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Hydrology and water quality of forested lands in eastern North Carolina

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Nonpoint sources of nutrients (NPS) are a widespread source of surface water pollution throu&out the United States. Characterizing the sources of this NPS nutrient loading is challenging due to variation in land management practices, physioyaphic setting, site conditions such as soil type, and climatic variation. For nutrients, there is the added challenge of separating the influence of man's activities from natural processes that release essential nutrients. Although the effects of more invasive activities such as crop production and urban development on nutrient export have received considerable attention, the effects of varying regional conditions on forest nutrient export have not been well documented for eastern North Carolina. The purpose of this study was to assess baseline Forest outflow characteristics in the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina. More than 100 site years of hydrology and water quality data spanning 25 years (1976 to 2000) have been compiled from research and monitoring studies both on stands with natural vegetation and on tracts managed for timber production. The study included 41 watersheds located on poorly drained to very poorly drained soils on flat divides between coastal streams. The watersheds ranged in area from 7.3 to 6,070 ha; 16 had natural forest vegetation, and 25 were intensively managed loblolly pine plantations. Hydrological and nutrient concentration data from the study sites are used to examine how variation among sites may be related to soil type, drainage intensity, vegetation, and physiographic setting.

Citation

Chescheir, G.M.; Lebo, M.E.; Amatya, D.M.; Hughes, J.; Gilliam, J.W.; Skaggs, R.W.; Herrmann, R.B. 2003. Hydrology and water quality of forested lands in eastern North Carolina. Technical Bulletin No. 320, Department of Communication Services, Box 7603, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7603, p. 1-79
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/20374