The impact of vegetation removal by oil and gas development on wind erosion and dust emmission on the Colorado Plateau, USA

Authors: TYREE, GAYLE - Us Geological Survey (USGS); Webb, Nicholas - Nick; CHAPPELL, ADRIAN - Cardiff University; DHITAL, SAROJ - New Mexico State University; DUNIWAY, MICHAEL - Us Geological Survey (USGS); EDWARDS, BRANDON - New Mexico State University; FAIST, AKASHA - University Of Montana; NAUMAN, TRAVIS - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); VILLAREAL, MIGUEL - Us Geological Survey (USGS)

Submitted to: International Conference on Aeolian Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2023
Publication Date: 7/14/2023
Citation: Tyree, G., Webb, N.P., Chappell, A., Dhital, S., Duniway, M., Edwards, B., Faist, A., Nauman, T., Villareal, M. 2023. The impact of vegetation removal by oil and gas development on wind erosion and dust emmission on the Colorado Plateau, USA. International Conference on Aeolian Research. Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: In global drylands, human land uses have changed surface aerodynamic roughness with potential to dramatically increase dust emission and subsequent undesirable effects for ecosystems, human health, and societal welfare. For example, on the Colorado Plateau of the western US, extraction of oil and natural gas removes vegetation and smooths land contours through installation of well pads and roads, creating networks of discrete patches of bare soil 1-4 ha in size. We used 16 years of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) albedo (MCD43A3; daily 500 m) to assess the effect of oil and gas development on surface roughness within five climate-soil groups of the northern Colorado Plateau. We then modeled how the change in surface roughness due to oil and gas could impact aeolian sediment fluxes. Oil and gas development reduced surface roughness and increased aeolian sediment fluxes by 12% to 18,400% across much of the study region, with the exception of areas heavily invaded by annual herbaceous plants. We found that, for a 12 ms-1 wind speed when threshold friction velocity was 0.20 ms-1, oil and gas development increased modeled regional dust emissions by 0.33 gm-2s-1. An increase of this magnitude could have large implications for downwind ecosystems, particularly alpine and subalpine areas of mountain ranges. Our results suggest that oil and gas development intensifies the potential for wind erosion and dust emission from drylands and reveal an opportunity to identify mechanisms that mitigate land use-driven dust emission and subsequent ecological and societal impacts in this region.

Technical Abstract: In global drylands, human land uses have changed surface aerodynamic roughness with potential to dramatically increase dust emission and subsequent undesirable effects for ecosystems, human health, and societal welfare. For example, on the Colorado Plateau of the western US, extraction of oil and natural gas removes vegetation and smooths land contours through installation of well pads and roads, creating networks of discrete patches of bare soil 1-4 ha in size. We used 16 years of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) albedo (MCD43A3; daily 500 m) to assess the effect of oil and gas development on surface roughness within five climate-soil groups of the northern Colorado Plateau. We then modeled how the change in surface roughness due to oil and gas could impact aeolian sediment fluxes. Oil and gas development reduced surface roughness and increased aeolian sediment fluxes by 12% to 18,400% across much of the study region, with the exception of areas heavily invaded by annual herbaceous plants. We found that, for a 12 ms-1 wind speed when threshold friction velocity was 0.20 ms-1, oil and gas development increased modeled regional dust emissions by 0.33 gm-2s-1. An increase of this magnitude could have large implications for downwind ecosystems, particularly alpine and subalpine areas of mountain ranges. Our results suggest that oil and gas development intensifies the potential for wind erosion and dust emission from drylands and reveal an opportunity to identify mechanisms that mitigate land use-driven dust emission and subsequent ecological and societal impacts in this region.