Long-term sustainability of the hydrology and vegetation of Cienega de Santa Clara, an anthropogenic wetland created by disposal of agricultural drain water in the delta of the Colorado River, Mexico

Mexicano, Lourdes; Glenn, Edward P.; Hinojosa-Huerta, Osvel; Garcı́a-Hernández, Jaqueline; Flessa, Karl W.; Hinojosa‐Corona, Alejandro

doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2012.12.096

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Similar errors were reported when Landsat derived EVI was used in the SSS method [37]. This method has been also applied to study ET and groundwater dynamics [38,39], a cost/benefit analysis of tamarisk control [40], the sustainability of vegetation, hydrology, and habitat value [41], tamarisk leaf beetles' impact on water availability [42], and impacts of Colorado River delta pulse flow on riparian water use [43]. To the best of our knowledge, no independent study has assessed the performance of the SSS method in the past.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Mapping Annual Riparian Water Use Based on the Single-Satellite-Scene Approach

2017

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Abstract:The accurate estimation of water use by groundwater-dependent riparian vegetation is of great importance to sustainable water resource management in arid/semi-arid regions. Remote sensing methods can be effective in this regard, as they capture the inherent spatial variability in riparian ecosystems. The single-satellite-scene (SSS) method uses a derivation of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from a single space-borne image during the peak growing season and minimal ground-based meteorological data to estimate the annual riparian water use on a distributed basis. This method was applied to a riparian ecosystem dominated by tamarisk along a section of the lower Colorado River in southern California. The results were compared against the estimates of a previously validated remotely sensed energy balance model for the year 2008 at two different spatial scales. A pixel-wide comparison showed good correlation (R 2 = 0.86), with a mean residual error of less than 104 mm·year −1 (18%). This error reduced to less than 95 mm·year −1 (15%) when larger areas were used in comparisons. In addition, the accuracy improved significantly when areas with no and low vegetation cover were excluded from the analysis. The SSS method was then applied to estimate the riparian water use for a 23-year period . The average annual water use over this period was 748 mm·year −1 for the entire study area, with large spatial variability depending on vegetation density. Comparisons with two independent water use estimates showed significant differences. The MODIS evapotranspiration product (MOD16) was 82% smaller, and the crop-coefficient approach employed by the US Bureau of Reclamation was 96% larger, than that from the SSS method on average.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Mapping Annual Riparian Water Use Based on the Single-Satellite-Scene Approach

2017

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“…The ET process during the summer months reduced the lagoons' water levels and raised the salt concentration. On the other hand, when ET decreases, water storage and surface water increase; thus, dimensional changes of the Ciénega derivate from the interchange between inflows and outflows, maintaining its environmental health (Glenn et al, 1995;Mexicano et al, 2013). Day et al, 2008) and in much of the time on a more accelerated and intense way than climate changes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of hydrological processes in ecosystem conservation: Comprehensive water management for a wetland in an arid climate

Lomelí-Banda

Ramírez‐Hernández

Rodríguez-Burgueño

et al. 2021

Hydrological Processes

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Water agreements between Mexico and the United States have been crucial to preserving and restoring the Colorado River Delta's wetlands. Nowadays, increased water demand and climate change in the Colorado River Basin could threaten the conservation of the Ciénega de Santa Clara, a 4709 ha coastal wetland at the Sonoran Desert's edge. The international Ramsar convention recognizes the Ciénega de Santa Clara ecosystem for providing vital ecological services, including habitat for endemic, endangered, and migratory species. The hydrology of this wetland has not been completely understood since the 2010-2011 trial run of the Yuma Desalting Plant. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify and quantify the hydrological elements essential for the conservation of this wetland, under three scenarios: (a) normal inflow conditions of the water sourcethe Wellton-Mohawk canal; (b) inflow reductions, and; (c) an increase of temperature due to global warming. Water and mass balances estimates were conducted every month during 2014-2015; in situ measurements of inflows were carried out on Southern International Boundary in Wellton-Mohawk canal, the Riíto Drain, groundwater, and precipitation: evapotranspiration outputs were estimated using local weather stations and Penman-Monteith formulations. Temperature increases were based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections for the next 100 years. Results showed disconnection in the surface flow of water from the wetland to the adjacent Gulf of California. This behaviour was observed mainly in the summer months in the three scenarios. The disconnections reduced the wetland area and water storage. The hydrological functionality of the Ciénega de Santa Clara wetland depends on the water supply from the Wellton-Mohawk canal, with a minimum continuous discharge of 5.10 m 3 s −1 during the summer months.

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Section: Return Flowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Cienega is a major wintering and stopover site for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. It also supports the largest remaining breeding population of the endangered Yuma clapper rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis) on the Lower Colorado River [97]. While some aquatic habitats created with agricultural drain water have had environmental problems [97], to date, the Cienega appears to be functioning sustainably in terms of vegetation, hydrology, and habitat value [97,98].…”

Section: Return Flowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating Gravity-Flow Irrigation with Lessons from Yuma, Arizona, USA

et al. 2018

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Many consider gravity-flow irrigation inefficient and deride its use. Yet, there are cases where gravity-flow irrigation can play an important role in highly productive and profitable agriculture. This perspective article reviews the literature on the profitability and efficiency of gravity systems. It then reviews the history of water management in Yuma, Arizona, which is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the United States. Through extensive changes in irrigation technologies, changes in production practices, and investments in irrigation infrastructure, Yuma agriculture dramatically shifted from perennial and summer-centric crop production to winter-centric, multi-crop systems that are focused on high-value vegetable crops. These innovations have led to improvement in various irrigation efficiency measures and overall water conservation. Return flows from the system, which were once characterized as an indicator of inefficiency, provide valuable environmental services to the Colorado River Delta ecosystem. Yuma's history illustrates that innovative gravity-flow systems can be productive and water-conserving, and that a system-wide perspective is critical in evaluating irrigation systems.

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Long-term sustainability of the hydrology and vegetation of Cienega de Santa Clara, an anthropogenic wetland created by disposal of agricultural drain water in the delta of the Colorado River, Mexico

Cited by 17 publications

References 35 publications

Mapping Annual Riparian Water Use Based on the Single-Satellite-Scene Approach

Mapping Annual Riparian Water Use Based on the Single-Satellite-Scene Approach

The role of hydrological processes in ecosystem conservation: Comprehensive water management for a wetland in an arid climate

Evaluating Gravity-Flow Irrigation with Lessons from Yuma, Arizona, USA

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