Beginning in 1980, professor Michael Singer established a long-term research watershed at the University of California Sierra Foothills Research and Extension Center. Known as the Schubert watershed, this 203-acre catchment has been managed for beef cattle grazing throughout the duration of this study. His work continues and has been incorporated into a network of eleven research watersheds under study by a multi-disciplinary team from the University of California. The team's goal is to develop an understanding of the complex interactions of soil, geology, vegetation, and land use management with watershed function within these watersheds. The network of coastal and Sierran watersheds dominated by oak woodland was established with the support of the Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program, and respective staff at the Sierra Foothill and Hopland Research and Extension Centers.
Stream flow is monitored at flumes installed at the outlet of each watershed.
In addition, vegetation composition, structure, and pattern are being documented at the watershed scale. Currently, baseline data is being collected in order to 'calibrate' the watersheds before implementing treatments. Once the calibration phase is complete, the team plans to change grazing intensities and implement controlled burning within a subset of the watersheds, while maintaining current management in the others. The interactions of a treatment will be measured by detecting a significant change in the previously established relationship between the treated and control watershed. While this approach requires a long-term commitment, the study is already providing an understanding of stream flow generation, as well as the seasonal variability of nutrient transport from these watersheds.