Laserfiche WebLink
<br />slope. Continuous contours will be spaced approximately 100 feet apart depending on slope. <br />Most of this work is to be performed by professional sawyers, but some of the work has been <br />previously accomplished. This practice has shown to be successful in limiting overland flow, <br />trapping sediment, and holding seed. Due to the size of the fire, extreme danger to life, property <br />and water quality, it is recommended that treatment should include 50% of the high intensity <br />burn area, at a minimum. Hand felling and log placement should be performed on slopes that <br />show evidence of rill erosion and slopes that are greater than 20%. <br /> <br />Rotoclear Mulching <br />Approximately 2800 acres should be treated with Rotoclear techniques or logging machinery on <br />slopes of less than 20%. This machinery has shown to be very successful in breaking <br />hydrophobic layers, incorporating organic matter, preparing a seedbed, and is very economical <br />compared to other methods. The major limitation to this type of operation is the steepness of <br />slopes. It is recommended that the rotoclear machine is used as much as possible. A trial run of <br />80 acres has shown that this machine appears to be very efficient in meeting the needs identified <br />by the emergency rehabilitation team. The rotoclear machine is also the most cost effective of all <br />treatment types recommended. <br /> <br />Two passes will be made along the contour to complete one swath of 10-12 feet wide. The <br />swaths will be spaced at an average of 50 feet apart. The goal is to have 10-20 % of the trees <br />felled, mulched and incorporated into the soil. The rotoclear machine will disturb the soil to a <br />depth of less than 4 inches. Actual soil disturbance and tree felling will occur on about 10-25% <br />of the 2800 acre area. <br /> <br />Straw Bales <br />Straw bale dams should be constructed at the top of first order streams in 30% of the high <br />intensity burn areas. Areas for treatment include Raleigh Peak, north aspects of Spring Creek, <br />Sand Draw, and Spring Gulch. Approximately 10 miles of first order drainages are to receive the <br />straw bale check dams. Bale dams are to be placed 100-150 feet apart depending on slope and <br />drainage size. The bales are needed to slow the velocity of water moving downslope, reduce <br />amount of runoff by allowing infiltration, and reduce amount of sediment moving downslope. <br />The straw bale placement will be accomplished by hand crews. Figure 4 presents an installation <br />guide for straw bales. <br /> <br />Bonded Fiber Matrix <br />The area along Sand draw (Highway 126) has caused the greatest damage to life and property. <br />This drainage also includes the water source for the community of Buffalo Creek. It is <br />recommended that immediate soil stabilization of the Forest Service property take place on the <br />slopes along Sand Draw. This stabilization includes the application of seed and a Bonded Fiber <br />Matrix (BFM), due to the loose structure and low organic matter content of the soils. This BFM <br />and seed is to be applied along a one mile corridor of Highway 126 and will exclude the right-of- <br />way of the highway. An application of BFM and seed will be applied to sand deltas as identified; <br />approximately 50 acres will be treated. Studies made by the Texas Transportation Institute have <br />demonstrated that an application of BFM was the most effective treatment for holding and <br /> <br />25 <br />