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Rio Puerco Arroyo Processes and Climate

For additional information, please visit http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/rio_puerco/.

In the Rio Puerco Basin of northwestern New Mexico, USGS scientists are documenting the timing and rates of alluviation and erosion cycles over the past 10,000 years, and they are investigating how climate has influenced sediment production and delivery and vegetation cover in this arid basin. The future response of the basin to climate and land use will determine the rate of aggradation of sediment in the arroyo, as well as downstream sedimentation that is rapidly impacting the Rio Grande and Elephant Butte Reservoir. Measurement of rates of geomorphic change conducted by a combination of remote sensing and "ground-truth" methods will provide information for minimizing the unwanted consequences of land use decisions. Recent research shows the importance of fire as a geomorphic agent in arroyo processes in the Rio Puerco drainage.