Organic debris in small streams, Prince of Wales Island, Southeast Alaska.

Abstract

Quantities of coarse and fine organic debris in streams flowing through areas clearcut before 1975 are 3 and 6 times greater than quantities in streams sampled in old-growth stands in Tongass National Forest, central Prince of Wales Island, southeast Alaska. The concentration of debris in streams of clearcut Sitka spruce-western hemlock forests in southeast Alaska, however, is about half that in streams of clearcut Douglas-fir western hemlock forests in western Oregon. Management guidelines for maintaining natural debris conditions include minimizing the addition of fresh material to a channel during management activities, leaving natural accumulations of debris, and managing streamside areas for production of a continuous, long-term supply of large debris for channels. Considerations in planning stream cleanup include the length of time the debris has resided in the channel and the stability of debris, which is a function of its size, orientation, and degree of burial and decay.

Citation

Swanson, Frederick J.; Bryant, Mason D.; Lienkaemper, George W. and Sedell, James R. 1984. Organic debris in small streams, Prince of Wales Island, Southeast Alaska. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-166. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 16 p