The Effectiveness of Forestry Best Management Practices for Sediment Control in the Southeastern United States: A Literature Review

Water quality from forested watersheds (both managed and unmanaged) is normally very good and better than most other human-dominated land uses. Water degradation is possible during forestry operations; however, the use of best management practices (BMP) has been shown to substantially reduce the risk. In the southeastern United States, forests are managed under a wide range of conditions reflective of physiographic region, soil erodibility, climate, and site wetness. Although it is clear that BMP reduce sediment and pollutant loading into streams, there is less information regarding how effective these practices are (i.e., how much sediment did BMP retain? What was the mechanism for sediment retention?). A review of the scientific literature was conducted to evaluate forestry BMP effectiveness to control sediment in the southeastern United States. Our reviewly quantified BMP effectiveness to reduce sediment. In the Coastal Plain, research has focused on forest roads and site wetness, whereas in the Piedmont and regions with steeper terrain, the focus has been on streamside management zones. These studies provide an initial indication of how much sediment is reduced by BMP; however, more information is needed for managers to make reasonable estimations. Future research should focus on quantifying BMP effects on sediment yield and identifying the specific mechanisms involved.