Pecos River Ecosystem Monitoring Project

The Pecos River Ecosystem Project is attempting to minimize the negative impacts of saltcedar on the river ecosystem, and improve the efficiency of water delivery and stream flow. The project is designed to decrease the number of saltcedar with aerial application of herbicide along the banks of the river. The project is concerned with the effect of saltcedar on both quality and quantity of the water of the Pecos River as a result of mortality of the plant from along the banks. Specifically, the study is mainly interested in water delivery efficiency and salinity of the river. The effects of saltcedar on water quality are observed through a series of annual water samples taken along the river from Red Bluff Reservoir to Girvin, hourly electrical conductivity measurements at two sites, and comparison of this data to historical water quality data. Any change in water quantity is determined by comparing historical release/delivery schedules to current schedules from the Red Bluff Water and Power Control District. Water salvage from control of saltcedar is being estimated using a series of shallow groundwater monitoring wells.