An analysis of runoff and sediment yield from natural rainfall plots in the Chihuahuan Desert

TitleAn analysis of runoff and sediment yield from natural rainfall plots in the Chihuahuan Desert
Publication TypeConference Proceedings
Year of Publication1987
AuthorsBolin SB, Ward TJ
EditorAldon EF, Vicente CEGonzale, Moir WH(eds.)
Conference NameStrategies for Classification and Management of Native Vegetation for Food Production in Arid Zones
VolumeGeneral Gechnical Report RM-150
Pagination196-200
Date Published1987
PublisherUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station
Accession NumberJRN00051
Call Number00019
Keywordsabstract, abstracts, conference, conference proceedings, conferences, hydrology, runoff, hydrology, sediment yield, Larrea,hydrology, proceeding, proceedings, rainfall, also SEE <HYDROLOGY>, surface runoff
Abstract This paper examines 17 rainfall-runoff events from four natural rainfall plots in southern New Mexico. There are nine plots located at the Jornada Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Five plots have been treated with chlordane to remove termites and four are located on areas without the chlordane treatment. The plots (2m x 2m) were set up to represent shrub and intershrub areas. The common shrub in the area is creosote (Larrea tridentata). The shrubs are approximately centered in the plots. The intershrub plots have no creosote and very little perennial cover. Similarities and differences between plot responses to rainfall events were investigated, and the findings are related to plot and rainfall differences. Only the plots without the chlordane treatment will be discussed because the intent is to assess rainfall-runoff and sediment yield in a natural setting. Numerous statistical tests and comparisons were conducted on the data. The SAS package on the New Mexico State University IBM 3081D mainframe was used to summarize and analyze the data. The data were provided from an on-going LTER project at the Jornada (W. G. Whitford, Dept. of Biology, New Mexico State University, unpublished data).
Custom 1Fort Collins, Colorado