Water Quality Effects of Forest Roads in Bottomland Hardwood Stands
Abstract
Management of bottomland hardwood sites requires adequate access to support forest operations. A study conducted in a bottomland forest in central Georgia has evaluated the effect of forest road design on sediment movement and water quality. Five years of measurement indicate that a conventional crowned road design is a net sink for sediment, primarily due to settling in ditches. An alternative road design with a flat cross-section was a net source of sediment. Overall, the contribution of sediment from bottomland forest roads is minor in a major river floodplain.