Long-term Soil Water Dynamics
Bill Lauenroth, Dept. of Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523
970-491-7581 billl@cnr.colostate.edu
Objective: To monitor the seasonal soil water conents at 46 locations of the CPER at 30-150cm depths. To monitor the long-term soil water contents at the CPER in soils of different textures and at different topopositions. All depths at each spot are measured with a neutron probe 12-15 times during the year from March 1 through October.
Study Area: (1) Ecological Stress Area, or ESA, located just E. of Hwy 85 in Section 21 NW, in an ungrazed area which has 3 access tubes that are monitored. (2) Catena in Section 25 NE, with 12 access tubes, located along a transect parallel to and abou 50 m W of road 37. (3) Catena in Section 24 SW with 15 access tubes, located in a pasture managed by ARS, but privately owned. (4) Catena in Section 15SE, with 8 access tubes located in a pasture parallel to and about 20 M north of the old cement microwatershed curbing. (5) Owl Creek Exclosure in sections 11 & 12, with 4 tubes in NW quarter-section of exclosure, fenced in Oct, 1985. (6) Lysimeter and Bare area, with 4 tubes monitored in met station exclosure in Section 27 NE.
01/30/2008