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A publication of SAHRA, an NSF Science and Technology Center

T h e R e s o u r c e f o r S e m i - A r i d H y d r o l o g y

WatershedManagement

Volume 8/Number 2 March/April 2009

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The Levelogger Gold is a self contained water level datalogger, which is completely designed,

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The components of a watershed—the region drained by a river and its tributaries—include its surface water (streams and wetlands), groundwater, soil, vegetation, climate, and man-made features. These are highly interconnected: changes to one have repercussions on others. Watersheds, particularly in the Southwest, also have myriad stakeholders with different interests, including minimizing flooding and erosion, protecting native and endangered species (flora and fauna), recreational use, resource extraction, and water supply. To assist such groups in addressing their interests while respecting the concerns of others, this issue explores the science of watershed management. If certain events or activities occur in a watershed, either naturally or as a result of human intervention, what responses can be expected? Understanding these responses at the watershed scale will enable more informed management decisions to be made.

As always, we thank the contributors to this issue, many of whom persevere through several iterations! We appreciate all your efforts. In addition, we are grateful to our advertisers and sponsors, who continue to support us and make this publication a success.

Betsy Woodhouse, Publisher

A bimonthly trade magazine for hydrologists, water managers, and other professionals working with water issues.

Southwest HydrologyPublisher

Betsy Woodhouse

Technical EditorHoward Grahn

EditorMary Black

Graphic DesignersCindy GroomsShiloe Fontes

Technical WriterAlison Williams

SAHRA Knowledge TransferGary Woodard

Contributors

Advisory BoardDavid Bolin, R.G.Charles Graf, R.G.Jim Holway, Ph.D.

Jeff JohnsonDavid Jordan, P.E.

Karl Kohlhoff, P.E., B.C.E.E.Stan Leake

Ari Michelsen, Ph.DMark Murphy, Ph.D.

Peggy RoeferMartin Steinpress, R.G., C.HG.

Printed in the USA by CityPress

Southwest Hydrology is published six times per year by the NSF Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and

Riparian Areas (SAHRA), College of Engineering, The University of Arizona. Copyright 2009 by the Arizona Board of Regents. All rights reserved. Limited copies may be made for internal use only. Credit must be given to the publisher. Otherwise, no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior

written permission of the publisher.ISSN 1552-8383

SubscriptionsSubscriptions to Southwest Hydrology are free. To receive the

magazine, contact us as shown below.

AdvertisingAdvertising rates, sizes, and contracts are available at

www.swhydro.arizona.edu. Please direct ad inquiries to us as shown below. Space must be reserved 50 days prior to

publication date.

Free Job AnnouncementsSouthwest Hydrology will publish job announcements in the Employment Opportunities section. The first 70 words for

each announcement is free; after that, the charge is $70 per additional 70 words. To place an ad, contact us as shown

below. All announcements, of any length, may be posted on our website for no charge (www.swhydro.arizona.edu).

Editorial ContributionSouthwest Hydrology welcomes letters and contributions

of news, project summaries, product announcements, and items for The Calendar. Send submissions by mail or email as

shown below. Visit www.swhydro.arizona.edu for additional guidelines for submissions.

Web SitesSouthwest Hydrology - www.swhydro.arizona.edu

SAHRA - www.sahra.arizona.edu

CONTACT USSouthwest Hydrology, The University of Arizona, SAHRA

PO Box 210158-B, Tucson, AZ 85721-0158. Phone 520-626-1805. Email mail@swhydro.arizona.edu.

Bob BowerDavid D. BreshearsJulie Meka CarterChristopher Castro

Neil S. CobbMike Crimmins

Leonard F. DeBanoGina Dello Russo

Francina DominguezAndrew Ellis

Robert R. ParmenterAristides Petrides

Susan RichPatrick D. Royer

Ken SmithBradford P. WilcoxJack E. Williams

From thetttttttttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeePublisher

T h e R e s o u r c e f o r S e m i - A r i d H y d r o l o g y

Watershed management requires consideration of not just a single portion of the watershed, but all components—uplands, riparian areas, farmlands, and urban areas—as shown in this digital image of a portion of the Verde River watershed looking northwest across Cottonwood, Arizona. Image created using ESRI ARCglobe software with a 30-m DEM (3x vertical exaggeration) and surface coverage consisting of 1-m resolution NAIP (2007) coverage provided by UA’s Advanced Resource Technology (ART) Lab. Image produced by Jim Washburne.

WsrdnAac

4 • March/April 2009 • Southwest Hydrology

FREE Technical notes, web-based training and product information at www.sontek.com.Questions? E-mail: inquiry@sontek.com or call +1.858.546.8327See the RiverSurveyor-S5 in action! youtube.com/SonTekYSI

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Publishing Southwest Hydrology furthers SAHRA’s mission of promoting sustainable management of water resources in semi-arid regions.

This publication is supported by SAHRA (Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas) under the STC Program of the National Science Foundation, Agreement No. EAR-9876800. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of SAHRA or of the National Science Foundation.

Inside This Issue

20 Transformative LandscapeChange in the West Bradford P. WilcoxAn era of transformative landscape change is upon us, as evidenced by changes in snow patterns at high elevation, insect infestations in forests, vegetation change in rangelands and riparian areas, and land degradation. Understanding and mitigating the impacts of these changes are becoming Job One for watershed managers.

22 Applying Hydrology to Land ManagementRobert R. ParmenterIn New Mexico’s Valles Caldera National Preserve, new research results are informing forest thinning prescriptions to optimize snow-water equivalent, reduce sublimation, increase stream discharge, reduce fi re risk, and increase forage for wildlife in the watershed.

24 Accounting for Groundwater in Watershed ManagementBob Bower and Aristides PetridesConservation measures designed to improve surface-water fl ows in the semiarid Walla Walla watershed unwittingly impacted the aquifer system, drying seeps and springs that feed the river. Conjunctive management is providing some balance.

26 Managing Native Trout Past Peak WaterJack E. Williams and Julie Meka CarterCertain endangered and threatened native trout are particularly vulnerable to climate change and its associated impacts on water quality, temperature, and supply. What can be done to expand recovery populations and suitable stream habitat?

28 Fire Effects on Watersheds: An OverviewLeonard F. DeBanoWildfi re can greatly impact the soil layer and hydrologic processes throughout a watershed, depending particularly on the fi re’s severity and post-fi re weather. The timing, costs, and benefi ts of various mitigation options are being studied to optimize management of runoff and erosion.

30 Restoration in New Mexico Watersheds: The UplandsKen Smith and Susan RichThe state of New Mexico is pursuing a landscape-scale approach to restoring healthy watersheds and forestlands. Getting scientists, land mangers, and the public to agree on what restoration means and what a “state of resiliency” is could be the grandest challenge.

31 Restoration in New Mexico Watersheds: The FloodplainsGina Dello RussoForest restoration efforts along New Mexico river corridors also are benefi ting from a landscape-scale approach. Taking a broader view and expanding the number of stakeholders, although challenging, allows improved assessement of the overall contributions to ecosystem benefi ts of restoration treatments.

Departments8 On the Ground

• Impacts of alt-fuel development on natural resources, by Gary Woodard

• Improving SW drought monitoring and forecasting, by Francina Dominguez, Christopher Castro, and Andrew Ellis

13 Government• Rapanos repercussions• Klamath dams coming down?• EPA stormwater program criticized• Western lands opened to geothermal• Yuma desalting to be tested• Water harvesting regs differ• CA allocates 15% of requests• CA city nixes softeners• CAFO rule amended• Auburn Dam loses rights• Uranium threatens GW storage site• EPA cracks down on California

drinking water systems• Hetch Hetchy upgrade OK’d

13 HydroFacts

34 Business Directory

36 Climate Tools for Water Managers• Tracking drought impacts in AZ,

by Mike Crimmins

37 R&D• Drip irrigation may increase use• Lake Powell study holds surprises• Pesticides plentiful in Salton Sea

source rivers• Bottled water quality no better

than tap• Woody brush gets a reprieve• River otters return to NM

40 In Print & Online• Continental-scale aquifer maps• CALFED science summary• EPA looks at nonperennial streams• Spring ecosystems: a primer• New database on AZ GW• AWWA offers drinking-water agenda

42 Calendar

Watershed ManagementWatershed management—managing resources on a watershed scale—is a challenge: watersheds cover large areas; have a variety of climates, species, and ecosystems; and have many different stakeholders. However, water managers are increasingly realizing the importance of looking at watersheds holistically to understand the interrelationships among their components before taking management actions. In this issue, we consider managing fi re (prescribed and post-wildfi re), forest thinning, and various restoration approaches, and how they contribute to the long-term resiliency of a watershed.

6 • March/April 2009 • Southwest Hydrology