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Abstract
Our paper compares water yield, water quality, and sedimentation from a harvesting operation conducted in 1957 without BMPs to a harvesting operation in 1986 utilizing BMPs. The comparison illustrates the values of BMPs for protecting soils and streams and provides insight into causes of water quality degradation. Both logging operations were conducted on or near the Fernow Experimental Forest located in north central West Virginia. The 1957 logging operation was conducted on a 74-acre watershed using a crawler tractor equipped with an arch. Roads were unplanned “logger’s choice” with no limits on grade or location. West Virginia’s BMPs were used on a second 96-acre watershed logged with wheeled skidders in 1986. Results indicated that careless logging greatly accelerated sediment yields but development of erosion pavements and natural vegetation quickly reduced them, even with no post-logging care. Although the percentage of area occupied with dozed roads was actually greater (10.6 versus 3.6 percent) on the area logged in 1986 with wheeled skidders, water quality impacts were much less. Average stream turbidity during logging in the absence of BMPs was 490 ppm versus <10 when using BMPs. Sediment loss during active logging was estimated at 2,880 lb/ac on the carelessly logged watershed compared to 110 lb/ac when BMPs were used.
Parent Publication
Citation
Kochenderfer, James N.; Hornbeck, James W. 1999. Contrasting timber harvesting operations illustrate the value of BMPS. In:Stringer, Jeffrey W.; Loftis, David L., eds. 1999. Proceedings, 12th central hardwood forest conference; 1999 February 28-March 1-2; Lexington, KY. Gen. Tech. Rep. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 293 p.
