Research about Mogollon Highlands

USGS2025

Canopy and surface fuels measurement using terrestrial lidar single-scan approach in the Mogollon highlands of Arizona

Background Fuel monitoring data are essential to evaluate wildfire risk, plan management activities and evaluate fuel treatment effects. Terrestrial light detection and ranging (lidar) is a field-based 3D scanning technology with great potential to reduce labor-intensive field measurements and provide new depths of vegetation structure data. Aims To facilitate the integration of terrestrial lidar into fuel monitoring programs, we developed a model, training process, and Python program that produces canopy fuel, surface fuel and terrain metrics commonly used in fire behavior and fire risk modeling. Methods We estimated canopy and surface fuel metrics from terrestrial lidar using a semi-empirical model incorporating physically based modeling of leaf area density and occlusion and a non-destructive model calibration process leveraging Bayesian regression. We compared lidar-derived fuel estimates with conventional fuel estimates across diverse conditions in semi-arid shrubland, woodland and forest in Arizona. We also compared estimates using single- and multiple-scan modes. Key results In single-scan mode, our lidar-derived fuel estimates were significantly related to conventional estimates of total canopy fuel load, maximum canopy bulk density, downed surface fuel load and standing surface fuel load. Implications Our methods provide opportunities to increase the scalability of fuel monitoring to better understand wildfire risk and treatment effectiveness.

Arizona↗

USGS2000

Investigation of the geology and hydrology of the Mogollon Highlands of central Arizona: a project of the Arizona Rural Watershed Initiative

The Mogollon Highlands of east central Arizona is a region of forested plateau and mountains, deep, sheerwalled canyons, and desert valleys. Known for its scenic beauty and characterized by a generally mild climate, the area, though still sparsely populated, attracts an increasing number of tourists and summer residents. Furthermore, the permanent population is expected to nearly double over the next 50 years. Consequently, there is increased pressure on the water resources of this area for several sometimes conflicting uses. Rational management of water resources is necessary to meet increased domestic requirements while ensuring an adequate supply of water for commercial and agricultural use, for Indian lands, and for preservation of valued environmental elements, including surface waters, riparian woodlands, forest and grassland areas, and wildlife and aquatic habitat. Such management requires an understanding of the relations among different components of the hydrologic system—recharge areas, surface flows, shallow aquifers, deep aquifers, discharge areas, and the regional ground-water flow system—and how each is affected by geology, climate, topography, and human use. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting an assessment of the hydrogeology of the Mogollon Highlands in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The study, funded through the State’s Rural Watershed Initiative program, is one of three assessments being conducted by the USGS. Assessments also are underway in the Upper-Middle Verde River watershed and on the Coconino Plateau. Each study has as its objectives: (1) the collection, compilation, and evaluation of all existing geologic, hydrologic, and related data pertaining to the study area and the creation of a data base that is readily accessible to the public and (2) developing an understanding of the hydrogeologic framework, which is the relation between geologic and hydrologic properties, that can be used for water-- resources management purposes and that will support the development of an interpretive and predictive model to estimate the effects of climate and water use on the sustainability of regional water resources. Although the three contiguous areas in north-central Arizona are being studied separately, a single data base is being constructed from which data on each area can be extracted separately.

Arizona↗