Boise State University

1,036 - 2,136 m.a.s.l.

The surrounding area is defined as the Boise Front which includes mountainous and foothills topography. The landscape in the area is typified by moderately steep slopes, and strongly dissected by streams. Winters in this region are moderately-cold to cold and produce abundant precipitation in the form of snow in the highlands and rain in the lowlands. The spring season begins with cool rainy months followed by drier warming trends approaching the summer months. Summers are typically hot and dry with occasional thunderstorm events. The autumn season is typified by clear and warm months initially but changes to cold and moist months immediately prior to early winter. Precipitation is greatest December through February. The average monthly temperatures are greatest in July and lowest in January. Evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation most of the year.

Dry Creek is a headwater tributary to the Boise River, which flows to the Snake River, part of the Columbia River system in western North America

Established in 1999 to investigate hydrologic processes in the semi-arid southwestern region of Idaho, USA

Vegetation along the Boise Front varies with elevation, geology, microclimate, soil type, and topography. At lower elevations, grass and shrublands, ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga Menziesii) occupy south and west aspects and Douglas-fir forests dominate north and east aspects. Upper elevations are dominated by ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forest communities with patches of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and aspen (Populus tremuloides). Middle elevations range from grass and shrublands to open forest communities of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir and function as an ecotone between the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) and grass dominated lowlands and more densely forested uplands.

The DCEW is located over a granitic batholith and the dominant rock unit is biotite granodiorite. The biotite granodiorite consists of medium- to coarse-grained rocks, is light gray in color, and is composed of plagioclase, quartz, potassium feldspar, and 2 to 8% biotite. The local soils are divided into three general soil taxonomies – Argixerolls, Haploxerolls, and Haplocambids. The soils range from loam to sandy loam in texture and have high surface erosion potential.

10 m DEM for rectangle surrounding DCEW and cropped to watershed boundary

Vegetation and terrain derivatives available

Stream network shapefile is available

Basin shapefile is available