Contrasting watershed-scale trends in runoff and sediment yield complicate rangeland water resources planning

Rangelands cover a large portion of the earth’s land surface and are undergoing dramatic landscape changes. At the same time, these ecosystems face increasing expectations to meet growing water supply needs. To address major gaps in our understanding of rangeland hydrologic function, this study investigates historical watershed-scale runoff and sediment yield in a dynamic landscape in central Texas, USA. The relationship between precipitation and runoff was quantified and reservoir sediment cores dated using cesium- 137 and lead-210 radioisotopes were analyzed. Full report here.