Impacts of Beetle Kill on Modeled Streamflow Response in the North Platte River Basin

摘要: A beetle epidemic has been sweeping its way across the western United States and into portions of southern Canada that caused millions acres forests to ultimately die. This outbreak, many have come know simply as “beetle kill”, scientists feel such dramatic changes in land cover could potentially alter hydrology throughout much West. One most important hydrological processes kill potential impact is streamflow. paper attempts evaluate impacts on streamflow from change due North Platte River Basin (NPRB), by utilizing a model, Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC). VIC surface model that, for this analysis, calibrated validated periods 1950-1980 1981-2000, respectively, using daily meteorological forcings monthly data. In order quantify streamflow, was changed decreasing forest canopy coverage mimic five different simulations, based results obtained basin level estimates loss, with error, remote sensed Based these an increase approximately 1% 10% decadal observed decrease 16% 40% forested cover. Additionally, average 28% produced roughly 5%. However, limitations general assumptions, estimate increased likely high estimate. Given did not fully manifest itself NPRB until 2007/2008, modeling proposed period 1950-