Status of climate and water resources at Tumacácori National Historical Park: Water year 2016
Gwilliam E, Raymond K, Palacios L. 2017. Status of climate and water resources at Tumacácori National Historical Park: Water year 2016. Natural Resource Report. NPS/SODN/NRR—2017/1552. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
Climate and hydrology dramatically shape ecosystem structure and function, particularly in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Understanding changes in climate, streamflow, and water quality is central to assessing the condition of park biota and key cultural resources. This report combines data collected on climate and surface water at Tumacácori National Historical Park to provide an integrated look at climate and water conditions during water year (WY) 2016. Overall annual precipitation was 108% of normal for the park. Overall precipitation was slightly below normal for the fall and winter, while the warm season was wetter than normal. Precipitation in September was 278% of normal, resulting in an extended monsoon season for the second year in a row. The reconnaissance drought index reflected the extended regional drought since 2000, but the five-year running mean of total annual precipitation suggested that the last three years have remedied the multi-year precipitation deficit. Extremely cold days occurred more often than normal in WY2016, and were of a slightly greater duration. The number of days with extreme precipitation events was approximately normal. Streamflow on the Santa Cruz River through the park was generally at or slightly below average in WY2016. Peak flow occurred on August 9. Water samples were collected from the Santa Cruz River at the Santa Gertrudis index site. Of 92 individual analyses associated with Arizona surface-water criteria, there was one exceedance (for E. coli); that is, 99% of samples were compliant with state standards. Relative to macroinvertebrates, the Arizona Index of Biological Integrity value has been at or below impaired status since WY2012 (although there is not an established index threshold for effluent-dominated streams in Arizona). In WY2016, two taxa of fish were collected during collaborative sampling at the Santa Gertrudis index reach: longfin dace (Agosia chryogaster) and Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis). This was the first documentation of the federally endangered Gila topminnow in the index reach since 2002.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Gwilliam, Evan; Raymond, Kara; Palacios, Laura
- Date of Issue
- 2017-11
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- NRSS , SODN , TUMA
- Keywords
- climate, monitoring report, streams
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Weather and Climate | Weather and Climate , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Stream/River Channel Characteristics , Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Nutrient Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Toxics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Microorganisms