HYDRO20750 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

team leader training, project implementation train- ing, and on-the-ground treatment installation train- ing. Courses were developed for the first two training needs but not the last. Current funding requests are scrutinized by the Regional and national BAER coor- dinators to verify that they are minimal, necessary, reasonable, practicable, cost-effective, and will pro- vide significant improvement over natural recovery. Aixo in the late 1990'x, a program was initiated to integrate national BAERpoliciesacross differentFed- eral agencies, as each agency interpreted BAERfund- ingdi$erently. The U.S. Department ofAgriculture and Department of the Interior approved a joint policy for a consistent approach to BAER in 1998. The new policy broadened the scope and application ofBAER analysis and treatment. Major changes included: (1) monitor- ing todetermine if additional treatment is needed and evaluating to improve treatment effectiveness; (2) re- pair'ingfacilities for safetyreasone; (8) stabilizingbiotic communities; and (4) preventing unacceptable degra- dation of critical known cultural sites and natural resources. These changes affect the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Ser- vice, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Problem Statement and Objectives In spite of the improvements in the BAER process and the wealth of practical experience obtained over the last several decades, the effectiveness of many emergency rehabilitation methods has not been sys- tematically tested or validated. BAER team leaders and deciaionmakera often do not have information available to thoroughly evaluate the short- and long- termbenefits (and costs) ofvarioua treatment options. In 1998, at the request of and funded by the USDA Forest Service Washington office Watershed and Air staff, a joint study was initiated by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station and the Pacific Southwest Research Station to evaluate the use and effectiveness of poatfire emergency rehabili- tation methods, The objectives of the study were to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation treat- ments at reducing poatfire erosion, runoff, or other effects; (2) assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatments in mitigating downstream effects of in- creased sedimentation and peakflows; (3) investigate the impacts of rehabilitation treatments on natural processes of ecosystem recovery, both in the short-and long-term; (4) compare hillslope and channel treat- ments in terms of relative benefits, and how they compare to a no-treatment option; (5) collect available information on economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits of various rehabilitation treatment options, including no treatment; (6) determine how knowledge of treatments gained in one location can be transferred to another location; and (7) identify infor- mation gapaneeding further research and evaluation. The study collected and analyzed information on past use ofBAER treatments. Specifically, we sought to determine attributes and conditions that led to treat- ment success or failure, and the effectiveness of treatments in achieving BAER goals. Because much of the information was unpublished and qualitative in nature, resource specialists were interviewed regard- ing their BAER activity experiences. This report is divided into six major sections: (1) a reviewofpubliahedliterature on fireeffectsand BAER treatments; (2) information acquisition and analysis methods; (8) description of results, which include hy- drologic, erosion and risk assessments, monitoring re- ports,andtreatment evaluations; (4) discussion ofBAER assessments and treatment effectiveness; (5) conclu- aionsdrawnfrom the analysis; and (8) recommendations. Definitions The literature of emergency watershed rehabilita- tion contains may terms from hydrological, ecological and fire science disciplines. For clarity the terms used in this manuscript are defined below. Aerial Seeding: See Seeding. Allelopathy: Inhibition of competing plant growth by exudation of naturally produced, phytotoxic biochemicals. Annuals (Annual Plants): Plant that completes its growth and life cycle in one growing season. Ash-bed Effect: Stimulation of plant growth caused by the sudden availability of fire-mineralized plant nutrients contained in ash residues from a fire. Armored Ford Crossing: Road crossing of a peren- nial or ephemeral stream at or near the exist- ing cross-section gradient that ix generally constructed of large rocks capable of bearing the weight of the vehicles and resisting trans- port by the stream. Armoring: Protective covering, such as rocks, vegeta- tion or engineering materials used to protect stream banks, fill or cut slopes, or drainage structure outflows from flowing water. BAER: Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation. Best Management Practices: Preferred activities which minimize impacts on soil, water, and other resources. Broadcast seeding: See Seeding. Burn Severity: Qualitative and quantitative mea- sure of the effects of fire onaite resources such as soil and vegetation. Fire intensity contrib- utes to severity but does not alone define it. Chaparral: Shrub-dominated evergreen vegetation type abundant in low- to mid-level elevations in California and the Southwest. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-63.2000