Climate and Water Monitoring at Big Bend National Park: Water Year 2024
Singley S, Raymond K , Hubbard T . 2026. Climate and Water Monitoring at Big Bend National Park: Water Year 2024. Science Report. NPS/SR—2026/486. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2318787
The Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors climate, groundwater, and 18 springs each year at Big Bend National Park, Texas. We report on climate and water resources together because surface water conditions are closely related to climate conditions. Climate data, including temperature, precipitation, and reconnaissance drought index, from five weather stations are retrieved at The Climate Analyzer (climateanalyzer.org). Big Bend National Park staff use automated methods to monitor eight park groundwater wells. We retrieve data for a ninth well from the Texas Water Development Board database. We assess the condition of 18 springs, measure spring discharge and wetted extent (area that contained water), collect core water quality and water chemistry data, note any wetland plants and invasive plants and animals, and sample for environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect rare species, invasive species, and pathogens. Each spring is somewhat unique, and Texas has not adopted water quality standards that apply across the diversity of springs in the state. We collect water quality data at the springs to form a baseline reference of natural variance. Overall, there was less total annual rainfall than average, though higher than average precipitation in October and November occurred at three of the weather stations. The drought index indicated the park was drier than average for the fifth year in a row. The park was generally warmer than average, and the number of extremely hot days increased. Average groundwater levels decreased in seven wells, and three of those had their lowest water level since monitoring began. The other two wells had small increases in water levels. We were able to measure wetted area at 15 springs, nine of which were drier than in other years, while the other six were similar to prior measurements. Bois D’Arc Spring was completely dry. There was significant vegetation trampling and grazing by horses at Painted Hills Spring, heavy cattle and horse trampling at Solis Spring, trash and human trampling at De La Ho Spring, and human trampling at Mule Ears Spring. We observed new wetland plants at Cattail Falls (flatsedge) and Chilicotal Spring Complex (centaury) and new invasive plants at Solis Spring (Lehmann lovegrass) and Shelf Spring (buffelgrass). We detected Rio Grande leopard frogs in eDNA samples from eight of the springs. In five of these springs, we also detected chytrid. Red spotted toad was detected in one eDNA sample at Tiptoe Spring.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Singley, Susan; Raymond, Kara; Hubbard, Tani
- Date of Issue
- 2026-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2318787
- Units
- BIBE , CHDN , NRSS
- Keywords
- climate, climate and water monitoring, climate monitoring, discharge, eDNA, environmental DNA, groundwater, groundwater monitoring, invasive species, monitoring, monitoring report, springs, springs monitoring, water chemistry, wetland plants
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Weather and Climate | Weather and Climate , Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Groundwater Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic animals , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Wetland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Amphibians and Reptiles