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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Southeast Watershed Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #312168
Title: Changes in baseflow conditions over a 42 year observation period for the Little River Experimental Watershed in South Georgia

Author
item Bosch, David
item Williams, Randall
item Strickland, Timothy
item Arnold, Jeffrey
item ALLEN, P - Baylor University

Submitted to: Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/9/2015
Publication Date: 3/2/2015
Citation: Bosch, D.D., Williams, R.G., Strickland, T.C., Arnold, J.G., Allen, P.G. 2015. Changes in baseflow conditions over a 42 year observation period for the Little River Experimental Watershed in South Georgia. Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, February 28 - March 6, 2015, Charleston, SC .

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Streamflow throughout the months of December through April in watersheds throughout the Southeastern Coastal Plain is typically much greater than throughout the months of May through November. Greater precipitation and lower evapotranspiration rates during these winter and spring months create higher soil-moisture and greater aquifer recharge, increasing surface runoff responses and groundwater contributions to streamflow. Baseflow, the portion of streamflow coming from vadose zone and groundwater sources, makes up a large fraction of the streamflow during the winter and spring periods. Thus, baseflow is extremely important to sustaining streamflow throughout the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Increasing demands on groundwater, changes in land-use, and changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change all are expected to impact baseflow conditions and streamflow volume. Streamflow data from the Little River Experimental Watershed, part of the Southeastern Coastal Plain Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network, were examined for long-term and seasonal changes in baseflow patterns. This analysis is useful for regional planning related to water resource allocation.