An ecohydrological stream type classification of intermittent and ephemeral streams in the southwestern United States

Abstract

An ecohydrological stream type classification was developed to improve decision making for ephemeral and intermittent streams at four military reservations in the southwestern U.S.: Fort Irwin, Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), Fort Huachuca, and Fort Bliss. Agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify stream reaches by ecohydrologic properties (vegetation, hydrologic, and geomorphic attributes derived using geographic information system analyses), and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) were used to determine thresholds for each variable for a predictive model. Final stream types were determined from statistical analyses, cluster validity tests, examination of mapped clusters, and site knowledge. Climate regime and geomorphology were most important for YPG and Fort Irwin where annual precipitation is low. Vegetation variables were important at Fort Bliss and hydrologic variables were important at Fort Huachuca where higher annual precipitation and a bimodal rainfall pattern occur. The classification results and input variables are spatially linked to specific stream reaches, allowing managers to identify locations with similar attributes to support management actions. These methods enable the development of a stream type classification in gauged or ungauged watersheds and for areas where intensive field data collection is not feasible.

Estimating Surface Water Presence and Infiltration in Ephemeral to Intermittent Streams in the Southwestern US

“…To evaluate and possibly scale up our observed results to the landscape level for the Huachuca Mountains study area, we compared our observations on streamflow duration (as measured using ER sensors) to modeled data from Levick et al (2015) and Levick et al (2018). In brief, Levick et al (2018) simulated stream flow permanence using the AGWA/SWAT (Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool/Soil and Water Assessment Tool) for mapped streams in Fort Huachuca as a whole.…”

“…To evaluate and possibly scale up our observed results to the landscape level for the Huachuca Mountains study area, we compared our observations on streamflow duration (as measured using ER sensors) to modeled data from Levick et al (2015) and Levick et al (2018). In brief, Levick et al (2018) simulated stream flow permanence using the AGWA/SWAT (Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool/Soil and Water Assessment Tool) for mapped streams in Fort Huachuca as a whole. Validation sites used by Levick et al (2018) were data from Gallo et al (2020), also reported in final report by Stromberg et al (2015), and these cluster validity data indicated that only five flow types existed on Fort Huachuca.…”

Floodwater harvesting to manage irrigation water and mesquite encroachment in a data‐sparse river basin: an eco‐hydrological approach

“…El‐Sadek, El Kahloun, and Meire (2008) and Ligdi, El Kahloun, and Meire (2010) argued that determining the eco‐hydrological status of a river basin permits integrated water resource management. Derivation of eco‐hydrological properties, that is, vegetation, hydrologic, and geomorphic attributes, can support management actions and improve decision‐making for ephemeral and intermittent streams (Levick et al, 2018). The principles of eco‐hydrology are useful in developing sustainable approaches aiming at managing river floodplain systems and minimizing the flood risk (Kiedrzyńska, Kiedrzyński, & Zalewski, 2015).…”

“…Advances in monitoring techniques and data analysis linked within an interdisciplinary interpretive framework aid in realizing and addressing the myriad of issues facing the dryland eco‐hydrological systems and effectively managing these systems (Wang et al, 2012). As indicated by Levick et al (2018), under the situation of large geographic extent of a study area and infeasible collection of intensive gauge‐based streamflow data, Geographic Information System (GIS)‐derived variables and hydrologic modelling can be alternatively utilized.…”

A Low-Cost, Multi-Sensor System to Monitor Temporary Stream Dynamics in Mountainous Headwater Catchments

“…The recognition of the ubiquity of temporary streams and the concern over their vulnerability to climate change and other human disturbances have led to an increased number of studies on these systems in the last decades. The majority of these studies have focused on the ecological and biochemical functioning of temporary streams [8,10] and have highlighted their importance as: unique animal and plant habitats with high biodiversity [5,11]; migration corridors [12,13]; sources and sinks of organic matter and nutrients [4]; and biochemical hotspots with high reaction rates compared to neighboring environments [14].…”