[SRM] How dry was it on the Santa Rita this summer monsoon season?

[Mcclaran, Mitchel P - (mcclaran)]

Hi Everyone,

We updated the precipitation database https://cals.arizona.edu/srer/data.html and the Current Livestock Grazing management information https://cals.arizona.edu/srer/grazingplan/grazingplan_2020Sep30.pdf on the Santa Rita Experimental Range web site.
SRER Long-term Data and Maps - University of Arizona<https://cals.arizona.edu/srer/data.html>
Santa Rita Experimental Range Digital Database: User's Guide Mitchel P. McClaran, Deborah L. Angell, and Craig Wissler September 2002 USFS Forest Service General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-100
cals.arizona.edu


How dry was it this during the summer monsoon?  Drier than ever recorded staring in 1922.

It was the 3rd driest September at 0.05 inches average across the Santa Rita (2002 and 1953 each had 0.00 avg), it was the driest August at 0.57 inches, and the fifth driest July at 1.47 inches (1997, 1995, 1999, and 1987 were drier).

In total, 2020 monsoon (July through September) averaged 2.08 inches across the Santa Rita, or about 25-35% of long-term average.  The next driest year was 1973, at 3.42 inches average across the Santa Rita, then 1956 at 3.95 inches.

Those low values, combined with record hot temperatures for each month resulted in about 10% of average grass biomass production this summer, and many dead grass plants at the lower elevations.  We have not seen anything like this since records started in 1922.

We are making plans to adjust livestock grazing to address the dry and low production conditions. You will learn more about that in the coming months.

Cheers,
Mitch

Mitch McClaran
Professor of Range Management, School of Natural Resources and the Environment
Director for Research, Santa Rita Experimental Range
Director, Arizona Experiment Station
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
University of Arizona
520-390-9801 (cell)
520-621-1673 (office)
http://snre.arizona.edu/people/mitch-mcclaran
Office Location: 112 Biological Sciences East


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