) the pulse flow. We found a significant increase in NDVI* from 2013 to 2014 (P < 0.05) and a decrease from 2014 to 2015; however, 2015 levels were still significantly higher than in 2013. ET a was also higher in 2014 vs. 2013, with an estimated 74.5 million cubic meters in 2013 and 88.9 in 2014. The most intense greening occurred in the zone of inundation but also extended into the non-flooded part of the riparian zone, indicating replenishment of groundwater. These findings suggest the peak response by vegetation to the flow lasted about one year, followed by a decrease in NDVI*. As a long term solution to the declining condition of vegetation, additional pulse releases are likely needed for restoration and survival of riparian plant communities in the Colorado River Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique hydrologic conditions characterizing riparian ecosystems in dryland (arid and semi-arid) areas help maintain high biodiversity and support high levels of primary productivity compared to associated uplands. In western North America, many riparian ecosystems have been damaged by altered flow regimes (e.g., impoundments and diversions) and over utilization of water resources (e.g., groundwater pumping for agriculture and human consumption). This has led some state and national governments to provide occasional environmental flows to address the declining condition of such riparian systems. In a historic agreement between the United States and Mexico, 130 million cubic meters (mcm) of water was released to the lower Colorado River Delta in Mexico, with the intent to evaluate the hydrological and biological response of the ecosystem. We used the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) to estimate long term (2000–2014) and short term (pre- and post-pulse; 2013 and 2014) evapotranspiration (ET; used herein as an indicator of plant health) of the delta’s riparian corridor. We found the pulse flow helped reverse a decline in ET from 2011 to 2013, with a small, but statistically significant increase in 2014 (P < 0.05). ET was greater than 100 mcm in all years analyzed (even in years without surface flows) and exceeded surface flows in all years except 2000 (result of excess flows following an El Niño cycle in 1997) and 2014 (year of the pulse flow). Based on groundwater salinities and MODIS ET estimates, we estimated groundwater flow into the delta to be ∼103 mcm. Shallow groundwater salinities in the riparian zone increased from 1.30 g L −1 in the most upstream reach to 2.77 g L −1 in the most downstream reach we measured, partly due to uptake of water by riparian vegetation and partly to intrusion of saline agricultural return flows. The disparity between surface flows and ET can likely be explained by the predominantly phreatophytic plants characterizing the area, which draw water from the aquifer. These results also suggest that the deteriorated condition of vegetation within the riparian zone might not be reversed by a single pulse event and could instead require subsequent pulse flows as a long term strategy to restore vegetation in this riparian ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Cienega de Santa Clara in the Colorado River Delta, Mexico is a self-designed wetland system fed since 1977 by brackish groundwater diverted from the U.S. to Mexico. The vegetated upper portion of the Cienega provides habitat for endangered Yuma-Clappers rails and other marsh birds and fulfills other ecological functions. Outflow water pools in the Santa Clara Slough south of the Cienega and provides habitat for migratory shorebirds. Conditions in the Cienega and Santa Clara Slough could be altered by operation of the Yuma Desalting Plant (YDP), which will divert water from the Cienega and replace it with brine water resulting from the desalting process. Our objective was to integrate water budget components into models predicting the extent of the dominant vegetation (southern cattail, Typha domingensis Pers.) in the marsh and the area of the outflow pool below the marsh in response to different operating scenarios for the YDP. The models are intended to serve as tools for resource managers charged with maintaining this wetland complex. Unlike many wetland water budget models, this one explicitly takes into account salinity as a factor in the water budget. We modeled inflow rates ranging from 1 to 6m3 s−1 and inflow salinities ranging from 0 to 6gL−1 Total Dissolved Solids. The model indicates that if the inflow rate is reduced below the current 4–5m3 s−1 the vegetated area of the Cienega would decrease in proportion, as would the area of the outflow pool in the Santa Clara Slough. Increases in salinity will also reduce the vegetated area due to the low salt tolerance of T. domingensis. In winter about 90% of inflow water exits the Cienega into the Santa Clara Slough due to low evapotranspiration, and on an annual basis 70% of inflows exit into the Santa Clara Slough. These flushing flows maintain the salt balance in the Cienega. The Santa Clara Slough is periodically flushed by spring tides, making this a sustainable, open wetland system in its present state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study employed ground and remote sensing methods to monitor the effects of grazing on leaf area index (LAI), fractional cover (f c) and evapotranspiration (ET) of a desert phreatophyte community over an 11 year period at a former uranium mill site on the Colorado Plateau, U.S. Nitrate, ammonium and sulfate are migrating away from the mill site in a shallow alluvial aquifer. The phreatophyte community, consisting of Atriplex canescens (ATCA) and Sarcobatus vermiculatus (SAVE) shrubs, intercepts groundwater and could potentially slow the movement of the contaminant plume through evapotranspiration (ET). However, the site has been heavily grazed by livestock, reducing plant cover and LAI. We used livestock exclosures and revegetation plots to determine the effects of grazing on LAI, f c and ET, then projected the findings over the whole site using multi-platform remote sensing methods. We show that ET is approximately equal to annual precipitation at the site, but when ATCA and SAVE are protected from grazing they can develop high f c and LAI values, and ET can exceed annual precipitation, with the excess coming from groundwater discharge. Therefore, control of grazing could be an effective method to slow migration of contaminants at this and similar sites in the western U.S. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tamarix leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) have been widely released on western U.S. rivers to control introduced shrubs in the genus Tamarix. Part of the motivation to control Tamarix is to salvage water for human use. Information is needed on the impact of beetles on Tamarix seasonal leaf production and subsequent water use over wide areas and multiple cycles of annual defoliation. Here we combine ground data with high resolution phenocam imagery and moderate resolution (Landsat) and coarser resolution (MODIS) satellite imagery to test the effects of beetles on Tamarix evapotranspiration (ET) and leaf phenology at sites on six western rivers. Satellite imagery covered the period 2000 to 2010 which encompassed years before and after beetle release at each study site. Phenocam images showed that beetles reduced green leaf cover of individual canopies by about 30% during a 6–8week period in summer, but plants produced new leaves after beetles became dormant in August, and over three years no net reduction in peak summer leaf production was noted. ET was estimated by vegetation index methods, and both Landsat and MODIS analyses showed that beetles reduced ET markedly in the first year of defoliation, but ET recovered in subsequent years. Over all six sites, ET decreased by 14% to 15% by Landsat and MODIS estimates, respectively. However, results were variable among sites, ranging from no apparent effect on ET to substantial reduction in ET. Baseline ET rates before defoliation were low, 394mmyr−1 by Landsat and 314mmyr−1 by MODIS estimates (20–25% of potential ET), further constraining the amount of water that could be salvaged. Beetle–Tamarix interactions are in their early stage of development on this continent and it is too soon to predict the eventual extent to which Tamarix populations will be reduced. The utility of remote sensing methods for monitoring defoliation was constrained by the small area covered by each phenocam image, the low temporal resolution of Landsat, and the low spatial resolution of MODIS imagery. Even combined image sets did not adequately reveal the details of the defoliation process, and remote sensing data should be combined with ground observations to develop operational monitoring protocols. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Native tree plots have been established in river irrigation districts in the western U.S. to provide habitat for threatened and endangered birds. Information is needed on the effective irrigation requirements of the target species. Cottonwood (Populus spp.) and willow (Salix gooddingii) trees were grown for seven years in an outdoor plot in a desert environment in Tucson, Arizona. Plants were allowed to achieve a nearly complete canopy cover over the first four years, then were subjected to three daily summer irrigation schedules of 6.20 mm d−1; 8.26 mm d−1 and 15.7 mm d−1. The lowest irrigation rate was sufficient to maintain growth and high leaf area index for cottonwoods over three years, while willows suffered considerable die-back on this rate in years six and seven. These irrigation rates were applied April 15–September 15, but only 0.88 mm d−1 was applied during the dormant period of the year. Expressed as a fraction of reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo), recommended annual water applications plus precipitation (and including some deep drainage) were 0.83 ETo for cottonwood and 1.01 ETo for willow. Current practices tend to over-irrigate restoration plots, and this study can provide guidelines for more efficient water use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) has invaded riparian ecosystems throughout the Western United States, including significant portions of riparian ecosystems within U.S. National Parks and Monuments. Recently, the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) was released as a tamarisk biocontrol agent. Although initial releases have been monitored, no comprehensive program is currently in place to monitor the rapid spread of Diorhabda that has resulted from numerous subsequent releases by county and state agencies. Long term monitoring of tamarisk defoliation and its impacts on habitat and water resources is needed. This study examines the potential for using higher spatial resolution Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data and lower spatial resolution Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data for monitoring defoliation caused by Diorhabda and subsequent changes in evapotranspiration (ET). Widespread tamarisk defoliation was observed in an eastern Utah study area during summer 2007. ASTER normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed only minor changes between 2005 and 2006, but a significant drop in NDVI was found within riparian areas between 2006 and 2007. The decrease in NDVI caused by defoliation was apparent despite partial refoliation within the study area. MODIS time series data revealed that absolute decline in EVI varied by site, but that the timing of EVI decline during summer 2007 was early with respect to phenological patterns from 2001 through 2006. Defoliation caused decreases in ET values estimated from both ASTER and MODIS data. MODIS estimated ET declined earlier than in previous years, although annual ET was not significantly different than ET in previous years due to high year-to-year variability. Challenges to detection and monitoring of tamarisk defoliation include spectral mixing of tamarisk and other cover types at subpixel spatial resolution, spatial coregistration of time series images, the timing of image acquisition, and changes unrelated to defoliation in non-tamarisk land cover over time. Continued development of the techniques presented in this paper may allow monitoring the spread of Diorhabda and assessment of potential water salvage resulting from biocontrol of tamarisk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We combined remote sensing and in-situ measurements to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) from riparian vegetation over large reaches of western U.S. rivers and ET by individual plant types. ET measured from nine flux towers (eddy covariance and Bowen ratio) established in plant communities dominated by five major plant types on the Middle Rio Grande, Upper San Pedro River, and Lower Colorado River was strongly correlated with Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) values from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) sensor on the NASA Terra satellite. The inclusion of maximum daily air temperatures (T a) measured at the tower sites further improved this relationship. Sixteen-day composite values of EVI and T a were combined to predict ET across species and tower sites (r 2 =0.74); the regression equation was used to scale ET for 2000–2004 over large river reaches with T a from meteorological stations. Measured and estimated ET values for these river segments were moderate when compared to historical, and often indirect, estimates and ranged from 851–874 mm yr−1. ET of individual plant communities ranged more widely. Cottonwood (Populus spp.) and willow (Salix spp.) stands generally had the highest annual ET rates (1100–1300 mm yr−1), while mesquite (Prosopis velutina) (400–1100 mm yr−1) and saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) (300–1300 mm yr−1) were intermediate, and giant sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii) (500–800 mm yr−1) and arrowweed (Pluchea sericea) (300–700 mm yr−1) were the lowest. ET rates estimated from the flux towers and by remote sensing in this study were much lower than values estimated for riparian water budgets using crop coefficient methods for the Middle Rio Grande and Lower Colorado River. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Because groundwater recharge is generally low, arid and semiarid environments have been considered well suited for long-term isolation of hazardous materials (e.g., radioactive waste). In these dry regions, water lost (transpired) by plants and evaporation from the soil surface (collectively termed evapotranspiration; ET) is usually the primary discharge term in the water balance. Therefore, vegetation can potentially be used as a tool to hydraulically control and naturally attenuate groundwater contamination plumes at waste disposal sites. We used remote sensing-based algorithms to estimate landscape-scale ET of the 3,513 hectares Groundwater Modeling Domain (GMD) at the Tuba City, AZ UMTRCA site from 2000-2012. Assuming the difference between precipitation (PPT) and ET would result in a net recharge (PPT > ET) or discharge of shallow groundwater (PPT < ET), our ET model predicted that 0.17 million cubic meters per year of groundwater contributed to surface flows (PPT not lost as ET) in a down gradient stream (Moenkopi Wash), which was supported by streamflow measurements at the upstream and downstream boundaries of the GMD. Our results demonstrate that (1) land use practices that enhance ET can be part of an overall remediation strategy and (2) locally calibrated remote sensing ET algorithms can accurately estimate ET at such sites, which can be used to inform local groundwater modeling efforts. In addition to our work in Tuba City, we are using other cutting-edge remote sensing technologies to characterize vegetation and explain groundwater dynamics at other UMTRCA sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]