KINGS RIVER EXPERIMENTAL WATERSHED
Study Plan
Research Project Summary
Kings River Experimental Watershed Forest Health and Research Project Environmental Impact Statement
THE RESEARCH
 Characteristics of streams and rivers serve as integrators of broader
environmental conditions because they reflect the conditions of
the surrounding landscape (Hunsaker and Levine, 1995; Naiman and
Bilby, 1998). Activities within a watershed, whether natural or
anthropogenic, influence the most basic aspects of the hydrologic
cycle. Vegetation absorbs and transpires water to the atmosphere;
roads channelize water to streams; wildfire and logging decrease
soil permeability; and dams alter the timing, frequency, and intensity
of peak flows. All of these alterations directly impact habitat,
trophic structure, and species demography, as well as physical and
chemical processes.
Although stream conservation and preservation have recently become
the priority of many agencies throughout North America (Naiman et
al. 2000), what is considered appropriate management for forest
ecosystems is a point of debate (U.S. Forest Service 2001). In contrast
to terrestrial wildlife, the Forest Service in the Pacific Southwest
has focused comparatively little attention and resources on forested
stream ecosystems. Considering the current trends in human population
growth and resource consumption, the protection and conservation
of streams and rivers must become a priority for management agencies.
Water quantity and quality is especially important in California's
semi-arid climate. National forest land supplies approximately 60-70%
of surface water.
The Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) is a watershed-level,
integrated ecosystem project for headwater streams in the Sierra
Nevada. Eight sub-watersheds have been chosen and fully instrumented
to monitor ecosystem changes: four on the Big Creek drainage, three
on the Dinkey Creek drainage, and one that drains directly into
the North Fork, Kings River. Watersheds are located in two groups;
the Providence Creek Site is located in mixed-conifer forest from
1500-2120 m (4920-6950 ft) elevation, and the Bull Creek Site is
located in red fir/mixed-conifer from 2050-2480 m (6720-8150 ft)
elevation. Each watershed will receive one of three management treatments,
or serve as a control. The three treatments will be uneven-aged
group selection thinning, prescribed fire, and a thinning with burn
combination. Treatments are scheduled to begin in 2006 and may last
for several seasons as some fire prescriptions call for repeated
entries. Therefore, KREW is designed to continue for at least 15
years of study, providing at least four years of pre-treatment data,
several years of post-treatment data, and several seasons of data
that span successive treatments. Data collection on KREW began in
2002 for the Providence Site and 2003 for the Bull Site (Click here
to view location map). This research is part of the larger Kings
River Project. One watershed occurs on the Teakettle Experimental
Forest.
OBJECTIVES
The quality of aquatic, riparian (near-stream area), and meadow
ecosystems is directly related to the integrity of adjacent uplands
in their watershed. Forest Service scientists believe that these
ecosystems are the most altered and impaired habitats of the Sierra
Nevada primarily because of dams and diversions, overgrazing, roads,
logging, and physical alteration. However, no long-term experimental
watershed studies exist in the southern Sierra Nevada. Work began
on the Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) in 2000 with data
collection starting in October 2002. KREW has the following objectives.
 Quantify
the variability in characteristics of stream ecosystems and their
associated watersheds.
Evaluate
the effects of forest management (prescribed fire and uneven-aged,
small-group tree harvesting), while maintaining older trees, large
snags, and large woody debris throughout the landscape.
Maintain
a mosaic of vegetation types and ages that mimic, to the extent
possible, the historical distribution of vegetation resulting from
frequent, low-intensity fires prevalent before European settlement
of the West.
The Sierra Nevada Framework posed several management questions
that KREW will address.
What is the effect of fire and fuel reduction treatments (i.e.,
thinning of trees) on the riparian and stream physical, chemical,
and biological conditions?
Does
the use of prescribed fire increase or decrease the rate of erosion
(long term versus short term) and affect soil health and productivity?
How
adequate and effective are current stream buffers at protecting
aquatic ecosystems?
KREW will also address many basic and applied questions about headwater
watersheds, streams, and riparian areas; these are outlined in detail
in the KREW Study Plan (Hunsaker et al. 2004).
METHODS AND DESIGN
The KREW is divided into separate study components that address
physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the watershed ecosystem.
Each component represents factors that are dependent upon one another
and are crucial to the integrity of the system. Whereas KREW is
a large-scale study with many components, it cannot include every
aspect of the ecosystem that might contribute to an understanding
of its management. Therefore, component studies that are considered
more fundamental to watershed ecosystems have taken priority; most
are scheduled to continue for the duration of the project. Additional
component studies may be added in the future, depending on funding
availability.
Study components include:
Data Transmission Network (Telemetry)
LOCATION
The KREW is located on the Sierra National Forest, High Sierra Ranger
District, east of Shaver Lake, California. One of the KREW control
watersheds occurs on the Teakettle Experimental Forest.
KREW: Sierra National Forest Location
KREW: Teakettle Experimental
Forest Location
LEAD SCIENTISTS/COLLABORATORS
1)Hunsaker, C. T. 1)Eagan, S.; 1) Dolanc, C. ; 1) Lynch, M.; 1)
Johnson, C.; 1)Cabrera, C.I.; 1) McClurg, T.; 1)Wilson, K.
1) USDA Forest Service, PSW Research Station
Sierra Nevada Research Center
2081 Sierra Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710
PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS
Journal Articles
Hunsaker and Eagan (2003) (Right Click and Save as (648 KB)
Public Outreach
Fire Ecology Brochure; (Right Click and Save as (945 KB)
Posters
Sediment Poster (2004) American Geophysical Union (Right Click and Save as (9,983 KB)
KREW overview (2004) Sierra Nevada Science Symposium (Right Click and Save as (8,427 KB)
Kings River Project Background (Right Click and Save as (29,764 KB)
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