CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Baird, E.; and Tromp-van Meerveld. I.
Date : 2011.
Title : Controls on sediment production from forest roads in a Pacific maritime watershed.
Publication : 2011 Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers. March 10-12, 2011. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC.
Issue :
Page(s) :
Abstract
Forest roads can be a significant source of sediment to nearby streams. Increased sediment concentrations can negatively impact aquatic ecology and water quality, including drinking water quality. The Honna River, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, has recently been developed as a drinking water source for the Village of Queen Charlotte. Village officials are therefore looking for a better understanding of the controls on sediment production from forest roads within the Honna watershed. However, we still do not understand sediment production from forest roads in unstudied watersheds because current datasets, literature and models ad-dressing road hydrology are restricted to a few study sites. Twenty four large scale rainfall simulation experiments were completed on the Queen Charlotte Mainline South forest road to de¬termine the influence of road use intensity, rainfall intensity, amount and duration on the amount of sediment generated from the road surface. Trials were conducted for three different precipitation intensities, with and without traffic from logging trucks, and with various antecedent precipitation and road use conditions. Precipitation intensity was the dominant control on the amount of sediment produced from a road section. Antecedent precipitation conditions were not important. Generally only a small fraction (<30%) of the total mass of sediment produced during a precipitation event was directly caused by traffic. The amount of sediment produced by a road section varied spatially showing caution must be used when extrapolating relationships derived from one road section to another, even within the same watershed.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology