Forest Watershed Management Course Objective: Understand the purposes and procedures of watershed management, the impact of forest management activities on water yield and quality, the role of best management practices (BMP’s), and the role of foresters in BMP implementation and watershed management.

Grading Grades are based on: Three quizzes - 20% Final examination - 30% Project - 40% Class participation - 10%

Research Paper Due Date: November 1, 2006 Length: 1,200 words Topic: Describe a typical forested watershed for your forest cover type. The description should include –(1) geomorphology and soils, –(2) terrain, –(3) annual and seasonal precipitation patterns (use graphs), –(4) frequency and severity of storm events (use graphs), –(5) steam flow patters (include a hydrograph for a storm event if available), –(6) stream sedimentation rates with continuous forest cover and with haul roads and skid trails (do literature search), –(7) the composition of the forest layers associated with the cover type, including the duff layer, if any.

What Is A Watershed? Also referred to as a “catchment” Topographically delineated area drained by a stream system –No specific scale implied Total land area above a designated point on a stream or river that drains past that point For planning and management purposes it’s a –Physical-biologic unit –Socioeconomic-political unit Watershed Name: Tippecanoe USGS Cataloging Unit:

Why Study Forest Watershed Management? Historically focus was forest hydrology –Hydrological effects of vegetation and land management practices on water quantity and quality, erosion, and sedimentation at specific sites Hydrology –Science of water concerned with the origin, circulation, distribution, and properties of the waters of the earth.

Sources of Soil Erosion – “It’s All Relative Folks” Construction sites Cropland Forest roads Forest land

12T/A/Yr

Soil Erosion on Forest Land Piedmont Region of Southeastern U.S. = 0.4 tons/acre/year = 0.04 tons/acre/year (conversion factor: kg/ha x = lb/acre) Source: John D. Hewlett Principles of Forest Hydrology, Univ. Ga. Press, p. 150

Forest Activities & Soil Erosion (in order of contribution to erosion) Roads and skid trails Channel encroachment Site preparation Harvesting activities Fire prevention and suppression Recreation activities Flatwoods drainage Wildlife management activities Source: John D. Hewlett Principles of Forest Hydrology, Univ. Ga. Press, p. 149

Hydrologic Affects of Silvicultural Practices Clearcut –Expose mineral soil –Increase soil temperatures –Reduce evapotransporation –Increase exposure to wind and associated evaporation –Increase erosion and stream sedimentation

Hydrologic Affects of Road Systems Creates impermeable surface –Increases surface flow –Channelizes surface water flow –May channelize shallow subsurface flow

Forest Watershed Management Clean Water Act –Sec focuses attention of forest land through nonpoint source pollution requirements Citizen interest –Poor practices would cause shutdowns of forest operations Best management practices (BMP) adopted in most states

An Issue in All States Areas of abundant rainfall –Impacts of storm events Droughty areas –Capture and allocation of available water

Best Management Practices Focus of forestry and forest products community BMP’s are either regulations or guidelines for silvicultural activities –Planting –Harvesting –Roads Usually emphasize water quality

Focus of Course: Knowledge to Implement Forest BMP Practices Understand action of water in forest environments Knowledge of applicable BMP’s Skill to apply BMP’s to a specific project on a specific site

Knowledge of Precipitation Amounts and Patterns Plan drainage structures –Size temporary culverts to handle storm events during period of operations –Size permanent drainage structure to handle 100 year storms

Knowledge of Precipitation Amounts and Patterns Time operations –Expose soil during dry periods if possible –Establish vegetative cover as soon as possible –Use native vegetation whenever possible

Become familiar with precipitation patterns Sources of data –NOAA –NWS –State climatologist Usually at Land Grant University Vast amount of data available on line

National Climatic Data Center

National Weather Service

Indiana Climate Page

Variation in Precipitation Random Seasonal Proximity to water body (lake affect) Prevailing winds with moisture Topographic

Seasonal Variation

Proximity to Water Body

Prevailing Winds

Topographic Affect Rising air cools Dew point reached Water vapor condenses to form clouds Precipitation may occur

Cloud patterns induced by passage of air current over mountains Precipitation concentrated on windward side of mountain, and mountain top Tends to be rain shadow on leeward side

Fidalgo Island in rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains. Rainforests with up to 200 inches of precipitation on the west side. Rain shadow area northeast of the Peninsula with only one- half (20 inches) of the normal rainfall for the rest of the region.

Clearwater 118.5” Coupeville 21.14” Puget Sound Area, Washington

Storm Events, 1 st Qtr.

Storm Events, 2 nd Qtr.

Storm Events, 3 rd Qtr.

Storm Events, 4 th Qtr.

Monroe County Airport, April 15-16, th th

Some Basic Hydrologic Concepts Weir are used to measure volume of water flowing past a point.

What Happens to Precipitation? Hydrologic cycle P = RO + ET + S, Where, P ≡ precipitation RO ≡ runoff ET ≡ evapotranspiration S ≡ storage

Evapotranspiration Loss of water from a given area during a specified time by evaporation from the soil surface and by transpiration from the plants. Supports plant life Reduces water yield

Runoff Provides Major Benefits RO = P – ET Moose Creek, Clearfield County, PA (WLH)

Where does runoff go to? RO = CI + SRO + SSF + BF, –where, CI ≡ channel interception SRO ≡ surface run off SSF ≡ subsurface flow BF ≡ base flow

Where does runoff go to? –CI ≡ channel interception Precipitation falling directly into channel Susquehanna River, Clearfield, PA, (WLH)

Where does runoff go to? –SRO ≡ surface runoff or overland flow Precipitation not infiltrating soil Sheet erosion of cropland resulting from surface runoff Source:

Where does runoff go to? –SSF ≡ subsurface flow, or interflow Infiltrating precipitation intercepted by hardpan or bedrock before entering groundwater pool

Where does runoff go to? –BF ≡ base flow or ground water flow Precipitation entering water table

Research results come from experimental watersheds such as:

What We’ll Look At Erosion –Impacts of Roads Harvests Water flows –Storm events –Storage Water yield –Amount –Timing Montgemory Reservoir, Clearfield, PA, WLH