Watershed Research and Education
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Watershed 1

Area: 332 ac (134 ha)
Elevation: 5,230 to 5,870 ft (1,595 to 1,790 m)
Vegetation: Utah Juniper
Parent Material: Basalt
Years: 1958 - 1973
Treatment: Cabled
Year Treated: 1963

Streamflow and sediment measuring equipment
Streamflow and sediment measuring equipment

Cabling technique
Cabling technique
Objective: To determine how converting pinyon-juniper vegetation to grass by cabling affects streamflow, erosion and sedimentation, vegetation, and wildlife.
Treatment: The first treatments on the Beaver Creek Experimental Watershed BCEW were undertaken to evaluate the role of woodland vegetation in regulating the hydrologic and other natural resource outputs of pinyon-juniper woodland watersheds.

In 1963, large pinyon pine and juniper trees were uprooted by pulling a cable between two crawler tractors. Small trees missed by the cable were cut by hand, all trees were piled and burned, and the area was planted to grass (Clary et al. 1974).
Response: This treatment improved livestock range conditions markedly. Average annual livestock forage production increased 201 kg per ha (180 pounds per ac), or 300 % above pretreatment levels.

However, the increase in streamflow was insignificant-about 3 %. The soil pits left by the uprooted trees trapped and detained some of the runoff, probably contributing to the small change in streamflow.
References: Clary, W.P., M.B. Baker, Jr., P.F. O'Connell, T.N. Johnsen, Jr., and R.E. Campbell. 1974. Effects of pinyon-juniper removal on natural resource products and uses in Arizona. USDA Forest Service, Research Paper RM-128.
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