Rio
Grande studied
UNM researchers
are investigating rates of evaporation and transpiration in
the Middle Rio Grande Bosque and offering solutions to better
conserve water by creating restoration projects along the river.
The project,
Evapotranspiration along the Middle Rio Grande Bosque,
was conducted by civil engineering Assistant Professor Julie
Coonrod, biology Professor Cliff Dahm, Research Assistant Professor
James Cleverly, biology Field Research Technician Jim Thibault
and Ph.D. student in biology Dianne McDonnell. Coonrod recently
presented the research at the American Society of Civil Engineers
annual spring meeting in Albuquerque.
Evapotranspiration
is the combination of water entering the atmosphere evaporation,
and water that goes through the plant into the atmosphere transpiration.
With
the information we are gathering we can estimate water savings
by changing vegetation along the river, Coonrod said.
The better we can quantify the water budget then the better
we can offer solutions to allocate demands for water.