| Resource Name |
Incorporating hydrologic dynamics into buffer strip design on the sub-humid boreal plain of Alberta |
| Unique File Number |
311 |
| Information Type |
applied research |
| Surface Water |
A |
| Aquatic Ecosystem |
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| Groundwater |
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| Groundwater & Surface Water |
A |
| Management for Natural & Industrial Hazards |
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| Strengths |
Development of method based on remote sensing to identify buffer zone areas (associated with surface saturated areas) to reduce the risk of nutrient loading to lakes following forest harvesting |
| Limitations |
needs testing across wider range of catchments, climates and surficial geologies |
| Challenges |
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| Outstanding Research Questions |
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| Outstanding Research Questions |
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| Information Subtype |
boreal hydrology |
| Organization |
University of Western Ontario |
| Resource Name |
Creed, I et al. 2008. Incorporating hydrologic dynamics into buffer strip design on the sub-humid boreal plain of Alberta. Forest Ecology and Management 256:1984-1994. |
| Resource Purpose |
The status quo in forestry practice is to leave standard width buffers around water bodies in order to prevent the excess transport of sediments and nutrients from terrestrial to aquatic systems. This practice does not seem to be effective in the sub-humid boreal forest where climatic and physiographic variability produces complex hydrologic pathways not well protected by standard width buffers. We developed a remote sensing technique that forms a hydrologic basis for buffer strip design. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery was used to map, both inundated and saturated areas (herein called wet areas) amenable for surface transport of nutrients and sediments on a low relief landscape in northern Alberta, Canada.
Wet areas coverage of the Moose Lake drainage basin showed a semi-logarithmic relationship with daily discharge (r2 = 0.72, p < 0.001,n = 18). This relationship was used to define a flow–duration curve for wet areas that could be used as an aspatial assessment of what proportion of a drainage basin should be
protected. A probability map of wet areas formation was calculated from the database of 18 images. We demonstrated how the probability map may be used to design adaptive buffer strips for the mitigation of increased nutrient loading to boreal lakes following timber harvesting. |
| Type of Information |
article |
| How does this help decision making? |
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| Program Status |
complete |
| NE Coverage |
boreal Plains |
| Drinking Water |
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| Ecosystem |
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| Fish |
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| Groundwater |
y |
| Public Safety |
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| SW Quality |
y |
| SW Quantity |
y |
| Link |
http://www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/creed/PDFs/Journal%20Articles/042%20Creed%20et%20al%202008%20-%20Incorporating.pdf |
| Text Query |
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| Google Earth |
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| iMap Path Link |
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| Spatial Metadata |
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| Map |
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| Contact Email |
[email protected] |
