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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Boise, Idaho » Northwest Watershed Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #72898
Title: HYDROLOGIC AND CLIMATIC CHARACTERIZATION AND MODELING FOR WESTERN RANGELAND: REYNOLDS CREEK EXPERIMENTAL WATERSHED, SOUTHWEST IDAHO

Author
item Hanson, Clayton
item Flerchinger, Gerald
item Cooley, Keith
item Slaughter, Charles

Submitted to: Annual Hydrology Days Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Because of the need for basic hydrologic information from rangelands, the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed was established in 1960 for sustained research addressing hydrologic processes and the development and validation of hydrologic models. This 234 km2 rangeland watershed, sited int eh Owyhee Mountains of southwest Idaho, provides the locale for research into critical water supply, water quality and rangeland management problems. High relief and steep elevational gradient within Reynold's Creek are reflected in wide diversity of local climate, geology, soils and vegetation within the research area, with local watershed landscape settings ranging from semi-arid sagebrush rangeland receiving 250 mm annual precipitation to coniferous forest receiving 1140 mm annual precipitation. A rich legacy of long-term hydrologic information includes climate, precipitation, snow water equivalent, frozen soil conditions, soil water and streamflow. Information from this watershed supports current research in development and validation of hydrologic and climatic models, and development of application models for natural resources management.

Technical Abstract: The Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) was established in 1960 fo tained research addressing hydrologic processes and the development and val on of hydrologic and climatic models. This 234 km2 rangeland watershed, si n the Owyhee Mountains of southwest Idaho, provides the locale for research critical water supply, water quality and rangeland management problems. H Helief and steep elevational gradients within RCEW are reflected in wide di y of local climate, geology, soils and vegetation within the research area, local watershed landscape settings ranging from semi-arid sagebrush rangel eceiving 250 mm annual precipitation to coniferous forest receiving 1140 mm al precipitation (largely as seasonal snow). A rich legacy of long-term hyd ic information includes climate, precipitation, snow water equivalent, froz il conditions, soil water and streamflow over a hierarchical stream system zero-order to third-order channels. The extensive RCEW data collection net tand monitoring sites are linked to a central laboratory and computer facil km northeast of RCEW. Process research and data base development support nt research in development and validation of hydrologic and climatic models development of application models for natural resources management.