Early effects of forest fire on streamflow characteristics.

H.W. Berndt

Treesearch

Early effects of forest fire on streamflow characteristics.

Informally Refereed

Authors:

H.W. Berndt

Year:

1971

Type:

Research Note

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Source:

Res. Note PNW-RN-148. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 11 p

Download (PDF 714 KB)

Download (PDF 714 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/26375.pdf

Abstract

A comparison of streamflow records from three small mountain streams in north-central Washington before, during, and after a severe forest fire showed three immediate effects of destructive burning. These were: 1. Flow rate was greatly reduced while the fire was actively burning. 2. Destruction of vegetation in the riparian zone reduced diurnal oscillation of flow rates. Flow rates quickly increased to points above protracted normal depletion rates but to varying degrees. No drastic immediate change in stream temperatures was noted.

Citation

Berndt, H.W. 1971. Early effects of forest fire on streamflow characteristics. Res. Note PNW-RN-148. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 11 p