Tongass National Forest
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Streamflow
Streams transport raindrops from the mountains to the sea. They also
transport wood, sediment, and nutrients, which are important to downstream
function. Wood in channels function to slow down the water and builds
habitat for small aquatic organisms such as mayflies, cattisfies and
fish. In most watersheds, streams flow downhill and along the surface
of the earth. Some watersheds, unique to Prince of Wales Island and other
karst areas around the world, have no surface water streams. Rather,
streams in karst areas can disappear underground and re-emerge as much
as several feet to several miles away.
Did you know:
- A raindrop that drops on a ridgetop way up high in a watershed,
eventually flows down slope into a stream, and out into the ocean.
This can take
anywhere from a few hours, to many months, or even years.
- Staney Creek, centrally located on central Prince of Wales, can
rise over 5 feet in several hours when it is raining really
hard within
its watershed boundary.
- Some karst streams flow only when it is raining, and become dry when the rainfall diminishes. Caves that are dry when it is not raining have been known to flood as deep as the ceiling within the cave, during a storm.
USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest Accessibility Statement
Last Modified: July 11, 2007