Formation of arroyos in the late 1800s greatly increased erosion across the southwestern United States. Since the 1930s, however, this erosion has decreased, partly because of bank stabilization by introduced saltcedar. With Isleta Pueblo Indian Nation, the Aquatic Systems Branch developed a new sediment dating method using saltcedar tree rings. We applied the method in a landmark study of arroyo filling along the Rio Puerco, New Mexico. We then showed how aerial application of herbicide to control saltcedar accidentally renewed erosion. This erosion may now be amplified by a beetle introduced for saltcedar control.
![Extreme erosion occurred in the herbicide spray zone, but not upstream or downstream (Vincent et al. 2009, Griffin and Friedman](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/ChannelChangeRioPuercoNMFriedman.jpg?itok=rvK_hjFT)
![A chart showing the erosion of the Rio Puerco arroyo](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/ErosionRioPuercoaroyoFriedman_0.jpg?itok=fPAHNCkT)
![Herbicide was applied by helicopter to control saltcedar in a 12-km reach of the Rio Puerco in 2003.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/RioPuerco2003KirkVincent.jpg?itok=oew_19Zy)
![Extreme erosion occurred in the herbicide spray zone, but not upstream or downstream (Vincent et al. 2009, Griffin and Friedman](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/ExtremeErosionRioPuercoFriedman.jpg?itok=hoPP-Oib)
![A beetle introduced to the US to control saltcedar has dispersed to the Middle Rio Grande.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/BeetleSaltcedarFriedman.jpg?itok=bWEwa-ET)
![Trench stratigraphy dated using tree rings of buried saltcedar, Rio Puerco near Highway 6, New Mexico](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/TrenchStratigraphydatedFriedman.jpg?itok=TfbNIA_M)
![Buried cottonwood along the Rio Puerco, NM.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/BuriedCottonwoodRioPuercoFriedman_0.jpg?itok=BZTdQNGp)
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Riparian Ecology
Below are publications associated with this project.
Processes of arroyo filling in northern New Mexico, USA
Effects of woody vegetation on overbank sand transport during a large flood, Rio Puerco, New Mexico
Effects of riparian vegetation on topographic change during a large flood event, Rio Puerco, New Mexico, USA
Erosional consequence of saltcedar control
Dating floodplain sediments using tree-ring response to burial
Modeling effects of bank friction and woody bank vegetation on channel flow and boundary shear stress in the Rio Puerco, New Mexico
Below are partners associated with this project.
Formation of arroyos in the late 1800s greatly increased erosion across the southwestern United States. Since the 1930s, however, this erosion has decreased, partly because of bank stabilization by introduced saltcedar. With Isleta Pueblo Indian Nation, the Aquatic Systems Branch developed a new sediment dating method using saltcedar tree rings. We applied the method in a landmark study of arroyo filling along the Rio Puerco, New Mexico. We then showed how aerial application of herbicide to control saltcedar accidentally renewed erosion. This erosion may now be amplified by a beetle introduced for saltcedar control.
![Extreme erosion occurred in the herbicide spray zone, but not upstream or downstream (Vincent et al. 2009, Griffin and Friedman](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/ChannelChangeRioPuercoNMFriedman.jpg?itok=rvK_hjFT)
![A chart showing the erosion of the Rio Puerco arroyo](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/ErosionRioPuercoaroyoFriedman_0.jpg?itok=fPAHNCkT)
![Herbicide was applied by helicopter to control saltcedar in a 12-km reach of the Rio Puerco in 2003.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/RioPuerco2003KirkVincent.jpg?itok=oew_19Zy)
![Extreme erosion occurred in the herbicide spray zone, but not upstream or downstream (Vincent et al. 2009, Griffin and Friedman](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/ExtremeErosionRioPuercoFriedman.jpg?itok=hoPP-Oib)
![A beetle introduced to the US to control saltcedar has dispersed to the Middle Rio Grande.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/BeetleSaltcedarFriedman.jpg?itok=bWEwa-ET)
![Trench stratigraphy dated using tree rings of buried saltcedar, Rio Puerco near Highway 6, New Mexico](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/TrenchStratigraphydatedFriedman.jpg?itok=TfbNIA_M)
![Buried cottonwood along the Rio Puerco, NM.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/BuriedCottonwoodRioPuercoFriedman_0.jpg?itok=BZTdQNGp)
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Riparian Ecology
Below are publications associated with this project.
Processes of arroyo filling in northern New Mexico, USA
Effects of woody vegetation on overbank sand transport during a large flood, Rio Puerco, New Mexico
Effects of riparian vegetation on topographic change during a large flood event, Rio Puerco, New Mexico, USA
Erosional consequence of saltcedar control
Dating floodplain sediments using tree-ring response to burial
Modeling effects of bank friction and woody bank vegetation on channel flow and boundary shear stress in the Rio Puerco, New Mexico
Below are partners associated with this project.