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Follow the links below
to find the subcategory of interest.
The
NPS pollutant of greatest concern with respect to
forestry activities is sediment. The
potential for sediment delivery to streams from almost
all timber-harvesting activities and from forest
roads regardless of their level of use or age is
a long-term concern. Other pollutants of significance,
including nutrients, toxic chemicals and metals,
organic matter, pathogens, herbicides, and pesticides,
are also of concern; problems associated with these
other pollutants and increases in temperature generally
do not extend beyond 2 years from the time of harvest
or are associated with a specific activity, such
as an herbicide application.
Nevertheless,
all of these pollutants have the potential to affect water
quality and aquatic habitat. Minimizing their delivery
to surface water and ground water deserves serious
consideration before and during forestry activities.
Forest harvesting can also affect the hydrology
of a watershed, and hydrologic alterations within a
watershed have the potential to degrade water quality
and adversely affect wetlands. |
Please
see the California Nonpoint Source Encyclopedia for a
fact sheet on each of the management measures, containing
a description of related state and federal programs,
a list of specific management practices, additional information
resources, example case studies in California, and references.
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 Preharvest Planning 2A Addresses
aspects of forestry operations, including the timing,
location, and design of harvesting and road construction;
site preparation; identification of sensitive or high-erosion
risk areas; and the potential for cumulative water
quality impacts. |
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 Streamside Management Areas (SMAs) 2B SMAs protect against soil disturbance
and reduce sediment and nutrient delivery to waters
from upland activities. This management measure is
intended to safeguard vegetated buffer areas along
surface waters to protect the water quality of adjacent
streams. |
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 Road Construction/Reconstruction 2C Road construction/reconstruction
should be conducted so as to reduce sediment generation
and delivery. This management measure includes following
pre-harvest plan layouts and designs for road systems,
incorporating adequate drainage structures, properly
installing stream crossings, avoiding road construction
in SMAs, removing debris from streams, and stabilizing
areas of disturbed soil such as road fills. |
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 Road Management 2D Describes how
to manage roads to prevent sedimentation, minimize
erosion, maintain stability, and reduce the risk that
drainage structures and stream crossings will fail
or become less effective. This management measure includes
inspections and maintenance actions to prevent erosion
of road surfaces and to ensure the effectiveness of
stream-crossing structures, and appropriate methods
for closing roads that are no longer in use. |
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 Timber Harvesting 2E Addresses skid trail location
and drainage, management of debris and petroleum, and
proper harvesting in SMAs. Timber harvesting practices
that protect water quality and soil productivity also
have economic benefits by reducing the length of roads
and skid trails, reducing equipment and road maintenance
costs, and providing better road protection. |
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 Site Preparation and Forest Regeneration
2F Impacts of mechanical site
preparation and regeneration operations—particularly
in areas with steep slopes or highly erodible soils,
or located in close proximity to a water body—can
be reduced by confining runoff onsite. This management
measure addresses keeping slash material out of drainageways,
operating machinery on contours, timing of activities,
and protecting ground cover in ephemeral drainage areas
and SMAs. |
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 Fire Management 2G Prescribed fire practices for
site preparation and methods to suppress wildfires
should, as feasible, be conducted in a manner that
limits loss of soil organic matter and litter and that
reduces the potential for runoff and erosion. Prescribed
fires that remove forest litter down to mineral soil
on steep slopes or adjacent to streams are most likely
to affect water quality. |
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 Revegetation of Disturbed Areas 2H Addresses the rapid revegetation
of areas disturbed during timber harvesting and road
construction—particularly
areas within harvest units or road systems where mineral
soil is exposed or agitated (e.g., road cuts, fill
slopes, landing surfaces, cable corridors, or skid
trails) with special priority for SMAs and steep slopes
near drainageways. |
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 Forest Chemical Management
2I Pesticides must be properly
mixed, transported, loaded, and applied, and their
containers disposed of properly. Fertilizers must also
be properly handled and applied since they also may
be toxic depending on concentration and exposure. This
management measure includes applications by skilled
workers according to label instructions, careful prescription
of the type and amount of chemical to be applied, use
of buffer areas for surface waters to prevent direct
application or deposition, and spill contingency planning. |
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 Wetlands Forest Management
2J Forested wetlands provide many
beneficial water quality functions and provide habitat
for aquatic life. Activities in wetland forests should
be conducted to protect the aquatic functions of forested
wetlands. |
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 Postharvest Evaluation 2K Goals are to
incorporate post-harvest monitoring, including implementation
monitoring (to determine whether the operation was
conducted according to specifications), and effectiveness
monitoring after at least one winter period (to determine
whether the specified operation prevented or minimized
discharges). |
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 Education/Outreach
2L Goals are to implement pollution
prevention and education programs to reduce NPS pollutants
generated by applicable silvicultural activities. |
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