Post-Fire Erosion Control Measures

On January 13, 2012, the Lost Pines Recovery Team in Bastrop County provided a free educational workshop for landowners affected by the recent wildfires. The topics covered a wide range of subjects, providing information useful to to any landowner impacted by the recent wildfires in Texas (not just those in Bastrop County). The Texas Forest Service Water Resources Program presented information on erosion control measures that landowners can take following wildfire to reduce the risks of soil and water degradation.

The presentations are available online as a standard PDF document, or as a video of the presentations. To access them click on the images below:

To view the PDF documents you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. The software is available as a free download from the Adobe website. To view the video presentations you will need to have Apple QuickTime. The software is also available as a free download from the Apple website.


Additional information on post-fire erosion control can be found on the Bastrop County disaster recovery/relief website (http://www.co.bastrop.tx.us/bcdisaster/index.php/soilsaerosion).

March BMP Q&A

By: Chuck Coup, Water Resources Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:  I have a client in East Texas whose timberland was damaged by the 2011 fires. The streamside management zones (SMZs) were damaged as well, and I am trying to give some advice on restoring these areas in order to continue protecting water quality. Would it be better to allow these areas to naturally heal or should I recommend taking action? 

A:  That is a really good question, and I would imagine that many of you might have been wondering the same thing.  As we all know, the two primary purposes of an SMZ are to reduce or eliminate the potential for nonpoint source pollution, like sediment and logging debris, from reaching streams, and to maintain cool water temperatures. Of course, they also provide other important benefits like maintaining the integrity and function of the stream, providing habitat and cover for wildlife, and helping with the aesthetics of the site. We all know that SMZs are important areas that serve important functions, so what do we do if they are burned in a wildfire?  Do we stand back or take action?

It can be a tricky situation, so here is what I would suggest:

First, start by making an initial assessment of the impacted SMZ to determine the severity of the damage, the density of surviving trees, the potential for regeneration, and the immediate threat to water quality. Once you have done that, you just might have enough information to conclude that the SMZ can heal itself on its own in a reasonable amount of time. That would certainly be the case in less severely burned areas where the basal area of surviving trees is at or near the recommended 50 square feet per acre and evenly distributed (refer to your BMP handbook if you need a refresher on basal area), the SMZ is still at least 50 feet wide on either side of the stream channel, the canopy trees are mostly intact or likely to survive, new tree seedlings and other vegetation are sprouting across the ground, and erosion does not appear to be a significant problem. However, these can be very tricky things to judge, especially if you don’t have much experience. In that case, I would certainly recommend getting some help from a professional forester.

In some situations it might be necessary to salvage at least part of the SMZ and possibly even replant it. This might be the case where the fire was severe, killing most of the trees and leaving very little vegetation, the SMZ does not appear to be re-growing on its own, and the lack of vegetation has led to substantial erosion concerns. Again, get help from a professional forester if you are unsure. If salvage and artificial regeneration are necessary I would strongly recommend that you take appropriate precautions and follow all applicable BMPs. Be especially careful to minimize the amount of ground disturbance resulting from your operations. As always, keep haul roads, skid trails, and landings outside the SMZ and avoid or minimize stream crossings. Trees and tops should not be felled across or pushed into the channel, and every effort should be made to protect and leave trees in the SMZ that are not severely damaged.

If re-planting is deemed necessary after evaluating the regeneration potential of the SMZ, then site preparation and machine planting should be avoided within the SMZ. When replanting, every effort should be made to ensure that the number of seedlings planted will meet the minimum recommended basal area of 50 square feet per acre and that the SMZ will encompass the standard 50 foot width on either side of the stream channel. Herbicide and fertilizer use should be limited within the SMZ and applied with extreme caution. Seeding or other erosion control practices could be installed to temporarily control short-term erosion issues until the SMZ becomes re-established.

The initial assessment should help you decided on a strategy for restoring the various conditions across the SMZ. In some situations it might make sense to stand back and let nature take its course, while prudent management might be appropriate for others. Either way, make sure you consider the potential impacts to water quality and follow all appropriate Best Management Practices. For a copy of the BMP handbook visit your local Texas Forest Service office or view online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  For questions regarding repairing damaged SMZs or BMPs in general please contact me by calling (936) 639-8180. 

*This article was published in the March 2012 issue of the Texas Logger

November BMP Q&A

By: Chris Duncan, Water Resources Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q: We own several hundred acres of timberland which were lost due to the recent wildfires in East Texas. We have spoken with our consulting forester and are planning on conducting some salvage harvesting operations. Our property has a fairly good sized stream which usually flows 3-4 months out of the year during the wetter months. Most of what we will be harvesting was completely or nearly completely killed by the fire, although there are some areas with higher survival. I would like to know if you have any recommendations on how we should conduct our harvesting so that we have as little impact to water quality as possible.
 
A: Sorry to hear about your loss of timber during this unprecedented fire season. I am glad to hear that you have consulted a professional forester to help you with the recovery of some of your timbers value. I would be happy to provide some recommendations for Best Management Practices which will help you reduce the risk of impacting your streams water quality during your operations. It appears you likely have an intermittent stream that flows through your property based on your description of the stream. Let’s start with the Streamside Management Zone (SMZ) along this stream.

SMZs provide several functions to help protect water quality. One of an SMZs primary functions is to provide shade to the water body. The shade provided by an SMZ helps regulate the water temperature, thereby protecting the thermal qualities of the stream. Many organisms have small tolerances to large thermal changes. Therefore, care should be taken during wildfire salvage operations not to remove more trees from the SMZ than absolutely necessary. Your forester should survey the SMZ, and make determinations of which trees will likely die from the fire, and which trees may survive. We recommend that any trees which may survive be left uncut to provide as much shade to the stream as possible. A good rule of thumb for hardwoods in the SMZ may be to leave any trees which still have at least 50% of their crown intact. As far as the pine trees go, if they are going to die from the fires we had this year, they have probably already turned brown and dropped their needles. Any pine trees which still have a majority of the crown in lush green needles should be saved if possible.

While selectively harvesting within the SMZ, care should be taken to disturb the ground as little as possible to maintain the SMZs protection of the stream from runoff. If the vegetation on the ground within the SMZ was completely consumed, efforts should be made to re-establish vegetation as soon as possible.

On rare occasion (flat terrain, lightly erodible soils, and cooler burned areas), a forester may use his professional judgment to determine if it is safe to narrow an SMZ so that it is less than the recommended 50’ on each side of a stream during salvage operations to recover some of the value. If it is determined that an SMZ will be narrower (maybe 30’– 40’ feet wide) than the 50’ recommendation, efforts should be made to disturb the soils and vegetation that would normally fall within the recommended SMZ as little as possible. Any mechanical or chemical site preparation or machine planting should be conducted outside the original 50’ buffer to reduce the risk of impairing water quality.

As far as the rest of the tract outside the SMZ; the harvesting, site preparation, and planting should all be conducted in accordance with all other BMP guidelines in the bluebook.

If you have any questions about wildfire salvage BMPs or any other BMPs please contact me.

* This article was published in the November 2011 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Informer - September 2006

September Issue of the BMP Informer Now Available

• Jones State Forest BMP Demonstration Area
• Are You a Tree Farmer?
• Improving My Land Forest Roads and BMPs
• Where Can I Find? 
• Repairing Storm Damaged Streamside Management Zones
• Forestry Acronyms

September BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   I live in Southeast Texas and much of my timberland was damaged by Hurricane Rita last fall.  My streamside management zones were damaged as well and I am trying to restore these areas in order to continue protecting water quality.  Would it be better to allow these areas to naturally heal themselves or should I take action in restoring these areas myself? 

A:   That is a really good question.  I am sure that a lot of people in your area have the same question.  Streamside management zones (SMZs) are important in protecting water quality and providing excellent wildlife habitat.  The purpose of an SMZ is to reduce the potential quantity of sediment and logging debris reaching the stream and to prevent increased water temperatures.  Caution should be taken when conducting any forest management activity within the area immediately adjacent to stream channels to ensure the protection of both instream and downstream water quality.  Under proper management, timber production, wildlife enhancement and water quality may all be achieved.

An initial assessment should be made of any damaged SMZ to determine the severity, current stocking level, and ability to regenerate.  The best option for restoring the SMZ may be to allow it to naturally regenerate if there are adequate sources for regeneration of desirable species.  Damage to the SMZ may be severe enough that natural regeneration is not an option and the area must be artificially regenerated.  Preferred species for planting are Water Oak, Willow Oak, Cherrybark Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, Nutall Oak, Green Ash, Sweetgum, Cottonwood, and Loblolly Pine.  These seedlings should be hand planted.  Intensive site preparation and machine planting should be avoided in these areas in order to minimize the potential for sediment and debris from entering the stream.

The SMZ should encompass 50 feet on both sides of all perennial and intermittent streams and carry a minimum basal area of 50 square feet per acre.  When replanting, every effort should be made to ensure that the number of seedlings planted will meet the minimum basal area of 50 square feet in ten years. 

Herbaceous weed control may be needed to control competing vegetation and to increase seedling survival.  The application of herbicides within the SMZ should be done through spot treatment or individual stem injection.  Aerial or ground broadcast of herbicides should be avoided within the SMZ to prevent any chemicals form entering the stream.  If the area where the herbicides are to be applied is prone to flooding extra caution should be taken when applying the treatment or the treatment should be avoided.  Always follow all manufacturing labels on containers when applying herbicides and always dispose of empty bottles and trash appropriately.

Whether the SMZ is naturally or artificially regenerated, Texas Best Management Practices (BMPs) Guidelines should be followed.  These guidelines are designed to protect water quality during any forest management activity.  For a copy of the BMP handbook visit your local Texas Forest Service office or view online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  For questions regarding repairing damaged SMZs or BMPs in general please contact me by calling (936) 639-8180.   

* This article was published in the September 2006 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Informer - June 2006

June Issue of the BMP Informer Now Available

• Estimated Economic Impact from Timber Damaged by Hurricane Rita, Texas Forest Service
• Improving My Land - Site Preparation and BMPs 
• BMPs and Burning
• Best Management Practices Need to be Applied When Salvaging Timber Damaged by Hurricane Rita
• Looking for a Good Logging Contractor?

March BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   Almost six months ago Hurricane Rita passed through East Texas destroying homes, businesses, and forestlands. Most people have rebuilt their homes and businesses but people such as me are still trying to salvage what is left of their forestlands. I fear that time is growing short for me to salvage my timber. Since time is of the essence do I still need to follow BMP guidelines when I am trying to get the timber out as quickly as possible?

A:   Great question.  Timber can sustain a lot of damage from events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and Southern Pine Beetle outbreaks.  Hopefully we will not have to deal with another hurricane here in East Texas but there is always that possibility.  However, if you find yourself conducting a salvage operation after such an event BMPs should be implemented just as if it were a normal harvest operation. 

Generally there is a sense of urgency when it comes to harvesting timber in a salvage operation because damaged trees are more susceptible to insects and disease, lowering their economic value.  It is still important to implement BMPs during these situations.  BMPs are effective in preventing or reducing erosion, allowing your land to be managed in a sustainable manner.    Following are a few recommendations to consider while conducting a salvage operation.

Prior to the salvage operation, the ground should be inspected to ensure that it is stable enough to support heavy machinery.  Often times after an event such as a hurricane, tropical storm, or even an East Texas thunderstorm, the soil is saturated and operating heavy machinery on these soils can cause rutting.  Rutting creates channels for water flow, which can lead to widespread soil movement.  This reduces site productivity, decreases tree growth and financial returns, and impacts water quality.  Firelanes installed to control wildfires should be cleaned up and stabilized with the proper water control structures to prevent additional erosion. 

Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) should be visibly marked and all operations within the SMZ should be kept to a minimum.  It may be necessary to flag the SMZ for greater visibility, because it is sometimes difficult for machine operators to see the original painted line with the additional debris on the ground.  All roads, skid trails, decks, and firelanes should be located outside the SMZ.  Removal of any felled timber within the SMZ should be done by dispersed skidding or by cable retrieval.  This is done to prevent damaging the filtering capabilities of the SMZ and to keep the forest floor virtually undisturbed.  Remember, even in salvage operations, 50 square feet of basal area should be left in the SMZ.  Try to leave trees that have not been too severely damaged.   

Personal safety should also be stressed when conducting a salvage operation.  Treetops and limbs may be left dangling above the ground and could cause serious injury to ground personnel.  It is also important to be aware of machine operators, especially when visibility is impaired from excessive debris.

For other recommendations regarding BMPs and salvage operations please refer to the Texas Forest Service BMP Bluebook.  If you do not have a copy of the Bluebook you can obtain a copy from your local Texas Forest Service office or online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  If you have any questions or comments regarding BMPs please call me at (936) 639-8180.

* This article was published in the March 2006 issue of the Texas Logger

October BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:  I am a logger in Southeast Texas and for the past few weeks I have been watching the hurricanes slam the East Coast.  The possibility of a hurricane causing damage to timber here in East Texas is not too far-fetched.  Even more damage can be caused here by wildfires, wind, and Southern Pine Beetle outbreaks that could happen at anytime.  Do I still need to follow BMP guidelines during salvage operations when I am trying to get the timber out as quickly as possible?

A:  Great question.  Timber can sustain a lot of damage from events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and Southern Pine Beetle outbreaks.  Hopefully we will not have any widespread timber damage here in East Texas.  However, if you find yourself conducting a salvage operation after such an event BMPs should be implemented just as if it were a normal harvest operation. 

Generally there is a since of urgency when it comes to harvesting timber in a salvage operation because damaged trees are more susceptible to insects and disease, lowering their economic value.  It is still important to implement BMPs during these situations.  BMPs are effective in  preventing or reducing erosion, allowing your land to be managed in a sustainable manner.    Following are a few recommendations to consider while conducting a salvage operation.

Prior to the salvage operation, the ground should be inspected to ensure that it is stable enough to support heavy machinery.  Often times after an event such as a hurricane, tropical storm, or even an East Texas thunderstorm, the soil is saturated and operating heavy machinery on these soils can cause rutting.  Rutting creates channels for water flow, which can lead to widespread soil movement.  This reduces site productivity, decreases tree growth and financial returns, and impacts water quality.  Firelanes installed to control wildfires should be cleaned up and stabilized with the proper water control structures to prevent additional erosion. 

Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) should be visibly marked and all operations within the SMZ should be kept to a minimum.  It may be necessary to flag the SMZ for greater visibility, because it is sometimes difficult for machine operators to see the original painted line with the additional debris on the ground.  All roads, skid trails, decks, and firelanes should be located outside the SMZ.  Removal of any felled timber within the SMZ should be done by dispersed skidding or by cable retrieval.  This is done to prevent damaging the filtering capabilities of the SMZ and to keep the forest floor virtually undisturbed.  Remember, even in salvage operations, 50 square feet of basal area should be left in the SMZ.  Try to leave trees that have not been too severely damaged.    

Personal safety should also be stressed when conducting a salvage operation.  Treetops and limbs may be left dangling above the ground and could cause serious injury to ground personnel.  It is also important to be aware of machine operators, especially when visibility is impaired from excessive debris.

For other recommendations regarding BMPs and salvage operations please refer to the Texas Forest Service BMP Bluebook.  If you do not have a copy of the Bluebook you can obtain a copy from your local Texas Forest Service office or online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  If you have any questions or comments regarding BMPs please call me at (936) 639-8180.

* This article was published in the October 2004 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Informer - April 2003

April Issue of the BMP Informer Now Available

• Remember Your Forest After the Storm
• BMP Guidelines and Vendor Information
• Improving My Land - Woods Road Maintenance
• Timber Thieves Don’t Use BMPs!
• BMP Virtual Tour on TFS Website
• Looking for a Good Logging Contractor?

July BMP Q&A

By: Hughes Simpson, BMP Forester, Texas Forest Service

Q:   My family owns some forested property located near the Red River Valley in Lamar County that we use extensively for recreation. The heavy rains that fell this past winter have caused severe erosion to occur on the main road, making it impassable in certain areas. We tried revegetating it with grass, but the seed did not take, probably because the area is heavily shaded by hardwoods. This is the only road that provides access to the backside of the property and we must be able to drive it. What can we do?

A:   The sandy soils that are typical of the landscape along the Red River Valley are highly erodible. Combine this with the heavy rains we had this past winter and even the slightest topography, and it is extremely difficult to keep your road from washing. However, the use of certain Best Management Practices can prevent this from occurring.

The first area of concern that needs to be addressed is the shading of the road system. Road systems that are heavily shaded do not receive enough sunlight necessary to dry them after storm events. This can lead to rutting and increased washing, which ultimately limits vehicular access. Harvesting trees along the road bank can ensure drying of the road and will go along way in fixing the erosion problem.

The road will also need to be reconstructed in the areas that have severe erosion in order to make them passable again. During the reconstruction process, it is important to consider installing water control devices. These structures are useful in diverting water off the roadway, reducing the erosion hazard of the site. Rolling dips can be used to accomplish this and at the same time, allow truck traffic on the road. A medium sized dozer should be able to handle this task.

To provide additional protection to your road, it would be a good idea to revegetate it again. This activity will help hold the soil in place, stabilizing it so that future washing will be minimal. Since the hardwood trees are not shading the area anymore, more sunlight can reach the seeds, allowing them to germinate. If necessary, fertilizer can be applied to speed up the process of establishing vegetative cover.

Fixing washed out roads can become quite expensive and time consuming, but is absolutely necessary in order to have good access to your property. It also prevents sedimentation from occurring in nearby streams. Finding a contractor that can perform a turnkey operation (harvest the roadside timber, rework, and revegetate the road) on your property will be more economical.

The Texas Forestry Best Management Practices Bluebook can help you with the recommended specifications of constructing rolling dips (p. 45-46) and seeding (p. 61-65). If you have a question regarding BMPs, please call me at (936) 639-8180.

* This article was published in the July 2002 issue of the Texas Logger

August BMP Q&A

By: Jake Donellan, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service 

Q: I recently had a landowner ask me to seed his roads after we moved off his property. Is seeding in his roads going to be enough to stop erosion, and how do I know what to seeds to plant?

A: Seeding or revegetation of disturbed areas is an excellent erosion control tool. The objective of seeding is to quickly establish a ground cover that will hold the soil together under most conditions. Seed selection is important and you should consider the season, soil type and the availability of sunlight to the seeding area. To get the best results, it is sometimes necessary to use a combination of seeds. There is a section (begins on page 61) in the Texas Forestry Best Management Practices Book, the “Blue Book,” that addresses revegetation of disturbed areas. This section also provides information about which type of grasses and legumes are best suited for the different soil types; sands, loams, and clays. It provides information about the optimum planting dates and growing seasons for each of the recommended grasses and legumes. Seeding is usually more successful in the spring and fall. There are a couple of different methods of seeding including; broadcast, sprigging and drilling. The most common technique of seeding is the broadcast method. Broadcast seed can be covered by dragging a chain or brush to ensure good seed contact with the soil (1/2 to 1 inch deep). The use of fertilizer is often recommended when seeding. Care should be taken to insure that the fertilizer does not enter a stream. Avoid applying fertilizer in streamside management zones (SMZs). Another important factor to keep in mind the topography or slope of the land. Steep or hilly slopes will require more than seeding. Your experience should tell you what and how many other erosion control structures are necessary to stabilize the roads.

Your experience on each site will tell you that it depends on a number of factors as to whether or not seeding the road is going to reduce erosion. Seeding the roads can be very effective when used alone or in combination with other BMPs. I would also recommend that prior to seeding, you check with the landowner to see if he/she has a specific seed in mind. Seeding the road in can provide some wildlife benefits and can act as a large food plot. You may even be able to convince the landowner to buy or share the cost of the seed.

If you have a BMP question you would like answered, please contact me.

* This article was published in the August 2000 issue of the Texas Logger