Measurements of low rates of erosion from forest fuel reduction operations in the Clearwater National Forest, Idaho

The Yellowpine biomass reduction study was installed on the Clearwater National Forest approximately 5 miles northeast of Harvard, Idaho. The study site was part of the Yellowpine timber sale that was harvested in the spring of 2002 followed the next year by a prescribed burn in September of 2003. This study includes 3 units: 1, 4, and 5. Due to steep slopes, the forest management prescription for units 1 and 4 included hand felling and cable logging. A portion of unit 5 with more gentle slopes was harvested using a feller buncher and the logs were transported to the landing with a rubber tired skidder. Three methods were selected to measure low levels of hillside soil erosion associated with the aforementioned forest fuel management activities: silt fences, hillslope runoff plots with tipping buckets and sediment traps, and rill meter plots. Rill meter plots which are normally seen in agricultural research for measuring erosion on bare ground, were eventually abandoned due to difficulty presented by forest succession. Hillslope runoff data were collected from 2002-2005. Cover data were collected on the disturbed and control sites throughout the project from 2002-2005. Soil samples were gathered at each plot to discern soil texture (particle size analysis) from 2003-2006 and bulk density from 2002. Normally, soil loss samples were collected from the apron of the silt fence or if a hillslope runoff plot, the sample was collected from: 1) the suspended water in the sediment trap, 2) the soil collected in the sediment trap and 3) the gutter. This data publication also includes daily weather data collected 2002-2005 from a weather station installed west of the harvested unit 4 as well as a backup rain gauge located within the control site for unit 1. Also included for download is a map package of the area (available for viewing in ArcGIS program) and the standalone files associated with the map (for use in ArcGIS or other GIS programs). The following data are included: National Elevation Datasets, topographic rasters, and several shapefiles outlining the locations of boundaries, plot, trails and equipment, such as the weather station and rain gauge.
An initial study was designed to evaluate monitoring methods as well as measure erosion from areas treated with biomass removal and prescribed burn.