WWRC 86-05x
Effects of Montane Forests and Riparian Woodlands on Water Yield in Wyoming
Abstract
Streamflow is affected significantly by riparian vegetation
as well as by upland forests. While manpulation of this
vegetation can sometimes be a useful
tool for increasing water yield, other resource values
must be considered as well and often there is insufficient
information for making decisions in specific
localities. Ongoing research in the Department of
Botany at the University of Wyoming is addressing
questions such as: (1) What proportion of the water
in annual snowfall is consumed by plants on montane
watersheds? (2) How do vegetation cover, snowpack
water equivalent, soil waterholding capacity, and
climatic conditions interact in determining water yield
from specific areas within single watersheds? (3)
Under what conditions is water yield from a forest
stand reduced to zero? (4) What is the effect of timber
harvesting on wafer yield fiom specific sites? and
(5) To what degree do different kinds of riparian vegetation
affect water flow in streams of different sizes?
Answers to these questions depend on many factors
and generalizations are difficult. A summary of results
for the Medicine Bow Mountains is presented.
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