Kimsal et al. (2026) Hydrologic Dynamics of Ephemerally Flooded Playas in a Dryland Environment

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Charles Kimsal, Enrique R. Vivoni, Osvaldo E. Sala, H. Curtis Monger, Owen P. McKenna
• DOI: 10.1029/2024wr038848

Research Groups

[Information not available in the provided abstract.]

Short Summary

This study quantified the hydrologic connectivity between upland catchments and 18 playas in the Chihuahuan Desert over 6.4 years, identifying precipitation thresholds and controls on inundation. It found that only 9.4% of precipitation events above 1 mm led to inundation, primarily driven by precipitation metrics and catchment area, with geological origin significantly improving the predictive power.

Objective

• To quantify the hydrologic connectivity between upland catchments and playas using observational data.
• To identify precipitation thresholds leading to playa inundation.
• To determine the controls on playa inundation using geospatial data sets on topography, soil properties, and vegetation cover.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: 18 playas in the Chihuahuan Desert, southwestern United States.
• Temporal Scale: 6.4-year period, with specific analysis for the North American monsoon (July-September).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly stated; the study primarily used observational data analysis and derived regressions.
• Data sources: Rain gauge-corrected precipitation from weather radar, water level measurements in 18 playas, geospatial data sets on topography, soil properties, and vegetation cover.

Main Results

• Only 9.4% of all precipitation events exceeding 1 mm led to playa inundation.
• 69.8% of all inundations occurred during the North American monsoon (July-September).
• Mean runoff ratios were 2.74% (± 4.08% standard deviation) annually and 3.29% (± 5.19% standard deviation) during the North American monsoon.
• Annual mean precipitation thresholds for inundation were 18.3 mm (± 7.5 mm) for event total and 12.0 mm/h (± 4.5 mm/h) for 60-minute intensity.
• Playa inundation occurrence and volume were most strongly related to precipitation metrics and catchment area.
• Secondary controls on inundation included soil and terrain properties.
• The explanatory power of regressions describing inundation response was significantly improved by considering the geological origin of the playas.

Contributions

• Provides a rare observational quantification of hydrologic connectivity between upland catchments and ephemeral playas.
• Establishes specific precipitation thresholds (event total and intensity) required for playa inundation in a dryland environment.
• Identifies the primary (precipitation, catchment area) and secondary (soil, terrain) controls on playa inundation, highlighting the importance of geological origin.
• Proposes an inundation response classification system that can be applied to ephemeral playas in other arid and semiarid landscapes.

Funding

[Information not available in the provided abstract.]

Citation

@article{Kimsal2026Hydrologic,
  author = {Kimsal, Charles and Vivoni, Enrique R. and Sala, Osvaldo E. and Monger, H. Curtis and McKenna, Owen P.},
  title = {Hydrologic Dynamics of Ephemerally Flooded Playas in a Dryland Environment},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2024wr038848},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2024wr038848}
}