Water Quality Effects of Forest Roads in Bottomland Hardwood Stands

Abstract

Management of bottomland hardwood sites requires adequate access to support forest operations. A study conducted in a bottomland forest in central Georgia has evaluated the effect of forest road design on sediment movement and water quality. Five years of measurement indicate that a conventional crowned road design is a net sink for sediment, primarily due to settling in ditches. An alternative road design with a flat cross-section was a net source of sediment. Overall, the contribution of sediment from bottomland forest roads is minor in a major river floodplain.

Citation

Rummer, Robert B. 1999. Water Quality Effects of Forest Roads in Bottomland Hardwood Stands. Written for presentation at the 1999 ASAE/CSAE-SCGR Annual International Meeting Sheraton Centre,Paper No. 99-5051 Toronto, Canada, July 18-21, 1999