Runoff and sediment yield under grazing in foothills fescue grasslands of Alberta
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Authors: M. A. Naeth, and D. S. Chanasyk
Date: 1996
Journal: Water Resources Bulletin
Volume: 32
Number: 1
Pages: 89-95
Summary of Methods: Naeth and Chanasyk quantified the effects of short duration and continuous (season-long) grazing systems on runoff and sediment yield from sloped areas of the foothills fescue grasslands of Alberta. The majority of annual runoff occurred during snowmelt. Snowmelt runoff decreased with increasing grazing intensity and was generally higher from the two heavy treatments and the control than from the severe treatments, due to the higher accumulated snow in the former treatments, which in turn, was due to higher standing vegetation and litter in those areas. Thus, any grazing regime that reduces vegetation markedly, will also reduce snowmelt runoff in this area. Snowmelt sediment yield to runoff volume under snowmelt were generally similar across grazing treatments and dates. Few summer storms caused runoff, and runoff volumes from summer rainstorms were low. As grazing increased, so did rainstorm runoff coefficients and sediment yields. Rainstorm runoff coefficients increased compared to the control due to grazing; with intensity of grazing generally increasing the coefficients consistently only under short duration grazing and occasionally under continuous grazing. Antecedent soil moisture conditions appear to play a significant role in determining whether summer runoff occurs.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: agricultural hydrology, rangeland hydrology, runoff, sediment, snow hydrology, rainfall, grazing intensity, grazing duration
Annotation: Continuous treatments were grazed from May through October; short-duration treatments were grazed for one week in mid-June. ,There was an ungrazed control.,Heavy and severe stocking densities at 2.4 AUM/ha and 4.8 AUM/ha, respectively, in both the short duration and continuous treatments, represent common grazing intensities for the area.
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