Hydrological restoration of degraded grasslands in arid and semi-arid communities

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32870/rvcs.v0i5.64

Keywords:

esert grasslands, rainwater management

Abstract

We live in the Anthropocene. The entire surface of the earth has been impacted by human activity and land management decisions. In this context, most of the grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions have degradation processes. This work describes the changes caused by the anthropization of the landscape in grasslands of northern Mexico and the Southwest United States and how their hydrology behaves when faced with di e- rent rainfall intensities typical of these regions. It explains some main causes of the deterioration of grasslands in semi-arid zones, identifies systemic strategies to address these causes, and presents several concrete landscape intervention techniques that can help the restoration of these ecosystems. These include the restoration of historical ow paths, road drainage with rolling dips, post vanes to restore eroded stream banks, and one rock dams for the restoration of small tributaries with erosive processes. The effects of these landscape interventions are documented photographically. The interventions and management guidelines presented in this paper can improve grassland hydrology and conserve soil resources, reducing the vulnerability of communities to droughts and floods.

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Author Biographies

Van Clothier, Stream Dynamics Inc, US.

Physicist Van Clothier, founder and director of Stream Dynamics Inc., a company that designs and builds river restoration projects and rainwater harvesting, both in rural and urban areas, mainly in New Mexico, Arizona, Chihuahua and Sonora. He is co-author of the river restoration textbook Let the Water Do the Work. He has given numerous workshops and conferences on the subject.  

Ana Córdova, The North Border College, Mexico

Research professor of the Department of Urban and Environmental Studies, at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Ciudad Juárez campus. His lines of research are Urban Sustainability and Politics and Management of Natural Resources. Topics he works on include green infrastructure, alternative technologies for managing water and other natural resources in urban areas, and historical management of natural resources in northern Mexico.

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Published

2019-08-16

How to Cite

Clothier, V., & Córdova, A. (2019). Hydrological restoration of degraded grasslands in arid and semi-arid communities. Vivienda Y Comunidades Sustentables, (5), 93–110. https://doi.org/10.32870/rvcs.v0i5.64

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No. 5 (2019): Vivienda y Comunidades Sustentables

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