Influence of forest and rangeland management on anadromous fish habitat in Western North America: water transportation and storage of logs.

Abstract

Environmental effects of water transportation of logs in western North America include the historical driving of logs in rivers and streams, and the current dumping, sorting, transportation, and storage of logs in rivers and estuaries in British Columbia and southeastern Alaska. The historical discussion focuses on habitat losses and volumes of logs transported by water, both freshwater and marine. Many changes in stream-channel structure and habitat simplification still exist today, nearly 100 years after river-driving activities have ceased. The environmental effects of current log handling on the physical habitat, water quality, plant communities, benthic and intertidal invertebrates, and fish are reviewed. Information gaps are identified and needed research is recommended. The environmental effects of log handling are generally localized. Regional differences in intensity of aquatic and marine log transportation are discussed for Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, southeastern Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and California, to provide perspective on the volume of logs transported and a real extent of the estuarine and river habitat allocated to log transfer and storage. The most intense aquatic log handling occurs in British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. Guidelines and recommended practices developed in the 1970's by a west coast task force are described. These recommended guidelines minimize adverse environmental impacts.

Citation

Sedell, J.R.; Duval, W.S. 1985. Influence of forest and rangeland management on anadromous fish habitat in Western North America: water transportation and storage of logs. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-186. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 68 p