EAGLESTAR.NET LAND AND PROPERTY REVIEW
http://www.eaglestar.net
Issue #46
December 9, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE:
Properties of the Week: NE, NV, VA
Special Report: Forests and Global Water Shortages
- Part 5, The Ecology of Surface Water: Rain and Snow
Sponsor's Corner: 13 Lots on Hunting Creek
This Week's Top Searches
Auction News: AL, AZ, GA, IA, MD, OK, WA
LandTerms.com Term of the Week: Impound account


"Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink."
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge (English poet, critic, and philosopher; b. 1772 - d.
1834), from 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Part II' (1798)


PROPERTIES OF THE WEEK
Pine Mountain Retreat
Independence, Grayson County, Virginia
Gated community in the Blue Ridge Mountains, loaded with wildlife. This 8+/-
acre parcel has a pond, 25 ft. waterfall, large rock outcroppings, and timber.
It's very secluded and has a private paved driveway. Underground utilities are
already in place. Apple trees and blueberries are watered from the pond, which
is stocked with trout. The gated community is separate from the rest of the
subdivision. Listing ID: 20400. Photos and additional details at
http://www.eaglestar.net/igl.html

Luxury Ranch Home on Scenic 50 Acres
Sparks, Cherry County, Nebraska
This north-central Nebraska property has a luxury ranch home with many upgrades
and custom features, a garden and green house, orchard with apple, plum, cherry
and crab apple trees, gooseberry, and red current bushes, and your own grape
vineyard. The property consists of upland pastures, pine tree covered canyons,
deciduous treed meadows, and wetlands. In addition, it has a spring-fed creek
and a seasonal pond. This property's features are too numerous to mention.
Listing ID: 15365. See the web page at http://www.eaglestar.net/rnh.html

Development or Investment Opportunity
Battle Mountain, Lander County, Nevada
983+/- acres of beautiful mountain land. 663 acres already subdivided and
approved (14 lots), 320 acres raw land. Includes elevated mountain lots, view
lots, trout streams, up valley wells, and county maintained road. 1 hour from
Elko, NV on Route 80. 4 hours from Reno. Lots include nine 40 acre parcels, two
50's, two 60's and one 80. Listing ID: 19859. Photos and more information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/crrn.html


SPECIAL REPORT
I Can't See the Stream for the Forest
Part 5, The Ecology of Surface Water: Precipitation
The latest installment of our series on water shortages and water yield
improvement through vegetation management is a brief account of how the type,
timing, and intensity of precipitation (collectively known as the
"precipitation regime") in a given watershed affects the quantity of water that
enters stream channels or collects in lakes, ponds, or pools.

Of course, the precipitation regime does not alone dictate the amount of
surface water available. Other primary factors that govern the process of
surface water production (as distinguished from groundwater or aquifers)
include soils, watershed topography, biological interactions, and land use.
Land use and the biology of surface water will be presented in future issues.
The effects of soil type on surface water appeared in Part 3 in Issue 44 (view
online at http://www.eaglestar.net/newsletter/index.cgi?ID=44)

The effects of watershed topography are in Part 4, Issue 45 (view online at
http://www.eaglestar.net/newsletter/index.cgi?ID=45)

Part 1, Forests and Global Water Shortages is at
http://www.eaglestar.net/newsletter/index.cgi?ID=42

Find Part 2, Forests and Water in the Southwest at
http://www.eaglestar.net/newsletter/index.cgi?ID=43

How's the Weather?
Different places have different climates, and these variations have greater
impacts on the rate and quantity of surface flows than any other facet of
surface water production. Whether or not precipitation comes as rain or snow,
the rate at which it falls, the storm duration, and the time of year determine
to a great extent how much water will run across the land following a
precipitation event. The interaction between a storm's rain or snowfall, a
watershed's physical and biological characteristics, and the speed and quantity
of the subsequent water flows is known as the "precipitation-runoff
relationship".

Mainly Rain
Lower elevation watersheds tend to have rain-dominated precipitation regimes,
while those at higher elevations are driven by snow. In watersheds where storms
mostly bring rain, the amount of surface water produced depends on the length
of time the storm lasts and the rate at which the rain falls (usually measured
in inches per hour). Together, the rainfall (or snowfall) rate and the quantity
of rain (or snow) that falls are known as the "storm intensity". Where
rain-dominated precipitation regimes are concerned, the time of year the rain
falls has little effect on surface flows, unless the area is subject to
sub-freezing winter temperatures, in which case the rain may freeze upon
hitting the ground.

If a lot of rain falls in a short amount of time, soils may quickly become
saturated and water will begin to pool upon and run across the soil surface. If
the rainfall doesn't last for very long, the effect on surface flows is a
short-term increase or pulse in both the amount and speed of water flowing in
area streams and washes. If the rainfall lasts for a significant amount of
time, floods may occur. On the other hand, slower rainfall rates mean that
soils become saturated much more slowly. These types of precipitation events
tend to result in lower surface flow levels. In addition, the highest, fastest
pulses of water in stream channels ("peak flows") are lower following storms
with slower rainfall rates. Of course, flooding may also occur following a
storm with slow rainfall rates, but only if it rains for days or weeks at a
time without stopping.

Mostly Snow
The quantity of snow that falls is more important in terms of surface water
production than the rate at which it is falling, except in cases where snowmelt
is rapidly occurring while snow is still falling. Obviously, the time of year
that precipitation occurs is much more important in watersheds with
snow-dominated vs. rain dominated precipitation regimes. One example is the
Beaver Creek watershed in north-central Arizona, where up to 97% of the water
that flows in perennial or intermittent stream channels is accounted for by
winter precipitation. In fact, about 90% of all river and stream water in the
southwestern United States is due to melting snow, including its irreplaceable
main artery, the Colorado River.

With respect to snow and water yield, the part of winter in which storms occur
is crucial. Heavy early or late winter storms tend to produce more surface
runoff and flooding, because warmer temperatures and longer sunny days melt the
fallen snow faster. Snow from mid-winter storms tends to accumulate as snowpack
rather than melt, although periods of unseasonably warm weather can result in
rapid snowmelt at any time during the winter. The moisture content of the snow
that falls in a watershed with a snow-driven precipitation regime is a crucial
determinant of the magnitude of streamflows. The moisture level of snow, which
forests hydrologists call "snow water equivalent" or "SWE", can differ
substantially from storm to storm. Snow with higher SWE melts faster and has,
by definition, more water available to percolate into the soil.

Greater water yields are realized following vegetation manipulation
(tree-removal, thinning*, cutting, or harvesting) in watersheds with
snow-dominated, rather than rain-dominated, precipitation regimes. This is due
to the impact that specific patterns of tree-removal have on the distribution
and accumulation of the melted snow. In the southwestern United States,
thinning* trees in such a way as to create small openings or enlarge existing
ones can have desirable effects on water yield and forest health. The following
is from a scientific study of the subject:

"Generally, the creation and enlargement of openings results in increased
accumulation of snow in the openings, with a corresponding decrease in the
snowpack in adjacent unharvested areas; these changes can last 30 years or
longer. The greater snow accumulation in openings results in reduced soil
moisture deficit, which carries over from year to year, so that runoff from
snowmelt occurs earlier in the season. Snowmelt rates in the created and
enlarged openings are faster than in adjacent untreated stands. The following
year, less precipitation input is required for soil moisture recharge and more
surface water is available sooner."

This is not to say that improved water yields can't be realized in forested
areas with rain-driven precipitation regmes, such as the rainforests of Central
America and parts of the northwestern U.S. The main point is that watersheds
that produce surface water from snow behave differently than watersheds where
rain is the primary input. The amount of snow that falls, where it collects,
how much moisture it contains, and how fast it melts together determine the
quantity of surface water produced as well as its rate of flow.

In contrast, water yield from rain events depends primarily on the quantity and
duration of the rainfall. The time of year that precipitation occurs is very
important in watersheds with snow-dominated precipitation regimes, but less so
in those dominated by rain. Because of changes in snow accumulation,
distribution, and subsequent water production, thinning trees to improve water
yield is generally more effective in snow-dominated areas than in those where
precipitation consists primarily of rain. The removal of trees, especially
thinning from below* with the objective of improving overall forest health, has
the added benefit of improving local and downstream water yields, an intriguing
idea given the possible severe water deficits facing countries in every corner
of the globe - including our own. One caveat is that the general principles of
water yield improvement through vegetation management must be applied - see
Issue 43 for details (http://www.eaglestar.net/newsletter/index.cgi?ID=43).

How watersheds work and the physical processes and conditions that dictate how
much surface water is produced after precipitation has fallen is extremely
important in the context of regional and global water shortages. Becoming
familiar with the various factors that affect surface water leads to an
understanding of how thinning trees from forested areas will improve both water
yields and forest health. Even if you don't individually own forested land, as
a U.S. citizen you are a joint owner of all U.S. public lands, forested and
otherwise. Supporting responsible thinning and harvesting operations on our
public lands is not the only answer to our water woes, but it is something we
can all do to help the forest and ourselves at the same time.

*Thinning - the removal (harvesting, cutting, etc.) of usually unmerchantable
trees of small diameter with the objective of improving forest health, reducing
fire risk, enhancing wildlife habitat, or other similar goals. Depending on the
forest and stand characteristics as well as the management goals and harvest
prescription, larger diameter trees may also be removed during thinning
operations. Thinning from below refers to a thinning where ONLY trees with
diameters smaller than those of the trees forming the upper canopy of the
forest are removed.

The next article in our series on the link between the looming water crises and
the forests of the world will focus on the biological interactions and
processes that can substantially affect the amount of flowing and pooled water
in a watershed. It is through our direct manipulation and alteration of these
interactions and processes that improved water yields, improved, forest health,
and other goals may be achieved.


SPONSOR'S CORNER
The Land and Property Review would like to thank this week's sponsor:
13-Lot Waterfront Subdivision on Hunting Creek with Chesapeake Bay Access
Motivated Seller, Price Reduced, First Reasonable Offer Gets It!
Greenbush, Accomack County, Virginia
28.5+/- acre, 13-lot subdivision on navigable Hunting Creek, completed and
ready for building. 7 waterfront lots and 6 interior lots. Located with access
to Chesapeake Bay, docks can be built on private waterfront lots. Whole
subdivision would be perfect for a family compound. Paved roads and all
approvals are in and ready to start your building projects. Lot owners have
deeded access to community dock. Located in the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Onancock, VA is just 5 miles away with shops and restaurants; 3 hours from
Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Philadelphia, PA. Listing ID: 18269.
Photos, plat map, and other information at http://www.eaglestar.net/dvs.html


THIS WEEK'S TOP SEARCHES
Recent popular and interesting searches by visitors to EagleStar.net:
"50 acres or less in Georgia"
"cozumel"
"country homes Lubbock TX"
"Colorado fishing"
"camps for sale in Canada"
"cabins in Texas"
"CA oceanfront real estate"
"buyers of real estate in the Philippines"
"Moore County auctions"
"5000 acres of land for sale"
"5 acre tract for farming"
"100 acres with stream"
"Tennessee timberland"
"Safford Arizona
"Pine Meadow cabins"


AUCTION NEWS
Browse thumbnail photos and short property descriptions at
http://www.eaglestar.net/Land_Auction_Calendar/index.html

Land and Home Auction
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Bettendorf, Scott County, Iowa
New (2005) home on 0.39+/- acre lot with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 1,390 square
feet. 10 minutes from Davenport, IA; 1 hour from Iowa City, IA; and 90 minutes
from Peoria, IL. Listing ID: 21817. Photos and more information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww4.html

Luxury Golf Course Home
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Foley, Baldwin County, Alabama
Located on Glenlakes Golf Course, this previous model home has many extras
including French door to master bedroom and sunroom, master bath has jetted
shower and a huge walk in closet, extra storage, fireplace, study, laundry room
off kitchen, and huge living room with columns. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 3,000
sf, built in 2006. Listing ID: 21820. View photos and additional information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww8.html

Phoenix (Anthem) Luxury Home on 0.3 Acres
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona
Territorial-style home in Anthem with a central courtyard, guest casita, custom
pool and hot tub. 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath and 4,017+/- square feet, built in 2003
on a .31+/- acre lot. Professional landscaping, private backyard that backs to
a greenbelt, located inside a gated community with playgrounds and a water
park. Unique finishing touches such as the tiled entry with a mosaic piece,
leading into multiple living spaces with fireplace, built-in art niches, and a
warm color palette. Private back yard has a large covered patio and an
excellent pool and spa. Listing ID: 21815. Browse photos and details at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww2.html

4 BR Brick Colonial on 1/4+ Acre
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Laurel, Prince Georges County, Maryland
Stately brick Colonial-style home with an open floor plan and upgrades in
Wilshire Estates. Convenient to Laurel Regional Hospital, schools and shopping.
4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 4,244+/- square feet, built in 2006 on a .28+/- acre lot.
Perfect for a private estate. Neutral colors throughout, beautiful hardwood
floors, open staircase to upper level that overlooks the two-story living room
with picture windows and a fireplace. Located 30 minutes from Baltimore, MD.
Listing ID: 21819. Photos and details can be found at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww6.html

Spectacular Puget Sound Views, 4 BR Luxury Home
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Camano Island, Island County, Washington
Elger Bay area luxury home with magnificent views of Puget Sound. 4 bedrooms, 6
baths, 4,972+/- square feet, built in 2003. Magnificent stucco two-story home
with luxurious upgrades and fine details. Three-car attached garage, large
driveway and a secluded, wooded lot. Backyard has an inground pool and spa with
a beautiful stamped concrete surround, a perfect area to entertain and enjoy
the sunsets over the Puget Sound. The property is located on Camano Island,
near Possession Sound and the Sarasota Passage. 90 minutes from Seattle, WA.
Listing ID: 21818. View the property web page at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww5.html

Home and Lot in Upscale Neighborhood
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma
0.38+/- acre lot for sale in a desirable part of Tulsa, OK. This property is
surrounded by luxury estates and within walking distance to Philbrook Museum of
Art and Woodward Park. Convenient to St. John's Medical Center, Utica Square
and Cascia Hall. Prime midtown location in exclusive Terwilleger Heights area,
adjacent to historic Maple Ridge. The 3,285+/- square foot home was built in
1979 and needs major renovation. Property interior will be available for
inspection on sale day 2 hours prior to auction. Listing ID: 21813. Photos and
more information can be found at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww7.html

Tahlequah Plantation Georgia Hunting Land
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Thomasville, Thomas County, Georgia
520 +/- acre quail hunting plantation in the heart of plantation country
offered high bidder's choice. 35+/- acre floodable pond. Fenced property.
Bank-ordered real estate foreclosure auction. Excellent hunting potential:
quail, deer, turkey, plus duck ponds. Day house for hunting trip headquarters.
Tahlequah Plantation has numerous home and building sites and would be an
excellent location for a lodge or private estate. Property has timber, road
frontage, and water from a 12" well. Listing ID: 21812. Photos and contact
information are at http://www.eaglestar.net/ddsn.html


LANDTERMS.COM TERM OF THE WEEK
http://landterms.com
Each issue we feature a real estate, forestry, natural sciences or other
land-related term from our partner site, LandTerms.com.

This week's term: Impound account
A trust account maintained by a lender (mortgagee or beneficiary of a deed of
trust) containing money collected from a borrower (mortgagor or trustor of a
deed of trust), the purpose of which is to pay for recurring expenses such as
homeowner's insurance, private mortgage insurance, and property taxes.

Need definitions for terms pertaining to land and real estate? Visit the
LandTerms Land and Real Estate Glossary. http://landterms.com


SUGGESTIONS
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Email: newsletter@eaglestar.net

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