August BMP Q&A

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

Q:   Recently a landowner asked me why I left trees along the stream bank and why the trees I cut were directionally felled away from the stream.  I really did not have a good answer for him because this is the way that I was always taught.  A friend of mine told me that I should send this question in to get an answer as to why we do this.  Can you give me a good answer for these questions so next time, I will be able to give the landowner a better answer?

A:   This is a very good question and thanks to your friend for recommending that you send this in.  Many people may be like you and only do this because that is what they grew up doing or was taught.

First of all lets look at why trees should be felled away from a stream.  The reason we recommend doing this is to minimize the chance or amount of logging debris that can enter a stream during a harvest operation within a Streamside Management Zone (SMZ).  The problem with debris entering a stream is that if enough of it is deposited, a dam can form.  When a stream becomes blocked the water has nowhere to go, so it begins to back up on itself.  This can cause flooding of the surrounding land and eventually the stream will create a new channel around the dam.  Now not only do you have logging debris in the stream but also a large amount of dirt from the newly formed channel. The sedimentation that has occurred not only impacts aquatic wildlife, but also raises treatment costs to make the water suitable for human consumption.  The Bluebook recommends that trees that can only be felled across a stream or into a stream should not be harvested. 

Why should trees be left along the stream bank?  The answer to this question is much like the answer to the previous question.  When trees along a stream bank are harvested, the bank may become unstable.  When the root system of the tree dies the bank will begin to sluff off or erode into the stream channel.  Before removing the trees from the stream bank the soil was held in place by the root system of the trees.  The excessive amount of sedimentation will have an immediate impact on the stream.  The soil moving into the stream could potentially dam up the stream much like logging debris can with the result being the same. 

Not only does the removal of bank trees cause the stream bank to become unstable but it also reduces the amount of shade that once covered the stream channel.  This increases the water temperature of the stream, making it hard for fish and other aquatic species to live in the stream.  The removal of bank trees will also increase the flood plain of that particular stream.  A stream that was unlikely to flood during the winter months will probably now flood covering a greater area of the surrounding lands.  The Bluebook recommends that trees found along the stream bank should be left to provide shade and to stabilize the stream bank.

Remember that harvesting within an SMZ is acceptable as long as 50ft² of basal area is left in the SMZ.  If you are not familiar with basal area the Texas Forest Service has a chart on its website that will aid you in determining basal area or you can leave 50% crown cover and achieve the 50ft² of basal area.  If you need a copy of the Bluebook you can get one from your local TFS office or view it 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 August 2004 issue of the Texas Logger   

BMP Trivia Question

In Texas, the use of Best Management Practices is voluntary, except when operating in a Jurisdictional Wetland. List any five of the fifteen mandatory road BMPs that must be followed during a silvicultural operation in a wetland.

1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)

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BMP Informer - July 2004

July Issue of the BMP Informer Now Available

• BMPs and Burning
• 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?

June BMP Q&A

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

Q:   I own a tract of timber that has several streams running through it and I am planning on cutting the tract in the near future.  Although I have heard of Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) I know very little about them.  Do all streams need these SMZs and if not how do you tell which streams do?

A:   This is a very good question.   To start with not all streams need an SMZ left along the stream bank.  Streams are divided into three groups (perennial, intermittent, or ephemeral) based on the amount of time during the year that water flows through it.  The Texas Forest Service recommends that a 50-foot SMZ be left along side perennial and intermittent streams.  Professional judgment should be used on ephemeral streams or drains.  Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish one type of stream from the other, especially in transition zones where one type of stream is turning into another type.  To help you in determining stream type, I have listed some common characteristics for each stream type below.

A perennial stream will flow at least 90% of the year and have a well-defined channel.  This channel will be winding or sinuous and show evidence of soil and debris movement.  Water pools will be present, even during dry conditions.  High water marks are sometimes noticed along the stream, as well as wetland vegetation, such as mosses, ferns, and some woody species.  Gray soils with red specks are associated with these types of streams.  Remember that the Texas Forest Service recommends leaving a minimum width of 50 feet on either side of perennial streams.

An intermittent stream will flow at least 30% of the year and this is usually during the winter months.  Intermittent streams also have a well-defined channel that is winding or sinuous.  The channel will also show evidence of soil and debris movement from one part of the stream to another.  Water pools are only present during wet conditions and high water marks along with wetland vegetation will occur in these areas.  Intermittent streams usually have brown soils with gray soils mixed in.  Again the Texas Forest Service recommends leaving a minimum width of 50 feet on either side of intermittent streams.

An ephemeral stream or drain only flows during or shortly after rain events.  These streams do not always have well-defined channels because they are short lived.  Ephemeral streams are generally always straight, lack water pools, and high water marks and wetland vegetation are not found.  The soils in this area are usually characteristic of the surrounding lands.  The Texas Forest Service recommends that professional judgment be used in determining whether or not an SMZ should be left along ephemeral streams.  Some may choose to leave a small SMZ or stringer along an ephemeral stream while others may choose not to leave one.

SMZs are very important in protecting our streams from increased temperatures, excessive erosion, and provides habitat for various species of wildlife.  SMZs can be thinned in order to remove some of the economic value, however it is important to leave a minimum of 50 square feet of basal area, evenly distributed.  Senate Bill 977 can help reduce the financial burden of leaving an SMZ.  If any debris from the thinning of an SMZ should end up in the stream, it should be removed immediately to prevent the stream flow from becoming blocked.     

The recommendations for SMZs as well as other BMPs can be found in the Bluebook.  If you need a copy of the Bluebook you can get one from your local Texas Forest Service office or you can view it online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  If you have any questions or comments about BMPs please feel free to call me at (936) 639-8180.

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

May BMP Q&A

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

Q:   I have been in the logging business for several years now and I pride myself in the fact that I try my best to follow BMP guidelines in all situations. Lately it seems that every time I set up on a tract it begins to rain and it stays wet for several days and possibly weeks. How can I deal with all of this wet weather?

A:   Are any of you logging out of a canoe yet? There has been a lot of rain here in East Texas the past couple of months. I am sure that many of you are feeling the effects of all the recent wet weather. There are three questions that are commonly asked about wet weather logging: can I log during wet conditions, what, if any, impacts can logging have when it’s too wet, and what can I do when it’s too wet to log?

Wet weather logging can have negative impacts if done improperly

Can you log during wet conditions? The answer to that question is yes but caution is needed and should be used during wet weather logging operations. There are several things that you need to pay close attention to if you are going to conduct a wet weather logging operation. Rutting is the biggest concern, it should be kept to a minimum and should not exceed 6 inches in depth for more than 50 feet in length. High flotation or dual tires may be used on skidders to help reduce rutting and soil compaction. You can also lay timber down in your skid rows to create a pole road, which will help minimize rutting. As always, attention should also be given to stream crossings. These structures should be properly installed and stabilized to help reduce the chance of it washing out during a rain event. Pages 47 – 51 of the BMP bluebook give recommendations on how to properly install stream crossings. Haul roads and skid trails are other areas that need to be examined. Maintaining these systems will help ensure that they do not become impassable either through washing or excessive rutting. Recommended specifications for properly maintaining your haul roads can be found on pages 30 – 33 of the BMP bluebook.

What, if any, impacts can logging have when it’s too wet? The biggest area of concern here would be rutting. As stated in the previous paragraph rutting should be kept to a minimum. Rutting is a primary concern because it can potentially change the hydrology and drainage of the land, cause heavy or excessive erosion through the channeling of water, and can cause soil compaction. Soil compaction will negatively impact site productivity reducing the landowner’s return on investment through decreased growing potential and increased site preparation costs. Another thing to be conscious of when logging on wet tracts is the amount of mud that you are depositing on the highways and county roads. Mud on the roadway may pose a danger to motorists in numerous ways. Motorists who suddenly approach mud in the roadway may try to avoid the mud, which could cause an accident. During a rain event mud can cause the roadway to become slick, whichcould result in a motorist losing traction and possibly causing an accident. To help reduce the amount of mud being deposited on the roadway some type of approach such as gravel should be put down to help clean off the tires before entering the roadway.

What can I do when it is too wet to log? This time can be used to start planning for future jobs and to take a look at past logging jobs that you have conducted. Before moving onto a tract, plan carefully by using a soil survey map, topographical map, and landowner advice to determine how rain events will affect your operation, A soil survey map is useful because it will tell you what type of soil you will be working on and what the limitations are of that particular soil type. You should try to avoid bottomland sites and sites with heavy clays until the summer months when it is traditionally dryer. Plan on operating on sandy soils during the wetter months. Use topographical maps to calculate the drainage areas for the site to ensure that you install stream crossings that are adequate enough to handle the water flow from an unexpected rain event. The landowner can tell you about areas of his land that may be potential problem sections that you should either avoid or use caution while operating in these areas. You can also use this time to go back and look at past tracts that you have harvested. Take a look at the BMPs that you implemented and see if they were constructed properly and functioning. This will let you know if you are doing good job at installing your BMPs or if you need to improve. Lastly use this time to inspect all of your equipment and get them serviced if needed.

As you can see wet weather logging can be achieved as long as you use appropriate caution and plan ahead. Keep in mind though that there are times that it is just too wet to log and this time is better used planning for future logging jobs, fishing, or hunting. Planning is very important when it comes to conducting harvest operations and installing BMPs. If you have any questions or comments regarding BMPs please feel free to call me at (936) 639-8180.

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

BMP Trivia Question

Rolling dips provide cross drainage on in-sloped haul roads to channel excessive runoff and reduce erosion. What is the proper spacing for installing rolling dips on a road with a slope of 7% and on a road with a slope of 17%? (Hint) The spacing chart for rolling dips is listed in the BMP handbook.

Click on "comments" below and post your answers.

March BMP Q&A

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

Q:  I recently inherited a tract just outside of Palestine.  The property has only one access road and over the years it has gotten in pretty bad shape becoming impassible.  The road has deep gullies running through it and appears to be below grade.  The road also travels across a bottom with moderate slopes (5-10%) and crosses a perennial stream.  I want to have permanent access to the tract so what options do I have to achieve this.  I also wanted to know if you are ever able to go out and give “on the ground” advice and suggestions concerning BMPs?

A:  First of all yes, loggers often call us and ask us to come out and give “on the ground” advice or suggestions regarding BMPs. 

Now lets get to your question about your access road.  It sounds like your road has gotten in pretty bad shape over the years.  I would like to start by saying that it is important that you consider using water control devices during any reconstruction of your road.  This is important because these devices will divert water off the roadway and help protect the site from excessive erosion.  Because the road will see a moderate amount of traffic during the reconstruction process and afterwards rolling dips should be used to divert the water and prevent excessive erosion.  Specifications for properly installing rolling dips can be found on pages 45 and 46 of the Bluebook.

A below grade road will constantly cause you problems.  In my opinion, the best thing to do is to have a dozer cut down the surrounding land and use this dirt to build up your road.  This will also help provide a natural outlet for diverted water.  Additional dirt may have to be brought in to finish building up the road to the desired height.  A mixture of dirt and rip rap may be used to build up the approaches.  This will make the approaches more stable and minimize any erosion on the approaches.  Crowning and seeding the road will also help stabilize it reducing the potential erosion hazard.  For proper seeding choices and rates see pages 64 and 65 of the Bluebook.

Lastly lets talk about what type of stream crossing you should install.  Since you want permanent access to the tract this means that you will have to install a permanent crossing. I would suggest installing a culvert if it will be able to handle the expected water flow.  To determine what size culvert to use refer to the Culvert Size Chart on page 50 of the Bluebook.  You want to make sure that you install the right size culvert because putting one in that is too small will eventually blow out.  A blown out culvert will cause more road problems, increased repair expenses, but more importantly it will impact the water quality of the stream through the high amount of sedimentation caused by the blown out culvert.  The Stream Crossings section on page 47 of the Bluebook also contains specifications on how to properly install a culvert.  If a culvert will not provide an adequate crossing then you may have to think about installing a bridge.  For this I would suggest that you get technical advice from someone specially trained in this area or contact your local NRCS office

Proper road construction and maintenance can be time consuming and expensive but are necessary if you want good access to your property.

If you need a copy of the Bluebook you can get a copy from your local Texas Forest Service office or you can view online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water. If you have any questions or comments about BMPs please call me at (936) 639-8180. 

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