Hydrologic and sedimentation effects of open and closed roads

Elliot, W.J.; Luce, C.H.; Foltz, R.B.; Koler, T.E. 1996. Hydrologic and Sedimentation Effect of Open and Closed Roads. Natural Resource News 6 (1): 7-8. [Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute, Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service.]

Keywords: road

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Abstract: Debates have been raging in recent years over the benefits of road closure. Road closure is an increasingly common practice to achieve a variety of management goals including improvement of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and reduction of casual human effects on forest environments. As with road construction, however, there are some major hydrologic considerations that must be considered. The construction and use of a road severely disturbs the soil, increasing runoff rates, reducing subsurface water flows, and altering shallow groundwater equilibrium. Unfortunately, information needed to understand road prism effects on surface and subsurface hydrology is limited.

Moscow FSL publication no. 1996a