- Leslie Reid - Research Geologist
- Carolyn Hunsaker - Research Ecologist
- Kevin Mazzocco - Biological Sciences Technican
- Susan Hilton - Hydrologist
- Elizabeth Keppler - Hydrologist
- Diane Sutherland Montoya - Geomorphologist
- Caspar Creek Watershed Study
- Fine Sediment In Pools
- Kings River Experimental Watershed
- Turbidity Threshold Sampling Study
- CALFED watershed improvement program on the Lassen National Forest.
Kings River Experimental Watershed
FUEL LOADING
The
condition of fuels in a forest stand can have significant effects
on fire intensity and frequency, which in turn can have significant
effects on plant and animal communities of the forest. Adequate
characterization of the variability in fuel loads is necessary for
pre- and post-treatment comparisons and for input to fire models.
It may be possible to correlate certain observed effects in nutrient
flow, stream biotic composition, or floral and faunal composition
with differences in fuel loading. Characterizing the fuel loading
can also contribute to conclusions about the effectiveness of prescribed
fire versus mechanical thinning.
A thorough sampling of the fuels condition will be conducted at a subset of the established 150-meter grid points following Brown (1974). Sampling will occur once before treatments and at least once after treatments. Further details concerning sampling intensity and frequency have yet to be determined. For specifics concerning fire and fuel loading, see the KREW Study Plan (Hunsaker et al. 2004).
References
Brown, J.K. 1974. Handbook for Inventorying Downed Woody Material. USDA Forest Service GTR: INT-16, Ogden, UT.