In Cooperation with The Nature Conservancy

GOALS:

• Evaluate prairie vegetation effect upon storm runoff and infiltration
• Types: Pristine prairie (NC1), Restored prairie (NC2), Old field (NC3)
  • Pristine – TNC’s Clymer Meadow Preserve (also Parkhill Prairie), only used for hay production and grazing for past 100 years, ceased in late 1980’s, never farmed
  • Restored – Parkhill Prairie Collin County, open space project (appears to have never been farmed but used for hay production up until 2009, became open space project in mid-2000’s. Restoration efforts on portions of the property (~15 acres on south east end) done in early 1990’s consisted of re-seeding.
  • Old field – Jim Varnum, farm/ranch old world and native mix, used mainly for grazing.
• Identified natural micro-watershed (~1-3 acres), within each prairie type
• Instrumented with 2’ H flume, ISCO 4230 Bubble Flow Meter, TX125 Rain Gauge
• Measuring: vegetation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration
• Contract with Nature Conservancy: BREC will Develop and implement hydrologic monitoring protocol at the Hunt and Collin County, Texas Project Site.
• BREC will provide a report of comparison of hydrologic performance contrasting pasture, restored prairie and remnant prairie.