Assessment Of The Condition Of Small Fish Bearing Streams In The Central Interior Plateau Of British Columbia In Response To Riparian Practices Implemented Under The Forest Practices Code

Small fish-bearing streams that are classified into class S4 under the British Columbia Forest Practices Code are not required to have a riparian reserve zone immediately adjacent to both sides of the stream, but are required to have an outer riparian management zone. This report describes a survey that assessed the condition of S4 streams in interior British Columbia to determine the effects of riparian forest harvest practices implemented under the Code. The purpose of the survey was to determine: the frequency of implementation of different types of streamside harvesting practices; whether those different practices meet the objectives of the Riparian Management Area Guidebook; and whether those practices result in apparent impacts to fish habitat. The survey investigated the extent of forest harvesting potentially affecting S4 streams, the prevalent riparian silvicultural treatments & levels of tree retention, the evidence for post-harvest stream channel disturbance, and the extent of windthrow & windthrow-related impacts to the stream. Results are presented & discussed for a review of 2,989 cutblocks harvested between 1997 & 1998 in six forest districts in the central interior plateau.

Forests cover approximately 26% of the world's land surface area and represent a distinct biotic community. They interact with water and soil in a variety of ways, providing canopy surfaces which trap precipitation and allow evaporation back into the atmosphere, thus regulating how much water reaches the forest floor as through fall, as well as pull water from the soil for transpiration. The discipline "forest hydrology" has been developed throughout the 20th century. During that time human intervention in natural landscapes has increased, and land use and management practices have intensified. The book will be useful for graduate students, professionals, land managers, practitioners, and researchers with a good understanding of the basic principles of hydrology and hydrologic processes.

Using a variety of research findings and case studies, this publication provides a broad picture of water quality and quantity in Canada as they are affected by agriculture and as they affect agriculture itself. The first part contains background on the water cycle, water supplies in Canada, agriculture & other rural uses of water, and issues related to water quality. The second part describes what is currently known about the health of Canada's rural surface water and groundwater, and the implications for natural ecosystems. The third part describes responses to the various issues of water quality & quantity, citing farming practices and regulatory tools, among other measures. The final part discusses how the growth of agriculture may be limited by issues related to water and how the future might proceed. Includes glossary.