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CAPF Study Session

Forest Watershed values

March 2015

Axel Anderson, PhD, RPF, PEng

• Why do we care about forested watersheds

• Concerns, what can we change

• Planning, policy and legislation framework

• Policy and legislation summary / links

• Movement of

water, energy,

wood and

sedimentation.

Forested watershed

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Forested watershed

• Movement of

water, energy,

wood and

sedimentation.

Concerns

• Water Quality

• Amount and timing of flows

– (mean annual peak flow)

• Riparian Health and stream condition

• Aquatic ecology and connectivity

• How we deal with concerns should depend on potential consequence

– sensitivity and values present e.g. fish, aquatic health, drinking water, down stream infrastructure, etc.

Water Quality

• Erosion and Sedimentation

• Water Temperature

• Nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus)

• Metals, hydrocarbons, spills, etc

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Amount and timing of flows

• Average annual Water Yield

• Low flows

• Peak flows

• Mean Annual peak flow

• 1/100 year flood

Forest Hydrology Processes

Evaporation

Precipitation Radiation

Interception

Surfaceflow

Subsurface Flow

Snowmelt

Transpiration

Plant uptake

Wind

Effect of trees

Evaporation

Precipitation Radiation

Interception

Surfaceflow

Subsurface Flow

Snowmelt

Transpiration

Plant uptake

Wind

Transpiration

Plant uptake

Surfaceflow

Subsurface Flow

Snowmelt

Interception

Evaporation

Wind

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Stand Scale• Reduce interception

– More water/snow reaching the soil surface.

• Increase evaporation from soil

– Less water in the upper part (20 – 30 cm) of soil during the summer.

• Reduce transpiration

– more water in deeper soils.

• Normally result in less evaprotranspiration (ET)

– more water in soil

Watershed Scale

• Can be complex

– Slope, aspect, watershed scale, elevation, watershed geomorphology

– Synchronisation / De-synchronisation

• More water in the soil & less storage:

– Increase recharge and runoff

– Especially summer (ET demand is high).

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Mean annual

yield / peak

flow

Riparian Health and stream condition

Ecological functioning of riparian areas (from Koning (1999)).

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http://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/egovdocs/2005/alsrd/164883.pdf

Key ecological functions “performed”by riparian areas include:

1.Trapping and storing sediment.2.Building and maintaining banks and

shorelines.3.Reducing and dissipating energy.

4.Minimize changes in stream water chemistry

5.Regulation of water temperature regime6.Provide habitat for aquatic organisms

(Aquatic biodiversity)7.Provide habitat for terrestrial organisms

(Terrestrial biodiversity)

Aquatic ecology and connectivity

• Changes in flow regime, Sediment

• Barriers

• Fishing pressures, etc

Landscape fish’s perspective

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Communities are about Probabilities

• Floods, droughts,

• wildfire,

• cold winters,

• sediment, spills, etc

Landscape fish’s perspective

Forest Planning

• The forest hydrologist perspective

Stewardship

Report

Annual

Operating

Plan

Operating

Ground

Rules

Spatial

Harvest

Sequence

State of the

Watershed

Integrated

Watershed MP

Eastern

Slopes Policy

Integrated

Resource Plan

General

Development

Plan

Final

Harvest PlanTenure

FMA, Quota,

etc

Forest

Management

Plan

LandUse

Framework

SSRP

Recovery

plans

Other

legislation

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?

Dependent on where•Biologist

•Watershed Planning and Advisory committees (WPACs)

•Species of Concern – legislatively listed

•Water Licenses •Public Advisory Committee

Policies and Legislation• Provincial Policies and Legislation

– Eastern Slopes Policy– Alberta Forest Planning Standard

– Alberta Timber Harvest Planning and Operating Ground Rules

– Water Act, Regulations, Code of Practice for Water Course Crossings, Guide to the Code

• Federal legislation

– Fisheries Act– Navigable Waters Protection Act– Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

– SARA

Alberta

• Eastern Slopes Policy: Watershed Management Objectives– Maintain or increase the volume of water yield and

the natural timing of surface and sub-surface discharge

– Manage headwaters in the region to maintain recharge capabilities and protect critical fisheries habitat

– Intensively manage the South Saskatchewan River Basin for stable water supply

– Manage the North Saskatchewan and Athabasca River Basins to maintain natural flows and provide the option for future increases in water yield through intensive management

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Goals• Safe, Secure Drinking Water Supply• Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems• Reliable, Quality Water Supplies for a

Sustainable Development

WPACS

Alberta

Forests and Water SW Alberta

No

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w w

ate

r lice

ns

es

Wa

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r

Ri

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ts

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Alberta

Alberta Legislation

• Water Act–Code of Practice for Water Course

Crossings–Requires that notice of activity be filed with

the Province prior to construction of any watercourse crossing

• Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act–Prohibits delivery of any deleterious

substance into a water body

Alberta Legislation

• Forests Act– Establishes an annual allowable cut in

coniferous and deciduous forests– Prohibits persons from damaging the forest in

any way

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Water Related Guidelines

• Alberta Forest Management Planning Standard• Timber Harvest Planning and Operating Ground

Rules• Code of Practice for Watercourse Crossings

• Forest Management Herbicide Reference Manual

• Surface Water Quality Guidelines• Fish Conservation Strategy for Alberta

• Fish Habitat Manual Guidelines and Procedures for Watercourse Crossings in Alberta

Alberta Forest Management Planning Standard

• References to water and related values– Section 5.7 Spatial Harvest Sequence

�Select SHS to protect watershed and riparian values

– Section 5.9.13 Predictions of water yield�The impacts on water yield must be predicted�Watershed modeling and analysis will determine

an acceptable target for water yield increase following harvesting of 3rd and 4th order watercourses

Alberta Timber Harvest Planning and Operating Ground Rules

• Implements policy/legislation-required with disposition approval (Forests Act, Timber Management Regulation)

• Forest Management Agreements negotiate individualized ground rules

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Federal Legislation

• Federal Fisheries Act

–Concerned with protection of fish and fish habitat

–Recent Changes:http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/changes-changements/index-eng.html#c2

• �SARAOn June 1, 2004, it became illegal to kill, harm, harass, capture, or take any endangered or threatened species protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). However, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans may authorize activities which could affect an aquatic species protected under the Act if he believes these activities will not jeopardize the survival or recovery of species at risk.

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/permits-permis/permits-eng.htm

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Questions?