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Figure 7. — Weekly transpiration patterns for the Chicken Creek Watershed 

 when dominated by: grass- f orb ^ aspen, and conifers. 



evaporative losses (interception and soil moisture evaporation). Figure 7 presents the 

 patterns of consumptive water use when the watershed is dominated by grass-forb, aspen, 

 and conifer types. Greater consumptive use rates for conifer-dominated conditions may 

 be attributed to the plant activity patterns of evergreen canopies. The combined 

 effects of active moisture input, transpiration, and other components of the hydrologic 

 cycle are reflected in the hydrographs in figure 8. Although the timing and magnitude 

 of runoff under different types of vegetation cover vary substantially during the melt 

 season, streamflow before and after the melt season is similar for all types. Dominance 

 of aspen on a formerly grass-forb watershed causes spring runoff to be delayed slightly 

 with lower peak flows. Spring runoff under conifer-dominated conditions is even further 

 delayed and reduced. 



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