The current work evaluates the effects of the 2003 Old Fire on semi-arid systems in the San Bernardino Mountains, California. Pre- and post-fire daily streamflow are used to analyze flow regimes in two burned watersheds. The average pre-fire runoff ratios in Devil Canyon and City Creek are 0.14 and 0.26, respectively, and both increase to 0.34 post-fire. Annual flow duration curves are developed for each watershed and the low flow is characterized by a 90% exceedance probability threshold. Post-fire low flow is statistically different from the pre-fire values (α = 0.05). In Devil Canyon the annual volume of pre-fire low flow increases on average from 2.6E + 02 to 3.1E + 03 m3 (1090% increase) and in City Creek the annual low flow volume increases from 2.3E + 03 to 5.0E + 03 m3 (118% increase). Predicting burn system resilience to disturbance (anthropogenic and natural) has significant implications for water sustainability and ultimately may provide an opportunity to utilize extended and increased water yield.
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 80401, USA;Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 80401, USA;Hydrologic Sciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 80401, USA
Recommended Citation:
Alicia M Kinoshita,Terri S Hogue. Increased dry season water yield in burned watersheds in Southern California[J]. Environmental Research Letters,2015-01-01,10(1)