Treesearch

The decision of whether or not to apply post-fire hillslope erosion mitigation treatments, and if so, where these treatments are most needed, is a multi-step process. Land managers must assess the risk of damaging runoff and sediment delivery events occurring on the unrecovered burned hillslope. We developed the Erosion Risk Management Tool (ERMiT) to address this need. ERMiT is a web-based application that uses the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) technology to estimate sediment delivery, in probabilistic terms, on burned and recovering forest, range, and chaparral lands with and...

In cold regions, frozen soil has a significant influence on runoff and water erosion. Frozen soil can reduce infiltration capacity, and the freeze-thaw processes degrade soil cohesive strength and increase soil erodibility. In the Inland Pacific Northwest of the USA, major erosion events typically occur during winter from low-intensity rain, snowmelt, or both as frozen soil thaws and exhibits low cohesion. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a physically-based simulation tool for water erosion, and has been widely used for conservation planning on agricultural, range, and...

This presentation will highlight efforts on development of a new online WEPP GIS interface, targeted toward application in forested regions bordering the Great Lakes. The key components and algorithms of the online GIS system will be outlined. The general procedures used to provide input to the WEPP model and to display model output will be demonstrated.

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a process-based technology for prediction of soil erosion by water at hillslope profile, field, and small watershed scales. In particular, WEPP utilizes observed or generated daily climate inputs to drive the surface hydrology processes (infiltration, runoff, ET) component, which subsequently impacts the rest of the model, including subsurface hydrology (percolation, subsurface lateral flow), hillslope erosion (interrill & rill detachment, sediment transport & deposition), channel hydrology/erosion (channel flow routing, detachment,...

The greatest amounts of forest erosion usually follow infrequent wildfires. Sediment from these fires is gradually routed through the stream system. The forest road network is usually the second greatest source of sediment, generating sediment annually. Erosion rates associated with timber harvest, biomass removal, and prescribed fire are generally minimal with current management practices. Landslides and debris flows can contribute significant amounts of sediment during infrequent wet years, or following wildfire. A relatively new source of sediment in forested watersheds is from recreatio...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Great Lakes Commission are developing technologies and predictive tools to aid in watershed management with an ultimate goal of improving and preserving the water quality in the Great Lakes Basin. A new version of the online Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) GIS interface has been developed to assist in evaluating sediment sources associated with forests and forest management within the Basin.

The goal of this study was to assess the effects of topography and forest cover resulting from different treatments on snow accumulation and melt in small watersheds in the western United States. A paired-watershed study was implemented at the Priest River Experimental Forest, Idaho, where 10 small watersheds with an average area of 4.5 ha were treated by: 1) control (no treatment), 2) thinning, 3) thinning with a prescribed fire, 4) prescribed fire, and 5) prescribed fire with salvage logging. At each watershed, a 30-m sampling grid was established for a total of 383 measurement locations....

One aspect of planning surface mining operations, regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), is estimating potential environmental impacts during mining operations and the reclamation period that follows. Practical computer simulation tools are effective for evaluating site-specific sediment control and reclamation plans for the NPDES. The purpose of this study was to apply the USDA's WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model to evaluate cumulative watershed hydrological responses and the spatial variation of soil detachment and deposition as affected by...

The Pacific islands face a variety of impacts as a result of climate change. Already-observed changes include increased average temperatures, coral bleaching, sea level rise and associated coastal erosion, increased intensity of cyclones, and a trend toward drier conditions. In the next century, sea level rise and associated erosion are expected to shrink shorelines and threaten human communities as well as species such as mangroves and endangered monk seals. Increased intensity of cyclones and storm surges could damage infrastructure, coastal habitat areas, and forests. High elevation...

The Eastern Woodlands and Forests bioregion is an expansive area with a diversity of forest types and associated ecosystems. Changes that have already been observed within this bioregion include warmer average annual temperatures, earlier dates of runoff, a longer frost-free period, and a longer growing season. During the 21st Century, warmer temperatures and increased water stress may affect forest health by reducing the amount and distribution of suitable habitat. At the same time, these conditions may create suitable conditions for invasion of pests, pathogens, and exotic plant species....