Impacts of pinyon-juniper treatments on water yields: A historical perspective

Abstract

Pinyon-juniper woodlands are not normally considered a high water-yielding type largely because of the low precipitation amounts and high evapotranspiration rates encountered. Nevertheless, a recommendation was made in the 1950s to evaluate the effectiveness of increasing water yields by converting pinyon-juniper overstories to herbaceous covers. A series of process and plot studies and watershed-level experiments were carried out in acting upon this recommendation. It was concluded, however, that the potentials for increasing water yields through conversion treatments is "poor" in the region. A summary of these research findings is presented in this paper.

Parent Publication

• Ecology, management, and restoration of pinon-juniper and ponderosa pine ecosystems: combined proceedings of the 2005 St. George, Utah and 2006 Albuquerque, New Mexico workshops

Citation

Ffolliott, Peter F.; Stropki, Cody. 2008. Impacts of pinyon-juniper treatments on water yields: A historical perspective. In: Gottfried, Gerald J.; Shaw, John D.; Ford, Paulette L., compilers. 2008. Ecology, management, and restoration of pinon-juniper and ponderosa pine ecosystems: combined proceedings of the 2005 St. George, Utah and 2006 Albuquerque, New Mexico workshops. Proceedings RMRS-P-51. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 59-64