CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
Search Results
Author : Butler, H.M.
Date : 1999.
Title : An examination of the hydrologic and suspended sediment regime of selected boreal forest basins after fire disturbance
Publication : Unpublished M.Sc. thesis. University of Calgary, Calgary.
Issue :
Page(s) : 146 p.
Abstract
Four drainage basins were studied in the Boreal Forest region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada, from spring to fall, 1996. Two basins had up to 76% of the vegetation removed by fire; the remaining two had no fire disturbance. Comparisons were made between the two types of land treatment using infiltration, runoff, suspended sediment load and stream discharge measurements. The purpose of the study was to investigate hydrologic and suspended sediment changes as influenced by fire disturbance. It was determined that infiltration rates were lower and suspended sediment loads higher in burned basins. Spring runoff from burned basins was advanced by two weeks in the spring, and average spring and summer discharge ratios were greater for burned basins versus non-burned. Discharge peak was increased by 10% in the burn basins, whereas total discharge remained unchanged. The lack of protective vegetation in burned basins, and changes to physical and chemical soil properties contributed to reduced infiltration, and increased erosion, but large wetland areas and increased evaporation rates are expected to have tempered discharge volumes from burned basins during warm summer months.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology