Laura Norman
USGS, Western Geographic Science Center, Department Member
- Laura M. Norman is a Supervisory Research Physical Scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey, where she has worked sinc... moreLaura M. Norman is a Supervisory Research Physical Scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey, where she has worked since 1998. She received her Ph.D. in Watershed Management from the University of Arizona (UA), minoring in Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis in 2005, where she also taught an introductory geographic information system (GIS) Laboratory for 4 years. She graduated with a M.S. in Watershed Management, using the Advanced Resource Technology Option from the UA in 2000 and a B.S. in Forestry from Oregon State University in 1994, minoring in Cultural Anthropology. Dr. Norman also has a degree certificate in Visual Basic Programming from Pima Community College (2002).
Her research uses remotely sensed imagery and other geospatial data in complex models to predict the fate of non-point source pollutants and identify their sources, consider potential growth scenarios and identify watershed processes. This research has been tested in a historically mined area in the Patagonia Mountains of Arizona to track acid-mine drainage and employed on the U.S.-Mexico border, where virtual models can predict pollution rates and measure consequences of abatement under varying management regimes. Most recently she is using her skills to improve restoration-site selection and design, assess restoration efforts, and predict the effects of climate and land-use change. Norman has published several articles on environmental health, cross-border policy, regional planning, ecosystem services and restoration design.edit
Norman, L. M., Lal, R., Wohl, E., Fairfax, E., Gellis, A. C., & Pollock, M. M. (2022). Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) can establish regenerative wetland sinks that reverse desertification and strengthen climate... more
Norman, L. M., Lal, R., Wohl, E., Fairfax, E., Gellis, A. C., & Pollock, M. M. (2022). Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) can establish regenerative wetland sinks that reverse desertification and strengthen climate resilience. Science of The Total Environment, 849, 157738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157738 Highlights •Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) store water, sediment, and carbon •NIDS can be installed by both beaver or humans, using rock, wood, and mud. •NIDS can create or restore riparian wetlands in degraded, incised watersheds. •NIDS sustain processes and functions that boost fluvial ecosystem resilience. •NIDS initiate positive feedback loops that mitigate climate change.
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Norman, L. M., Lal, R., Wohl, E., Fairfax, E., Gellis, A. C., & Pollock, M. M. (2022). Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) can establish regenerative wetland sinks that reverse desertification and strengthen climate... more
Norman, L. M., Lal, R., Wohl, E., Fairfax, E., Gellis, A. C., & Pollock, M. M. (2022). Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) can establish regenerative wetland sinks that reverse desertification and strengthen climate resilience. Science of The Total Environment, 849, 157738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157738
Highlights
•Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) store water, sediment, and carbon
•NIDS can be installed by both beaver or humans, using rock, wood, and mud.
•NIDS can create or restore riparian wetlands in degraded, incised watersheds.
•NIDS sustain processes and functions that boost fluvial ecosystem resilience.
•NIDS initiate positive feedback loops that mitigate climate change.
Highlights
•Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) store water, sediment, and carbon
•NIDS can be installed by both beaver or humans, using rock, wood, and mud.
•NIDS can create or restore riparian wetlands in degraded, incised watersheds.
•NIDS sustain processes and functions that boost fluvial ecosystem resilience.
•NIDS initiate positive feedback loops that mitigate climate change.
The role of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in the global carbon cycle is still incompletely characterized. Much work has been done to characterize PyC on landforms and in soils where it originates or in “terminal” reservoirs such as marine... more
The role of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in the global carbon cycle is still incompletely characterized. Much work has been done to characterize PyC on landforms and in soils where it originates or in “terminal” reservoirs such as marine sediments. Less is known about intermediate reservoirs such as streams and rivers, and few studies have characterized hillslope and in-stream erosion control structures (ECS) designed to capture soils and sediments destabilized by wildfire. In this preliminary study, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (N), and stable isotope parameters, δ13C and δ15N, were compared to assess opportunities for carbon and nitrogen sequestration in postwildfire sediments (fluvents) deposited upgradient of ECS in ephemeral- and intermittent-stream channels. The variability of OC, N, δ13C, and δ15N were analyzed in conjunction with fire history, age of captured sediments, topographic position, and land cover. Comparison of samples in 2 watersheds indicates higher OC and N in ECS with more recently captured sediments located downstream of areas with higher burn severity. This is likely a consequence of (1) higher burn severity causing greater runoff, erosion, and transport of OC (organic matter) to ECS and (2) greater cumulative loss of OC and N in older sediments stored behind older ECS. In addition, C/N, δ13C, and δ15N results suggest that organic matter in sediments stored at older ECS are enriched in microbially processed biomass relative to those at newer ECS. We conservatively estimated the potential mean annual capture of OC by ECS, using values from the watershed with lower levels of OC, to be 3 to 4 metric tons, with a total potential storage of 293 to 368 metric tons in a watershed of 7.7 km2 and total area of 2000 ECS estimated at 2.6 ha (203-255 metric tons/ha). We extrapolated the OC results to the regional level (southwest USA) to estimate the potential for carbon sequestration using these practices. We estimated a potential of 0.01 Pg, which is significant in terms of ecosystem services and regional efforts to promote carbon storage.
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In the Madrean Sky Islands of western North America, a mixture of public and private land ownership and tenure creates a complex situation for collaborative efforts in conservation. In this case study, we describe the current ownership... more
In the Madrean Sky Islands of western North America, a mixture of public and private land ownership and tenure creates a complex situation for collaborative efforts in conservation. In this case study, we describe the current ownership and management structures in the US-Mexico borderlands where social, political, and economic conditions create extreme pressures on the environment and challenges for conservation. On the United States side of the border, sky island mountain ranges are almost entirely publicly owned and managed by federal, state, and tribal organizations that manage and monitor species, habitats, and disturbances including fire. In contrast, public lands are scarce in the adjacent mountain ranges of Mexico, rather, a unique system of private parcels and communal lands makes up most of Mexico’s Natural Protected Areas. Several of the Protected Area reserves in Mexico form a matrix that serves to connect scattered habitats for jaguars dispersing northward toward public ...
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The Tucson metropolitan area, located in the Sonoran Desert of southeastern Arizona (USA), is affected by both massive population growth and rapid climate change, resulting in important land use and land cover (LULC) changes. As its... more
The Tucson metropolitan area, located in the Sonoran Desert of southeastern Arizona (USA), is affected by both massive population growth and rapid climate change, resulting in important land use and land cover (LULC) changes. As its fragile arid ecosystem and scarce resources are increasingly under pressure, there is a crucial need to monitor such landscape transformations. For such ends, we propose a method to compute yearly 30 m resolution LULC maps of the region from 1986 to 2020, using a combination of Landsat imagery, derived transformation and indices, texture analysis and other ancillary data fed to a Random Forest classifier. The entire process was hosted in the Google Earth Engine with tremendous computing capacities that allowed us to process a large amount of data and to achieve high overall classification accuracy for each year, ranging from 86.7 to 96.3%. Conservative post-processing techniques were also used to mitigate the persistent confusions between the numerous is...
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The role of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in the global carbon cycle is still incompletely characterized. Much work has been done to characterize PyC on landforms and in soils where it originates or in “terminal” reservoirs such as marine... more
The role of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in the global carbon cycle is still incompletely characterized. Much work has been done to characterize PyC on landforms and in soils where it originates or in “terminal” reservoirs such as marine sediments. Less is known about intermediate reservoirs such as streams and rivers, and few studies have characterized hillslope and in-stream erosion control structures (ECS) designed to capture soils and sediments destabilized by wildfire. In this preliminary study, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (N), and stable isotope parameters, δ13C and δ15N, were compared to assess opportunities for carbon and nitrogen sequestration in postwildfire sediments (fluvents) deposited upgradient of ECS in ephemeral- and intermittent-stream channels. The variability of OC, N, δ13C, and δ15N were analyzed in conjunction with fire history, age of captured sediments, topographic position, and land cover. Comparison of samples in 2 watersheds indicates higher OC and N in ...
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This dataset contains data used in the associated publication in the International Journal of Remote Sensing. The geodatabase contains four feature classes: AOI, MajorZone, MinorZone, and Green2007. Publication can be found at... more
This dataset contains data used in the associated publication in the International Journal of Remote Sensing. The geodatabase contains four feature classes: AOI, MajorZone, MinorZone, and Green2007. Publication can be found at https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2018.1437297. Publication abstract: Watershed restoration efforts seek to rejuvenate vegetation, biological diversity, and land productivity at Cienega San Bernardino, an important wetland in southeastern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. Rock detention and earthen berm structures were built on the Cienega San Bernardino over the course of four decades, beginning in 1984 and continuing to the present. Previous research findings show that restoration supports and even increases vegetation health despite ongoing drought conditions in this arid watershed. However, the extent of restoration impacts is still unknown despite qualitative observations of improvement in surrounding vegetation amount and vigor. We analyzed spatial and...
This zip file contains spatial, descriptive and digital camera image data for a vegetation field dataset collected on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and surrounding area in Arizona, and used for analysis in the associated publication.... more
This zip file contains spatial, descriptive and digital camera image data for a vegetation field dataset collected on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and surrounding area in Arizona, and used for analysis in the associated publication. Data consists of vector point data, vegetation community type, field observations, and digital camera images that correspond with the images in the associated directory. This field data was used, in addition to historical field data from the SWReGAP project, to characterize the accuracy of the vegetation maps generated by the techniques described in the associated publication. The maps generated by these techniques did not improve on the accuracy of existing maps and are, therefore, not published. The abstract for the associated publication is as follows: Mapping of vegetation types is of great importance to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and their management of forestry and fire fuels. Various remote sensing techniques were applied to classify multite...
In this paper we describe an application of a GIS-based multi-criteria decision support web tool that models and evaluates relative changes in ecosystem services to policy and land management decisions. The Santa Cruz Watershed Ecosystem... more
In this paper we describe an application of a GIS-based multi-criteria decision support web tool that models and evaluates relative changes in ecosystem services to policy and land management decisions. The Santa Cruz Watershed Ecosystem Portfolio (SCWEPM) was designed to provide credible forecasts of responses to ecosystem drivers and stressors and to illustrate the role of land use decisions on spatial and temporal distributions of ecosystem services within a binational (U.S. and Mexico) watershed. We present two SCWEPM sub-models that when analyzed together address bidirectional relationships between social and ecological vulnerability and ecosystem services. The first model employs the Modified Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Index (M-SEVI), which assesses community vulnerability using information from U.S. and Mexico censuses on education, access to resources, migratory status, housing situation, and number of dependents. The second, relating land cover change to biodiversity...
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Norman, L. M., Guertin, D. P., & Feller, M. (2008). An approach to prevent nonpoint-source pollutants and support sustainable development in the Ambos Nogales transboundary watershed. Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing... more
Norman, L. M., Guertin, D. P., & Feller, M. (2008). An approach to prevent nonpoint-source pollutants and support sustainable development in the Ambos Nogales transboundary watershed. Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges Along the U.S.-Mexico Border—Monitoring, Modeling, and Forecasting Change Within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary Watersheds. Edited by Norman, L. M., Hirsch, D. D., & Ward, A. W.; Circular 1322; U.S. Geological Survey: Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 2008.
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The Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) is a growing partnership between government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners in southeast Arizona, the United States, and northern Sonora, Mexico. Starting in 2014... more
The Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) is a growing partnership between government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners in southeast Arizona, the United States, and northern Sonora, Mexico. Starting in 2014 as an experiment to cultivate restoration efforts by connecting people across vocations and nations, SIRC has evolved over 5 years into a flourishing landscape-restoration initiative. The group is founded on the concept of developing a restoration economy, where ecological and socioeconomic benefits are interconnected and complimentary. The variety of ideas, people, field sites, administration, and organizations promote learning and increase project success through iterative adaptive management, transparency, and sharing. The collaborative seeks to make restoration self-sustaining and improve quality of life for citizens living along the US-Mexico border. Research and experiments are developed between scientists and practitioners to test hypotheses, ...
Research Interests: Geography, Climate Change Adaptation, Stakeholders, Restoration Ecology, Ecohydrology, and 12 moreBiodiversity, Environmental Justice, Community Involvement, Public Private Partnerships, Biodiversity Conservation, Drylands, Partnership, River Restoration, Human-Nature Relationships, Aridlands studies, River and Stream Restoration, and Restoration Economy
Meixner, T., Niraula, R., Norman, L. M., Pivo, G., Gerlak, A., Pavao-Zuckerman, M., & Henry, A. (2015, December 15). H24F-06: Semi-Arid Water Resource Challenges—Can Water Harvesting Close the Gap? [Water, Energy, and Society in... more
Meixner, T., Niraula, R., Norman, L. M., Pivo, G., Gerlak, A., Pavao-Zuckerman, M., & Henry, A. (2015, December 15). H24F-06: Semi-Arid Water Resource Challenges—Can Water Harvesting Close the Gap? [Water, Energy, and Society in Urban Systems III]. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California. https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm15/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/74301 Water resource availability restricts development in arid and semi-arid regions of world. Past observations show that urban areas can increase stream discharge at least on a local scale. These results suggest that urbanization may increase the availability of wet water capable of being used by urban society. Here we present a combination of observational work demonstrating the increase of available water in urban areas of southern Arizona; and a modelling study demonstrating that future land use change may significantly increase river discharge across the Santa Cruz watershed which is {\textasciitilde}12\% urban. The observational data comes from over 30 watersheds varying in cover from undeveloped to highly urban and in spatial scale from a few square meters to thousands of square kilometers. The modelling study includes a conservation ({\textasciitilde}35\% urban), megalopolitan ({\textasciitilde}34\% urban) and business as usual scenario ({\textasciitilde}38\% urban) for land use change due to regional population growth. All land use change scenarios result in significant increases in watershed streamflow. Depending upon pattern of urbanization, streamflow increased as much 88\% in some watershed locations; demonstrating the potential to partially meet water resources demands in the region with water produced by the urbanization process. This water could be used regionally or locally, and significant efforts at implementing water harvesting in the region have been pursued. However, the ability to scale such implementation and overcome the physical, and social barriers to implementation are currently unquantified.
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Since the late 1800s, pinyon–juniper woodland across the western U.S. has increased in density and areal extent and encroached into former grassland areas. The San Carlos Apache Tribe wants to gain qualitative and quantitative information... more
Since the late 1800s, pinyon–juniper woodland across the western U.S. has increased in density and areal extent and encroached into former grassland areas. The San Carlos Apache Tribe wants to gain qualitative and quantitative information on the historical conditions of their tribal woodlands to use as a baseline for restoration efforts. At the San Carlos Apache Reservation, in east-central Arizona, large swaths of woodlands containing varying mixtures of juniper (Juniperus spp.), pinyon (Pinus spp.) and evergreen oak (Quercus spp.) are culturally important to the Tribe and are a focus for restoration. To determine changes in canopy cover, we developed image analysis techniques to monitor tree and large shrub cover using 1935 and 2017 aerial imagery and compared results over the 82-year interval. Results showed a substantial increase in the canopy cover of the former savannas, and encroachment (mostly juniper) into the former grasslands of Big Prairie. The Tribe is currently engaged...
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Watershed studies are often onerous due to a lack of data available to portray baseline conditions with which to compare results of monitoring environmental effects. A paired-watershed approach is often adopted to simulate baseline... more
Watershed studies are often onerous due to a lack of data available to portray baseline conditions with which to compare results of monitoring environmental effects. A paired-watershed approach is often adopted to simulate baseline conditions in an adjacent watershed that can be comparable but assumes there is a quantifiable relationship between the control and treated watersheds. Finding suitably matched pairs that can most accurately depict similar responses is challenging and attributes are rarely quantified. In southeastern Arizona, United States, researchers are investigating the effectiveness of watershed restoration techniques employed by land managers. We selected Smith Canyon to develop a rigorous and quantitatively defensible paired-watershed experimental design. The Smith Canyon watershed consists of 91 structurally similar sub-basins that have a defined basin-like structure and flow channel, allowing for consideration as replicate units. We developed a statistical approa...
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The potential of ecological restoration and green infrastructure has been long suggested in the literature as adaptation strategies for a changing climate, with an emphasis on revegetation and, more recently, carbon sequestration and... more
The potential of ecological restoration and green infrastructure has been long suggested in the literature as adaptation strategies for a changing climate, with an emphasis on revegetation and, more recently, carbon sequestration and stormwater management. Tree planting and “natural” stormwater detention structures such as bioswales, stormwater detention basins, and sediment traps are popular approaches. However, the experimental verification of performance for these investments is scarce and does not address rock detention structures specifically. This 3-year study investigates the infiltration, peak flow mitigation, and microclimate performance of a natural wash stormwater retention installation using one-rock dams in an urban park in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Field data collected during the study do not depict change in the hydrogeomorphology. However, hydrologic modeling, using data collected from the field, portrays decreases in peak flows and increases in infiltration at the trea...
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In northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States, limited water supplies and fragile landscapes jeopardize world-renowned biological diversity. Simple rock detention structures have been used to manage agricultural water for over... more
In northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States, limited water supplies and fragile landscapes jeopardize world-renowned biological diversity. Simple rock detention structures have been used to manage agricultural water for over a thousand years and are now being installed to restore ecohydrological functionality but with little scientific evidence of their success. The impacts, design, and construction of such structures has been debated among local restoration practitioners, management, and permitting agencies. This article presents archeological documentation, local contentions, and examples of available research assessments of rock detention structures in the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion. A US Geological Survey study to quantify impacts of rock detention structures using remote-sensing analyses, hydrologic monitoring, vegetation surveys, and watershed modeling is discussed, and results rendered in terms of the critical restoration ecosystem services provided. This fra...
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Investment in conservation and ecological restoration depends on various socioeconomic factors and the social license for these activities. Our study demonstrates a method for targeting management of ecosystem services based on social... more
Investment in conservation and ecological restoration depends on various socioeconomic factors and the social license for these activities. Our study demonstrates a method for targeting management of ecosystem services based on social values, identified by respondents through a collection of social survey data. We applied the Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) geographic information systems (GIS)-based tool in the Sonoita Creek watershed, Arizona, to map social values across the watershed. The survey focused on how respondents engage with the landscape, including through their ranking of 12 social values (eg, recreational, economic, or aesthetic value) and their placement of points on a map to identify their associations with the landscape. Additional information was elicited regarding how respondents engaged with water and various land uses, as well as their familiarity with restoration terminology. Results show how respondents perceive benefits from the natural environm...
This paper describes coupling field experiments with surface and groundwater modeling to investigate rangelands of SE Arizona, USA using erosion-control structures to augment shallow and deep aquifer recharge. We collected field data to... more
This paper describes coupling field experiments with surface and groundwater modeling to investigate rangelands of SE Arizona, USA using erosion-control structures to augment shallow and deep aquifer recharge. We collected field data to describe the physical and hydrological properties before and after gabions (caged riprap) were installed in an ephemeral channel. The modular finite-difference flow model is applied to simulate the amount of increase needed to raise groundwater levels. We used the average increase in infiltration measured in the field and projected on site, assuming all infiltration becomes recharge, to estimate how many gabions would be needed to increase recharge in the larger watershed. A watershed model was then applied and calibrated with discharge and 3D terrain measurements, to simulate flow volumes. Findings were coupled to extrapolate simulations and quantify long-term impacts of riparian restoration. Projected scenarios demonstrate how erosion-control struc...
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Examining wildlife responses to phenology and wildfire using a landscape-scale camera trap network. Pages 503-505 in Gottfried, G.J., Folliott, P.F., Gebow, B.S., Eskew, L.G. and Collins, L.C. (eds). Merging science and management in a rapidly changing world: Biodiversity and management of the Ma...more
Between 2001 and 2009, the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project deployed 174 camera traps in the mountains of southern Arizona to record jaguar activity. In addition to jaguars, the motion-activated cameras, placed along known wildlife... more
Between 2001 and 2009, the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project deployed 174 camera traps in the mountains of southern Arizona to record jaguar activity. In addition to jaguars, the motion-activated cameras, placed along known wildlife travel routes, recorded occurrences of ~ 20 other animal species. We examined temporal relationships of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and javelina (Pecari tajacu) to landscape phenology (as measured by monthly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data) and the timing of wildfire (Alambre Fire of 2007). Mixed model analyses suggest that temporal dynamics of these two species were related to vegetation phenology and natural disturbance in the Sky Island region, information important for wildlife managers faced with uncertainty regarding changing climate and disturbance regimes.
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Niraula, R., Meixner, T., & Norman, L. M. (2012, December 3). Determining the Importance of Calibration for Predicting Relative Changes in Streamflow from Land Use/Cover Changes (H41D-1206). American Geophysical Union’s 45th... more
Niraula, R., Meixner, T., & Norman, L. M. (2012, December 3). Determining the Importance of Calibration for Predicting Relative Changes in Streamflow from Land Use/Cover Changes (H41D-1206). American Geophysical Union’s 45th annual Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
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Research Interests: Geology and Geomorphology
Callegary, J. B., Gray, F., Norman, L. M., & Eastoe, C. J. (2019). Baseline Conceptual Model of Hydrology and Geochemistry Patagonia Mountains. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 51, No. 5,.... more
Callegary, J. B., Gray, F., Norman, L. M., & Eastoe, C. J. (2019). Baseline Conceptual Model of Hydrology and Geochemistry Patagonia Mountains. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 51, No. 5,. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2019AM-341128
Perkl, R., Norman, L. M., Mitchell, D., Feller, M., Smith, G., & Wilson, N. R. (2018). Urban growth and landscape connectivity threats assessment at Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA. Journal of Land Use Science, 13(1–2), 102–117.... more
Perkl, R., Norman, L. M., Mitchell, D., Feller, M., Smith, G., & Wilson, N. R. (2018). Urban growth and landscape connectivity threats assessment at Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA. Journal of Land Use Science, 13(1–2), 102–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/1747423X.2018.1455905
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Fitzpatrick, J., Gray, F., Dubiel, R., Langman, J., Moring, J. B., Norman, L. M., Page, W. R., & Parcher, J. W. (2013). Chapter 10. The Borderlands and Climate Change. In Updike, R.G., Ellis, E.G., Page, W.R., Parker, M.J., Hestbeck,... more
Fitzpatrick, J., Gray, F., Dubiel, R., Langman, J., Moring, J. B., Norman, L. M., Page, W. R., & Parcher, J. W. (2013). Chapter 10. The Borderlands and Climate Change. In Updike, R.G., Ellis, E.G., Page, W.R., Parker, M.J., Hestbeck, J.B., and Horak, W.F., (Eds.), United States–Mexican Borderlands—Facing tomorrow’s challenges through USGS science (p. 318).U.S. Geological Survey. https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1380/downloads/Chapter10.pdf
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Norman, L. M. (2007). United States‐Mexican border watershed assessment: Modeling nonpoint source pollution in Ambos Nogales. Journal of Borderlands Studies, 22(1), 79–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2007.9695670
Research Interests: Political Science, Arid Land Ecology, Economic policy, Borderlands Studies, Conservation planning, and 9 moreBusiness and Management, Nonpoint Source Pollution, United States, Environmental Assessment, Prediction Model, Geographic Information System, Watershed Assessment, Sediment Yield, and Potable water
Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M. L., Niraula, R., Haberstich, M., & Wilson, N. R. (2019). Modelling Development of Riparian Ranchlands Using Ecosystem Services at the Aravaipa Watershed, SE Arizona. Land, 8(4), 64.... more
Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M. L., Niraula, R., Haberstich, M., & Wilson, N. R. (2019). Modelling Development of Riparian Ranchlands Using Ecosystem Services at the Aravaipa Watershed, SE Arizona. Land, 8(4), 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/land8040064
This paper describes how subdivision and development of rangelands within a remote and celebrated semi-arid watershed near the US–Mexico border might affect multiple ecohydrological services provided, such as recharge of the aquifer, water and sediment yield, water quality, flow rates and downstream cultural and natural resources. Specifically, we apply an uncalibrated watershed model and land-change forecasting scenario to consider the potential effects of converting rangelands to housing developments and document potential changes in hydrological ecosystem services. A new method to incorporate weather data in watershed modelling is introduced. Results of introducing residential development in this fragile arid environment portray changes in the water budget, including increases in surface-water runoff, water yield, and total sediment loading. Our findings also predict slight reductions in lateral soil water, a component of the water budget that is increasingly becoming recognized ...
This paper describes how subdivision and development of rangelands within a remote and celebrated semi-arid watershed near the US–Mexico border might affect multiple ecohydrological services provided, such as recharge of the aquifer, water and sediment yield, water quality, flow rates and downstream cultural and natural resources. Specifically, we apply an uncalibrated watershed model and land-change forecasting scenario to consider the potential effects of converting rangelands to housing developments and document potential changes in hydrological ecosystem services. A new method to incorporate weather data in watershed modelling is introduced. Results of introducing residential development in this fragile arid environment portray changes in the water budget, including increases in surface-water runoff, water yield, and total sediment loading. Our findings also predict slight reductions in lateral soil water, a component of the water budget that is increasingly becoming recognized ...
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Norman, L. M., Pulliam, H. R., Girard, M. M., Buckley, S. M., Misztal, L., Seibert, D., Campbell, C., Callegary, J. B., Tosline, D., Wilson, N. R., Hodges, D., Conn, J. A., & Clark, A. V. A. (2021). Editorial: Combining the Science and... more
Norman, L. M., Pulliam, H. R., Girard, M. M., Buckley, S. M., Misztal, L., Seibert, D., Campbell, C., Callegary, J. B., Tosline, D., Wilson, N. R., Hodges, D., Conn, J. A., & Clark, A. V. A. (2021). Editorial: Combining the Science and Practice of Restoration Ecology; a Case Study of Partnership in the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion. Air, Soil and Water Research, 14. https://doi.org/10.1177/11786221211009478
Y la traducción al español... https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/11786221211009478
The Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) is a growing partnership between government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners in southeast Arizona, the United States, and northern Sonora, Mexico. Starting in 2014 as an experiment to cultivate restoration efforts by connecting people across vocations and nations, SIRC has evolved over 5 years into a flourishing landscape-restoration initiative. The group is founded on the concept of developing a restoration economy, where ecological and socioeconomic benefits are interconnected and complimentary. The variety of ideas, people, field sites, administration, and organizations promote learning and increase project success through iterative adaptive management, transparency, and sharing. The collaborative seeks to make restoration self-sustaining and improve quality of life for citizens living along the US-Mexico border. Research and experiments are developed between scientists and practitioners to test hypotheses, qualify procedures, and quantify impacts on shared projects. Simultaneously, partners encourage and facilitate connecting more people to the landscape—via volunteerism, internships, training, and mentoring. Through this history, SIRC’s evolution is pioneering the integration of community and ecological restoration to protect biodiversity in the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion. This editorial introduces SIRC as a unique opportunity for scientists and practitioners looking to engage in binational partnerships and segues into this special journal issue we have assembled that relates new findings in the field of restoration ecology.
Y la traducción al español... https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/11786221211009478
The Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) is a growing partnership between government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners in southeast Arizona, the United States, and northern Sonora, Mexico. Starting in 2014 as an experiment to cultivate restoration efforts by connecting people across vocations and nations, SIRC has evolved over 5 years into a flourishing landscape-restoration initiative. The group is founded on the concept of developing a restoration economy, where ecological and socioeconomic benefits are interconnected and complimentary. The variety of ideas, people, field sites, administration, and organizations promote learning and increase project success through iterative adaptive management, transparency, and sharing. The collaborative seeks to make restoration self-sustaining and improve quality of life for citizens living along the US-Mexico border. Research and experiments are developed between scientists and practitioners to test hypotheses, qualify procedures, and quantify impacts on shared projects. Simultaneously, partners encourage and facilitate connecting more people to the landscape—via volunteerism, internships, training, and mentoring. Through this history, SIRC’s evolution is pioneering the integration of community and ecological restoration to protect biodiversity in the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion. This editorial introduces SIRC as a unique opportunity for scientists and practitioners looking to engage in binational partnerships and segues into this special journal issue we have assembled that relates new findings in the field of restoration ecology.
Research Interests: Climate Change Adaptation, Stakeholders, Restoration Ecology, Ecohydrology, Biodiversity, and 11 moreEnvironmental Justice, Community Involvement, Public Private Partnerships, Biodiversity Conservation, Drylands, Partnership, River Restoration, Human-Nature Relationships, Aridlands studies, River and Stream Restoration, and Restoration Economy
Middleton, B. R., & Norman, L. M. (2021). Remote Sensing Analysis to Quantify Change in Woodland Canopy Cover on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA (1935 vs. 2017). Land, 10(4), 393. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10040393
Villarreal, M. L., Haire, S. L., Bravo, J. C., & Norman, L. M. (2019). A Mosaic of Land Tenure and Ownership Creates Challenges and Opportunities for Transboundary Conservation in the US-Mexico Borderlands. Case Studies in the... more
Villarreal, M. L., Haire, S. L., Bravo, J. C., & Norman, L. M. (2019). A Mosaic of Land Tenure and Ownership Creates Challenges and Opportunities for Transboundary Conservation in the US-Mexico Borderlands. Case Studies in the Environment, ecs;cse.2019.002113v1. https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2019.002113
Norman, L. M. (2020). Ecosystem Services of Riparian Restoration: A Review of Rock Detention Structures in the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion. Air, Soil and Water Research, 13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178622120946337
Petrakis, R. E., Norman, L. M., Lysaght, O., Sherrouse, B. C., Semmens, D., Bagstad, K. J., & Pritzlaff, R. (2020). Mapping Perceived Social Values to Support a Respondent-Defined Restoration Economy: Case Study in Southeastern Arizona,... more
Petrakis, R. E., Norman, L. M., Lysaght, O., Sherrouse, B. C., Semmens, D., Bagstad, K. J., & Pritzlaff, R. (2020). Mapping Perceived Social Values to Support a Respondent-Defined Restoration Economy: Case Study in Southeastern Arizona, USA. Air, Soil and Water Research, 13, 117862212091331. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178622120913318
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019, Winter). Vegetation Response to Landscape Conservation in the Sky Islands. Arizona Native Plant Society Plant Press, 27–31.
Norman, L. M. (2015, November 5). What are the important habitat and movement corridors that cross the US-Mexico border of Arizona-Sonora? "Conservation Planning Applications: Towards Resilient Landscapes” at the American Planning... more
Norman, L. M. (2015, November 5). What are the important habitat and movement corridors that cross the US-Mexico border of Arizona-Sonora? "Conservation Planning Applications: Towards Resilient Landscapes” at the American Planning Association - Arizona Chapter (AZAPA) Conference, Tucson, Arizona.
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019a, July). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. Botany2019 Conference, Tucson Arizona. Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019b, August). Vegetation Response to Watershed... more
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019a, July). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. Botany2019 Conference, Tucson Arizona.
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019b, August). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. Native Plant Society Meeting 2019, Thatcher, AZ.
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019c, November 8). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. Society of Ecological Restoration Southwest Conference, Tucson Arizona.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Campbell, C., Conn, J., Buckley, S., Tirion, K., & Seibert, D. (2016, November 9). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. 2016 Annual Conference of the Society of Ecological Restoration – Southwest Chapter, Las Vegas, NV. http://chapter.ser.org/southwest/2016-annual-conference/
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019b, August). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. Native Plant Society Meeting 2019, Thatcher, AZ.
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019c, November 8). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. Society of Ecological Restoration Southwest Conference, Tucson Arizona.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Campbell, C., Conn, J., Buckley, S., Tirion, K., & Seibert, D. (2016, November 9). Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration in Southeastern Arizona. 2016 Annual Conference of the Society of Ecological Restoration – Southwest Chapter, Las Vegas, NV. http://chapter.ser.org/southwest/2016-annual-conference/
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Tiller, R., Salywon, A., Gass, L., & Villarreal, M. (2015, August). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery and aerial photography. 8th Annual Phenology Research and... more
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Tiller, R., Salywon, A., Gass, L., & Villarreal, M. (2015, August). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery and aerial photography. 8th Annual Phenology Research and Observations of Southwest Ecosystems Symposium (PROSE), Tucson, Ariz.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Tiller, R., Salywon, Gass, L., & Villarreal, M. L. (2014a, June 7). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery and aerial photography. Science on the Sonoita Plain Symposium, Appleton-Whittle Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society, Sonoita, AZ.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Tiller, R., Salywon, Gass, L., & Villarreal, M. L. (2014b, July 14). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery and aerial photography. 2014 Esri International User Conference, San Diego, California.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M. L., Gass, L., Tiller, R., & Salywon, A. (2014, September 26). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery. Association of Pacific Coast Geographers (APCG) Conference, Tucson, AZ.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Tiller, R., Salywon, Gass, L., & Villarreal, M. L. (2014a, June 7). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery and aerial photography. Science on the Sonoita Plain Symposium, Appleton-Whittle Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society, Sonoita, AZ.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Tiller, R., Salywon, Gass, L., & Villarreal, M. L. (2014b, July 14). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery and aerial photography. 2014 Esri International User Conference, San Diego, California.
Wilson, N. R., Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M. L., Gass, L., Tiller, R., & Salywon, A. (2014, September 26). Temporal study of cienegas at Cienega Creek using multispectral satellite imagery. Association of Pacific Coast Geographers (APCG) Conference, Tucson, AZ.
Arora, G., Dall’erba, S., Frisvold, G. B., & Norman, L. M. (2014, July 27). Species Richness as an Indicator of Environmental Quality Influencing Home Values. 2014 Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA), Minneapolis, MN.
Norman, L. M., & Villarreal, M. L. (2015, March 26). Santa Cruz River – “Modern” History and Preservation Efforts of Human Cultures along the River. Santa Cruz River Research Days 2015 - Seventh Annual, Tucson, Arizona.... more
Norman, L. M., & Villarreal, M. L. (2015, March 26). Santa Cruz River – “Modern” History and Preservation Efforts of Human Cultures along the River. Santa Cruz River Research Days 2015 - Seventh Annual, Tucson, Arizona. http://www.sonoraninstitute.org/images/stories/pdfs/Presentations/SCRResearchDays/2015/SCRRD2015_Norman.pdf
Villarreal, M. L., Norman, L. M., Wallace, C. S. A., & Boykin, K. G. (2012, March 29). Land use matters: Private and public land stewardship efforts moderate the effects of drought and resource consumption on watershed habitat loss. Santa... more
Villarreal, M. L., Norman, L. M., Wallace, C. S. A., & Boykin, K. G. (2012, March 29). Land use matters: Private and public land stewardship efforts moderate the effects of drought and resource consumption on watershed habitat loss. Santa Cruz River Researchers’ Day 2012 - 4th Annual. http://www.sonoraninstitute.org/images/stories/pdfs/Presentations/SCRResearchDays/2012/villarreal_scrrd_2012_poster.pdf
Fandel, C., Callegary, J. B., Ferré, T. P. A., Norman, L. M., & Scott, C. A. (2016, March 21). Infiltration in ephemeral streams: Quantifying the effect of gabions on vertical water flux using wildlife cameras & temperature sensors. Water... more
Fandel, C., Callegary, J. B., Ferré, T. P. A., Norman, L. M., & Scott, C. A. (2016, March 21). Infiltration in ephemeral streams: Quantifying the effect of gabions on vertical water flux using wildlife cameras & temperature sensors. Water Resources Research Center Annual Conference, “#AZwaterfuture: Tech, Talk, and Tradeoffs,” University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Callegary, J. B., Gray, F., Norman, L. M., Bultman, M., & Heilman, J. (2015, September 28). Hydrology and water-budget components of an extensively-mined area using geophysics, geochemistry, rainfall-runoff- and sediment-transport... more
Callegary, J. B., Gray, F., Norman, L. M., Bultman, M., & Heilman, J. (2015, September 28). Hydrology and water-budget components of an extensively-mined area using geophysics, geochemistry, rainfall-runoff- and sediment-transport modeling. 2015 National Ground Water Association (NGWA) Conference on Groundwater in Fractured Rock (#5017), Burlington, Vermont. http://www.ngwa.org/Events-Education/conferences/Pages/5017sep15.aspx
This study is using a novel combination of methods to develop a conceptual hydrologic model of a fractured-rock aquifer in the Patagonia Mountains of southeast Arizona. The study is motivated by a need to understand current hydrologic and hydrochemical baseline conditions due to an increased interest in mineral exploration and extraction. Rainfall-runoff modeling with sediment transport is being used to understand both hydrology and hydrochemistry. Model calculation of evapotranspiration and percolation below the root zone provides estimates of water-budget components at relatively high resolution. Modeled baseflow will be compared with perennial-reaches to evaluate if groundwater flow through surficial alluvial material and hillslope soils is sufficient to explain baseflow or whether groundwater discharge from faults is required. Sediment-transport modeling is being used to evaluate potential impacts of erosion of hillslopes and metal-rich tailings. Wells with available water level information are few. Data on known elevations of springs and flowing adits will be used to supplement groundwater level information, but few are mapped. Additional groundwater discharge locations are being mapped using a combination of satellite and potential fields. Probable seep and spring locations are sites where linear features, increased greenness (from leaves), iron-rich soils, and faults occur together, and are identified using a combination of Aster satellite Bands 2 and 3N (NDVI and Canny edge detection), satellite maps of ferric iron, gravity and magnetic field variations (horizontal gradient and analytic signal). New geologic maps and cross-sections derived from field mapping, borehole logs, and potential field modeling are being analyzed to identify areas and likely directions of groundwater flow via faults, breccia pipes, shear zones, and hydrothermally-altered and sedimentary rocks. Locations of tunnels, adits, and unlined drillholes are being analyzed to understand anthropogenic modifications of the groundwater flow field. Isotopes, major ions and trace metals are being used for flow path delineation.
This study is using a novel combination of methods to develop a conceptual hydrologic model of a fractured-rock aquifer in the Patagonia Mountains of southeast Arizona. The study is motivated by a need to understand current hydrologic and hydrochemical baseline conditions due to an increased interest in mineral exploration and extraction. Rainfall-runoff modeling with sediment transport is being used to understand both hydrology and hydrochemistry. Model calculation of evapotranspiration and percolation below the root zone provides estimates of water-budget components at relatively high resolution. Modeled baseflow will be compared with perennial-reaches to evaluate if groundwater flow through surficial alluvial material and hillslope soils is sufficient to explain baseflow or whether groundwater discharge from faults is required. Sediment-transport modeling is being used to evaluate potential impacts of erosion of hillslopes and metal-rich tailings. Wells with available water level information are few. Data on known elevations of springs and flowing adits will be used to supplement groundwater level information, but few are mapped. Additional groundwater discharge locations are being mapped using a combination of satellite and potential fields. Probable seep and spring locations are sites where linear features, increased greenness (from leaves), iron-rich soils, and faults occur together, and are identified using a combination of Aster satellite Bands 2 and 3N (NDVI and Canny edge detection), satellite maps of ferric iron, gravity and magnetic field variations (horizontal gradient and analytic signal). New geologic maps and cross-sections derived from field mapping, borehole logs, and potential field modeling are being analyzed to identify areas and likely directions of groundwater flow via faults, breccia pipes, shear zones, and hydrothermally-altered and sedimentary rocks. Locations of tunnels, adits, and unlined drillholes are being analyzed to understand anthropogenic modifications of the groundwater flow field. Isotopes, major ions and trace metals are being used for flow path delineation.
Niraula, R., Meixner, T., & Norman, L. M. (2012, March 29). Hydrological Modeling of a Semi-arid Santa Cruz Basin. Santa Cruz River Researchers’ Day 2012 - 4th Annual, Tucson, Arizona.... more
Niraula, R., Meixner, T., & Norman, L. M. (2012, March 29). Hydrological Modeling of a Semi-arid Santa Cruz Basin. Santa Cruz River Researchers’ Day 2012 - 4th Annual, Tucson, Arizona. http://www.sonoraninstitute.org/images/stories/pdfs/Presentations/SCRResearchDays/2012/niraula_scrrd_2012.pdf
Norman, L. M. (2014, October 17). Investigations of Rock Detention Structures Presented at Ecological Restoration Conference. Joint Conference for Texas & Southwest Chapters of the Society for Ecological Restoration in the Southwest,... more
Norman, L. M. (2014, October 17). Investigations of Rock Detention Structures Presented at Ecological Restoration Conference. Joint Conference for Texas & Southwest Chapters of the Society for Ecological Restoration in the Southwest, Alpine, TX.
Norman, L. M., Gwilliam, E., Brinkerhoff, F., Pelletier, J., Villarreal, M. L., Nagler, P. L., Gass, L., & Guertin, D. P. (2013, September 20). How do gabions influence infiltration in arid lands? A Paired Watershed Experiment in an... more
Norman, L. M., Gwilliam, E., Brinkerhoff, F., Pelletier, J., Villarreal, M. L., Nagler, P. L., Gass, L., & Guertin, D. P. (2013, September 20). How do gabions influence infiltration in arid lands? A Paired Watershed Experiment in an Arizona Sky Island. Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS) Symposium, “Shifting Boundaries: Recalibrating the Hydrologic Approach,” Tucson, Ariz. http://ahssymposium.org/2013/program/tech-sessions/
Norman, L. M., & Callegary, J. B. (2015, June 6). Harnessing Runoff on the Sonoita Plains; a Primer for Watershed Resilience. Science on the Sonoita Plain, Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. Elgin, AZ.... more
Norman, L. M., & Callegary, J. B. (2015, June 6). Harnessing Runoff on the Sonoita Plains; a Primer for Watershed Resilience. Science on the Sonoita Plain, Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. Elgin, AZ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAQ4LuVtPB8
Meixner, T., Niraula, R., Norman, L. M., Pivo, G., Gerlak, A., Pavao-Zuckerman, M., & Henry, A. (2015, December 15). H24F-06: Semi-Arid Water Resource Challenges—Can Water Harvesting Close the Gap? [Water, Energy, and Society in Urban... more
Meixner, T., Niraula, R., Norman, L. M., Pivo, G., Gerlak, A., Pavao-Zuckerman, M., & Henry, A. (2015, December 15). H24F-06: Semi-Arid Water Resource Challenges—Can Water Harvesting Close the Gap? [Water, Energy, and Society in Urban Systems III]. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California. https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm15/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/74301
Water resource availability restricts development in arid and semi-arid regions of world. Past observations show that urban areas can increase stream discharge at least on a local scale. These results suggest that urbanization may increase the availability of wet water capable of being used by urban society. Here we present a combination of observational work demonstrating the increase of available water in urban areas of southern Arizona; and a modelling study demonstrating that future land use change may significantly increase river discharge across the Santa Cruz watershed which is {\textasciitilde}12\% urban. The observational data comes from over 30 watersheds varying in cover from undeveloped to highly urban and in spatial scale from a few square meters to thousands of square kilometers. The modelling study includes a conservation ({\textasciitilde}35\% urban), megalopolitan ({\textasciitilde}34\% urban) and business as usual scenario ({\textasciitilde}38\% urban) for land use change due to regional population growth. All land use change scenarios result in significant increases in watershed streamflow. Depending upon pattern of urbanization, streamflow increased as much 88\% in some watershed locations; demonstrating the potential to partially meet water resources demands in the region with water produced by the urbanization process. This water could be used regionally or locally, and significant efforts at implementing water harvesting in the region have been pursued. However, the ability to scale such implementation and overcome the physical, and social barriers to implementation are currently unquantified.
Water resource availability restricts development in arid and semi-arid regions of world. Past observations show that urban areas can increase stream discharge at least on a local scale. These results suggest that urbanization may increase the availability of wet water capable of being used by urban society. Here we present a combination of observational work demonstrating the increase of available water in urban areas of southern Arizona; and a modelling study demonstrating that future land use change may significantly increase river discharge across the Santa Cruz watershed which is {\textasciitilde}12\% urban. The observational data comes from over 30 watersheds varying in cover from undeveloped to highly urban and in spatial scale from a few square meters to thousands of square kilometers. The modelling study includes a conservation ({\textasciitilde}35\% urban), megalopolitan ({\textasciitilde}34\% urban) and business as usual scenario ({\textasciitilde}38\% urban) for land use change due to regional population growth. All land use change scenarios result in significant increases in watershed streamflow. Depending upon pattern of urbanization, streamflow increased as much 88\% in some watershed locations; demonstrating the potential to partially meet water resources demands in the region with water produced by the urbanization process. This water could be used regionally or locally, and significant efforts at implementing water harvesting in the region have been pursued. However, the ability to scale such implementation and overcome the physical, and social barriers to implementation are currently unquantified.
Fandel, C., Callegary, J. B., Ferré, T. P. A., Norman, L. M., & Scott, C. A. (2015, November 20). Evaluating the effect of gabions on vertical water flux in an ephemeral stream using wildlife cameras and temperature sensors. 2015 Annual... more
Fandel, C., Callegary, J. B., Ferré, T. P. A., Norman, L. M., & Scott, C. A. (2015, November 20). Evaluating the effect of gabions on vertical water flux in an ephemeral stream using wildlife cameras and temperature sensors. 2015 Annual Conference of Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter, Tucson, Ariz. http://chapter.ser.org/southwest/2015-annual-conferenc/
In water-scarce regions prone to flash-flooding, simple rock structures can be used to slow runoff and erosion in ephemeral-stream channels, increasing infiltration and recharge and improving riparian ecological health. However, few quantitative studies assess the effectiveness of such structures for enhanced infiltration and recharge. We aim to evaluate the impact of newly-installed gabions (rock-filled wire baskets) in an ephemeral-stream channel located in a grassland in southeastern Arizona. Four gabions were installed in the channel in May, 2015. We have instrumented channel reaches upstream and downstream of one gabion with wildlife cameras, pressure transducers, and surface and subsurface temperature sensors. We plan to infer vertical water flux through the subsurface using daily surface and subsurface temperature fluctuations and analytical solutions of heat transport in soil. These methods use the extent to which daily temperature fluctuations are dampened and delayed with depth (because water transmits temperature changes more quickly than dry soil). Flow on August 20, 2015 was captured by both cameras and temperature sensors. Novel to this study, we will use the repeat camera imagery to estimate ponded area through time. This will be used to convert temperature-sensor derived infiltration flux to total flow, with and without the gabion’s influence. Additionally, we expect to be able to monitor changes in infiltration flux through time, which will advance our understanding of the impacts of fine-sediment deposition upstream of the gabion.
In water-scarce regions prone to flash-flooding, simple rock structures can be used to slow runoff and erosion in ephemeral-stream channels, increasing infiltration and recharge and improving riparian ecological health. However, few quantitative studies assess the effectiveness of such structures for enhanced infiltration and recharge. We aim to evaluate the impact of newly-installed gabions (rock-filled wire baskets) in an ephemeral-stream channel located in a grassland in southeastern Arizona. Four gabions were installed in the channel in May, 2015. We have instrumented channel reaches upstream and downstream of one gabion with wildlife cameras, pressure transducers, and surface and subsurface temperature sensors. We plan to infer vertical water flux through the subsurface using daily surface and subsurface temperature fluctuations and analytical solutions of heat transport in soil. These methods use the extent to which daily temperature fluctuations are dampened and delayed with depth (because water transmits temperature changes more quickly than dry soil). Flow on August 20, 2015 was captured by both cameras and temperature sensors. Novel to this study, we will use the repeat camera imagery to estimate ponded area through time. This will be used to convert temperature-sensor derived infiltration flux to total flow, with and without the gabion’s influence. Additionally, we expect to be able to monitor changes in infiltration flux through time, which will advance our understanding of the impacts of fine-sediment deposition upstream of the gabion.
Niraula, R., Meixner, T., & Norman, L. M. (2012, December 3). Determining the Importance of Calibration for Predicting Relative Changes in Streamflow from Land Use/Cover Changes (H41D-1206). American Geophysical Union’s 45th annual Fall... more
Niraula, R., Meixner, T., & Norman, L. M. (2012, December 3). Determining the Importance of Calibration for Predicting Relative Changes in Streamflow from Land Use/Cover Changes (H41D-1206). American Geophysical Union’s 45th annual Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California.
Norman, L. M., Pulliam, H. R., Austin, V., & Seibert, D. (2013, April 15). Can watershed models guide riparian restoration efforts in the Borderlands? Proceedings of Santa Cruz River Researcher’s Day, Tucson, Arizona.
Norman, L. M., Burns, I. S., Levick, L., & Callegary, J. B. (2009). Planning Land and Water-Resource Management in the Upper Santa Cruz Watershed, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Papers from the Annual Meeting of the Association of American... more
Norman, L. M., Burns, I. S., Levick, L., & Callegary, J. B. (2009). Planning Land and Water-Resource Management in the Upper Santa Cruz Watershed, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Papers from the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers- 2009.
Norman, L. M., Shuster, R., & Parcher, J. W. (2013). People in the Borderlands. In In Updike, R.G., Ellis, E.G., Page, W.R., Parker, M.J., Hestbeck, J.B., and Horak, W.F., (Eds.), 2012, United States–Mexican Borderlands—Facing tomorrow’s... more
Norman, L. M., Shuster, R., & Parcher, J. W. (2013). People in the Borderlands. In In Updike, R.G., Ellis, E.G., Page, W.R., Parker, M.J., Hestbeck, J.B., and Horak, W.F., (Eds.), 2012, United States–Mexican Borderlands—Facing tomorrow’s challenges through USGS science: Vol. Chapter 6. Challenge Theme 4. (p. 318). U.S. Geological Survey. http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1380/
Research Interests:
Norman, L. M., Hirsch, D. D., & Ward, A. W. (2008). Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges Along the U.S.-Mexico Border—Monitoring, Modeling, and Forecasting Change Within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary... more
Norman, L. M., Hirsch, D. D., & Ward, A. W. (2008). Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges Along the U.S.-Mexico Border—Monitoring, Modeling, and Forecasting Change Within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary Watersheds. U.S. Geological Survey. http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1322/
Examining wildlife responses to phenology and wildfire using a landscape-scale camera trap network. Pages 503-505 in Gottfried, G.J., Folliott, P.F., Gebow, B.S., Eskew, L.G. and Collins, L.C. (eds). Merging science and management in a rapidly changing world: Biodiversity and management of the Ma...more
Between 2001 and 2009, the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project deployed 174 camera traps in the mountains of southern Arizona to record jaguar activity. In addition to jaguars, the motion-activated cameras, placed along known wildlife... more
Between 2001 and 2009, the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project deployed 174 camera traps in the mountains of southern Arizona to record jaguar activity. In addition to jaguars, the motion-activated cameras, placed along known wildlife travel routes, recorded occurrences of ~ 20 other animal species. We examined temporal relationships of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and javelina (Pecari tajacu) to landscape phenology (as measured by monthly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data) and the timing of wildfire (Alambre Fire of 2007). Mixed model analyses suggest that temporal dynamics of these two species were related to vegetation phenology and natural disturbance in the Sky Island region, information important for wildlife managers faced with uncertainty regarding changing climate and disturbance regimes.
Villarreal, M. L., Norman, L. M., & Labiosa, W. B. (2012). Assessing the vulnerability of human and biological communities to changing ecosystem services using a GIS-based multi-criteria decision support tool. In R. Seppelt, A.A. Voinov,... more
Villarreal, M. L., Norman, L. M., & Labiosa, W. B. (2012). Assessing the vulnerability of human and biological communities to changing ecosystem services using a GIS-based multi-criteria decision support tool. In R. Seppelt, A.A. Voinov, S. Lange, D. Bankamp (Eds.), International Environmental Modelling and Software Society (IEMSs) 2012 International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software. Managing Resources of a Limited Planet: Pathways and Visions under Uncertainty, Sixth Biennial Meeting, 427–434. http://www.iemss.org/sites/iemss2012//proceedings/B1_0440_Villarreal_et_al.pdf
The twin city area of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, known collectively as Ambos (both) Nogales, has experienced a common borderland history of urban growth presumably based on changes in policy and economic incentives.... more
The twin city area of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, known collectively as Ambos (both) Nogales, has experienced a common borderland history of urban growth presumably based on changes in policy and economic incentives. This research documents changes ...
Brady, L. M. (2000). GIS Analysis of Spatial Variability of Contaminated Watershed Components in a Historically Mined Region, Basin And Range Province, Southeast Arizona [Master thesis]. University of Arizona.
Norman, L. M. (2010). Urbanization and Environmental Health in Arizona Colonias. In Donelson, A.J., and A.X. Esparza, (Ed.s). The Colonias Reader: Economy, Housing, and Public Health in US-Mexico Border Colonias (pp. 204–217). University... more
Norman, L. M. (2010). Urbanization and Environmental Health in Arizona Colonias. In Donelson, A.J., and A.X. Esparza, (Ed.s). The Colonias Reader: Economy, Housing, and Public Health in US-Mexico Border Colonias (pp. 204–217). University of Arizona Press.
Norman, L. M., Shuster, R., & Parcher, J. W. (2013). Chapter 6. People in the Borderlands. In Updike, R.G., Ellis, E.G., Page, W.R., Parker, M.J., Hestbeck, J.B., and Horak, W.F., (Eds.), United States–Mexican Borderlands—Facing... more
Norman, L. M., Shuster, R., & Parcher, J. W. (2013). Chapter 6. People in the Borderlands. In Updike, R.G., Ellis, E.G., Page, W.R., Parker, M.J., Hestbeck, J.B., and Horak, W.F., (Eds.), United States–Mexican Borderlands—Facing tomorrow’s challenges through USGS science (p. 318). U.S. Geological Survey. https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1380/downloads/Chapter6.pdf
Middleton, B. R., Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019). Vegetation Survey of the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona and Surrounding Area (September to November 2017). U.S. Geological Survey Data Release.... more
Middleton, B. R., Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2019). Vegetation Survey of the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona and Surrounding Area (September to November 2017). U.S. Geological Survey Data Release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9OCZ17X.
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2018). Data release for analysis of vegetation recovery surrounding a restored wetland using the Normalized Difference Infrared Index (NDII) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). U.S.... more
Wilson, N. R., & Norman, L. M. (2018). Data release for analysis of vegetation recovery surrounding a restored wetland using the Normalized Difference Infrared Index (NDII) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). U.S. Geological Survey Data Release. https://doi.org/10.5066/F798867T
Norman, L. M., & Wallace, C. S. A. (2008). Mapping land use/land cover in the Ambos Nogales study area. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 2008–1378, 42. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20081378
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This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with US Geological Survey editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, product or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and... more
This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with US Geological Survey editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, product or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US ...
Page 1. Binational Digital Soils Map of the Ambos Nogales Watershed, Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora, Mexico Laura M. Norman1, D. Phillip Guertin2, David Peña Hernández3, Alberto Suàrez Barnett4, and Kelly Ashton-Reis1 Open-File... more
Page 1. Binational Digital Soils Map of the Ambos Nogales Watershed, Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora, Mexico Laura M. Norman1, D. Phillip Guertin2, David Peña Hernández3, Alberto Suàrez Barnett4, and Kelly Ashton-Reis1 Open-File Report 2004-1335 ...
In the borderland region of the desert southwest, human health and the ecosystems upon which humans rely largely depend on the quality, quantity, and distribution of water resources. In the Santa Cruz River Watershed (SCW), located in the... more
In the borderland region of the desert southwest, human health and the ecosystems upon which humans rely largely depend on the quality, quantity, and distribution of water resources. In the Santa Cruz River Watershed (SCW), located in the Arizona and Sonora, Mexico border region, surface water is scarce and unreliable, and, during much of the year, is composed of effluent from the local wastewater treatment plant. This makes groundwater the preferred and, consequently, primary source for industrial, agricultural, and domestic use. USGS scientists are using an integrative approach, incorporating the expertise of the Geography, Water, Biology, and Geology disciplines to identify risks to water resources in the SCW, and the potential for impacts to riparian ecosystems and ultimately, human health. This includes tracking organic and inorganic contaminants and their effects from sources to sinks in sediment, water, plants, and animals. Existing ground- and surface-water models will be used and modified to assess contaminant and sediment transport. Water quality, sediment, aquatic macro invertebrates, aquatic plants (macrophytes), algae, riparian grasses, fish, and birds will be sampled at five locations along the Santa Cruz River. Field sampling data will be obtained at sites that coincide with historical sampling programs. Site locations include (i.) the Santa Cruz River headwaters (which should be unaffected by downstream contaminant sources), (ii.) a tributary routed through an abandoned mining district, (iii.) a binational tributary that flows though highly urbanized areas, (iv.) effluent from the local wastewater treatment plant, and (v.) the downstream confluence of the first four sources. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model will be used in combination with field data to identify key sources of contaminants, contributing areas, and transport modes to track their movement to surface waters. These data will be used together to test relationships between sediment and hydrologic parameters, for the purpose of determining functional links. Further, it is planned that estimates of runoff and evapotranspiration resulting from the SWAT model simulations will be used to modify boundary conditions in the groundwater flow model to improve understanding of the effects of human activities on aquifer dynamics and contaminant transport. The SWAT model will then be used to identify critical sub-watersheds where implementing management practices could be most effective to abate pollution. An overview of our study design and preliminary results will be presented.