The Platte River Risks Associated with Forestry Management for Water Yield

Tim Morse, Andrew Carter, Garrett Bergey, and Erin Affronti

ENSC 202

Professor: Breck Bowden

5/11/07

Overview of the Platte River

• Background• Importance and Conflict• Proposed source of water and associated

risks• Water Use• Endangered Species and Habitat• Forest Management for Water Yield• Sustainable Forestry

Where is the Platte River?

Image retrieved from http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/mapcenter/map.aspx edited by Garrett Bergey

Importance of the Platte River

• Serves the people of Wyoming and Nebraska and Front Range region of Colorado

• Invaluable water source for irrigation

• Home to many species of wildlife including several threatened or endangered species

• Part of the North American Central Flyway Zone

http://www.kandicrops.org/images/buttons/corn_field.jpg

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/cranecam/

• The Platte has been complete appropriated

• Therefore finding answers to additional water sources is becoming an alarming problem

Reason for Conflict

www.platteriver.org

Assessment of Proposed Source of Water

• Pressure is being placed upon forest managers to use timber harvest to increase water yield

• Ecological risks• The goal of our project is

to assess whether or not these practices have the potential to be used to mitigate the issue of water scarcity on the Platte River

http://www.wy.nrcs.usda.gov/news/Forest-1.jpg

Water Usage• Traditionally water from the

Platte River basin was used for irrigation– It contains the United States

third largest irrigation system– In Colorado irrigation supports a

2.2 billion dollar a year production agricultural economy

– The value of crop production in Nebraska was over 5.4 Billion dollars in 2005

http://www.kandicrops.org/images/buttons/corn_field.jpg

http://www.riverside.com/projects/marketing_flyers/SPDSS_Spatial_Information_Systems.asp

Water Usage Cont.

• The population of the Front Range of Colorado is rapidly growing– The Population of the South Platte Basin has

increased by 34 percent since 1990 and is expected to continue growing

– Coloradans typically use more water than most American’s

This growth is causing water that at one time was used for agriculture to be used for municipal and industrial purposes

Growing Population

Growth that has occurred in the population of the front range of Colorado from 1937 to 1997

http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/cues/COcuesHome.html

http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/WhoopingCrane

http://platteriver.unk.edu/

Whooping Cranes

Approximately 188 remaining in the wild

Roost in grassy or sandy areas, such as wetlands or agricultural areas

Majority of population visits Platte River Basin annually

Overhunting and development of critical habitat are largest causes for decreasing population

Improper forest management can alter: - Required food - Acceptable Habitat

http://www.conservationsupportnetwork.org/images

http://www.pabirds.org/images/PhotoGallery

http://www.fws.gov/plover/

Piping Plover

Approximately 1370 left in the wild (USFWS 2001)

Nest on cleared sand or gravel beaches or sand bars near stream networks.

Platte River Basin is largely within range of habitat

Improper forest management can alter: - Available Food Sources - Acceptable Habitat - Predation

http://www.r6.fws.gov/missouririver/mediapacket/pallid.jpg

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wildlife/nddanger/species/scapalbu.htm

Pallid Sturgeon

Native to Missouri and Mississippi River drainage

Prefers strong current, sandy bottom, and turbid waters

Improper forest management can alter: - Acceptable habitat - Available food sources

Two models of the North Platte River water yield show water availability has been declining steadily for decades

Forest Management for Water Yield

• Mean water yield changes; results based on 145 catchment studies

• Treatment is based on clear-cut practices

• Conifer forests offer the largest increase in yield upon harvest

Table 2. Potential increases in flow on the North Platte River Basin resulting from timber harvest.

• NFS timber management plan for the North Platte River Basin

• 120-year management plan of small clear-cuts

• Annual increase of 37,000 acre-feet of water by 2015

• Annual increase of 50,000 to 55,000 acre-feet of water if rotations used

Figure 2. Seasonal mean daily flow for Fool Creek before (1940-1955) and after harvest (1956-1971).

• Forest disturbances in the snow zone result in reduced canopy-intercept evaporative losses of snow in the winter months.

• Reduced snow loss result in increased snow accumulation, and increased water yield upon spring snow melt.

• Snow accumulation is the primary input to increased spring peak flows and maximum daily mean flows.

• Small partial cuts determined to be the best practice for increased water yield • 5 H by 1 H = best at maximizing snow capture and minimizing evaporation

• larger than 5 H = less efficient at capturing snow due to increased wind scour • widths of 14 H = no gain in snow capture • Wider than 14 H = net loss in snow capture due to wind scour

Forestry Revenue

• Sustainable forestry revenue is an important factor that must be considered when managing forests for water yield in the Platte River– Small cut plots for snow accumulation should

be used – Clear-cuts should be minimized– Long-term rotations are essential

Recommendations

• More research should be conducted

• Forest managers should focus on small cut plots to increase snow accumulation

• Clearcuts should be avoided due to the negative ecological impacts

• Intensive water conservation should be made a priority

Any Questions?