Transcript Presentation - The University of Vermont

Forest Phosphorus
A Comparison of Phosphorus Loading to
Lake Champlain from Three Forest LandUse Types in Vermont
Charlotte Adams, Olivia Arent, Hannah Boudreau, Hayden Bove, Michelle Deslauriers
Research Question
How do different Vermont forest land use types contribute to phosphorus loading
to Lake Champlain?
Forest land use types studied:
1. Logging
2. Ski Resort Development
3. Maple Sugaring Operations
Objectives
I. To conduct a literature review of forest phosphorus loading in the Lake
Champlain Basin in order to quantify phosphorus loads from logging, ski
resort development, and maple sugaring forest uses.
I. To compile available data of phosphorus runoff for different forest uses
I. To recommend management practices that will limit phosphorus export in
each of these three forest types
Context
VT forest phosphorus contribution: 17%
Lake Champlain Basin forest phosphorus
contribution: 21%
Forests cover about 70% of VT
Phosphorus Load Criteria for VT:
~0.016mg/L
Lake Champlain Basin: 21,326km2
Source: LCBP, 2015
Background
Unpaved Roads are in many forested areas
Many of the industries we are going to discuss effect the Winooski watershed
These studies look at the effect of unpaved roads on P export and the amount
of P in the WInooski
Background
High Bridge
Catchment
Average
Catchment
Winooski River
(2010)
Winooski River
(1990-2011
Average)
18.7
47
147
147
Catchment Area 8.64
(km2)
28
2,704 (above
sample site)
2,704 (above
sample site)
Catchment TP
62
2
load (kg/km /yr)
61
57
58
TP
Concentration
(mg/l)
NA
0.045
0.043
Stream Length
(km)
NA
Data from: Wemple, B, 2013; Medalie, L, 2013
Methods
Logging, ski resort development, and maple sugaring were
analyzed individually, and in reference to each other, through
review of articles, reports, dissertations, and databases.
Contacted several people to learn more about their areas of
expertise
Don Ross and Beverley Wemple from UVM
Eric Hanson from Sugarbush Resort and Rob Apple from Stowe Mountain
Resort
Neil Kamman and Jim Kellogg from the Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation’s Watershed Management Division
Findings: Logging
Forest harvest practices disrupt
ecosystem nutrient cycling
Biological uptake reduced immediately
following logging
Increased water yield and nutrient export
Phosphorus losses:
http://www.bbftrails.com/tree-farm.php
Leaching to groundwater
Erosion
Logging Practices and Phosphorus Exports
Trend:
Initial increase in P loading
Magnitude of impacts on phosphorus
cycling is largely site-specific
Depends on:
Ecosystem, soil condition, topography
and weather
https://basintimber.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/summer-2013-066.jpg
Harvesting practices and forest
Logging BMP’s
“Acceptable Management Practices for
Maintaining Water Quality on Logging
Jobs in Vermont (1987)”
Proper methods for controlling water
on logging roads, skid trails, and
log landings to minimize erosion
and reduce sediment increases in
streams
VT FPR, 2011
2012 AMP Compliance Assessment
VT FPR, 2014
● 78% stream crossings rated “natural streambed conditions - no sedimentation”
● 95% of truck roads, 96% skid trails met or exceeded recommended widths
● 60% of protective strip widths were adequate along streams
Findings: Ski Resort Development
Mixed findings
Vermont Monitoring Cooperative study found that 24x more suspended sediment (correlated with P)
comes from managed forests near ski resorts
than unmanaged forests
Sugarbush data suggests very small impact from ski
resort
Rob Apple from Stowe says that “ski areas in the
Lake Champlain basin do not measurably
contribute to the phosphorus loads reaching the
lake.”
Source: Shanley and Wemple, 2009; Wemple et al., 2007
Findings: Maple Sugaring
Importance of root systems
Used SINMAP model to predict slope stability in forested mountainous region
outside of Milan, Italy
Deciduous forest with black locust and oak large representation of species
Looked at root depth, area, and slope to include the force root systems exert on soil to
determine instability across 7 different regions
Found that only one region was less than 50% unstable, i.e. most of the forested land was
unstable
Root integrity vital in soil erosion
Findings: Maple Sugaring
Root integrity common issue among different disturbances
Weather and temperature shifts threaten soil acidity and consequently root
structure and health
Machinery used to maintain a harvested forest also threatens the structural
integrity of the roots
This has effects on the health of the tree as well as the soil
Findings: Maple Sugaring
Weather Related Effects
Findings: Maple Sugaring
Machinery Related Effects
Findings: Comparisons
Among logging, ski resort development and
maple sugaring, surface waters near
logging contained the highest P
Surface waters near agriculture contained
5.5x more P than logging
Ski resort P was nearly the same as
unmanaged forest P
Forest Land-Use
Classification
Average TP
(mg/L)
Logging (Marshfield
Brook)
0.077
Ski Resort (Rice Brook)
0.008
Maple Sugaring (Bell
Brook, Foot Brook,
Lamoille River)
0.012
Agriculture (St. Albans
Bay tributaries)
0.434
Unmanaged Forest
(Ranch Brook)
0.0061
Sources: VTIWIS, 2016; Smeltzer et al., 1994, Summit
Ventures NE, LLC. 2014.
Recommendations: Logging
Forestry Acceptable Management Practices
should be revised to enhance standards and
consider nutrient loading as part of the water
quality management practices
○ Data collection of phosphorus loading near logging
sites
○ Financial incentives
○ Logging roads and skid trails should be maintained
○ Wider riparian buffers
○ Forest regeneration after logging completed
http://www2.dnr.cornell.edu/
Recommendations: Ski Resort Development
Erosion & runoff mitigation strategies:
wide buffer strips
waterbars on ski trails
straw bale dikes
check dams
sediment fencing
gradual release of runoff to leach fields
Source: Sibbernsen et al., 2001
Recommendations: Maple Sugaring
Impacts from access roads and machinery
Limit snowplowing of forest roads
Ditches should be constructed to divert water from
road surfaces
Vehicles should not ford streams or wet areas
Temporary bridges built over streams
Collection method
Use vacuum/gravity tubing rather than buckets
Silt fencing and other erosion check devices should
be used during construction or during use in the
spring sap collection
Weight limits on machinery should be set during sap
hauling (if tubing is not used)
http://afterwildfirenm.org/
https://danielsonssugarbush.com/
Conclusion
Forests contribute a small amount of phosphorus per unit area
Expansion of industries may increase forest phosphorus in runoff
Phosphorus loading: logging > maple sugaring > ski resort development
Further research is needed to quantify phosphorus loading in the three studied
forest land-uses
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Jamie Shanley for all the
advice he provided and the resources he suggested.
Thank you to Neil Kamman who directed us to Jim
Kellogg, who shared his knowledge about stream
and lake quality standards. Don Ross and Beverley
Wemple for their resources and data. Thank you to
Rob Apple and Eric Hanson for your insight on ski
resort development. Finally, Sam Cutting IV and Ira
Marvin for their insight into the maple sugaring
industry in Vermont.
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