Premium
Effects of Clearcutting on Rain‐on‐Snow Runoff in Western Oregon: A New Look at Old Studies
Author(s) -
Harr R. Dennis
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr022i007p01095
Subject(s) - snowmelt , clearcutting , snow , watershed , surface runoff , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , streamflow , logging , erosion , soil water , geology , physical geography , soil science , geomorphology , drainage basin , forestry , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , cartography , machine learning , computer science , biology
Results of updating and reanalyzing streamflow data from studies in two experimental watersheds in western Oregon suggest that clearcut logging has altered snow accumulation and melt enough to have increased the size of peak flows caused by snowmelt during rainfall. In a 96‐ha clearcut watershed in the transient snow zone, peak flows with return periods of roughly 3–8 years were higher than predicted by prelogging data. In a similarly clearcut 10‐ha watershed, sizes of peak flows caused by melting of relatively deep snowpacks during rainfall were also higher after logging. Higher peak flows indicate a higher rate of water delivery to soils, which, in turn, suggests increased potential for both hillslope and channel erosion.