Rio Grande 2012 Vegetation and Water Classification Data in the Big Bend Region

Publication Date

2020-08-24

Start Date

2012

End Date

2019

Bedford, A.F., Durning, L.E., Dean, D.J., and Sankey, J.B., 2020, Rio Grande 2012 Vegetation and Water Classification Data in the Big Bend Region: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MW5KZB.

These data provide digital maps of surface water, and vegetation species for 2012 within the Rio Grande riparian corridor in Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. These data can be used to summarize and estimate the spatial distribution of species in Rio Grande riparian vegetation communities relative to other riverine characteristics such as hydrology, topography, and valley confinement. These data were created to further the understanding of the spatial distribution of riparian plant species. A pilot project for the eradication of Giant cane (Arundo donax) began in 2010, while large-scale eradication efforts have occurred within the analysis area since the acquisition in 2012 of the imagery used to produce these maps. Therefore, these data also serve as a pre-treatment status map to evaluate the spatial extent of Giant cane prior to those eradication efforts. These data can thus be useful as a baseline to answer questions such as: 1) What proportion of the 2012 alluvial valley of the Rio Grande was occupied by giant cane? 2) What is the relative proportion of the alluvial valley occupied by giant cane, and other species in 2012. Performing change detection analyses with classifications of subsequent imagery could allow quantification of the effectiveness of Giant cane eradication efforts, and changes in the spatial distribution of other riparian species.

• USGS Data Release Products
• USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC)