TY - GEN
T1 - Restoration of riparian zones - A decision support system
AU - Eusuff, Muzaffar
AU - Helwa, Amro
AU - Lansey, Kevin
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Riparian zones in arid regions have high groundwater tables that allow a variety of plant species to thrive. These zones are critical habitat due to the mix and density of vegetation as compared to the surrounding areas that have limited water supplies and deep groundwater tables. Many riparian zones have been impacted by human intervention. Often, groundwater levels have been lowered due to groundwater pumping. As a result, riparian vegetation has been detrimentally affected. Thus, management of riparian zones requires consideration of groundwater and surface conditions. These considerations are particularly important during restoration planning of disturbed zones. Here, restoration is defined as replanting of natural vegetation. However, as vegetation is planted evapotranspiration (ET) rates change as a function of the type and location of vegetation. ET rates, in turn, affect groundwater levels and plant survivability. Due to the strong interaction between vegetation and groundwater levels, the selection and survivability of different plant species depends upon the type and their distribution in the riparian zone. A decision support system (RRZ-DSS - Restoration of Riparian Zones - Decision Support System) has been developed to assist managers make decision regarding the plant distribution for a riparian restoration project. The goal of the DSS is to assist the modeler in identifying a distribution of plant species that will survive and maximize their internal objective. Alternatively, it can be used to study the impact of groundwater pumping on a prescribed plant distribution. The DSS consists of visualization, groundwater simulation, and knowledge of plant characteristics. The water/riparian zone management decision process begins with the development and calibration of a groundwater model that reflects field conditions and can model impacts of changes in evaporation losses and groundwater pumping scenarios. MODXX, a finite element groundwater model, is incorporated in the DSS to meet this need. The groundwater model is linked with other analysis tools using a Visual Basic interface. This interface provides push button execution of the various tools. To analyze the impact and viability of vegetation distributions in the riparian zone, a graphical user interface that is built around ArcView GIS (Geographic Information System) is used to provide the layout and types of vegetation within the riparian zone. Once defined, evaporation rates and extinction depths for each vegetation type are passed to the groundwater model. The groundwater response is then computed. The resulting groundwater levels are then passed back to the GIS. Based on the root depth and the groundwater levels, a graphic display of plant viabilities is presented. The modeler may then modify the layout to examine alternative planting configurations. The system has been structured to study restoration alternatives in Bingham Cienega in Southern Arizona.
AB - Riparian zones in arid regions have high groundwater tables that allow a variety of plant species to thrive. These zones are critical habitat due to the mix and density of vegetation as compared to the surrounding areas that have limited water supplies and deep groundwater tables. Many riparian zones have been impacted by human intervention. Often, groundwater levels have been lowered due to groundwater pumping. As a result, riparian vegetation has been detrimentally affected. Thus, management of riparian zones requires consideration of groundwater and surface conditions. These considerations are particularly important during restoration planning of disturbed zones. Here, restoration is defined as replanting of natural vegetation. However, as vegetation is planted evapotranspiration (ET) rates change as a function of the type and location of vegetation. ET rates, in turn, affect groundwater levels and plant survivability. Due to the strong interaction between vegetation and groundwater levels, the selection and survivability of different plant species depends upon the type and their distribution in the riparian zone. A decision support system (RRZ-DSS - Restoration of Riparian Zones - Decision Support System) has been developed to assist managers make decision regarding the plant distribution for a riparian restoration project. The goal of the DSS is to assist the modeler in identifying a distribution of plant species that will survive and maximize their internal objective. Alternatively, it can be used to study the impact of groundwater pumping on a prescribed plant distribution. The DSS consists of visualization, groundwater simulation, and knowledge of plant characteristics. The water/riparian zone management decision process begins with the development and calibration of a groundwater model that reflects field conditions and can model impacts of changes in evaporation losses and groundwater pumping scenarios. MODXX, a finite element groundwater model, is incorporated in the DSS to meet this need. The groundwater model is linked with other analysis tools using a Visual Basic interface. This interface provides push button execution of the various tools. To analyze the impact and viability of vegetation distributions in the riparian zone, a graphical user interface that is built around ArcView GIS (Geographic Information System) is used to provide the layout and types of vegetation within the riparian zone. Once defined, evaporation rates and extinction depths for each vegetation type are passed to the groundwater model. The groundwater response is then computed. The resulting groundwater levels are then passed back to the GIS. Based on the root depth and the groundwater levels, a graphic display of plant viabilities is presented. The modeler may then modify the layout to examine alternative planting configurations. The system has been structured to study restoration alternatives in Bingham Cienega in Southern Arizona.
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U2 - 10.1061/40562(267)33
DO - 10.1061/40562(267)33
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84904807192
SN - 078440562X
SN - 9780784405628
T3 - Integrated Surface and Ground Water Management
SP - 312
EP - 320
BT - Integrated Surface and Ground Water Management
PB - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
T2 - Specialty Symposium on Integrated Surface and Ground Water Management at the World Water and Environmental Resources Congress 2001
Y2 - 20 May 2001 through 24 May 2001
ER -