Protecting the source: Tools to evaluate fuel treatment cost vs. water quality protection

Brian Cooke; William J. Elliot; Mary Ellen Miller; Mark A. Finney; Matthew P. Thompson

Treesearch

Protecting the source: Tools to evaluate fuel treatment cost vs. water quality protection

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Brian Cooke, William J. Elliot, Mary Ellen Miller, Mark A. Finney, Matthew P. Thompson

Year:

2016

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 21. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 9 p.

Download (PDF 2.19 MB)

Download (PDF 2.19 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/53113.pdf

Abstract

High-intensity wildfires are one of the leading causes of severe soil erosion in western U.S. watersheds. This erosion can lead to disruptive deposits of sediment in reservoirs and water supply systems. Fuel treatments such as controlled burns and forest thinning can reduce wildfire intensity and help preserve topsoil. But while these treatments are generally much less expensive than firefighting, property loss, and sediment removal, there are limited funds available for controlled burns and forest thinning. For this reason, land managers can benefit from estimating the erosion potential of high-intensity wildfires in order to decide where to focus fuel reduction efforts.

Keywords

Science You Can Use, SYCU, water quality, erosion, fire risk, fuel reduction, WEPP

Citation

Cooke, Brian; Elliot, Bill; Miller, Mary Ellen; Finney, Mark; Thompson, Matthew. 2016. Protecting the source: Tools to evaluate fuel treatment cost vs. water quality protection. Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 21. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 9 p.