Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Document Type

Other

Publication Date

5-10-2011

Abstract

The Piedras Marcadas Watershed covers approximately 6 square miles west of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This watershed is semi-arid and has arroyos, ephemeral streams that empty into a retaining dam. During the fall of 1998, eleven erosion pins and bridges were placed to record the sediment eroded or aggraded. The erosion pins recorded erosion in a range of 0.05 to 4 mm erosion and aggradation of 2 to 10 mm. The erosion bridges recorded erosion in a range of 3 to 9 mm and 1.5 to 10.7 mm ranges of aggradation. Two modified universal soil loss equations were applied and contrasted to predict sediment loss for this watershed. The first equation values ranged from 0.5 to 17.5 and the second equation values ranged from 0.01 to 1.35 tons per acre per year. Sedimentation is a watershed management concern. Water and wind processes acting upon this area exhibit accelerated erosion. The study site has a basalt escarpment rising 70 to 90 in as many feet. Four associated arroyos drain the watershed. Additionally, this area has 46 investigated gullies, four arroyo profiles, and one measured stratigraphic column. The suggested erosion management plan is to monitor sediment loss in the main arroyo branch, eradicate non-native species, and plant black willows.

Language (ISO)

English

Keywords

Erosion--New Mexico--Petroglyph National Monument., Sedimentation--New Mexico--Petroglyph National Monument., Sediment transport--New Mexico--Petroglyph National Monument., Watershed restoration--New Mexico--Petroglyph National Monument.

Comments

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Water Resources Administration, March 1999.

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