Effects of Clear-Cutting on Stream Temperature

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Effects of Clear-Cutting on Stream Temperature VOL. 6, NO. 4 WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH AUGUST 1970 Eects o[ Clear-Cuttingon StreamTemperature GEORGE W. BROWN AND JAMES T. KRYGIER OregonState University, Corvallis,Oregon 97331 Abstract. The principal source of energy for warming streams is the sun. The amount of sunlight reaching the stream may be increasedafter clear-cut logging. Average monthly maximum temperaturesincreased by 14øF and annual maximum temperaturesincreased from 57ø to 85øF one year after clear-cut logging on a small watershedin Oregon'scoast range. In a nearby watershedwhere strips of brush and trees separatedlogging units from the stream, no changesin temperature were observedthat could be attributed to clear- cutting. INTRODUCTION may cause fish mortality [Brett, 1956]. The growth of fish may be directly affectedby water Timber, water, and sport and commercialfish temperature as demonstrated on juvenile coho are the principal resourcesin the Oregon coast salmon [Brett, 1956]. In short, water tempera- range. The need for delineating the areas of ture is a major determinant of the suitability of conflict between logging and utilization of the water for many uses. other resources led to the establishment of the Research has been limited on temperature AlseaLogging-Aquatic Resources Study in 1958. changesin smallstreams from land use,although The purpose of this broadly interdisciplinary fisherybiologists have long been concernedwith study was to determine the effect of logging on the effects of deforestationon water tempera- the physical,chemical, and biologicalcharacter- ture. Meehan et al. [1969] studied the effectsof istics of small coastal streams. clear-cutting on the salmon habitat of two The purposeof this paper is to describethe southeastern Alaska streams. They noted a long-term effects of two clear-cuttingson the statisticallysignificant increase in mean monthly temperatureregime of two small streams in temperatures after logging. The maximum in- Oregon'scoast range. One watershedcontained crease in average monthly temperature was three small clear-cuts; the edgesof the clear- about 4øF. The increasein maximum tempera- cuts were at least 100 feet from the stream. The ture was about 9øF during July and August. secondwatershed was completelyclear-cut. An During a study of logging and southeastern earlier report [Brown and Krygier, 1967] de- trout streams, Greene [1950] reported that scribedthe first-year effect of clear-cuttingonly maximum weekly temperaturesrecorded during during the loggingoperation on the completely May on a nonforestedstream were 13øF higher clear-cut watershed.This report reviews results than thoserecorded on a nearby forestedstream. from a network of 18 thermograph stations He noticed also that the maximum temperature distributedthrough the watersheds.The obser- dropped from 80ø to 68øF after the nonforested vation period extends from two years before stream meanderedthrough 400 feet of forest and loggingthrough the fourthsummer after logging. brush cover. Temperature is a significantwater quality Levno and Rothacher [1967] reported large parameter.It stronglyinfluences levels of oxy- temperature increases in two experimental gen and solidsdissolved in streams.Tempera- watershedsin Oregon after logging. The shade ture changescan inducealgal bloomswith sub- provided by riparian vegetationin a patch-cut sequentchanges in taste, odor, and color of a watershedwas eliminatedby scouringafter large stream.Warm water is conduciveto the growth floods in 1964. Subsequently, mean monthly and developmentof many speciesof aquatic temperatures increased7ø-12øF from April to bacteria, such as the parasitic columnaris August. Average monthly'maximums increased disease.Increased populations of thesebacteria by 4øF after complete clear-cutting in a second 1133 •'134 BROWN AND KRYGIER •ER CREEK FLYNN CREEK TOLEOO ? TO •CEg HANLAN ALSEA WATERSHED STUDY NEEDLE BRANCH • I/4 -- I/• MILES LEGEND FISH TRAP FOREST SERVICE NO•,D LABORATORY STREAM STREAM GAGE LOGGING UNIT THœRMOGRAPH Po.T TOLEDO STUDY ARE A Fig. 1. The watershedsof the AlseaBasin Logging-Aquatic Resources Study. watershed. The smaller increase in the corn- THE STUDY pletelyclear-cut watershed was the resultof Threeexperimental watersheds are included shadefrom the logging debris that accumulated in the Alsea Logging-Aquatic Resources Study in thechannel. (Figure1). Thesewatersheds, which vary in Patric[1969] compared the effectof two sizefrom 175 to 750acres, are locatedin clear-cuttingpatterns on water quality. Tern- Oregon'scoast range about 10 miles from the peratureswere unaffected by clear-cuttingthe PacificOcean. Each stream is an important upperhalf of onewatershed. Clear-cutting the rearingarea for cohosalmon (Oncorhynchus lowerhalf of the secondwatershed increased kisutchWalbam) and coastalcutthroat trout temperaturesup to 7øF. (Salmoclarki clarki Richardson). In its natural Stream Temperature 1135 condition,the study area was denselyforested 100•--•'"•, ! , I •..... ' "'"''' [ i with Douglasfir (Pseudotsugamenziesii [Mirb.] •o1-• -• •• ,o•,.• Franco)and redalder (Alnusrubra Bong). The study streamswere overgrownwith salmon- berry (Rubusspectabilis Pursh.), vine maple 20 (Acer circinatumPursh.), and other species. 0 i Although annual precipitationis about 100 I inches,the summermonths are generallyhot 100•• , , j , , , , [ , and dry. Summerstreamflow regularly drops below 0.20 cubic feet per second(cfs) or 0.17 cubicfeet per secondper squaremile (csm)on DeerCreek, the largest watershed, and to 0.01 20 . i cfs or 0.04 csm on Needle Branch, the smallest 0 ' ' I , i watershed. I0O• i ' I I ' ' ' I ' _ The low summerflows described above may seeminsufficient to supportsalmon. The adults, Lx however,spawn in thesestreams during the highflows of the wintermonths. Salmon finger- 20 lings live in thesestreams during the summer. 0 I [ i The fingerlingsinhabit pools,many of which i I00•, , , I ' ' ' ' I ' _ becomenearly isolated during the late summer. .oR• k •R,.• •o•,.• In the fall, the yearlingfish migrate to the sea 60 40 E [ I I [ [ I [ ' I ' ' 14 20 0 I , i i 1967 I00• , , , I ' • • ' I ' '"' 80 PATCH CUT •oy •X• ,c•. cut 1968 i , ,'o.... 20'' DIURNAL TEMPERATURE CHANGE, DEGREES F :D 70 Fig. 3. A frequency distribution of diurnal temperature changeson the clear-cut, patch-cut, and uncut control watersheds before (1965), dur- 1969 ing (1966), and after (1967-1989)logging for the 966 summer period, June 1-October 1. 6O when rains again increasestreamflow. Before 1965 logging,the number of yearling fish passing ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß through the fish trap to the sea ranged from ß ß m ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß 1809 to 3175 in Deer Creek and from 166 to ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß ß 630 in Needle Branch [Hall and Lantz, 1969]. ß....... •'"'•-CONT ROL 1965-1969 The study was designedto permi• comparison 5O of two different logging patterns. One water- , [ I I, I [ [ I [ , shed, Needle Branch (175 acres), was fully 6 12 18 24 HOUR (PST) clear-cut.A secondwatershed, Deer Creek (750 acres), was patch-cut; 25% of this area had Fig. 2. The temperaturepattern on the days several clear-cut units. The remainder of the of the annual maximum recorded on the clear- cut and uncut control watersheds before (1965), watershedwas unlogged.In Deer Creek, strips during(1966), and after (1967-1969)logging. of vegetationwere left alongthe l•eren•ial 1136 BROWN AND KRYGIER streams. A third watershed, Flynn Creek (502 series compared daily maximum temperatures acres), was left unlogged as a control. Two recorded June 1-October 1 of the pretreatment small subwatersheds in Deer Creek also served years with the daily maximums for the same as unlogged controls. periodduring eachtreatment year. The analysis Eighteen 7-day thermographs, accurate to was applied to data from the control as well 0.5øF, were installed in the three watersheds as from the patch-cutwatershed to ascertainthe to evaluate the effect of the cutting (Figure 1). effects of climate. Thermographswere placedbelow eachproposed loggingunit and at the junction of each major Diurnal Temperature Regimes tributary in Deer Creek so that effects within The temperature patterns recorded on the the watershed could be determined. In Needle days of the annual maximum on the clear-cut Branch, thermographswere distributed within watershed from 1965 to 1969 are illustrated in the clear-cutting to evaluate the spatial tem- Figure 2. The valuesfor 1965 and 1966 occurred perature changesoccurring in a fully exposed at the watershed outlet. The values for 1967, stream. Thermographswere installed in March 1968, and 1969 occurredwithin the cutover unit. 1964. Probeswere placedin flowingwater deep A thermographwas installedat 1000 feet above enoughto insure completecoverage throughout the outlet in the spring of 1967, after intensive the year. The years 1964 and 1965 served as samplingshowed that the maximum occurredat control periods, and the years 1966-1969' as this location.This inconsistencyin the tempera- treatment periods. ture pattern was the result of incomplete re- Road building was completed in 1965, but, moval of shade from the lower portion of the becausethe roads were built on ridges, little stream channel after logging and burning. The change occurred that could be interpreted as variation in temperaturesrecorded at the outlet having any influence on water temperature. of the unloggedwatershed for the same days is Logging began in March 1966 in both water- also shown. Minimums recorded on the clear-cut sheds and was completed in August on Needle watershed
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