Hydro-climatic variability reconstructed from tree rings for the upper watershed of the Mezquital River, Durango

Abstract

A dendrochronological network was developed for the upper watershed of the Mezquital River where the irrigation runoff are generated for the Valle de Guadiana, Durango. The dendrochronological series were significantly associated, suggesting the impact of common climate phenomena. The chronologies of early-wood and total ring of Pinus durangensis responded signif icantly to the winter-spring precipitation, while the late-wood to the summer and annual volumes recorded in the dam Guadalupe Victoria. Despite this response, the extent of the chronology (1945- 2012) limited to develop reconstructions of both variables. A regional chronology of Pseudotsuga menziesii, lasted from 1770 to 2012. The series of early-wood allowed a reconstruction of rain from January to May and with late- wood from July to September. The reconstruction of summer, representing 85% of the rainfall in the region, indicated severe drought during the decades of 1810 to 1820, 1870, 1910, 1930, 1950, 1970 and 2000 and wet periods in 1830, 1900, 1940, 1960 and 1980; similar to other reconstructions for northern Mexico. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one of the most striking weather events affecting the hydroclimatic variability in the western Sierra Madre, but its impact in this basin (r= -0.59, <0.000, from 1876 to 1996) exceeded other dendroclimatic reconstruction reports in northern Mexico, indicating its potential for prediction purposes, a situation that would help integrating a plan for the sustainable management of water resources in the "Valle del Guadiana".