Vegetation Studies

Compiled by WaterClaim

• Colorado Tamarisk Study

  Cost to Remove

  • Aerial $200 to $250 an acre - complete kill, no removal of dead material
  • Mechanized mulching - $300 to $550 - killing large acreages of salt cedar or brush
  • Bulldozer - $800 - removal of most vegetation
  • Selective removal - $1,500 (no labor costs included) to $6,800

   

• UNL Panhandle research
  • Saltcedar is the newest plant declared by Nebraska law as a noxious weed. A recent aerial mapping project by the University of Nebraska found that saltcedar infests 4,855 acres along the North Platte River, or 2 percent of the total land area.

   

• Bureau of Reclamation Study by Rand
  • Approximately 50,000 acres of trees on the Republican River main stem in Nebraska in 1973.
  • Predominate species of trees: Cottonwood and Peachleaf Willow.

    Mean Average Frequency over 34 locations across the Republican River Basin

    • 50%    Cottonwood
    • 14%    Peachleaf Willow
    •   8%    Boxelder
    •   8%    Green Ash
    •   7%    Mulberry
    •   4%    Slippery Elm
    •   3%    Russian Olive
    •   2%    American Elm
    •   1%    Hackberry
    •   1%    Bur Oak
    •   1%    Honey Locust
    •  <1%   Sandbar Willow
    •  <1%   Salt Cedar
    • -------
    • 73%    Total (balance open space)

   

• Water use by naturally occuring vegetation
  • Collection of studies

    Summary from collection of studies

  • Seasonal Water Use
    Length of growing season may very by large amount.  See individual papers before drawing conclusions.
    	Consumptive Use in Inches/Acre
    Common Name	Low	High	Reference
    Arrowweed	96	96	McDonald and Hughes, 1968
    Aspen	10	17	Tew, 1967
    Aspen	13	24	Johnston etal., 1969
    Aspen	19	24	Johnston, 1970
    Aspen	19	19	Croft and Monniger, 1953
    Aspen	19	19	Brown and Thompson, 1965
    Baccharis	32	52	Turner and Halpenny
    Baccharis	56	56	Gatewood etal., 1950
    Buckwheat	3	3	Branson etal., 1970
    Buckwheat	24	24	Patric, 1961
    Buffaloberry	4	90	Meyboom, 1964
    Cattail	35	45	Pratt etal., 1985
    Cattail	53	77	Parshall, 1937
    Cattail	60	60	Christiansen, 1970
    Cattail	63	63	Blaney etal., 1933
    Cattail	90	108	Young and Blaney, 1942
    Cattail	100	100	McDonald and Hughes, 1968
    Ceanothus	24	24	Patric, 1961
    Chamise	26	26	Patric, 1961
    Chaparral	22	42	Scholl, 1976
    Cottonwood	41	41	Meyboom, 1964
    Cottonwood	60	93	Mixed w/willow, Muckel & Blaney, 1945, see Weeks & Sorey, 1973
    Cottonwood	72	72	Gatewood etal., 1950
    Creosote	10	10	Sammis and Gay, 1979
    Creosote	9	9	Evans etal. 1981
    Fir–Douglas	12	14	Johnston etal., 1969
    Fir–Douglas	18	20	Fritschen etal., 1977
    Fir–General	6	9	Bethell etal., 1980
    Forbs & Grass Mix	17	30	Rowe and Reimann, 1961
    Forest (General)	15	21	Leaf, 1975a
    Forest (General)	17	17	Leaf, 1975b
    Foxtail	6	6	Branson etal. 1970
    Grass	9	9	Brown and Thompson, 1965
    Grass	16	16	Patric, 1961
    Grass–Alta Fescue	19	30	Dylla etal., 1972
    Grass–Bermuda	29	36	Blaney etal., 1933
    Grass–Bermuda	73	73	McDonald and Hughes, 1968
    Grass–Blue Grama Native	3	18	N Bailey,1940
    Grass–Blue Grama Native	4	4	Branson etal., 1970
    Grass–Blue Grama Native	6	11	Aase, 1970
    Grass–Blue Grama Native	1	1	Reed and Dwyer, 1971
    Grass–Blue Grama Native	24	41	Parshall, 1937
    Grass–Bluejoint	22	35	Dylla etal., 1972
    Grass–Cheat	3	3	Cline etal., 1977
    Grass–Cheat	-	-	Gee and Kirkham, 1984, see Harr and Price, 1972
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	5	10	Wight and Hanks, 1981
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	7	10	Wight and Black, 1977
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	9	10	Wight, 1971
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	13	24	Hammat, 1920
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	17	33	USBR, 1977
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	7	11	Hanson, 1976
    Grass–Meadow Mixed	23	28	Kruse and Haise, 1974
    Grass–Mix	10	48	Houk, 1930
    Grass–Mix	15	15	Weeks and Sorey, 1973
    Grass–Mix	15	23	White, 1932
    Grass–Mix	20	23	Dylla and Muckel, 1964
    Grass–Mix	21	28	USBR, 1977
    Grass–Native	5	20	Johnston etal., 1969
    Grass–Native	9	9	Harrison, 1983
    Grass–Native	19	24	Rich, 1952
    Grass–Needle Mix	11	11	Buckhouse and Coltharp, 1976
    Grass–Needle Mix	12	12	White and Brown, 1972
    Grass–Pasture	8	16	Rowe and Reimann, 1961
    Grass–Pasture	21	27	Ritchie etal., 1976
    Grass–Prairie	8	8	Lauenroth and Sims, 1976
    Grass–Prairie	9	12	Pochop etal., 1985
    Grass–Prairie	10	36	Reported inYoung and Blaney, 1942
    Grass–Prairie	12	12	Parton etal., 1981
    Grass–Salt	6	22	Grosz, 1972
    Grass–Salt	13	42	Young and Blaney, 1933
    Grass–Salt	13	49	Lee, 1915
    Grass–Salt	16	40	Reported inYoung and Blaney, 1942
    Grass–Salt	19	29	USBR, 1973,1979
    Grass–Salt	19	22	Dylla etal., 1972
    Grass–Salt	28	28	Criddle etal., 1964
    Grass–Salt	33	33	Christiansen, 1970
    Grass–Sedge	42	60	Parshall, 1937
    Grass–Sugar	16	22	Hammat, 1920
    Grass–Wheat (Bluebunch)	8	11	Shown etal., 1972
    Grass–Wheat (Tall)	24	32	Dylla etal., 1972
    Grass–Wheat	12	12	Branson etal., 1970
    Greasewood	3	3	Branson etal., 1970
    Greasewoo