FOR 272

Forested Watershed Management:Water and aquatic resources as the wave of

the future for forest management

Cedar River Watershed, Washington

New York State

Catskill State Park:

705,000 acres total

292,000 state owned

Quabbin Reservoir MA

Selected Key Elements of Forest Watershed Management:

1. Riparian Buffer Delineation and Management

2. Cumulative Effects Analysis

3. Watershed Analysis

Little Moose Outlet

Riparian Buffers

Two Key Questions:

1. How wide and where?

2. What management inside the buffers is appropriate?

Cum

ulat

ive

Eff

ectiv

enes

s 100%

0%

Distance from Channel (Site Potential Tree Height)

0 0.2 0.5 1.0

Root Strength

Litter FallShading

Coarse Woody Debris to Streams

RIPARIAN BUFFERS

Areas prone to small landslides and debris torrents

Cumulative Effects Analysis

TMDL Development by Watershed and Waterbody

Nitrogen Phosphorous

Sediment

Watershed Analysis

• Watershed analysis is a procedure used to characterize the human, aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial features, conditions, processes, and interactions within a watershed.

• It provides a systematic way to understand and organize ecosystem information.

• Watershed analysis enhances our ability to estimate direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of management activities and guide the general type, location, and sequence of appropriate management activities within a watershed

Federal Watershed Analysis Procedure

Step 1. Characterize the watershedStep 2. Identify issues and key questionsStep 3. Describe current conditionsStep 4. Describe reference conditionsStep 5. Synthesize and interpret resultsStep 6. Develop recommendations

Modules

• Erosion processes• Hydrology• Vegetation• Stream channel• Water quality• Species and habitats (aquatic and terrestrial)• Human uses

Watershed Analysis Products

1. A description of the watershed, including its natural and cultural features

2. A description of the beneficial uses and values3. When supporting data allow, statements about

compliance with water quality standards4. A description of the distribution, type, and relative

importance of environmental processes5. A description of the watershed’s present condition

relative to its associated values and uses6. A map of possible riparian reserves or buffers