Abstract
Predicting sediment production from forest roads is necessary to determine their impact on watersheds and associated terrestrial and stream biota. A method is presented for measuring sediment originating from a road segment for individual storm events and quantifying the delivery to streams. Site selection criteria are listed to describe the characteristics for efficient data collection and analysis. The method describes equip-ment used to quantify sediment transport—data loggers, a rain gage, a traffic counter, Parshall flumes with stilling wells, hydrostatic pressure transducers, and water pumping samplers—as well as variables associated with sediment production—road surfacing material, traffic intensity, gradient, age, construction method, and precipitation. A sam-pling protocol that worked well for the forest roads in southeast Alaska and can be adapted for use in other regions also is described. Examples of data collection and analysis are explained both for sites near the road and downstream sites for sediment delivery quantification. This method can be used to determine the downstream trans-port of sediment originating from roads and developing regression models or validating existing sediment models.
Keywords
Road erosion,
sediment,
forest roads,
sediment transport
Citation
Kahklen, Keith. 2001. A method for measuring sediment production from forest roads. Res. Note PNW-RN-529. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 17 p
