a more
3
Research-based Principles Guiding Watershed Management
The purpose of this section is to identify various principles of watershed management that form the basis for the specific goals and implementation objectives for management of the Sudbury watershed lands during the period covered by the plan. These principles are distilled from a literature review of nearly 400 different sources, many of which are included in the Literature Cited listing at the back of this plan. 3.1
Principles of Watershed Protection
•
Forested watersheds generally yield higher quality water than non-forested cover types. Urban, suburban and agricultural land uses all contribute in some way to lowered water quality.
•
Uncontrolled human activities on water supply watersheds represent a major source of potential contamination. Efficient and effective water quality protection on both filtered and unfiltered water supplies requires control over human activities.
•
Watershed cover conditions differ in their regulation of certain nutrients (especially phosphorus and nitrogen); the best regulation of nutrients is provided by vigorously growing forest that is fully occupying all watershed sites.
•
Fire protection, police surveillance, water sampling, and other watershed management activities, including forest management, all depend upon an adequate, well-maintained road system.
•
The proper management and protection of wetland and riparian zones is a critical component of watershed protection.
3.2
Principles of Watershed Forest Management: General
•
Watershed forests can be managed in a way that provides significant benefits to long-term water quality protection, while minimizing adverse impacts during management operations.
•
Potential negative tributary water quality effects (including turbidity, nutrients, and streamwater temperature) resulting from forest management can be minimized or eliminated with proper road
location
Research-based Principles Guiding Watershed Management
The purpose of this section is to identify various principles of watershed management that form the basis for the specific goals and implementation objectives for management of the Sudbury watershed lands during the period covered by the plan. These principles are distilled from a literature review of nearly 400 different sources, many of which are included in the Literature Cited listing at the back of this plan. 3.1
Principles of Watershed Protection
•
Forested watersheds generally yield higher quality water than non-forested cover types. Urban, suburban and agricultural land uses all contribute in some way to lowered water quality.
•
Uncontrolled human activities on water supply watersheds represent a major source of potential contamination. Efficient and effective water quality protection on both filtered and unfiltered water supplies requires control over human activities.
•
Watershed cover conditions differ in their regulation of certain nutrients (especially phosphorus and nitrogen); the best regulation of nutrients is provided by vigorously growing forest that is fully occupying all watershed sites.
•
Fire protection, police surveillance, water sampling, and other watershed management activities, including forest management, all depend upon an adequate, well-maintained road system.
•
The proper management and protection of wetland and riparian zones is a critical component of watershed protection.
3.2
Principles of Watershed Forest Management: General
•
Watershed forests can be managed in a way that provides significant benefits to long-term water quality protection, while minimizing adverse impacts during management operations.
•
Potential negative tributary water quality effects (including turbidity, nutrients, and streamwater temperature) resulting from forest management can be minimized or eliminated with proper road
location
Cited: influence the water yields from naturally-managed forests. Eschner and Satterlund (1965) studied a 491 square-mile watershed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York from 1912-1962