Impact of urbanization and stormwater infrastructure on ephemeral channel transmission loss in a semiarid watershed

Abstract

Study region: Montoyas watershed in central New Mexico, a rapidly urbanizing basin characteristic for the semiarid Southwestern United States. The 142 km2 watershed drains to the Rio Grande. Study focus: This study evaluated the impacts of urbanization and stormwater infrastructure on ephemeral channel transmission loss (TL), an important source of groundwater recharge in dryland basins. A hydrologic model (HEC-HMS) was built for the watershed and calibrated based on seven years of precipitation and discharge data. The model was then used to simulate the individual and combined impacts of land use change (urbanization) and stormwater infrastructure (ponds, channel lining) on runoff and transmission losses over a ten-year period based on observed storm events. New hydrological insights for the region: Results show high inter-annual runoff variability with the two wettest years contributing 44–59% of the 10-year total, and dry years resulting in nearly no flow. Both runoff and TL increased with urbanization. Assuming natural ephemeral channels, TL comprised 64–81% of runoff reaching the basin outlet and 7–10% of domestic water use in the basin, depending on urbanization scenario. Stormwater detention ponds had minimal impact on TL; however, lining the lower 5, 10 and 15 km of ephemeral streams reduced TL by 31%, 55% and 73% over the ten-year study period. Results indicate that preservation of ephemeral channels, in particular permeable channel beds, should be considered a viable strategy for managed aquifer recharge in urbanizing areas.

Keywords

• Arroyo
• Ephemeral stream
• Semiarid
• Stormwater management
• Transmission loss
• Urbanization