Water from Forests

Research Issue

Because the majority of the U.S. drinking water supplies originate on forested land, forest managers must be able to predict the effects of their management activities upon the quantity and quality of water coming from these forests.  Thus, a sound understanding of the effects of disturbances, both natural and human-caused, on water quality and quantity is needed to help sustain healthy forests and clean abundant water, in  a world with changing climate.

Our Research

We work mostly on the Fernow Experimental Forest, and have some of the country’s longest continuous hydrologic and meteorological data from forested watersheds.  We use these long-term data records and experiments to address questions about  hydrologic processes in forests and to answer more applied questions that land managers ask.   We are participating in several national synthesis efforts, utilizing similar long-term data from other long-term forested watershed research. 

Expected Outcomes

Our  research will inform municipal water suppliers, land managers, policy makers, advocacy groups and individual citizens of the relationship between the forest and faucet.  A synthesis of results from many Experimental Forest and Ranges will result in a series of publications and products that educate people about the relationships between forests and waters. A better-informed constituency can make better decisions at the personal to national and even global scale.

Research Results

Edwards, Pamela J.; Troendle, Charles A. 2012. Chapter 11. Water yield and hydrology. In Lafayette, R., Brooks, M. R., Potyondy, J. P., Audin, L., Krieger, S., Trettin, C. C., eds. Cumulative watershed effects of fuel management in the eastern United States. Gen. Tech. Rept. SRS-161. Asheville, NC: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station:  229-281.

Edwards, Pamela; Williard, Karl W.J. 2010. Efficiencies of forestry best management practices for reducing sediment and nutrient losses in the eastern United States. Journal of Forestry. July/August: 245-249.

Wang, Jingxin; Edwards, Pam; Hamons, Greg W.; Goff, William. 2010. Assessing RUSLE and hill-slope soil movement modeling in the central Appalachians. In: 2010 ASABE annual international meeting proceedings; 2010 June 20-23; Pittsburgh, PA. St. Joseph, MI: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: 1-13.

Farr, C.; Skousen, J.; Edwards, P.; Connolly, S.; Sencindiver, J. 2009. Acid soil indicators in forest soils of the Cherry River Watershed, West Virginia. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 158: 343-353.

Edwards, Pamela J.; Wang, Jingxin, Stedman, Joshua T. 2009. Recommendations for constructing forest stream crossings to control soil losses. In: Colosimo, Mark, ed. Proceedings, American Water Resources Association 2009 Summer Specialty Conference, Adaptive Management of Water Resources II. Middleburg, VA: American Water Resources Association. 6 p.

Adams, Mary Beth; Kochenderfer, James N. 2007. Long-term stream chemistry monitoring on the Fernow Experimental Forest: Implications for Sustainiable Management of Hardwood Forests. In: Buckley, David S.; Clatterbuck, Wayne K., eds. Proceedings, 15th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. 2006 February 27-March 1; Knoxville, TN. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. e-General Technical Report SRS-101:97-106. [CD-ROM].

Eisenbies, M. H.; Aust, W. M.; Burger, J. A.; Adams, M. B. 2007. Forest Operations, Extreme Flooding Events, and Considerations for Hydrologic Modeling in the Appalachians – A Review. Forest Ecology and Management 242(2007):77-98.

Eisenbies, Mark H.; Adams, Mary Beth; Aust, W. Michael; Burger, James A. 2007. Bibliography of Forest Water Yields, Flooding Issues, and the Hydrologic Modeling of Extreme Flood Events. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. General Technical Report NRS-8. 40 p.

Kochenderfer, James N.; Adams, Mary Beth; Miller, Gary W.; Helvey, David J. 2007. Factors Affecting Large Peakflows on Appalachian Watersheds: Lessons from the Fernow Experimental Forest. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. Research Paper NRS-3. 24 p.

Edwards, Pamela J.; Williard, Karl W. J.; Kochenderfer, James N. 2004. Sampling Considerations for Establishment of Baseline Loadings from Forested Watersheds for TDML Applications. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 98:201-223.

DeWalle, D. R.; Edwards, P. J.; Swistock, B. R.; Aravena, R.; Drimmie, R. J. 1997. Seasonal Isotope Hydrology of Three Appalachian Forest Catchments. Hydrological Processes 11:1895-1906.

Kochenderfer, James N.; Edwards, Pamela J.; Wood, Frederica. 1997. Hydrologic impacts of Logging an Appalachian Watershed using West Virginia's Best Managements Practices. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 14(4):207-218.

Hornbeck, J. W.; Adams, M. B.; Corbett, E. S.; Verry, E. S.; Lynch, J. A. 1995. A Summary of Water Yield Experiments on Hardwood Forested Watersheds in Northeastern U.S. In: Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Fosbroke, Sandra L.C., eds. Proceedings, 10th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. 1995 March 5-8; Morgantown, WV. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. General Technical Report NE-197:282-295.

Edwards, Pamela J.; Helvey, J. David. 1991. Long-term Ionic Increases from a Central Appalchian Forested Watershed. Journal of Environmental Quality 20:250-255.

Edwards, Pamela J.; Kochenderfer, James N.; Seegrist, Donald W. 1991.  Effects of Forest Fertilization on Stream Water Chemistry in the Appalachians. Water Resources Bulletin 27(2):265-274.

Kochenderfer, James N.; Edwards, Pamela J. 1991. Effectiveness of three Streamside Management Practices in the Central Appalachians. In: Coleman, Sandra S; Neary, Daniel G., comps., eds. Proceedings, Sixth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference. 1990 Oct.30-Nov. 1; Memphis, TN. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. General Technical Report SE-70 Volume 1:688-700.

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Mary Beth Adams, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station - Supervisory Soil Scientist
• Pamela J. Edwards, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station - Research Hydrologist

Research Partners

• John Campbell, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station - Research Ecologist
• Kelly Elder, US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station
• Tom Lisle, US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
• Jim Vose, US Forest Service, Southern Research Station
• Fred Swanson, US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
• Dave DeWalle, Penn State University (emeritus).
• Stephen Schoenholtz, Virginia Tech
• Karl Williard, Southern Illinois University
• Nicolas Zegre, West Virginia University
• Shikha Sharma, West Virginia University