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Soil Hydrology and Drought in Arid Ecosystems

Plant growth in American drylands is closely tied to available soil moisture. Periods of drought are common in this part of the US and at times, these droughts can be severe with major impacts on ecosystems and water resources. In collaboration with USGS scientists in Moab, Utah, we are measuring changes in soil water content in a range of soil and ecosystem types (see Drought Effects in Canyonlands National Park for an example). We use a combination of sensors including equipment such as that shown in the photograph below to measure soil moisture. These installations are powered by solar panels, need only limited maintenance, and make measurements 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Example of a Time Domain Reflectrometry (TDR) installation in Canyonlands National Park. Once installed, the soil pit is filled in and the sensors are measured every 10-15 minutes.