Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2003TX86B

Determining a Method for Targeting Brush Control Through Remote Sensing, GIS, and Hydrologic Modeling

Institute: Texas
Year Established: 2003 Start Date: 2003-03-01 End Date: 2004-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $3,995 Total Non-Federal Funds: $32,000

Principal Investigators: Jason Afinowicz, Clyde Munster

Project Summary: Much of Texas has suffered from the widespread invasion of mesquite and other brush species. These nuisance brush species consume or waste a significant amount of water. Several efforts suggest that removing or clearing brush could free up substantial amounts of water that could then flow to streams and groundwater supplies. The aim of this project is to develop a comprehensive science-based method to determine regions where the greatest increase in water yield is likely to result from implementation of brush control practices. This project will create and validate a methodology to recognize different levels of brush cover from remotely sensed data, will help select candidate sites for brush control based on soils, slope, and climate, and will use the Soil Water Assessment Tool to determine how much water can be saved from clearing brush at specific sites.