Best Management Practices
Box Culvert Water Bars
Skidder
Bridge Crossing
Best Management
Practices, (BMP's), are designed to protect or enhance water quality
and wetland habitat in and around logging operations. In general,
forestry BMP's direct loggers to either avoid surface water or
decrease the momentum (i.e. the mass and velocity) of runoff on
logging roads, trails, and landings - by far the major sources of
soil erosion and sedimentation on logging operations.
This BMP demonstration
area was constructed to show the installation of several of the most
important BMP's for protecting water quality.
Some examples of what
can be found are pictured below.
Box Culvert
This
culvert was designed to provide access along this haul road without
disturbing the intermittent stream. This culvert was constructed,
using hemlock timbers, and installed in about 16 hours. The culvert
was sized by measuring the average cross section of the stream at
its normal high water mark and multiplying that number by 2.5 to
arrive at the appropriate culvert opening.
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Water Bars
As
with haul roads skid trails should be protected from excessive water
volume and velocity after they are used. This water bar was
constructed by using a small log placed at a 30 degree angle across
the skid trail, with the inlet and outlet ends extending beyond the
edge of the trail in order to adequately intercept runoff. Soil was
then pushed over the log to form a barrier that intercepts and
diverts water from the trail.
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Skidder Bridge Crossing
Temporary
bridges are useful when it's necessary to cross streams without
causing damage to either the stream bed or banks. This bridge was
constructed of hemlock timbers and took about 11 hours to construct
and install. This bridge will be removed and re-used at another
site.
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