Best Management Practices (BMPs)

These are guidelines to reduce erosion and sedimentation of water bodies from logging activities. Look for the adherence to these guidelines when inspecting the harvesting operations on your woodlot. In unorganized townships, these guidelines are law, enforced by the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC). For the more specific field handbook contact: Maine Forest Service, Forest Information Center, SHS#22 Augusta ME 04333, 1-800-367-0223. Many BMPs have one objective: KEEP WATER OFF THE ROADS AND TRAILS

• Keep to high and dry ground: avoid use when wet
• Keep grades below 5%, unless necessary for short distances
• Avoid long steep grades and sharp bends, build along the contour
• Crown and angle roads uphill to drain water to ditches
• Use water turnouts and water bars to divert water off the road
  • Steeper grades require more frequent diversions
• Keep ditches clear of debris
• Stabilize and revegetate roadside ditches
• Use bridges and culverts to cross streams
• Cross streams at right angles, on firm banks, with the road level on both sides
• Overall: Keep the water off the roads

Skid Trails

• Keep to high and dry ground
• Avoid steep slopes and sharp bends
• Skid across the slope, along the contour
• Avoid skidding downhill
• Keep skidding distances to <1/2 mile
• Uses bridges, culverts, and temporary measures such as logs to cross streams
  • Use a rocky or sandy part of the stream with stable banks if fording
  • Remove any temporary measures
• Cross streams at right angles, on firm banks, with the trail level on both sides
• Do not locate trails in or near stream beds and wet spots
• Use humps, slash, and ditches to divert water off the trail
• Cover trails with slash to protect soil
• After harvest, seed steep trail sections

Landing

• Keep to high and dry ground
• Avoid steep slopes
• Divert water off the landing
• The steeper the slope, the farther a yard should be from water bodies
• Put slash back into the woods
• Clear debris and seed after use 

Erosion Control Devices

• Broad Based Drainage Dip: 10' wide shallow drainage ditch across the road
  • Use in areas where slope is less than 10%
  • Protect the discharge area with stone, grass, or slash
• Water Bars: Bar of stone or wood that stops and diverts water flow off the road
  • Installed only after use of road
  • At a 30 degree angle downslope from the side of the road
  • Extend beyond both side ditches to fully intercept water flow and to prevent water reentry onto the road surface
  • Extends 1' above and 1' below road surface
  • Protect the discharge area with stone, grass, or slash
• Filter Strips: Area of little disturbance between road or harvest area and water body
  • Wide enough to filter sediment from runoff and shade streams
  • Keep trees and slash out of water
  • At least 60% of trees >6" left standing
  • Do not disturb topsoil
    • Harvest when ground is frozen
  • Steeper slopes require wider strips
• Seeding: To stabilize soil and begin revegetation
  • Remove debris
  • Expose mineral soil
  • Protect with thin cover of hay, straw, or mulch
  • Select proper seed mixture: Contact Cooperative Extension Service
• Bridges: Locate as follows:
  • Water channel is straight and unobstructed
  • Road can cross at right angle with a level approach
  • Banks are firm and level
  • High enough to prevent washout
• Ditch Relief Culvert: Drains water from the upslope ditch, underneath the road, to the downslope.
  • 15" diameter or greater to handle high water flow: larger area drained = larger culvert
  • Placed 1' below road surface
  • Steeper grades need closer culvert spacing
  • At a 30 degree angle downslope from the side of the road
  • Slopes downward to prevent clogging
  • Extend 1' beyond roadside to prevent water reentry onto the road surface
  • Construct berm across ditch to divert water into the culvert
  • Protect the discharge area with stone, grass, or slash
  • Inspect and maintain
• Stream Culvert: Conveys a stream under a crossing, without restricting movement of water or fish
  • Cross sectional area should be 2.5X the water volume in the stream
    • 3.5X for roads that will be unmaintained for three or more years
  • Placed 1" below road surface
  • Bottom slightly below stream bed
  • Extends 1' beyond both sides of the road
  • Place rocks under and around openings on both sides of road, to prevent erosion
  • Inspect and maintain
  • If removed, clean up, seed, and stabilize stream bank

Source: Maine Woodlot Assistance

(BMP Handbook 1995)