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08:09
Measuring and Mapping Patterns of Soil Erosion and Deposition Related to Soil Carbonate Concentrations Under Agricultural Management
Published on: September 12, 2017
Erosional consequence of saltcedar control
Kirk R Vincent1, Jonathan M Friedman, Eleanor R Griffin
1U.S. Geological Survey, WRD, BRR-CR, Boulder, CO 80303, USA. kvincent28@mac.com
Environmental Management
|June 24, 2009
Summary
Removing invasive saltcedar and native sandbar willow with herbicides increased riverbank erosion significantly. This highlights the critical role of riparian vegetation in maintaining riverbank stability and preventing sediment loss.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Hydrology
- Ecology
Background:
- Riparian vegetation removal aims to conserve water and improve native habitats.
- Widespread control of dominant plant species can inadvertently cause erosion.
- Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) is an invasive species, while sandbar willow (Salix exigua) is native.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of riparian vegetation removal on riverbank stability.
- To quantify erosion following herbicide application in the Rio Puerco, New Mexico.
- To understand the role of vegetation in mitigating fluvial erosion.
Main Methods:
- A helicopter herbicide application in 2003 eliminated saltcedar and sandbar willow along a 12-km river reach.
- Monitoring of erosion and sediment transport following a major flood in 2006.
- Comparison of erosion rates in the treated reach versus adjacent untreated areas.
Main Results:
- The treated reach experienced significant bank erosion (680,000 m³), increasing channel width by 84% after a 2006 flood.
- Erosion was concentrated on channel banks, not the floodplain, due to the loss of woody stems.
- Eroded sediment was transported downstream and deposited on the channel bed and floodplain.
- Minimal erosion occurred in upstream and downstream control reaches.
Conclusions:
- The removal of riparian vegetation, particularly dense woody stems on banks, significantly reduces bank stability.
- Reduced vegetation cover increases shear stress, leading to bank undercutting and mass failure.
- Potential for increased erosion must be a key consideration in phreatophyte control projects.
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