We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Forest Treatment Effects on Watershed Responses Under Warming.
- Authors
Cederstrom, Charles J.; Vivoni, Enrique R.; Mascaro, Giuseppe; Svoma, Bohumil
- Abstract
The effects of forest treatments on watershed hydrology have often been studied in isolation from climate change. Consequently, under a warming climate, it is unclear how forest thinning will impact snowpacks, evapotranspiration, and streamflow availability. In this study, we used a distributed hydrologic model to provide insight into the effects of warming and forest treatment on the hydrologic response of the Beaver Creek watershed (∼1,100 km2) of central Arizona. Prior to the numerical experiments, confidence in the hydrologic model performance was established by comparisons to long‐term observations (2003–2018) of snow water equivalent and streamflow using station observations and through spatially distributed estimates. Results indicated that warming during the 21st century could increase mean annual streamflow by 1.5% for warming levels up to +1°C, followed by a −29% decrease for continued warming up to +6°C, due to the varying effects of warming on snow sublimation, soil evaporation, and plant transpiration. On average, forest thinning increased streamflow by +12% (or 7 mm/yr) through lower plant transpiration by −19% (or −18 mm/yr), while also increasing the change in soil water storage by +42% (or 11 mm/yr). Forest thinning delayed the detrimental effects of warming on streamflow until +4°C, as compared to +2°C without forest treatment. Furthermore, model results suggested that forest cover reductions laterally displace water availability and evapotranspiration to downstream sites. These model‐derived mechanisms provide insights on the potential for water resilience toward warming effects afforded through treatment projects in southwestern US ponderosa pine forests. Plain Language Summary: The effects of forest thinning on watershed hydrology have often been studied in isolation from warming. Thus, it is unclear if forest thinning conducted under different warming levels will have hydrologic impacts on snow and streamflow conditions. Here, we used a hydrologic model to study these interactions within the Beaver Creek watershed in Arizona. First, we built confidence in the hydrologic model through comparisons to snow and streamflow observations. Then, we conducted a range of different warming scenarios with and without forest thinning. We found that warming could increase streamflow up to +1°C, but then led to larger decreases in streamflow up to +6°C. In contrast, forest thinning increased streamflow and delayed the negative effects of warming up to +4°C. The application of the hydrologic model with the warming and forest thinning scenarios provides new insights on how warming effects could be reduced through management projects in ponderosa pine forests. Key Points: Distributed simulations in mountainous watershed show good match with warm and cold season hydrologic data over 16‐year periodIndependent and combined scenarios showed that forest thinning reduces the streamflow impact of warming up to a 4°C increaseForest treatment effects propagated downstream by displacing evapotranspiration from forested uplands to near channel regions
- Subjects
ARIZONA; FOREST thinning; WATERSHED hydrology; PLANT transpiration; GLOBAL warming; PONDEROSA pine; HYDROLOGIC models; WATERSHEDS; FORESTED wetlands
- Publication
Water Resources Research, 2024, Vol 60, Issue 6, p1
- ISSN
0043-1397
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2023WR035627