United States ,
Environmental Protection
Agency " "'
Office of Water
:' ,(4503FU ,
,
Nonpoint Pointers
EPA-841-F-96-004H
March f 996 *~
^ Understanding and managing nonpoint source pollution in your community '."',-
Managing Nonpoint
Source Pollution
frorhcForestry
v\ f ^ n _ j--- . ,.,.- . v.^ .. ,_ ^ ^. T
pearly 500 million acres of forested lands are managed for the produc-
tion pf timber in the United Stages. Although only a very small percentage of
this land is harvested each year, forestry activities can cause significant
wafer quality problems if improperly managed. The latest National Water
, Qualify Inventory reports that forestry contributes to approximately 9 per-
cent of tlje water quality problems in surveyed rivers and streams.
Sources of NFS pollution associated with forestry include removal of:_ --''
streamside vegetation, road construction and use; timber harvesting, and
'mechanical preparation for the planting of trees.-Road construction
and road use are the primary sources of NFS pollution on for-
r"-'~ ' ' '- ~ '' -> ested lands, contributing up to 90
percent of the total sediment from
forestry operationSi Harvesting
trees in the area beside a stream
can elevate water temperature and
destabilize strearhbanks. These.
changes can harm aquatic life by
-limiting sources of food, shade, L
and shelter.
Following properly designed
'preharvesiplans can result in
logging activities that are both ~
profitable and highly protective
of water quality.
Preharvest Planning: Opportunities to Prevent NPS Pollution
; _ To limit water quality impacts caused by fprestry, public and private
forest managers have developed site-specific forest management plans.
', Following properly, designed preharyest plans make logging both
profitable and highly protective of water quality. Such plans address the full
range of forestry activities that can cause NFS pollution; They clearly _ ':~~-
identify the area to be harvested; locate special areas of protection, such as
Wetlands and streamsjde vegetation; plan for the proper riming of forestry
activities; describe management measures for road layout, design^ construc-
tion, and maintenance, as weTI as for harvesting methods and forest regen-
gfation. " , ..-. ' - -_. ' -
Public meetings held utider the authprity of federal and state laws
provide citizens with argood opportunity to comment on the development
of forest management plans. . -
series
of fact sheets
on nonpoint '
source (NPS) pollution
Did you knpw
lakes; ancTjgthois
^ ::}wajerslfr$tn:
NPS pollution
r ^V- caused by
forestry
activities?
NPS pollution occurs when,
water runs over land or through -
the ground, picks up pollutants,
and deposits them in surface_'
waters or introduces them inter-' |
ground water.
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RELATED PUBLICATIONS
Additional fact sheets in the
Nonpoint Pointers series
(EPA-841-F-96-004)
Evaluating the Effectiveness
of Forestry Best Manage-
ment Practices in Meeting
Water Quality Goals or
Standards, USDA Forest
Service, Miscellaneous
Publication 1520, July 1994
* Forest Resources of the
United States, 1992, Rocky
Mountain Forest and Range
Experiment Station, General
Technical Report RM-234
(Revised)
« Guidance Specifying
Management Measures for
Sources of Nonpoint Pollu-
tion in Coastal Waters,
Chapters (EPA-840-B-92-
002)
The Quality of Our Nation's
Water: 1994 (EPA-841-8-95-
004)
» Summary of Current State
Nonpoint Source Control
Practices for Forestry (EPA-
841/S-93-001)
Water Quality Effects and
Nonpoint Source Control for
Forestry: An Annotated
Bibliography (EPA-841/B-
93-005)
To order any of the above EPA
documents call or fax the
National Center for Environmen-
tal Publications and Information.
Tel (513)489-8190
Fax (513) 489-8695
FOR MORE INFORMATION
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Nonpoint Source Control Branch
Washington DC 20460
Internet Address:
http://wvw.epa.gov/owow/rips/
index.htrrt
Factors Considered in the Preharvest Plan
Surveying the Site. Preactivity surveys can help identify areas that might
need special protection or management during forestry operations. Sensitive
landscapes usually have steep slopes, a greater potential for landslides,
sensitive rock formations, high precipitation levels, snowpack, or special
ecological functions such as those provided by streamside vegetation.
Forestry activities occurring in these areas have a high potential of affecting
water quality. _
Timing. Because most forestry activities disturb soil and contribute to
erosion and runoff, timing operations carefully can significantly reduce their
impact on water quality. Rainy seasons and fish migration and spawning
seasons, for example, should be avoided.
Establishing Streamside Management Areas (SMAs). Plans often restrict
forestry activities in vegetated areas near streams (also known as buffer
strips or riparian zones), thereby establishing special SMAs. The vegetation
in an SMA is highly beneficial to water quality and aquatic habitat. Vegeta-
tion in the SMA stabilizes streambanks, reduces runoff and nutrient levels in
runoff, and traps sediment generated fromupslope activities before it
reaches surface waters. SMA vegetation moderates water temperature by
shading surface water and provides habitat for aquatic life. Large trees
provide shade while alive and provide aquatic habitat after they die and fall
into streams as large woody debris. ~
Managing Road Construction, Layout, Use, and Maintenance. Good
road location and design can greatly reduce the transport of sediment to
water bodies. Whenever possible, road systems should be .designed to
minimize road length, road width, and the number of places where water
bodies are crossed. Roads should also follow the natural contours of the
land and be located away from steep gradients, landsfide-prone areas, and
areas with poor drainage. Proper road maintenance and closure of un-
needed roads canhelp reduce NFS impacts from erosion over thejong term.
Managing Timber Harvesting. Most detrimental effects of harvesting are
related to the access and movement of vehicles and machinery, and the
dragging and loading of trees or logs. These effects include soil disturbance,
soil compaction, and direct disturbance of stream channels. Poor harvesting
and transport techniques can raise sediment production 10 to 20 times and
disturb as much as 40 percent of the soil surface. In contrast, careful logging
disturbs as little as 8 percent of the soil surface. ""
Careful selection of equipment and methods for transporting logs can
significantly reduce the amount of soil disturbed and delivered to water
bodies. Stream channels should be protected from logging debris at all times
during harvesting operations.
Managing Reptonfmg. Forests can be regenerated from either seed or
seedlings. Seeding usually requires that the soil surface be prepared before
planting. Seedlings can be directly planted with machines after minimal soil
preparation. In either case, the use of heavymachinery can result in signifi-
cant soil disturbance if not performed carefully.
iSSSISf*
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