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A Paired Basin Study in the Santa Fe Watershed, New Mexico

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A Paired Basin Study in the Santa Fe Watershed, New Mexico Monitoring Effects of Wildre Mitigation Treatments on Water Budget Components: A Paired Basin Study in the Sante Fe Watershed, New Mexico Amy C. Lewis Bulletin 163 2018 is page intentionally le blank to avert any facing-page issues. Monitoring Effects of Wildfire Mitigation Treatments on Water Budget Components: A Paired Basin Study in the Santa Fe Watershed, New Mexico Amy C. Lewis Bulletin 163 2018 New Mexico Bureau of New Mexico Office of Geology and Mineral Resources the State Engineer A division of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Interstate Stream Commission Bulletin 163—Monitoring effects of wildfire mitigation treatments on water budget components: a paired basin study in the Santa Fe watershed, New Mexico Amy C. Lewis Copyright © 2018. New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Nelia W. Dunbar, Director and State Geologist A division of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Stephen Wells, President Board of Regents Ex-Officio Susana Martinez, Governor of New Mexico Dr. Barbara Damron, Secretary of Higher Education Appointed Deborah Peacock, President, 2011–2022, Corrales Jerry A. Armijo, Secretary/Treasurer, 2015–2020, Socorro David Gonzales, 2015–2020, Farmington Donald Monette, 2015–2018, Socorro Emily Silva, student member, 2015–2018, Farmington Manager Publications Program: Brigitte Felix Science Editor: Shari Kelley Managing Editor: Gina D’Ambrosio Production Editor: Richard Arthur Cover photo: Amy C. Lewis New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources 801 Leroy Place Socorro, NM 87801 (575) 835–5490 http://geoinfo.nmt.edu ISBN 978-1-883905-47-7 First Edition 2018 Published by authority of the State of New Mexico, NMSA 1953 Sec. 63-1-4. Printed in U.S.A. Project Funding: This study was funded by New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (ISC). SUGGESTED CITATION: Lewis, Amy C., 2018, Monitoring effects of wildfire mitigation treatments on water budget components: a paired basin study in the Santa Fe watershed, New Mexico, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Bulletin 163, 52 p. Available electronically http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/monographs/bulletins/163 NEW MEXICO BUREAU OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES A PAIRED BASIN STUDY IN THE SANTA FE WATERSHED CONTENTS Abstract ......................................................................................................... 1 Figures 1. Forest treatments and paired basins within the ............................................................................... I. Introduction 3 Santa Fe municipal watershed ......................................... 3 ........................................................................................ Background 4 2. Geologic map of the paired basins .............................. 6 Purpose and scope ........................................................................ 4 3. Location of paired basins showing the Previous work .................................................................................. 5 Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the direction Description of study area ...................................................... 6 of groundwater ow .................................................................. 7 4. Schematic east-west cross section of the treated basin showing the components of the water II. Methods .......................................................................................... 9 balance calculation ..................................................................... 8 Conceptual model ..................................................................... 9 5. Schematic east-west cross section of the control Vegetation monitoring .......................................................... 10 basin showing the components of the water Measurement of precipitation ....................................... 11 balance calculation ..................................................................... 8 Measurement of surface water ...................................... 12 6. Location of monitoring stations in the Measurement of evapotranspiration ....................... 13 paired basins ................................................................................. 11 Measurement of soil thickness ...................................... 14 7. Location of regional precipitation monitoring 11 Measurement of soil moisture ....................................... 14 8. Location of vegetation transects in the paired basins ................................................................................. 12 III. Monitoring Results ...................................................... 15 9. Bear visitation to upper precipitation station 13 Vegetation surveys .................................................................... 15 10. Photograph of the large and small parshall Precipitation monitoring results .................................. 16 umes in the treated basin .............................................. 13 Surface water monitoring results ................................ 18 11. Snow on lower precipitation collector in Soil survey results ...................................................................... 27 November of 2015 .................................................................. 14 Soil moisture monitoring results ................................. 27 12. Percent cover for the control and treated basins based on vegetation surveys ........................................... 15 13. Precipitation by water year and elevation IV. Water Budget Summary .................................... 29 within the paired basins (north to south) ......... 16 Estimation of inow from precipitation .............. 29 14. Precipitation by water year and elevation Estimation of runoff outow through from regional precipitation collectors ................. 16 stream gages ............................................................................. 29 15. Precipitation by water year for Estimation of evapotranspiration .............................. 29 Elk Cabin SNOTEL and the average of .......................................................... Estimation of recharge 33 stations in the paired basins .......................................... 17 Estimation of change in soil moisture .................... 34 16. Cross plot of average monthly precipitation Estimated water budgets ..................................................... 35 at the paired basins and the average between Elk Cabin and SFWN5 ............................... 17 V. Discussion ................................................................................ 39 17. Distribution of winter and summer average paired basin precipitation ................................................ 17 18. Percent winter precipitation to ratio of runoff— VI. Conclusion ............................................................................... 43 treated stream to the control by water year .... 18 19. Mean daily streamow in the treated and Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 45 control basins 2009 to June 2017 ............................ 19 20. Annual streamow in the Santa Fe River above References ......................................................................................................................... 46 McClure Reservoir and in the paired basins ... 19 NEW MEXICO BUREAU OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES A PAIRED BASIN STUDY IN THE SANTA FE WATERSHED 21. Cross-plot of mean monthly streamow 42. Volumetric soil moisture content and PDSI pre- and post-treatment ....................................................... 20 for the northern mountains (2008–2017) ......... 42 22. Cumulative ow and precipitation in the paired basins in response to rainfall May Tables 31 to June 27, 2003 ................................................................ 22 1. Descriptions of monitoring stations in the 23. Cumulative ow and precipitation in paired basins .................................................................................. 10 response to rainfall July–September 2006 ......... 22 24. Cumulative precipitation and streamow 2. Regional precipitation and streamow monitoring stations ................................................................. 10 following an August 2011 storm event ................ 23 25. Cumulative ow in the paired basins in 3. Summary of vegetation surveys for the treated and control basins ................................................ 15 response to rainfall in September 2013 ............... 23 26. Chloride concentrations in the control and 4. Summary of chloride concentrations in treated streams from 1995 through 2017 ......... 24 precipitation and deposition rate by 27. Mean daily streamow and chloride integration period ..................................................................... 18 concentrations of surface waters from 5. Evapotranspiration estimates for laboratory analysis in the treated basin ve integration periods ........................................................ 30 2009 to September 2017 .................................................... 25 6. Recharge estimates—ve integration periods 30 28. Mean daily streamow and chloride 7. Estimate of the volume of water released concentrations of surface waters from from soil moisture storage in the control laboratory analysis in the control basin and treated basins—ve integration periods 31 2009 to September 2017 .................................................... 25 8. Water budget components estimated— 29. Ratio of
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