CHANGES IN RIPARIAN VEGETATION IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES:
Repeat Photography at Streamflow Gaging Stations

SAN CARLOS RIVER NEAR PERIDOT (09468500)

(October 21, 1941). In this upstream view from the old bridge just south of San Carlos, Arizona, native shrubs and scattered cottonwoods line the wide channel. The San Carlos River near Peridot is a very difficult river to gage accurately because of a high sediment load and shifting channel. A flood of 40,600 ft³/s passed through this reach only 7 months before this photograph was taken, contributing to the scoured appearance of the channel (A.J.H., #3550).     (June 4, 1964). The channel narrowed appreciably in the intervening 23 years, despite two floods exceeding 23,000 ft³/s. Part of the reason may be the increase in non-native tamarisk trees, which appear along river left (right center). Native plants have also increased, including the willows at left. The San Carlos River was unregulated at this time except for diversions for irrigation (Raymond M. Turner).     (October 6, 2000). The San Carlos River became partially regulated by Talkalai Reservoir in 1979. The channel has shifted out of the view to the right and is narrower than it was in 1964. Most of the plants in the foreground, which is now a stable floodplain, are natives, including two species of willows, two species of brickellbush, and scattered mesquite and catclaw. Riparian vegetation has increased and the channel remains narrow despite a flood of 54,800 ft³/s in 1993, which is the flood of record for this gaging station (Dominic Oldershaw, Stake 333c). Next: Pantano Wash near Vail (09484600) Previous: Salt River near Chrysotile (09497500) Introduction

 

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U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Persistent URL: http://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/2001/ofr01-323/html/sancarlos.html Page Contact Information: USGS Publishing Network Last modified: Wednesday, December 07 2016, 06:29:35 PM