Forestry BMPs OUR GOAL: To Protect Our Waters and Site Productivity Through the Proper Use and Application of Best Management Practices. (BMPs)

Forestry BMPsForestry BMPs OUR GOAL:

To Protect Our Waters and Site Productivity Through the Proper Use and Application of Best Management Practices.

(BMPs)

BMPs are techniques to conserve and protect our waters from being polluted by surface water runoff as well as protect site productivity.

What are BMPs?What are BMPs?

Most of the BMPs shown in this presentation are taken from this manual. Copies are available online at http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-30301_31154_31261---,00.html

Specify silvicultural techniques and logging equipment in Operations Inventory and & timber sale contract specifications that are appropriate to slope, erosion hazard or soil stability and that minimize soil disturbance.

Minimize the number and length of roads and skid trails Minimize or eliminate constructing new stream crossingsMinimize site impacts

Proper Road PlanningProper Road Planning

Planning:Planning: Identification of soil types and their Identification of soil types and their

limitationslimitations Identification of slopes > 10%Identification of slopes > 10% Flag and buffer wetlands and Flag and buffer wetlands and

riparian management zonesriparian management zones Harvest in appropriate seasonHarvest in appropriate season

Buffer Strips/Buffer Strips/Riparian Management ZonesRiparian Management Zones

Buffer Strips, also known as Riparian Management Zones, are areas along permanent and intermittent streams and other open water bodies that function in the following ways to protect water quality:

Buffer Strips/RMZ’sBuffer Strips/RMZ’s

Trapping sediment, Trapping sediment, nutrients and nutrients and chemicalschemicals

Shading of StreamsShading of Streams

Source of large woody debris and Source of large woody debris and organic matter for maintaining organic matter for maintaining quality aquatic habitatquality aquatic habitat

Buffer Strips/RMZ’sBuffer Strips/RMZ’s

Timber Harvesting can be conducted in the Timber Harvesting can be conducted in the Buffer Strip/RMZ but activities must be Buffer Strip/RMZ but activities must be carefully carried out to insure the Buffer carefully carried out to insure the Buffer

Strip/RMZ can always protect the integrity of Strip/RMZ can always protect the integrity of the stream or other water bodythe stream or other water body

Specifications which maintain the Specifications which maintain the water quality functionwater quality function

100 Feet from top of bank with 100 Feet from top of bank with width increasing as slope width increasing as slope increases increases

Slope (%)Slope (%) Width (feet)Width (feet)

0-100-10 100100

10-2010-20 115115

20-3020-30 135135

30-4030-40 155155

40-5040-50 175175

>50>50 No activityNo activity

Water Quality Function, cont.Water Quality Function, cont.

Sufficient trees left to Sufficient trees left to provide shade and provide shade and large woody debrislarge woody debris

Less than 10% of soil exposed within Less than 10% of soil exposed within zonezone

No haul roads, landings or equipment No haul roads, landings or equipment storage/maintenance sites within the zonestorage/maintenance sites within the zone

Water Quality Function, cont.Water Quality Function, cont.

Additional Buffer Strip SpecsAdditional Buffer Strip Specs No wheeled equipment use when No wheeled equipment use when

soils are saturated to avoid soil soils are saturated to avoid soil compactioncompaction

Where significant soil disturbance Where significant soil disturbance occurs, stabilize immediatelyoccurs, stabilize immediately

Where hauls roads and Where hauls roads and primary skid trails do occur, use primary skid trails do occur, use drainage devices outside of the drainage devices outside of the RMZ. RMZ. On steep slopes and unstable On steep slopes and unstable soils, keep wheeled or tracked soils, keep wheeled or tracked equipment outequipment outDo not move slash into the Do not move slash into the RMZRMZ

Appropriate Equipment

This harvester is an example of the type of logging equipment that is “buffer friendly,” allowing removal of timber while not disturbing the soil within the buffer strip

Forest RoadsForest Roads

Nationwide, EPA estimates that over 90% of the sediment entering forested streams comes from forest roads

Good planning, design, construction and maintenance of forest roads will significantly reduce the amount of sediment entering a stream.


Goal: Reduce the volume and velocity of water and sediment occurring on roads during and after a rain event by providing for proper drainage of water runoff



KEY POINTS TO INCLUDE IN DESIGN, LAYOUT OF FOREST ROADS:

Use existing roads whenever possible provided they are properly designed


Roads follow contour with grades between 2 -10 percent

Grades >10% are less than 300' in length.

Roads having unstable soils have grade < 8%. Grades up to 12% < 150'.

Forest RoadsForest Roads Roads crowned for proper drainage, where slope is less than 2%

Roads outsloped where gradient permits (2-10% grade); Where insloped, adequate cross drainage provided

Forest RoadsForest RoadsThis figure illustrates that the choice of cross-section for a road or section of a road depends on the drainage needs, soil stability, slope and expected traffic volume


Diversion ditches, broad base dips or culverts used at appropriate intervals

Roads/trails should avoid gullies, seeps, springs, wetlands and poor drainage areas.

Diversion Ditches

Install diversion ditches to drain water into a vegetated area

Be sure to drain water before reaching the buffer strip

Cross Drainage CulvertsCross Drainage Culverts

Cross drainage culverts properly installed and free of debris


No hauling of timber during “spring breakup,” the time when forest roads are saturated with water and prone to rutting

Road ClosureRoad ClosureClosing Roads after their use is part of a good strategy to prevent erosion

Use Road signs, gates or other obstructions, such as stumps, to keep motorized traffic off!

Water Bars and Closure of RoadsWater Bars and Closure of Roads Construct Water Bars

on closed roads. Seed and mulch where road slope is greater than 4%.

Spacing for Water Bars

As shown in this table, spacing for water bars depends on road grade

Seeding Mixtures and Rates for Restoration of Closed Roads, Landings and Skid Trails

BROAD BASED DIPS

A broad based dip provides cross drainage on haul roads. It can be used on roads having a gradient of 12% or less and is a substitute for cross drainage pipe culverts

Spacing for Broad-Based Dips

As shown in this table, spacing ranges from 300 feet to 100 feet depending on road grade of the haul road

Landings

Locate away from streams and lakes. Locate on well-drained soils and a site where slopes allow water to drain off landing site

LandingsLandings

Seed and mulch the landing area to prevent erosion, as well as providing wildlife habitat

Skid Trails Use waters bars at prescribed intervals

When climbing steep slopes –skidder operator should break grade by skidding in a zigzag pattern to avoid making gullies

Water Bar Spacing for Skid Trails

Skid Trails

Ensure that during logging operations skidder operators avoid skidding through gullies, and seeps and other wet areas, such as vernal ponds

Stream CrossingsStream Crossings

The quality of stream crossing design and construction determines how “stream friendly” a crossing is…


All newly built or renovated stream crossings require a permit issued by the Land and Water Management Division, MDEQ

Stream CrossingsStream CrossingsBest method – Cross a stream using a portable bridge creates least disturbance to the stream.

Examples: railroad flatcar, wooden bridge, portable folding metal bridge.


Here is an example of a portable folding metal bridge


A portable wooden bridge…..


CULVERT INSTALLATION

This is the most common type of stream crossing used in forestry; it also has the most potential to damage a stream as well


In addition to meeting all MDEQ permit requirements, the following BMPs are associated with the proper installation of culverts for crossing forested streams……..

Stream CrossingsStream Crossings Use the Hasty Method or other DEQ approved method used to determine culvert size


This table shows the relationship between the square footage calculated by the Hasty Method and the diameter of the culvert

Pipe extends at least 2' beyond side slope of road

The diameter of the culvert should be 18" minimum or appropriate for calculated end area


Stream CrossingsStream Crossings The alignment of the culvert pipe should match the slope of and alignment of stream


Fill over culvert >= 12" or > than 1/2 diameter of culvert (for culverts >24" diameter)

Use of Rock rip-rap over geotextile at inlet and outlet of culvert


Base and sidewall fill properly compacted to prevent water from seeping around and under culvert

Stream CrossingsStream Crossings Road grade should be decreased before reaching 50 feet of stream bank.

The point of crossing should be higher than the approaches.


Final design will be determined by DEQ permitting staff and all rules and regulations pertaining to Part 31 Water Resources Protection and Part 301 Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act of 1994.

Other Areas of ConcernOther Areas of Concern

FUELING AND MAINTENANCE FUELING AND MAINTENANCE

Must occur outside of the riparian Must occur outside of the riparian areaarea

Rutting

Rutting occurs when soil Rutting occurs when soil strength is not sufficient strength is not sufficient to support the applied to support the applied load from vehicle trafficload from vehicle traffic

Rutting Affects:Rutting Affects:

AestheticsAesthetics BiologyBiology HydrologyHydrology Site productivitySite productivity

Rutting: Rutting:

Uplands Compared to WetlandsUplands Compared to Wetlands UplandsUplands

– Compaction and Compaction and ruttingrutting

– Opportunities to Opportunities to restrict impacts to site restrict impacts to site infrastructureinfrastructure

– Options to mitigate Options to mitigate rutting impacts (e.g., rutting impacts (e.g., ripping, grading)ripping, grading)

WetlandsWetlands– Compression (shallow Compression (shallow

and deep organics) and and deep organics) and ruttingrutting

– Prevention is the keyPrevention is the key– Few options for mitigationFew options for mitigation

What is What is ""ExcessiveExcessive"" Rutting? Rutting?

Excessive RuttingExcessive Rutting Commonly prohibited Commonly prohibited

in contractsin contracts Often prohibited in Often prohibited in

guidelinesguidelines Rarely definedRarely defined Two components:Two components:

Depth of impactDepth of impact

Spatial extent of Spatial extent of impactimpact

Minnesota Rutting Recommendations

Wetland Roads: Rutting >= 6” deep should not exceed contiguous distances of 300’ in length or 50% of the width of the wetland in the vicinity of the rutting, whichever is less

Minnesota RuttingRecommendations

Skid Trails

Upland: Rutting >= 6” deep should not exceed 10% of all skid trails and rutting should not exceed 25’ of any 100’ section.

Wetland: Rutting >= 6” should not exceed contiguous distances of 300’ or <50% of the width of the wetland in the vicinity of rutting, whichever is less.

Forestry BMPsForestry BMPs OUR

GOAL: To Protect Our

Waters and Site Productivity Through the

Proper Use and Application of Best Management Practices

Forestry BMPs OUR GOAL: To Protect Our Waters and Site Productivity Through the Proper Use and Application of Best Management Practices. (BMPs)

Documents

layout of forest roads

maintenance of forest

existing roads

length of roads

buffer striprmz

buffer wetlands

soil stability

water bodyspecifications