A progress report: Water conservation by removal of phreatophytes

Evapotranspiration from the flood plain of a major river depletes the water contributed from upstream areas of the watershed. This depletion can be significant in arid regions where water supplies are inadequate. Phreatophyte control offers a method of reducing the evapotranspiration and thus increases the water available to downstream users. This control is achieved by removing the woody phreatophytes and replacing them with grasses having a lower consumptive use.