Effects of forest harvesting on summer stream temperatures in New Brunswick, Canada an inter-catchment, multiple-year comparison.docVIP

Hydrology and Earth System SciencesEffects, 5(4),of59forest9–613harvesting(2001) on? summerEGS stream temperatures in New Brunswick, Canada Effects of forest harvesting on summer stream temperatures in New Brunswick, Canada: an inter-catchment, multiple-year comparison Charles P.-A. Bourque and Joseph H. Pomeroy 1 2 1 2 Faculty of Forestry Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 44555, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 6C2, Canada Environment Canada, Environmental Science Centre, P.O. Box 23005, Moncton, New Brunswick, E1A 6S8, Canada E-mail address for corresponding author: cbourque@unb.ca. Abstract This paper presents a pre- and post-harvest comparison of stream temperatures collected in five neighbouring streams (sub-catchments) over a period of five years (1994-1998). The aim of the study was to determine whether land cover changes from clear cutting in areas outside forest buffer zones (applied to streams 0.5 m wide) might contribute to an increase in summer mean stream temperatures in buffered streams downslope by infusion of warmed surface and sub-surface water into the streams. Specific relationships were observed in all five forest streams investigated. To assist in the analysis, several spatially-relevant variables, such as land cover change, mid-summer potential solar radiation, flow accumulation, stream location and slope of the land were determined, in part, from existing aerial photographs, GIS-archived forest inventory data and a digital terrain model of the study area. Spatial calculations of insolation levels for July 15 were used as an index th of mid-summer solar heating across sub-catchments. Analysis indicated that prior to the 1995 harvest, differences in stream temperature could be attrib