INSPEC29071 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• ExxonMobil Global Services Colony Shale Oil Project ESR Reclamation Studies Weighing Lysimeter Performance 1990-2003 Project No. 353 Page 22 supported by review of the vegetative cover density and diversity data collected by others, where shrub species have become the dominant vegetation type. 4.3.6 2001-YE 2002 Year 2001 is the fast yeaz of a 3-yeaz drought period. The system responded the same as the apparent equilibrium reached by 2000, including the lazge moisture swing in the "mixed" zone. However, the April 2000 precipitation was very low, and actual evapotranspiration is well short of the theoretical "water not limiting" Et. (see individual yeaz 2000 Jensen-Haile plot in Appendix B). Based on this plot, actual Eta is apparently drawing from the melt water stored in the soil starting as early as April. By conhast it took until July to reach this deficit condition in 1999. • Years 2001 and 2002 are significant in that after nine years in which some percolation occurred in response to the spring melt, there was no percolation in 2001 and 2002. The eazly water deficit observed in 2000 also exists in 2001 and 2002. In 2002 the late-spring eazly summer rainfall was so deficient that actual Eta was faz short of theoretical `water not limiting" Et as eazly as April. However, the wide moisture swing in the "mixed zone" continues, suggesting that it has become an important part of the moisture storage system used by the plant cover. 4.3.7 2003 Yeaz 2003 appears to be the final yeaz of the short drought, with annual precipitation returning to the average for the years 1990-2003. Spring melt induced percolation returned as did the spring melt induced increase in moisture in the ESR combusted shale zone (red line in Fig. 4.1). But the actual Eta was again considerably short of the theoretical `water not limiting" Jensen-Haile value. • LACHEL FELICE & Associates