Data Set: Ground Water Data Supporting the Riparian Evapotranspiration (ET) Study (SEON) along the Middle Rio Grande Bosque, New Mexico

Data Author(s): Thibault, Jim; Dahm, Clifford; Cleverly, James

Description:

This study originated with the objective of parameterizing riparian evapotranspiration (ET) in the water budget of the Middle Rio Grande.  We hypothesized that flooding and invasions of non-native species would strongly impact ecosystem water use.  Our objectives were to measure and compare water use of native (Rio Grande cottonwood, Populus deltoides ssp. wizleni) and non-native (saltcedar, Tamarix chinensis and Russian olive, Eleagnus angustifolia) vegetation and to evaluate how water use is affected by climatic variability resulting in high river flows and flooding as well as drought conditions and deep water tables.  Eddy covariance flux towers to measure ET and shallow wells to monitor water tables were instrumented in 1999.  Active sites in their second decade of monitoring include a xeroriparian, non-flooding salt cedar woodland within Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and a dense, monotypic salt cedar stand at Bosque del Apache NWR, which is subject to flood pulses associated with high river flows.

Coverage:

Location: Bosque del Apache NWR, west side of Rio Grande, approx. 1.5 km downstream (S) of NWR bridge over Low Flow Conveyance Channel.Landform: Riparian., Geology: Alluvial floodplain., Soils: Sand/silt with clay lenses, saturated at 0 - 4 m depth., Hydrology: Riverine, shallow water table., Vegetation: Phreatophyte (T. chinensis-dominated)., Climate: Semi-arid., History: Native vegetation invaded by T. chinensis and overbank flooding diminished by surface water controls in early to mid 20th century. Remains flood-prone. (-106.877225 W, 33.781129 N)

Copyright

Copyright 2012, Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Station

Access and Use Requirements:

Data Policies: This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated Contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement of the Sevilleta LTER. Datasets must be cited as in the example:

Thibault, J. 2012. Sevilleta LTER Ground Water Data for the Riparian Evapotranspiration Study. Albuquerque, NM: Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Site Database: SEV155; http://hdl.handle.net/1928/23065 (Date of download)

A copy of any publications using these data must be supplied to the Sevilleta LTER Information Manager.

Keywords:

droughts; floods; water level; riparian; water table; forest ecosystems; floodplain;

Related Publications:

Cleverly, J.R., C.N. Dahm, J.R. Thibault, D.E. McDonnell, and J.E.A. Coonrod. 2006. Riparian ecohydrology: Regulation of water flux from the ground to the atmosphere in the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico. Hydrological Processes 20: 3207-3225.

Cleverly, J.R., C.N. Dahm, J.R. Thibault, D.J. Gilroy, and J.E.A. Coonrod. 2002. Seasonal estimates of actual evapotranspiration from Tamarix ramosissima stands using three-dimensional eddy covariance. Journal of Arid Environments 52: 191-197.

Cleverly, J.R., J.R. Thibault, S.B. Teet, L.E. Hipps, and C.N. Dahm. 2012. Radiation and energy fluxes over vegetated and non-vegetated groundwater-dependent riparian ecosystems: impacts of drought, flooding, restoration and fire. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, in review (submitted 11 Dec 2012).

Dahm, C.N., J.R. Cleverly, J.E.A. Coonrod, J.R. Thibault, D.E. McDonnell, and D.J. Gilroy. 2002. Evapotranspiration at the land/water interface in a semi-arid drainage basin. Freshwater Biology 47:831-843.

Dahm, C.N, M.A. Baker, D.I. Moore, and J.R. Thibault. 2003. Coupled biogeochemical and hydrological responses of streams and rivers to drought. Freshwater Biology 48: 1219-1231.

Martinet, M.C., E.R. Vivoni, J.R. Cleverly, J.R. Thibault, J.F. Schuetz, and C.N. Dahm. 2009. On groundwater fluctuations, evapotranspiration, and understory removal in riparian corridors. Water Resources Research 45:W05425, doi:10.1029/2008WR007152.

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