Revisiting a riparian invasive shrub and its biocontrol in the western United States: Measured Changes in Water Use

In 2001, the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.) was released as a biological control agent for invasive tamarisk (Tamarix spp.), which dominates many floodplains in the western United States (US) and substantially alters riparian ecosystem structure and function. Since its release, the beetle has expanded across thousands of river kilometers, repeatedly defoliating tamarisk far beyond original release sites. Although biological control offers an alternative to mechanical or chemical removal, its ecological benefits and tradeoffs remain uncertain. Here, we synthesize current understanding of one of the most extensive biological control programs implemented in North America, evaluating impacts on riparian evapotranspiration (ET) and riverine hydrology. We assess ongoing challenges and opportunities associated with tamarisk biocontrol and consider how western US riparian forests may evolve under reduced tamarisk dominance.

Early management efforts were driven by the assumption that tamarisk consumed exceptionally large volumes of water, motivating legislative and large-scale removal programs. Subsequent studies, however, demonstrated that tamarisk water use is highly variable and comparable to native riparian vegetation such as cottonwood (Populus spp.) and willow (Salix spp.), as well as mixed shrub communities. Reported tamarisk ET since 2000 ranges widely (109–1456 mm yr⁻¹), with mean values near 850 mm yr⁻¹, depending on stand age, density, health, groundwater depth, soil properties, and salinity.

Defoliation by Diorhabda spp. was expected to enhance streamflow by reducing riparian ET, yet observed hydrologic responses have been inconsistent. In past research ET declines exceed 40% relative to healthy tamarisk at some locations, whereas at other sites, reductions are modest or absent, particularly where baseline ET is low. In this current study, we reassess post-defoliation dynamics by analyzing ET across 27 riparian sites from 2014–2023 using Landsat-derived Nagler ET(EVI2) estimates and gridded climate data. Approximately half of the sites exhibited sustained ET reductions averaging a loss of 18% (−142 mm yr⁻¹), while the remainder showed negligible change or increases in ET of 9% (+54 mm yr⁻¹), likely reflecting tamarisk regrowth or replacement by other vegetation. Across all sites, net water savings were modest, averaging a loss of 7% (−48 mm yr⁻¹), consistent with earlier estimates.

These findings reinforce that hydrologic benefits from tamarisk biocontrol are site-specific, often transient, and frequently offset by vegetation recovery or compositional shifts. Consequently, biological control alone is unlikely to yield substantial or reliable increases in water availability for agricultural or municipal use. Predicting future structure and function of western US riparian forests under tamarisk biocontrol requires explicit consideration of ecosystem complexity, spatial heterogeneity, and interacting drivers that will shape whether alternative states favor native vegetation recovery or secondary invasions.