AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO VALUING WATER FROM BRUSH CONTROL1

ABSTRACT: An analytic methodology utilizing models from three disciplines is developed to assess the viability of brush control for water yield in the Frio River basin, Texas. Ecological, hydrologic, and economic models are used to portray changes in forage production and water supply resulting from brush control, and to value supplemental water produced through brush control. Site‐specific biophysical characteristics are used to simulate water yields from brush control across the watershed. Economic benefits from increased animal production for ranchers undertaking brush control are assessed. Benefits to Corpus Christi residential water consumers from ranchers' brush control activities are evaluated using the change in consumer surplus resulting from supplemental water produced through brush control. Results indicate an increase in water yield with brush control on 35 percent of the land area in the basin. However, the cost of brush control is more than the increase in returns it fosters on most range sites. Consumer surplus change for Corpus Christi residents over 25 years is zero under baseline conditions, implying subsidies for brush control in the Frio basin are not worthwhile at this time.     

MODELING STREAMFLOW FROM ARTIFICIALLY DRAINED AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS IN ILLINOIS1

ABSTRACT: Evaluation of the applicability and validity of hydrologic simulation models for various cropping systems in different hydrogeologic and soil conditions is needed for a range of spatial scales. We calibrated and tested the ADAPT model for simulating streamflow from 552 to 1,985 km² watersheds in central Illinois, where more than 79 percent of the land is used for maize‐soybean production and tile drainage is common. Model calibration was performed with a seven year period (1987 through1993) of measured streamflow from one of the watersheds, and model testing was done using independent weather and measured streamflow data from the two neighboring watersheds for the same seven year period. Simulations of annual streamflow were accurate with a coefficient of determination and Willmott's index of agreement of 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. For simulation of monthly streamflow, Willmott's index of agreement ranged from 0.93 to 0.95. For simulation of daily streamflow, Willmott's index of agreement ranged from 0.84 to 0.85. The daily simulations challenged the temporal and spatial resolution of our measured precipitation data. Discrepancies between simulated and measured data may result from the model's inability to effectively address frozen soils and snowmelt runoff processes and in accurately representing evapotranspiration.     

APPLICATION OF TABU SEARCH TO GROUND WATER PARAMETER ZONATION1

ABSTRACT: The spatial distribution of hydrogeologic parameter is an important issue in ground water simulation. One of the methods is to divide an area into several zones such that parameters are assumed to be constant within zone. The purpose of this study is to apply Tabu Search (TS) to find the best zonation of parameters that can result in the best ground water simulation. The initial zonation can be determined as the Thiessen method, and then zonation is optimized by T.S. The mean square error between simulated and observed hydraulic heads was used as the objective function. A designed confined aquifer with known zonation was used as an example to test the proposed method. Results indicated that Tabu Search can locate the optimal zonation successfully and avoid being trapped by local optimal zonations. Besides this, four other arbitrary initial zonations can be directed to the optimal zonation by TS, which proves the robustness of the proposed method. The method proposed in this study is feasible and expected to work well in the field problems with sufficient sampling of concerned parameters.     

PERSPECTIVES ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND ITS MANAGEMENT: EXAMPLES FROM FOREST HYDROLOGY1

ABSTRACT: This paper uses the varying perspectives of researchers, funders, users or purchasers, and the wider community of stakeholders who have an interest in the outcome of research, to describe the socio-economic and organizational context in which forest hydrology research, as a particular form of environmental science, is carried out. The kinds of products from research, and the outcomes from research desired by these different parties are discussed. Implications for research organizations, their research strategies, and for the researchers within those organizations are discussed using the Porter-Harvard model of the context for the competitive strategies of enterprises. Some possible implications for research funding, research management, career paths for researchers, and the initial and lifetime education/learning needs of researchers and their managers are suggested. These considerations and implications are then related to the kinds of knowledge, skills, experience, and behaviors which are likely to be needed for a 21st century career in environmental research.     

COMPOSITE VS. DISTRIBUTED CURVE NUMBERS: EFFECTS ON ESTIMATES OF STORM RUNOFF DEPTHS1

ABSTRACT: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Curve Number (CN) method is one of the most common and widely used techniques for estimating surface runoff and has been incorporated into a number of popular hydrologic models. The CN method has traditionally been applied using compositing techniques in which the area weighted average of all curve numbers is calculated for a watershed or a small number of sub-watersheds. CN compositing was originally developed as a time saving procedure, reducing the number of runoff calculations required. However, with the proliferation of high speed computers and geographic information systems, it is now feasible to use distributed CNs when applying the CN method. To determine the effect of using composited versus distributed CNs on runoff estimates, two simulations of idealized watersheds were developed to compare runoff depths using composite and distributed CNs. The results of these simulations were compared to the results of similar analyses performed on an urbanizing watershed located in central Indiana and show that runoff depth estimates using distributed CNs are as much as 100 percent higher than when composited CNs are used. Underestimation of runoff due to CN compositing is a result of the curvilinear relationship between CN and runoff depth and is most severe for wide CN ranges, low CN values, and low precipitation depths. For larger design storms, however, the difference in runoff computed using composite and distributed CNs is minimal.     

FOREST HYDROLOGY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: ADDITIONAL RESEARCH NEEDS1

ABSTRACT: While much is known about the hydrology of forested mountain catchments in the Pacific Northwest, important research questions remain. For example, the dynamics of storm precipitation amounts and the modeling of catchment outflows represent a continuing research need. Without an improved understanding of the spatial and temporal aspects of storm precipitation patterns, our ability to evaluate and improve physically-based hydrologic models is limited. From a practical perspective, tens of thousands of kilometers of access roads have been constructed across forested catchments of the Pacific Northwest. Yet, few forestry research programs focus on road drainage (e.g., ditches, culverts, fords). The few studies that address this issue indicate road drainage systems need to function effectively over a wide range of flow events and terrain conditions. In addition, historical forest practices associated with hillslopes and riparian systems have altered the character of many Pacific Northwest aquatic ecosystems. If restoration of these systems is to be effective, research efforts are needed to better understand the linkages between riparian forests, geomorphic processes, and hydrologic disturbance regimes.     

森林植被变化对流域水文影响的争论

针对“森林能否增雨、森林能否减少年径流量、调节枯水径流以及能否削减洪峰”等问题，综述了各种观点，分析了出现分歧的原因。作者认为森林对降水量的影响不大，森林植被的存在一般减少年径流量，而对调节枯水径流以及削减洪峰等的作用则因地带、因流域尺度而异。研究方法的局限性、研究对象的复杂性以及区域差异和尺度的影响，是导致争论的主要原因。正确评价森林的水文效应，应该注意地带性差异、尺度的影响以及不同森林的类型等。     

不同生态修复模式下土壤水文性质及其对溶质运移的影响

煤矿区生态修复过程中不可避免地改变了土壤水和溶质运移过程.土壤水是溶质运移的主要载体,溶质运移受土壤水文性质与植被状况影响.以我国北方典型半干旱区山西古交矿区草本、灌草和乔灌草3种不同生态修复区和撂荒地的土壤为研究对象,揭示不同生态修复模式下土壤水文性质变化规律及其对溶质运移的影响.结果表明,土壤持水性从大到小依次为乔灌草地灌草地草地撂荒地,草本、灌草和乔灌草3种植被修复区的土壤持水量相对于撂荒地分别增加了33.79%、59.19%和62.71%,植被修复有助于增加土壤层蓄水能力.土壤饱和导水率由大到小依次为草地(1.736 mm·min~(-1))灌草地(1.678 mm·min~(-1))乔灌草地(1.564 mm·min~(-1))撂荒地(1.012 mm·min~(-1)),非饱和导水率随吸力增大而呈指数下降,植被修复过程中降低容重的同时提高了土壤持水性,改善土壤持水性能.不同生态修复区土壤中溶质穿透时间呈草地灌草地乔灌草地撂荒地的趋势.CDE、SC和TRM模型均可对矿区不同生态修复模式土壤的溶质运移过程进行较好的表达,其中CDE模型拟合效果最好.结果表明研究区溶质运移方式以对流为主,而且土壤容重和砂粒含量是影响溶质运移的主要因素.     

遥感水文耦合模型的研究进展

遥感水文的耦合模型在目前生态环境领域,特别是在水资源的应用和管理中其作用日益重要,具有大流域尺度上快速应用、实时动态监测等优点。结合国内外近年来取得的研究成果,文章综述了遥感水文耦合模型的研究进展。首先介绍了遥感技术在水文学中的应用,讨论了它的分类发展概况,接着介绍了几种主要的遥感水文耦合模型及其应用实例,包括SCS(SoilConservationServices)模型、SiB2(SimpleBiosphereModelversion2)简化生物圈模型、SRM(SnowmeltRunoffModel)融雪径流模型以及SWAT(SoilandWaterAssessmentTool)模型,最后展望了遥感水文耦合模型未来的发展趋势,指出尺度问题上的时空变异性仍是其发展的关键,与GIS(Geographicinformationsystem)及其他空间技术的相结合是其未来发展的重要方向,从而为水文学、水资源的预测评价等研究提供参考。     

Wind Characteristics of Mesquite Streets in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA

Past research has shown that the most important areas for active sand movement in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert are mesquite-dominated desert ecosystems possessing sandy soil texture. The most active sand movement in the mesquite-dominated ecosystems has been shown to take place on elongated bare soil patches referred to as “streets”. Aerodynamic properties of mesquite streets eroded by wind should be included in explaining how mesquite streets are more emissive sand sources than surrounding desert land. To understand the effects of wind properties, we measured them at two flat mesquite sites having highly similar soil textures but very different configurations of mesquite. The differences in wind properties at the two sites were caused by differences of size, orientation, and porosity of the mesquite, along with the presence of mesquite coppice dunes (sand dunes stabilized by mesquites growing in the dune and on its surface) found only at one of the two sites. Wind direction, u_* (friction velocity), z₀ (aerodynamic roughness height) and D (zero plane displacement height) were estimated for 15-m tower and 3-m mast data. These aerodynamic data allowed us to distinguish five categories with differing potentials for sediment transport. Sediment transport for the five categories varied from unrestricted, free transport to virtually no transport caused by vegetation protection from wind forces. In addition, “steering” of winds below the level of the tops of mesquite bushes and coppice dunes allowed longer parallel wind durations and increased wind erosion for streets that aligned roughly SW–NE. U.S. Government right to retain a non-exclusive royalty-free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.