Flooding and conservation in the Albuquerque bosque
- Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Dept. of Biology
Interest in the conservation of the Middle Rio Grande bosque has grown rapidly in the last decade. During that period, private organizations as well as governmental agencies have sharpened their focus on the issue, and in doing so have contributed to the development of a bosque biological management plan for the river reach between Cochiti Dam and Elephant Butte Reservoir. This increased regional attention reflects a growing national and international concern about human impacts on fluvial processes in large floodplain rivers. Because they impound large amounts of a river`s discharge and interfere with its natural flooding regime, dams can seriously disrupt the relationship between river basin hydrology and riparian zone functioning. In western North America, this interference reduces cottonwood germination and survival and, as will be discussed, negatively affects key ecological processes in riparian communities. In this paper the authors first review how the decoupling of basin hydrology from riparian forest processes has begun to affect the integrity of the Middle Rio Grande bosque ecosystem. Then they propose an alternative management scheme, with emphasis on the Albuquerque bosque, that centers on restoring its ecosystem functioning.
- OSTI ID:
- 415633
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9411293--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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