Cataloging Information
Ecological - Second Order
Water
A severe natural windstorm followed by a high intensity forest fire caused significant increases in runoff and in losses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from two small Precambrian watersheds. Both the windstorm and the fire had significant effects on water and chemical yields. Water yields in the two basins were 1.6 and 1.8 times the pre-impact means, respectively, in the year after the burn. Maximum chemical losses were observed for nitrate, with values of 3.4 and 9 times the pre-impact means for the two basins in the year after the burn. Increases in annual yields of most chemical parameters were 1.1 to 2.9 times the background. Both increased concentrations and increased flow volumes appear to be responsible for the increased nutrient losses.