Paired Catchment Study Research Articles

Grazing strategies for reducing contaminant losses in surface runoff from winter forage crop fields located in hill country and grazed by sheep

ABSTRACT A paired catchment study approach was used to quantify fluxes of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), sediment and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in surface runoff from fields where sheep were wintered on swede (Brassica napus) and kale (Brassica oleracea) crops. The effectiveness of a strategic grazing approach that protected critical source areas (CSAs) was examined to determine if these fluxes could be reduced. Averaged over two years, estimated fluxes of N, P and sediment in surface runoff recorded in winter and early spring (June-September) were up to 0.64, 0.22 and 51 kg ha−1, respectively, and up to 2 × 1011 MPN ha−1 for E. coli. With the exception of E. coli, these fluxes were low compared to those reported in other studies and largely attributed to the low amounts of surface runoff recorded. This, in turn, can be explained by relatively benign weather conditions recorded during the study period and the relatively light grazing pressures imposed by sheep. Compared to standard grazing practice, protection of CSAs reduced N, P, sediment, and E. coli fluxes by 38%, 48%, 55% and 63%, respectively. These reductions can largely be attributed to lower concentrations of contaminants in surface runoff when the CSA was protected.

Forestry impacts on stream flows and temperatures: A quantitative synthesis of paired catchment studies across the Pacific salmon range

Abstract Forestry is pervasive across temperate North America and may influence aquatic environmental conditions such as flows and temperatures, as well as important species such as Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). While there have been many large‐scale forestry experiments using paired catchment designs, these studies have yet to be quantitatively synthesized. Thus, it remains unclear whether forestry impacts are consistent, context‐dependent or unpredictable. This study aims to quantitatively synthesize forestry impacts on streamflow and temperature, through a systematic review and synthesis of paired catchment studies across the range of Pacific salmon. Specifically, we investigated whether generalizable relationships exist between forestry intensity (percent watershed harvested) and impacts to streamflow and temperature. We also examined whether watershed features (climate, hydrology and lithology) and harvest method mediated forestry impacts. We extracted information from 35 unique paired‐catchments from California to Alaska. Forestry had strong impacts on peak and low flows and maximum summer water temperatures, but responses were quite variable. Across all catchments, forestry elevated peak flows ~20% (n = 31 catchments), reduced low flows ~25% (n = 13 catchments) and increased maximum summer temperatures ~15% (n = 35 catchments) on average. However, these impacts were variable and were not predictable based on forestry intensity, thus broader stressor–response relationships were not supported. Forestry impacts on peak flows and maximum summer temperatures varied spatially. Peak flow impacts increased with northward latitude and temperature impacts decreased with eastward longitude. However, the magnitude of impacts were unrelated to other watershed attributes, which included climate (precipitation and aridity), rain versus snow hydrology, elevation and bedrock lithology. Harvest method and riparian buffer presence also had no detected effects on forestry impacts across studies and statistical models explained a low proportion of variation overall. Collectively, our results indicate that forestry can have substantial impacts on key environmental conditions; however, the magnitude of impact was variable and could not be clearly linked to easily measured watershed characteristics. This implies that forestry impacts may not be broadly predictable. Probabilistic risk models based on distributions of potential impacts may therefore be more useful for watershed management in data‐poor situations.

Transpiration rates from mature Eucalyptus grandis × E. nitens clonal hybrid and Pinus elliottii plantations near the Two Streams Research Catchment, South Africa

Abstract. Pine plantations are the dominant species currently planted within the South African commercial forestry industry. Improvements in bio-economy markets for dissolving wood pulp products have seen an expansion in fast-growing Eucalyptus plantations due to their higher productivity rates and better pulping properties than pine. This has raised concerns regarding the expansion of Eucalyptus plantations and how they will affect water resources as they have been reported to have higher water use (quantified using transpiration rates) than pine. We measured transpiration rates (mm yr−1), diameter at breast height (quantified as quadratic mean diameter, Dq, m) and leaf area index of an 8-year-old Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus nitens clonal hybrid (GN) and a 20-year-old Pinus elliottii. Transpiration rates were measured for two consecutive hydrological years (2019/20 and 2020/21) using a heat ratio sap-flow method, calibrated against a lysimeter. In the 2019/20 year, annual transpiration for P. elliottii exceeded GN by 28 %, while for the 2020/21 hydrological year, there was no significant difference between the transpiration of the two species, despite a 17 % and 21 % greater leaf area index for P. elliottii than GN in 2019/20 and 2020/21 measurement years respectively. Quadratic mean diameter increments were statistically similar (p > 0.05) in 2019/20, whereas the 2020/21 year produced significant differences (p<0.05). Tree transpiration is known to be influenced by climatic variables; therefore, a random forest regression model was used to test the level of influence between tree transpiration and climatic parameters. The soil water content, solar radiation and vapour pressure deficit were found to highly influence transpiration, suggesting these variables can be used in future water-use modelling studies. The profile water content recharge was influenced by rainfall events. After rainfall and soil profile water recharge, there was a rapid depletion of soil water by the GN trees, while the soil profile was depleted more gradually at the P. elliottii site. As a result, trees at the GN site appeared to be water stressed (reduced stem diameters and transpiration), suggesting that there was limited access to alternative water source (such as groundwater). The study concluded that previous long-term paired catchment studies indicate that eucalypts use more water than pine; however, periods of soil water stress and reduced transpiration observed in this study must be accommodated in hydrological models. Long-term total soil water balance studies are recommended in the same region to understand the long-term impact of commercial plantations on water resources.

The response of forested upland micro-watersheds to extreme precipitation in a precipitation abundant year

We performed a comparative paired catchment study of three headwater upland forest micro-catchments with different forest types in the precipitation-abundant year 2020. The analysis was based on baseflow separation and resulting baseflow index (BFI). The year 2020 was intentionally chosen as a way to reflect the expected effects of climate change in the region where more extreme hydroclimatic events are expected. Our team demonstrated that in case of hydroclimatic extremes, there are significant differences in the runoff response from these catchments, depending especially on the tree species composition in the forest stands. Three forest types with the predominance of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and mixed forest were analyzed. The observed different values of BFI were interpreted in relation to the ability of forest stands to retain water and slow runoff in extreme runoff events determined by the stormflow component as an indication of their flood control efficiency. A significantly worse flood control efficiency and an overreaction of runoff response to precipitation events were observed in the spruce catchment. This also suggests that the spruce catchment is more prone to suffer from drought since twice as much water was lost from the system during extreme hydroclimatic events as opposed to the other two with less spruce in the stands and less water is thus available for groundwater recharge.

Green infrastructure drainage of a commercial plaza without directly connected impervious areas: a case study.

A paired-catchment study of two adjacent commercial areas in northern Sweden, one with Green Infrastructure (GI) storm drainage and the other with a conventional storm sewer system, served to evaluate the hydrological performance of both drainage systems and demonstrate advantages of GI. The GI catchment avoided directly connected impervious areas by diverting runoff from a parking lot to a cascade of three infiltration features, a fractured rock strip draining onto a sloping infiltration area, followed by a collector swale. Both catchments were monitored over 4 years by measuring rainfall, runoff and, in the vicinity of the swale, soil water content and groundwater levels. For frequent storms, the median GI efficiencies in reducing runoff volumes and peak flows, and extending peak flow lags, were 96, 99 and 60%, respectively, compared to conventional drainage. The storm rainfall depth, initial soil water content, increases in intra-event soil water storage and groundwater levels had statistically significant effects on either runoff volume or peak flow reductions. No effects were found for storm rainfall intensity and duration, antecedent dry days, and initial groundwater levels. The study demonstrated that GI drainage can be successfully applied even in the challenging environment of a subarctic climate.

Evaluating hydrologic impact from concurrent insect and fire disturbances

Study RegionRio Grande Headwaters Study FocusIn the western US wildfires are increasing in duration and frequency, insect inducted forest mortality is widespread, and both wildfires and forest mortality are exacerbated by drought. These forest disturbances have hydrologic implications that are not always evident in the post-disturbance water budget – especially at the watershed outlet. In this study we evaluate two snow dominated paired catchment systems in the forested Rio Grande headwaters – where each impacted site was severely burned by the 2013 West Fork Complex (WFC) fire, and all sites (including control sites) were severely impacted by spruce beetle induced forest mortality from approximately 2005 to 2010. A combination of observed runoff, reanalysis precipitation, and remotely sensed evapotranspiration and vegetation metrics are used to evaluate the post-fire surface water budget (runoff and evapotranspiration) in paired catchments. New hydrological insights for the regionSignificant changes in post-fire surface water budget partitioning are not detectable, which is likely the result of decreased evapotranspiration due to insect-induced vegetation change in all study catchments prior to the fire. Our findings highlight the importance of considering overlapping disturbances, especially in paired catchment studies, and in alpine and subalpine forest regions like the Rio Grande headwaters that are increasingly prone to drought, insect mortality and wildfire. Our results also illustrate that insect induced forest mortality has significant implications for post-fire hydrology studies that rely on control-impact or before-and-after comparisons.

Assessing the effect of sustainable land management on improving water security in the Blue Nile Highlands: a paired catchment approach.

The Blue Nile Highlands, Ethiopia, has been experiencing serious land degradation, menacing water security, and then human well-being. However, sustainable land management (SLM) may be the way to curb land degradation and improve water security. Therefore, in order to assess benefits after a 5-year catchment restoration effort, we conducted a paired-catchment study to investigate runoff and soil moisture dynamics. First and second catchments were used as control and treated, respectively. After comparing observations gathered from four sites within each of the study catchments, we found that implementing SLM reduced runoff curve numbers by -13.9 to -21.6 units and increased soil moisture storage by 15.6 to 800%, then promoting rapid recovery of the hydrologic functionality of the natural landscapes. We conclude that SLM initiatives can greatly improve water security in the drought-prone Blue Nile Highlands.

Data sets for the Upper Penticton Creek watershed experiment: A paired‐catchment study to support investigations of watershed response to forest dynamics and climatic variability in an inland snow‐dominated region

AbstractThe Upper Penticton Creek watershed experiment is one of a handful of forestry‐focused paired catchment experiments in the snow‐dominated zone of western North America. The study involves an undisturbed control catchment and two treatment catchments. Streamflow has been monitored at weirs on all three streams since 1985. Following a pre‐harvest monitoring period, the treatment catchments were subject to clearcut harvesting in multiple passes that cumulatively covered ~50% of the catchments. In addition to streamflow, available hydrometeorological data sets include weather observations, snowpack water equivalent, rainfall interception, soil water content and water table levels in soil piezometers and bedrock wells. The data archive also includes digital elevation models, a Lidar‐derived image of tree heights in 2016, and vector data associated with lakes and reservoirs, the stream network, clearcut boundaries, a soil map and the logging road network. Together, these data sets provide a basis for empirical analyses of hydrological response to forest dynamics and climatic variability, and for calibration and testing hydrological models using internal variables. They should also provide useful data sets for educational purposes.Novelty StatementUpper Penticton Creek is the only long‐term, snowmelt‐dominated, experimental paired catchment study in western Canada and one of only a few in western North America. Four decades of environmental monitoring and research at this site provide an important data set to support analysis and modelling of hydrologica response to forest disturbance and climatic variability.

Land‐use comparison of depression‐focussed groundwater recharge in the Canadian prairies

AbstractIn the cold semiarid Canadian prairies, groundwater recharge is focussed under numerous topographic depressions, in which snowmelt runoff converges. Agricultural land uses on the uplands surrounding the depressions affect snow accumulation, snowmelt infiltration, evapotranspiration (ET) and soil moisture dynamics, thereby influencing snowmelt runoff and depression‐focussed recharge. The objective of this study is to compare the differences in hydrological processes under two common land uses in the Canadian prairies, namely grazed grass and annual crop, and examine how they affect groundwater recharge. A short‐term (3 years) paired catchment study was used for detailed observation of hydrological processes in two depressions, supplemented by a longer‐term (17 years) data set covering a larger scale to quantify the differences in snowmelt runoff between the two land uses. Compared to the grazed grassland, the cropland had a shorter and more intense period of ET, and root water uptake restricted to the shallower (top 0–80 cm) soil zone. The amount of snowmelt runoff was greater in the grazed grassland primarily due to a higher amount of snow accumulation, which was dictated by differences in topography. This finding was contrary to previous studies in the Canadian prairies that indicated substantially smaller snowmelt runoff in ungrazed grassland, but was consistent with the larger‐scale remote sensing results, which showed only a marginal difference between grazed grasslands and croplands. Groundwater recharge rates were estimated using the chloride mass balance method for the present condition using “modern” pore water containing tritium. The rates were similar between the grazed grassland and croplands, implying similarity in snowmelt runoff characteristics. These results suggest that groundwater recharge will continue to be focussed under depressions in the future, though the amount and seasonality of recharge may be influenced by warmer winters.

Effects of Forest Harvesting on Warm-Season Low Flows in the Pacific Northwest: A Review

Paired-catchment studies conducted on small (< 10 km2) rain-dominated catchments revealed that forest harvesting resulted in a period of increased warm-season low flows ranging from less than five years to more than two decades, consistent with the results of stand-level studies and process considerations. Of the five paired-catchment studies in snow-dominated regions, none revealed a statistically significant change in warm-season low flows in the first decade following harvest, although two exhibited non-significant higher flows in August and September and one had lower flows. Two studies, one of rain-dominated catchments and one of snow-dominated catchments, found that summer low flows became more severe (i.e., lower) about two decades or so following harvest. These longer-term results indicate that indices such as equivalent clearcut area, as currently calculated using monotonic recovery curves, may not accurately reflect the nature of post-harvest changes in low flows. Studies focussed on medium to large catchments (tens to thousands of km2 in area) found either no statistically significant relations between warm-season low flows and forest disturbance, or inconsistent responses. Attempts to synthesize existing studies are hampered by the lack of a common low-flow metric among studies, as well as detailed information on post-harvest vegetation changes. Further fieldresearch and process-based modelling is required to help elucidate the underlying processes leading to the results from these paired-catchment studies and to enhance the ability to predict streamflow responses to forest harvesting, especially in the context of a changing climate.
 KEYWORDS: streamflow; forestry; low flows; fish habitat; hydrologic recovery

The stream hydrology response of converting a headwater pasture catchment to Pinus radiata plantation

ABSTRACT The planting of degraded land with tree plantations may be effective at improving land use sustainability and profitability but it can also have significant effects on stream hydrology. In this paired catchment study, we report the stream hydrological response to partial (62%) afforestation of a steep pastoral catchment in the western Waikato Region, North Island, New Zealand. We comprehensively analyse the hydrological regime changes over a 23-year period (including eight years before pine planting) with reference to a native-forested ‘control’ catchment. Our results show that afforestation has markedly affected stream hydrology. Seven years after planting, the total annual runoff was 380 mm lower than predicted for the catchment in pasture. Two phases of plantation thinning resulted in the difference between measured and predicted runoff reducing to only 129 mm. Peak flows reduced by ∼50% while total stormflow reduced by ∼30% – which we attribute to canopy interception attenuating and delaying water yield. The impact of plantation establishment on low flows is not so clear, although afforestation appears to have reduced low flows by ∼25%. This study provides information on the hydrological impact of afforestation within a hitherto poorly-represented New Zealand environment (i.e. high rainfall, sedimentary lithology-based, North Island hill country).

Effect of land clearing and climate variability on streamflow for two large basins in Central Queensland, Australia

Dramatic land clearing occurred in Central Queensland of Australia in the 1960s–1980s, and its impacts on streamflow are of great importance for regional water resources inventory and management. Paired catchment studies at the small scale (around 10–20 ha) have shown conclusively that clearing forests for agriculture has more than doubled the streamflow in the region. Two previous investigations at the large scale (the Comet basin with an area of 16,460 km2) have drawn quite different conclusions about the land clearing effect on streamflow, varying from 40% increases in streamflow due to land clearing to all the changes in streamflow occurring as a result of climate variability. To further examine the effect of land clearing on streamflow at the large scale in Central Queensland, this study attempts to resolve the discrepancy of the two previous studies by applying the same set of methods (double mass curves, flow duration curves, Budyko framework, Tanh function and conceptual hydrologic model SimHyd) for three distinct periods, namely pre-clearing, transitional and post-clearing periods, and for two neighbouring large basins. The main conclusions of this study are: 1) the effect of land clearing on streamflow of large basins in Central Queensland are unmistakably detectable; 2) the impact of land clearing manifested itself mostly during wetter years or for wetter basins; 3) for a given basin, the greater the extent of land clearing the larger the effect on streamflow; and 4) a lack of consistent conclusions about the land use change effect on streamflow at the large scale for this region and for several other large basins around the world are likely a result of the different methodologies used, different contrasting periods, and the differing effect on streamflow in relation to the underlying climate variability.

Effects of selective forest harvesting best management practices on organic matter and invertebrate detritivores in streams draining subtropical eucalypt forest

Best management practices (BMPs) for forestry activities have been developed to mitigate the impacts of timber harvesting on stream ecosystems in New South Wales, Australia. These BMPs include selective harvesting within the catchment, exclusion of harvesting in riparian zones, and restrictions on harvesting and machinery operations during wet weather or on steep slopes. The few studies assessing the ecological effects of forestry BMPs have largely focussed on operations in temperate climates and are often based on a single pair of control and impact streams. But what are the effects in subtropical regions where climatic and hydrological variability may be greater? Are the effects of selective harvesting dependent on the proximity of harvesting to the locations of monitoring? We used a multiple paired-catchment study to assess effects of forestry BMPs on standing stocks of benthic coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) and densities of invertebrate detritivores in streams draining subtropical eucalypt catchments that were either harvested using BMPs (‘impact’) or unharvested (‘control’). CPOM and detritivores in three pools in each of the four streams were sampled multiple times before and after the impact catchments were harvested. Harvesting intensity and proximity of harvesting to stream monitoring sites differed between ‘impact’ catchments. Benthic CPOM was dominated by leaves and leaf fragments in all streams. There were no post-harvesting differences in CPOM composition, standing stocks of different CPOM fractions or densities of detritivorous stream invertebrates in two feeding groups (collector-gatherers and shredders) between stream pairs despite differences in the proximity (minimum of ∼50 m and 1.6 km) of harvesting to monitoring sites. We conclude that relative to matched control sites, selective forestry BMPs do not alter CPOM stocks and stream detritivore densities in this subtropical Australian eucalypt forest, implying that these BMPs are effective in mitigating effects of harvesting across similar subtropical forests.

Role of Low-Impact Development in Generation and Control of Urban Diffuse Pollution in a Pilot Sponge City: A Paired-Catchment Study

Low-impact development (LID) is increasingly recognized as one of the most important stormwater source controls on a small scale. However, few studies have reported how LID practices affect the generation and control of urban diffuse pollution at the scale of urban drainage units. In this study, paired conventional and LID drainage units (CDU and LDU) were used to distinguish the role of LID practices in urban sediment accumulation and release at a residential drainage units scale (about 1–2 ha). The urban sediment dynamic build-up process, amounts per unit to equilibrium, amount and percentage of urban sediment washed-off by rainfall, pollutant concentrations during rainfall-runoff processes, and discharge water volume and pollution load from drainage units were all notably different between the paired drainage units. These results indicated that (1) LID practices have a combined effect on urban sediments accumulation and release on a drainage unit scale via reduction of the source area, changes in microtopography and formation of a greater sink area; (2) landscape alterations with LID practices within a small catchment reduced and disconnected areas with impervious surfaces, subsequently reducing the kinetic energy of wash-off and transport for urban sediment; (3) LID practices exerted notable hydrological responses and water quality responses at a micro urban catchment scale by reducing the first flush load and entire process discharge load. The results presented herein will facilitate optimal design for reliable treatment performance and assessment of the effectiveness of LID practices on an urban drainage units scale.

Climate moderates potential shifts in streamflow from changes in pinyon‐juniper woodland cover across the westernU.S.

AbstractPinyon‐juniper (PJ) cover has increased up to 10‐fold in many parts of the western U.S. in the last 140+ years. The impacts of these changes on streamflows are unclear and may vary depending on the intra‐annual distribution and amount of precipitation. Given the importance of streamflow in the western U.S., it is important to understand how shifts in PJ woodland cover may produce changes in streamflow across the region's diverse hydroclimates. To this end, we simulated the land surface water balance with contrasting woodland and grassland cover with the Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV) model at a 4‐km resolution across the distribution of PJ woodlands in the western U.S. We used shifts in evapotranspiration (ET) between woodland and grassland cover as a proxy for potential changes in streamflows. Comparison of HBV model results with paired catchment studies indicated the model reasonably simulated annual decreases in ET with changes from woodland to grassland cover. For the northern and western ecoregions of the PJ distribution in the western U.S. where precipitation predominantly occurs in the winter, HBV simulated a 25 mm (37%) annual decrease in ET with conversion to grassland from woodland. Conversely, in southern ecoregions of PJ distribution with prominent summer monsoons, annual differences in ET were only 6 mm (19%). Our results suggest that only 29% of the PJ distribution, compared to an estimated 45% based on precipitation amount alone, has the potential for meaningful increases in streamflow with land cover change from woodland to grassland.

Grazing strategies for reducing contaminant losses to water from forage crop fields grazed by cattle during winter

ABSTRACTA paired catchment study quantified fluxes of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), sediment and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in flow from fields where cattle were wintered on swede (Brassica napus) and kale (Brassica oleracea) crops. The effectiveness of a strategic grazing approach that protected critical source areas was evaluated to determine if these fluxes could be reduced. Reduced soil infiltration caused by cattle treading was a contributing factor to overland flow events that mostly occurred in the six to eight weeks following crop grazing. Estimated annual fluxes of contaminants in overland flow ranged up to 27, 3.8 and 3740 kg ha−1 for N, P and sediment, respectively, and up to 4.3 × 1010 MPN ha−1 for E. coli. Strategic grazing significantly reduced overland flow volumes compared to standard grazing practice, reducing contaminant fluxes to levels similar to those observed when the catchments were returned to pasture and lightly grazed by sheep.

Rice agriculture impacts catchment hydrographic patterns and nitrogen export characteristics in subtropical central China: a paired-catchment study.

Increased nitrogen (N) concentrations in water bodies have highlighted issues regarding nutrient pollution in agricultural catchments. In this study, the ammonium-N (NH4+-N), nitrate-N (NO3--N), and total N (TN) concentrations were observed in the stream water and groundwater of two contrasting catchments (named Tuojia and Jianshan) in subtropical central China from 2010 to 2014, to determine the rice agriculture impacts on the hydrographic patterns, and N export characteristics of the catchments. The results suggested that greater amounts of stream flow (523.0 vs. 434.7mmyear-1) and base flow (237.6 vs. 142.8mmyear-1) were produced in Tuojia than in Jianshan, and a greater base flow contribution to stream flow and higher frequencies of high-base flow days were observed during the fallow season than during the rice-growing season, indicating that intensive rice agriculture strongly influences the catchment hydrographic pattern. Rice agriculture resulted in moderate N pollution in the stream water and groundwater, particularly in Tuojia. Primarily, rice agriculture increased the NH4+-N concentration in the stream water; however, it increased the NO3--N concentrations in the groundwater, suggesting that the different N species in the paddy fields migrated out of the catchments through distinct hydrological pathways. The average TN loading via stream flow and base flow was greater in Tuojia than in Jianshan (1.72 and 0.58 vs. 0.72 and 0.15kg Nha-1month-1, respectively). Greater TN loading via stream flow was observed during the fallow season in Tuojia and during the rice-growing season in Jianshan, and these different results were most likely a result of the higher base flow contribution to TN loading (33.5 vs. 21.3%) and greater base flow enrichment ratio (1.062 vs. 0.876) in Tuojia than in Jianshan. Therefore, the impact of rice agriculture on catchment eco-hydrological processes should be considered when performing water quality protection and treatment in subtropical central China.

Long-Term Forest Paired Catchment Studies: What Do They Tell Us That Landscape-Level Monitoring Does Not?

Forested catchments throughout the world are known for producing high quality water for human use. In the 20th Century, experimental forest catchment studies played a key role in studying the processes contributing to high water quality. The hydrologic processes investigated on these paired catchments have provided the science base for examining water quality responses to natural disturbances such as wildfire, insect outbreaks, and extreme hydrologic events, and human-induced disturbances such as timber harvesting, site preparation, prescribed fires, fertilizer applications, pesticide usage, rainfall acidification, and mining. This paper compares and contrasts the paired catchment approach with landscape-level water resource monitoring to highlight the information on hydrologic processes provided by the paired catchment approach that is not provided by the broad-brush landscape monitoring.

Simulation Model for Predicting the Effects of Changes in Land Use on Watershed Hydrology

Objective: Land use changes, driven by increase in population, and expansion of commercial interest, are happening in all parts of the world. Reductions in forest area were reported to have resulted in hydrologic changes and consequential disasters. Paired catchment studies were conducted in many parts of the world to assess the effects of changes in forest area on watershed hydrology, but the results from those studies were grounded to the locations of the study and could not be generalized and transferred to other locations. Such studies took very long time, and huge cost, despite many uncontrolled parameters between the catchments. Methods: Conceptual models have been recommended to develop scenarios for changes in land use. A newly developed Watershed Processes Simulation (WAPROS) model has been used for simulating scenarios for land use changes. The study design included: partial conversion of 0, 20, 40 and 60% of agriculture area to impervious area; 0, 20, 40 and 60% of forest area to agriculture; 0, 20, 40 and 60% of forest area to fallow; and complete conversion to forest, and to agriculture area. The reduction and expansion of forest area could be considered as equivalent to deforestation, and afforestation experiments. Findings: The capability of WAPROS model to generate all elemental processes was useful to interpret and link the causes and effects of changes. The scenario results showed: +60% change from forest to impervious area caused -100%, -28.5% and +4.6% changes in overland flow, baseflow and channel flow; +60% change from forest to agriculture caused +6%, -3.9%, and +7.8% changes in infiltration, peak flow and minimum flow. Comparison of 100% conversion to forest, and to agriculture showed higher channel flow and peak flow for full forest, and higher infiltration and evapotranspiration for full agriculture area. Applications/Improvements: The results supported studies that rejected the sponge theory attributed to forests.

The Brigalow Catchment Study: IV. Clearing brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) for cropping or grazing increases peak runoff rate

In Queensland, Australia, large tracts of native vegetation have been cleared for agriculture, resulting in substantial hydrological changes in the landscape. Australia’s longest-running paired catchment study, the Brigalow Catchment Study (BCS), was established in 1965 to monitor hydrological changes associated with land development, particularly that of the 1960s Land Development Fitzroy Basin Scheme. The BCS has unequivocally shown that developing brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) for cropping or for grazing doubles runoff volume. However, to date little research had been undertaken to quantify the changes in peak runoff rate when brigalow is cleared for cropping or grazing. The present study compared peak runoff rates from three brigalow catchments, two of which were subsequently cleared for cropping and pasture. Prior to land development, average peak runoff rates from the three brigalow scrub catchments were 3.2, 5 and 2mmh–1 for catchments 1 to 3 respectively. After development, these rates increased to 6.6mmh–1 from the brigalow scrub control catchment (catchment 1), 8.3mmh–1 from the cropping catchment (catchment 2) and 5.6mmh–1 from the pasture catchment (catchment 3). Peak runoff rate increased significantly from both the cropping and pasture catchments after adjusting for the underlying variation in peak runoff rate due to climatic variation between the pre- and post-development periods. The average peak runoff rate increased by 5.4mmh–1 (96%) for the cropping catchment and by 2.6mmh–1 (47%) for the pasture catchment. Increases in peak runoff rate were most prevalent in smaller events with an average recurrence interval of less than 2 years under cropping and 4 years under pasture.