Collaborative Research: RAPID: Investigating the magnitude and timing of post-fire sediment transport in the Texas Panhandle

德克萨斯州历史上最大的野火最近烧毁了超过110万英亩（4，450平方公里），并摧毁了德克萨斯州狭长地带的牲畜，农作物，野生动物，房屋和牧场基础设施。野火对沉积物运输的影响得到了很好的研究，并表明，植被和疏水特性的烧过的土壤的情况下，在随后的降雨事件，可以动员大量的细沉积物和启动泥石流的条件，加强地表径流。然而，这种对火灾后水文和地貌过程的理解大部分来自陡峭（30度）和森林景观。火灾后的过程在较低的坡度（1-10度）草地和灌木景观的得克萨斯州狭长地带是未知的。该项目将为管理联邦分类的关键栖息地提供重要数据，该栖息地是濒危鱼类胡椒鲢鱼的栖息地。该项目支持在三个西班牙裔服务机构在德克萨斯州的本科研究。这项研究是至关重要的，了解火灾后的灌木沉积物运输的规模和时间。这项工作的一个主要贡献将是收集的第一次火灾后沉积物输运测量在低坡度的环境，如得克萨斯州狭长地带。沉积物粒度和风化层厚度的测量将告知沉积物输运速率受地表流或沉积物可用性所施加的应力限制的程度。该项目还将限制植被作为低坡度环境中间歇性火灾介导的储存场所的重要性。最后，在加拿大河流和梅雷迪思湖悬浮泥沙的测量将限制运输的时间尺度细泥沙从山坡和支流到达沉积物汇的梅雷迪思湖。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准的支持。

The largest wildfires in Texas history recently burned more than 1.1 million acres (4,450 square kilometers), and have devastated livestock, crops, wildlife, homes, and ranching infrastructure across the Texas Panhandle. The effects of wildfire on sediment transport are well studied, and indicate that the absence of vegetation and hydrophobic characteristics of burned soils create conditions that intensify overland flow during subsequent rain events and can mobilize large volumes of fine sediment and initiate debris flows. However, much of this understanding of post-fire hydrologic and geomorphic processes is derived from steep (30 degrees) and forested landscapes. Post-fire processes in the lower-slope (1–10 degrees) grassland and shrubland landscapes of the Texas Panhandle are unknown. This project will contribute important data for management of federally classified critical habitat that hosts an endangered fish species, the peppered chub. The project supports undergraduate research at three Hispanic Serving Institutions across Texas.This study is crucial for understanding the magnitude and timing of post-fire sediment transport in shrublands. A major contribution of this work will be the collection of the first post-fire sediment transport measurements in low-sloping environments like the Texas Panhandle. Measurements of sediment grain size and regolith thickness will inform the degree to which sediment transport rates are limited by stress exerted by overland flow or sediment availability. This project will also constrain the importance of vegetation as an intermittent fire-mediated storage site in low-sloping environments. Finally, measurements of suspended sediment in the Canadian River and Lake Meredith will constrain the transport timescales for fine sediment from hillslopes and tributaries to reach the sediment sink of Lake Meredith.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.