Little River Experimental Watershed History

Authors: Bosch, David; Sheridan, Joseph; Davis, Frank; Strickland, Timothy; Endale, Dinku; Coffin, Alisa; Pisani, Oliva

Submitted to: Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2021
Publication Date: 5/17/2022
Citation: Bosch, D.D., Sheridan, J.M., Davis, F.M., Strickland, T.C., Endale, D.M., Coffin, A.W., Pisani, O. 2022. Little River Experimental Watershed History. Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds. 217 p.. https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-264.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-264

Interpretive Summary: Long-term, watershed-scale hydrologic and climatic data are invaluable for natural resource and environmental planning and management. Historically, long-term hydrologic records have proved critical for flood forecasting, water conservation and management, agricultural and drought planning, and addressing critical environmental and water quality issues. As directed by Senate Document 59, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service established several regional watershed hydrology research centers across the nation in the 1960s. The Little River Experimental Watershed (LREW) in the Coastal Plain physiographic region in south-central Georgia was established as one of these centers in 1967. This region is an important agricultural production area for the U.S. The primary intent of the LREW site was to develop an improved understanding of basic hydrologic and water quality processes on Coastal Plain watersheds and to evaluate the effects of agricultural management practices on the region’s natural resources and environment. Long-term (up to 51 years), research-quality streamflow data have been collected for up to nine flow measurement sites. The establishment, operation, and critical findings from the LREW research network were documented from a historical perspective.

Technical Abstract: Long-term, watershed-scale hydrologic and climatic data are invaluable for natural resource and environmental planning and management. Historically, long-term hydrologic records have proved critical for flood forecasting, water conservation and management, agricultural and drought planning, and addressing critical environmental and water quality issues. As directed by Senate Document 59, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service established several regional watershed hydrology research centers across the nation in the 1960s. The Little River Experimental Watershed (LREW) in the Coastal Plain physiographic region in south-central Georgia was established as one of these centers in 1967. This region is an important agricultural production area for the U.S. The primary intent of the LREW site was to develop an improved understanding of basic hydrologic and water quality processes on Coastal Plain watersheds and to evaluate the effects of agricultural management practices on the region’s natural resources and environment. Long-term (up to 51 years), research-quality streamflow data have been collected for up to nine flow measurement sites. The establishment, operation, and critical findings from the LREW research network were documented from a historical perspective.