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Title: ANALYSIS OF LONG-TERM PRECIPITATION FOR THE CENTRAL TEXAS BLACKLAND PRAIRIE: 1939-1999

Author
item Harmel, Daren
item King, Kevin
item Richardson, Clarence
item WILLIAMS, JIMMY - TEXAS A&M
item Arnold, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2003
Publication Date: 10/27/2003
Citation: Harmel, R.D., King, K.W., Richardson, C.W., Williams, J.R., Arnold, J.G. 2003. Analysis of long-term precipitation for the Central Texas Blackland Prairie: 1939-1999. Proceedings of First Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds. p. 480-485.

Interpretive Summary: Knowledge of rainfall properties allows decision makers to best utilize the occurrence of natural rainfall events because rainfall ultimately determines surface and groundwater supplies. Therefore, knowledge of historical rainfall patterns is necessary to make informed decisions and predictions about future water supplies for agricultural, industrial, ecological, and domestic needs. In the Texas Blackland Prairie, an important agricultural region with a large and increasing urban population, drought and excess rainfall can be experienced throughout the year. With the diverse demands placed on water resources in this region and an increasing demand resulting from an increasing population, water resource management will be an even more important issue in the future. Faced with these demands, the continuous rainfall record from the USDA-ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory watershed network near Riesel, TX, provides valuable information on long-term trends in rainfall intensity, frequency, and amounts.

Technical Abstract: Historical data on precipitation occurrence, amount, intensity, and spatial and temporal variability are vital in water resource management. These data are beneficial in adapting agricultural, industrial, ecological, and domestic water supply management to best utilize the occurrence of natural rainfall events because rainfall ultimately determines surface and groundwater supplies. Therefore, knowledge of historical rainfall patterns is necessary to make informed decisions and predictions about future water supplies. In the Texas Blackland Prairie, an important agricultural region with a large and increasing urban population, drought and excess rainfall can be experienced throughout the year. With the diverse demands placed on water resources in this region and an increasing demand resulting from an increasing population, water resource management will be an even more important issue in the future. Faced with these demands, the continuous precipitation record from the USDA-ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Riesel, TX, should prove valuable in water resource planning and management by providing information on long-term trends in rainfall amount, intensity, and frequency. Our objective is to present the results of long-term analyses, which should be useful to hydrologic structures design, water supply and water quality modeling, and other hydrologic and water quality projects relevant to the region.