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Water Quality After Clearcutting a Small Watershed in West Virginia¹

ABSTRACT

A 34-ha (85-acre) gaged watershed on the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia, was conventionally clearcut in 1969. Streamflow increased 20 cm (8 inches) during the first year after cutting, but rapid and luxuriant revegetation reduced the flow increase to only 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) during the second year. Water quality remained high. Clearcutting had a negligible effect on the stream's temperature, pH, nonstorm turbidity, and concentrations of dissolved solids, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and NH₄⁺-N. Storm-period turbidity, nitrate-nitrogen, and phosphate concentrations showed slight increases, while the sulfate concentration decreased. Maximum nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 1.42 ppm was recorded during a 6.4-cm (2.5-inch) rainfall. Success in avoiding damage to water quality was attributed to careful road management, retention of a forest strip along the stream, and rapid, lush vegetative regrowth after clearcutting.

Key Words: Even-aged forest management • logging • water chemistry • turbidity • specific conductance • nutrient concentrations • nutrient outflow • nitrates • stream temperature • water yield • streamflow

¹ Contribution from the Northeastern Forest Exp. Sta., USDA Forest Service.

² Soil Scientist and Forest Hydrologist at the USDA Forest Service Timber and Watershed Laboratory, Parsons, W. V.

Received for publication June 9, 1972.

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