|
|
|
Current research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes
Moody, J.A.; Shakesby, R.A.; Robichaud, P.R.; Cannon, S.H.; Martin, D.A. 2013.
Current research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes.
Earth-Science Reviews 122:10.37
Keywords: Wildfire, Burn severity, Meso-scale rainfall, Soil-hydraulic properties, Runoff, Soil erosion
Links:
PDF [3.5 MB]
Abstract:
Research into post-wildfire effects began in the United Statesmore than 70 years ago and only later extended to
other parts of the world. Post-wildfire responses are typically transient, episodic, variable in space and time, dependent
on thresholds, and involve multiple processes measured by different methods. These characteristics
tend to hinder research progress, but the large empirical knowledge base amassed in different regions of the
world suggests that it should now be possible to synthesize the data and make a substantial improvement in
the understanding of post-wildfire runoff and erosion response. Thus, it is important to identify and prioritize
the research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion. Priority research issues are the need to: (1) organize
and synthesize similarities and differences in post-wildfire responses between different fire-prone regions
of theworld in order to determine common patterns and generalities that can explain cause and effect relations;
(2) identify and quantify functional relations between metrics of fire effects and soil hydraulic properties that
will better represent the dynamic and transient conditions after a wildfire; (3) determine the interaction
between burned landscapes and temporally and spatially variable meso-scale precipitation, which is often the
primary driver of post-wildfire runoff and erosion responses; (4) determine functional relations between precipitation,
basinmorphology, runoff connectivity, contributing area, surface roughness, depression storage, and soil
characteristics required to predict the timing, magnitudes, and duration of floods and debris flows fromungaged
burned basins; and (5) develop standard measurement methods that will ensure the collection of uniform and
comparable runoff and erosion data. Resolution of these issues will help to improve conceptual and computer
models of post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes.
Moscow FSL publication no. 2013d
|