Sagebrush Rangelands Help Maintain Water Availability

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Removing encroaching conifer stands from sagebrush ecosystems can increase late season water retention in western rangelands by holding snow longer in the spring. Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service analyzed snow and streamflow data from a snow-dominated sagebrush steppe ecosystem in southwest Idaho to evaluate the impact that juniper-dominated landscapes might have on water availability in the system. They found that areas with more juniper had earlier snow melt and less streamflow relative to sagebrush-dominated landscapes. <br> The water retention in sagebrush systems comes from the increased water storage within snow drifts and delayed release of the melting snow back into the soils. Water delivery is delayed by an average of nine days in sagebrush systems compared to juniper-dominated systems. The implications of this research suggest that conifer removal efforts to support sage grouse restoration also improve water availability in these semi-arid systems. <br> Holding water later into the summer season helps the sagebrush system become more diverse, benefiting vegetation, wildlife, and ranchers. This is one of the greatest services that an ecosystem can provide in the West. <br>

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Reference Code: U16KOR01IDUS <br>

Full Citation: Sage Grouse Initiative. 2016. Sagebrush Rangelands Help Maintain Water Availability. Science to Solutions Series Number 11. Sage Grouse Initiative. 4pp. http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/. <br>

Location: ELECTRONIC FILE - BOTANY: OTHER <br>

Keywords: ecosystem, sagebrush, snow, water, wet habitat, juniper, sage grouse, streamflow, iSnobal <br>