Reducing sedimentation of depressional wetlands in agricultural landscapes

Skagen, Susan K.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Haukos, David A.

doi:10.1672/07-84.1

Cited by 47 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Sediment removal is a difficult and costly task but is currently the only effective means of sedimentation remediation [7]. Prevention (e.g., via grass buffers) can be effective [70], but vegetation that blocks sediment flow also blocks and absorbs water, reducing the probability of inundation, water volume, and hydroperiod length [64,[66][67][68][69]. Playas in urban areas were generally clear, especially those in grassy parks (although they may experience other reductions in water quality).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using Remotely Sensed Imagery to Document How Land Use Drives Turbidity of Playa Waters in Texas

et al. 2016

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Sedimentation (primarily from human land use) is a major threat to runoff-fed wetlands of the Great Plains of North America (playas), but it is unknown how many playas are turbid, how prevalence of turbidity has changed over time, and how turbidity is related to surrounding land use. We used remotely sensed imagery to assess sedimentation in the waters of over 7700 playa basins in Texas on four dates during a 29-year span: 25 July 1986 (a regionally wet time), 3 May 2014 (during drought), 4 June 2014 (after the drought was broken), and 25 July 2015 (one year post-drought). Even on the wettest date examined, 64% of playa basins did not hold water. Turbidity varied over time, was already present in over half of the basins examined in 1986, and prevalence of turbidity was not simply proportional to overall wet playa abundance. There was an increase in total and irrigated cropland in our focal region and a statistically significant association between sedimentation and land use within 100 m of a playa: clear playas were associated with more urban development and pasture/grassland, and turbid playas were surrounded mostly by cropland.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Playas surrounded by grassland were generally clear as well. Thus, a grass buffer may help reduce sedimentation in playas [70][71][72]. Playas are unique and irreplaceable ecological resources that are being affected by land conversion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Remotely Sensed Imagery to Document How Land Use Drives Turbidity of Playa Waters in Texas

et al. 2016

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“…Increased soil loss due to wind and water erosion in agricultural landscapes can increase sedimentation in wetlands with annual inputs of sediment being largely a function of soil texture, slope, size and land use (Skagen et al 2008).…”

Section: Effects Of Agriculture On Nutrient Concentrations and Sedimementioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Agricultural Encroachment and Drought on Wetlands and Shallow Lakes in the Boreal Transition Zone of Canada

2012

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). Wetlands in the southern Boreal Plains were regionally variable and dynamic. Drought in 2006 caused significant increases in TP, TN, chlorophyll a (chla), conductivity, silica and significant decreases in maximum depth and light penetration. Increased agricultural activity within a 1.6 km buffer surrounding wetlands enhanced nutrients but not chla concentrations or submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) coverage. Wetlands with higher amounts of agriculture in the buffer zone tended to be shallower with decreased secchi depths. Due to shallow depths, SAV thrived even under hypereutrophic conditions with high agricultural encroachment in the buffer zone. Our study suggests that SAV has a significant role in maintaining clear water states in Boreal Transition Zone wetlands and shallow lakes through its ability to suppress concentrations of chla and TP.

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“…Playas Playa conservation typically requires acquisition (fee title or perpetual conservation easements) of playas and restoration of immediately adjacent grasslands. Most remaining playas in Kansas are in tilled agricultural fields, such that playa conservation requires restoring grasses and forbs around playas to restore hydrological function, reduce sedimentation, and limit fertilizer and pesticide runoff (Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 2008, Skagen et al 2008. Grassland restoration ratios are commonly established at three ha of grassland for each surface ha of the playa, based on the amount of grassland thought to be necessary to restore playa hydrological and ecological functions.…”

Section: Prairie-chickensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Final Technical Report

Fargione¹

2012

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe United States has abundant wind resources, such that only about 3% of the resource would need to be developed to achieve the goal of producing 20% of electricity in the United States by 2030. Inappropriately sited wind development may result in conflicts with wildlife that can delay or derail development projects, increase projects costs, and may degrade important conservation values. The most cost-effective approach to reducing such conflicts is through landscape-scale siting early in project development. To support landscape scale siting that avoids sensitive areas for wildlife, we compiled a database on species distributions, wind resource, disturbed areas, and land ownership. This database can be viewed and obtained via http://wind.tnc.org/awwi. Wind project developers can use this web tool to identify potentially sensitive areas and areas that are already disturbed and are therefore likely to be less sensitive to additional impacts from wind development.The United States' goal of producing 20% of its electricity from wind energy by the year 2030 would require 241 GW of terrestrial nameplate capacity. We analyzed whether this goal could be met by using lands that are already disturbed, which would minimize impacts to wildlife. Our research shows that over 14 times the DOE goal could be produced on lands that are already disturbed (primarily cropland and oil and gas fields), after taking into account wind resource availability and areas that would be precluded from wind development because of existing urban development or because of development restrictions. This work was published in the peer reviewed science journal PLoS ONE (a free online journal) and can be viewed here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0017566.Even projects that are sited appropriately may have some impacts on wildlife habitat that can be offset with offsite compensatory mitigation. We demonstrate one approach to mapping and quantifying mitigation costs, using the state of Kansas as a case study. Our approach considers a range of conservation targets (species and habitat) and calculates mitigation costs based on actual costs of the conservation actions (protection and restoration) that would be needed to fully offset impacts. This work was published in the peer reviewed science journal PLoS ONE (a free online journal) and can be viewed here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0026698. SUMMARY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTSWe compiled and analyzed data for use in wind energy development to avoid and mitigate impacts to wildlife. Below we present methods and results for each of three products that resulted from this overall effort. The first product is a publically available, online Landscape Assessment Tool for use in landscape-scale siting (referred to as Tier 1 assessment in the Fish and Wildlife Service's Land-Based Wind Siting Guidelines). The second product is an analysis, using data compiled and distributed in the Landscape Assessment To...

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Reducing sedimentation of depressional wetlands in agricultural landscapes

Cited by 47 publications

References 34 publications

Using Remotely Sensed Imagery to Document How Land Use Drives Turbidity of Playa Waters in Texas

Using Remotely Sensed Imagery to Document How Land Use Drives Turbidity of Playa Waters in Texas

Effects of Agricultural Encroachment and Drought on Wetlands and Shallow Lakes in the Boreal Transition Zone of Canada

Final Technical Report

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