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Author(s):
J. D. Cheng
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Effects
Ecological - Second Order
Water

NRFSN number: 18524
Record updated:

On September 11 and 12, 1973 a severe forest fire burned over a number of watersheds in the area west of Salmon Arm, B. C. The hydrologic effects of this forest fire were assessed using streamflow data for one stream draining a small watershed with more than 60% of its area burned by the fire, and a nearby control stream draining a larger unburned watershed. The results indicate that changes in the hydrology of the burned watershed following the fire are characterized by: higher and earlier annual peak flows, the advancement in time of the major snowmelt runoff, and increases in total April-August water yield and monthly water yield during the late summer and fall period. Some increase in watershed erosion and stream sedimentation was also observed.

Citation

Cheng JD. 1980. Hydrologic effects of a severe forest fire in Proceedings of Symposium on Watershed Management. American Society of Civil Engineers, Boise, Idaho, July 21-23, 1980, pp. 240-251.

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