Higher water table levels and flooding risk under grain vs livestock production system in the subhumid plains of the Pampas

This research paper examines the hydrological impacts of replacing livestock systems (perennial alfalfa pastures) with grain production systems (annual crops) in the subhumid hyperplains of the Pampas in Argentina, finding that grain production increases water-table levels and flooding risks.

• Grain production systems, dominated by annual crops, exhibit higher water-table levels and increased flooding risks compared to dairy systems dominated by perennial alfalfa pastures. Hydrological modeling and field observations at nine paired sites showed that dairy systems had significantly deeper long-term average water-table levels (4 m) compared to single cropping (1.5 m) and double cropping (2.1 m).
• The difference in water-table levels is driven by transpiration capacity and soil moisture. Dairy systems have a higher NDVI (15% higher than grain systems) and higher transpiration potential (852 mm y–1 vs. 724 mm y–1). Perennial pastures specifically showed the highest transpiration potential at 1075 mm y–1, while single summer crops were the lowest at 679 mm y–1. Consequently, soil profiles under pastures were notably drier (316 mm stored at 0–3 m depth) than under croplands (552 mm), which prevented recharge episodes during extraordinary rainy periods.
• The study identifies a strong link between land-use decisions at the plot level and regional environmental outcomes, noting that the expansion of grain production systems is associated with increased flood frequency and severity in the Pampas due to enhanced groundwater recharge in croplands and a lack of direct groundwater discharge compared to pastures.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2025). Higher water table levels and flooding risk under grain vs livestock production system in the subhumid plains of the Pampas. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/higher-water-table-levels-and-flooding-risk-under-grain-vs-livestock-production-system-in-the-subhumid-plains-of-the-pampas/

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Higher water table levels and flooding risk under grain vs livestock production system in the subhumid plains of the Pampas. 2025. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/higher-water-table-levels-and-flooding-risk-under-grain-vs-livestock-production-system-in-the-subhumid-plains-of-the-pampas/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Higher water table levels and flooding risk under grain vs livestock production system in the subhumid plains of the Pampas |date=15 January 2025 |url=https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/higher-water-table-levels-and-flooding-risk-under-grain-vs-livestock-production-system-in-the-subhumid-plains-of-the-pampas/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2025higher, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Higher water table levels and flooding risk under grain vs livestock production system in the subhumid plains of the Pampas}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/higher-water-table-levels-and-flooding-risk-under-grain-vs-livestock-production-system-in-the-subhumid-plains-of-the-pampas/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }