Accelerated Water Erosion in ORV-Use Areas

Hinckley, B.S.; Iverson, Richard M.; Hallet, Bernard

doi:10.1007/978-1-4612-5454-6_5

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Soil pulverization and loosening caused by OHVs contribute to dust hazards (Goossens et al ., ) and to respiratory illnesses and diseases (e.g., valley fever) in adjacent, downwind communities (Morman & Plumlee, ; Goudie, ). Repeated soil compaction by OHVs can also degrade natural resources through soil erosion, altered watershed hydrology, habitat fragmentation, and direct mortality of plants and animals (Vollmer et al ., ; Eckert et al ., ; Hinckley et al ., ; Belnap, ; Forman & Alexander, ; Groom et al ., ). Alterations of soil conditions and hydrological function in turn influence water availability to native vegetation through decreased infiltration rates and increased runoff flow (Webb et al ., ; Iverson et al ., ), and OHV tracks can facilitate non‐native seed production and germination by disturbing and upturning the soil and by creating surface ruts that collect and store available moisture (Burke & Grime, ; Suazo et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Landscape‐scale Erosion Potential Related to Vehicle Disturbances Along the USA–Mexico Border

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Decades of intensive off-road vehicle use for border security, immigration, smuggling, recreation, and military training along the USA-Mexico border have prompted concerns about long-term human impacts on sensitive desert ecosystems. To help managers identify areas susceptible to soil erosion from anthropogenic activities, we developed a series of erosion potential models based on factors from the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). To better express the vulnerability of soils to human disturbances, we refined two factors whose categorical and spatial representations limit the application of the USLE for non-agricultural landscapes: the C-factor (vegetation cover) and the P-factor (support practice/management). A soil compaction index (P-factor) was calculated as the difference in saturated hydrologic conductivity (K s ) between disturbed and undisturbed soils, which was then scaled up to maps of vehicle disturbances digitized from aerial photography. The C-factor was improved using a satellite-based vegetation index, which was better correlated with estimated ground cover (r 2 = 0·77) than data derived from land cover (r 2 = 0·06). We identified 9,780 km of unauthorized off-road tracks in the 2,800-km 2 study area. Maps of these disturbances, when integrated with soil compaction data using the USLE, provided landscape-scale information on areas vulnerable to erosion from both natural processes and human activities and are detailed enough for adaptive management and restoration planning. The models revealed erosion potential hotspots adjacent to the border and within areas managed as critical habitat for the threatened flat-tailed horned lizard and endangered Sonoran pronghorn.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Landscape‐scale Erosion Potential Related to Vehicle Disturbances Along the USA–Mexico Border

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Compaction greatly accelerates this process. In compacted offroad vehicle trails, Hinckley et al (1983) found that erosion rates were increased by 10 to 20 times over natural rates. Accelerated soil erosion has not been studied on desert lands used for military maneuvers, but the abundance of eroded scars in Patton and Desert Strike tank tracks throughout the former maneuver areas indicates that erosion is a significant by-product of military maneuvers in desert terrain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also relevant are studies of soil compaction and(or) incomplete recovery of longlived shrub species in mining town roads and home sites abandoned for 30-78 years in Nevada and California (Wells, 1961;Webb and Wilshire, 1980;Webb et al , 1986;Webb et al , 1987;Knapp, 1992); agricultural fields abandoned for 65-70 years in California (Carpenter et al , 1986); and 30year old pipeline corridors in California (Vasek et al , 1975). Another by-product of soil compaction is a lowering of the infiltration rate of rainwater, which can lead to accelerated soil erosion (Hinckley et al , 1983) and restriction of plant root growth (Taylor and Gardner, 1963;Adams et al , 1982).…”

Section: Relevant Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

The lasting effects of tank maneuvers on desert soils and intershrub flora

Prose¹,

Wilshire²

2000

Open-File Report

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…According to Kockelman (1983), increased runoff, linked to a diminished ability of the ground to absorb water, is frequently evident in ORV riding areas. In areas subject to flooding, overland flow is channeled through ORV trails and downstream areas may experience increased sediment loading and siltation problems (Hinckley et al 1983;Geological Society of America 1977). In addition to water pollution, Kockelman (1983) links air pollution to ORV use.…”

Section: Trail-related Horse Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing and Understanding Trail Degradation: Results from Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area

2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This report describes results from a comprehensive assessment of resource conditions on a large (24%) sample of the trail system within Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area (BSF). Components include research to develop state-of-knowledge trail impact assessment and monitoring methods, application of survey methods to BSF trails, analysis and summary of results, and recommendations for trail management decision making and future monitoring. Findings reveal a trail system with some substantial degradation, particularly soil erosion, which additionally threatens water quality in areas adjacent to streams and rivers. Factors that contribute to or influence these problems are analyzed and described. Principal among these are trail design factors (trail topographic position, soil texture, grade and slope alignment angle), use-related factors (type and amount of use), and maintenance factors (water drainage). Recommendations are offered to assist managers in improving the sustainability of the trails system to accommodate visitation while enhancing natural resource protection.

show abstract

Accelerated Water Erosion in ORV-Use Areas

Cited by 13 publications

References 16 publications

Modeling Landscape‐scale Erosion Potential Related to Vehicle Disturbances Along the USA–Mexico Border

Modeling Landscape‐scale Erosion Potential Related to Vehicle Disturbances Along the USA–Mexico Border

The lasting effects of tank maneuvers on desert soils and intershrub flora

Assessing and Understanding Trail Degradation: Results from Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About