Grass buffers for playas in agricultural landscapes: A literature synthesis

Melcher, Cynthia P.; Skagen, Susan K.

doi:10.3133/ofr20051220

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…These plantings have taller stature and may have greater amounts of plant litter and higher water requirements than native species. Similar effects have been noted in other wetland systems and have been postulated to apply to playas (Melcher and Skagen 2005;Skagen et al 2008). Isolated pothole wetlands in Saskatchewan dried out after conversion of surrounding cropland to waterfowl nesting habitat dominated by brome grass and alfalfa (van der Kamp et al 2003).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

“…However, the thick vegetation often associated with conservation plantings and buffers can decrease overland flows, as has been found in prairie pothole wetlands (Euliss and Mushet 1996;van der Kamp et al 2003;Detenbeck et al 2002). This creates a potential conservation dilemma: conservation plantings and buffers intended to reduce sedimentation also may reduce the frequency of inundation due to capture of surface runoff or higher infiltration rates (Melcher and Skagen 2005;Skagen et al 2008). While studies of flow rates in experimental settings are quite informative (Van Dijk et al 1996;Abu-Zreig et al 2004), landscape studies employing empirical data enable us to study multiple factors associated with wetland inundation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Surrounding Land use on Playa Inundation following Intense Rainfall

Cariveau¹,

Pavlacky²,

Bishop

et al. 2011

Wetlands

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Many isolated wetlands that fill by rainfall, such as playas, have been affected by sedimentation in heavily modified agricultural landscapes. Conservation plantings and buffers reduce sedimentation in wetlands but also may reduce the frequency of inundation. We studied the effects of surrounding landcover on the responses of playas in southwestern Nebraska to heavy rain events using aerial photography, ground surveys, and GIS landscape analyses. Using a generalized linear mixed model, we found that playas in rangeland were more likely to become inundated than playas in cropland, and both were more likely to become inundated than playas in fields enrolled in USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), typified by tall, dense grasses. Inundation was also positively related to rainfall amount and playa size. Our results highlight the significance of maintaining playas in native prairie and underscore the importance of planting and managing appropriate mixes of native shortgrass and/or mixed-grass prairie species surrounding playas to mimic the vegetative structure of native prairie. In light of historic wetland losses, a reduction in the probability of flooding for individual playas in CRP must be weighed against the protection from sedimentation that buffers afford wetlands in cropland and other beneficial influences of CRP in the landscape.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Surrounding Land use on Playa Inundation following Intense Rainfall

Cariveau¹,

Pavlacky²,

Bishop

et al. 2011

Wetlands

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“…The hydrology of playas is characterized by cycles of inundation and drying out. Once inundated, the hydroperiod of playas is variable but may last for many weeks to many months, although some may remain dry for years (Smith, 2003;Melcher and Skagen, 2005a). The characteristic wet and dry phases of playa hydrology are a function of climate and the relatively thin permeable soils of the playa floor.…”

Section: Hydrology Of Playas-an Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Melcher and Skagen (2005a) suggested, interdisciplinary and collaborative scientific studies are needed. Collaborative studies between geologists, hydrologists, ecologists, biologists, agronomists, and land-conservation scientists will likely result in knowledge that best fills the remaining gaps in information about playas.…”

Section: What Is Still Unknown About Recharge and Chemical Transport mentioning

confidence: 99%

Recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas of the High Plains aquifer: A literature review and synthesis

Gurdak¹,

Roe²

2009

Circular

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Playas are ephemeral, closed-basin wetlands that are important zones of recharge to the High Plains (or Ogallala) aquifer and critical habitat for birds and other wildlife in the otherwise semiarid, shortgrass prairie and agricultural landscape. The ephemeral nature of playas, low regional recharge rates, and a strong reliance on ground water from the High Plains aquifer has prompted many questions regarding the contribution of recharge from playas to the regional aquifer. Considerable scientific debate has led to more than 175 publications about the potential for water to infiltrate the relatively impermeable playa floors and subsequently recharge the High Plains aquifer. Since the early 1900s, many conceptual models about recharge beneath playas have been proposed. Some early conceptual models indicate that playas are evaporative pans that do not allow recharge beneath playas, whereas other more recent models indicate that playas are effective recharge basins. A variety of data supports various aspects of these competing conceptual models. The competing conceptual models have developed because of the sporadic nature of rainfall to the region, the large number of playas in the region (more than 66,000), a range of physical characteristics in playas, the relatively thick unsaturated zones (often greater than 100 feet) separating most playas from the regional water table, and the inherently uncertain nature of most methods used to estimate recharge. An accurate understanding of recharge rates beneath playas is important from the perspective of groundwater management and the sustainability of rural agricultural economies, particularly in light of the substantial water-level declines in the High Plains aquifer. Other environmental concerns, such as erosion and transport of sediment and contaminants from surrounding land and modification of playas to allow artificial recharge, also have made accurate understanding of recharge an important priority from the perspective of wetland function and habitat health, protecting groundwater quality, and the substantial costs associated with land and water management, conservation, and regulation. To address these questions and concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Playa Lakes Joint Venture, present a review and synthesis of the more than

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“…This bibliography and associated literature synthesis (Melcher and Skagen, 2005) was developed for the Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV). The PLJV sought compilation and annotation of the literature on grass buffers for protecting playas from runoff containing sediments, nutrients, pesticides, and other contaminants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grass buffers for playas in agricultural landscapes: An annotated bibliography

Melcher¹,

Skagen²

2005

Open-File Report

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Figure 1. Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) and Bird Conservation Region (BCR) boundaries. The Southern High Plains (SHP) roughly corresponds with the lower half of BCR 18, including southeastern Colorado and southwestern Kansas. Methods To develop this bibliography, we conducted extensive searches of existing literature and sought professional knowledge from scientists and land managers. Literature searches entailed the use of databases, such as Agricola, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (including agricultural, biological, ecological, environmental, pollution and engineering topical areas), Water Resources Abstracts, Wildlife Worldwide (NISC), First Search, Web of Science (Science Citation Index), and others. We also made significant use of existing buffer/VFS reviews and bibliographies, as well as the bibliography sections of publications that we reviewed for this bibliography. Art W. Allen (U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO) generously provided us with a bibliography that he is developing on the effects of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with respect to wildlife habitat, habitat management in agricultural systems, and agricultural conservation policy. In addition to literature searches, we conducted keyword searches in library catalogues (U.S. Geological Survey FORT Science Center library, Colorado State University Morgan Library, and Colorado Prospector libraries), making use of interlibrary loan services to access potentially important publications not available locally. We also conducted keyword and citation searches on the World Wide Web using ; many publications and general sources of information (including Natural Resource Conservation Service [NRCS] information) were easily found and accessed this way. Finally, we interviewed numerous individuals, including researchers, land managers, and others with expertise on topics relevant to this bibliography and the associated synthesis, requesting reprints from them when their publications were not readily accessible by other means. 2

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Grass buffers for playas in agricultural landscapes: A literature synthesis

Cited by 8 publications

References 64 publications

Effects of Surrounding Land use on Playa Inundation following Intense Rainfall

Effects of Surrounding Land use on Playa Inundation following Intense Rainfall

Recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas of the High Plains aquifer: A literature review and synthesis

Grass buffers for playas in agricultural landscapes: An annotated bibliography

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