Change in yield of water following a bushfire in a forest of eucalyptus regnans

Forest ecohydrological research in the 21st century: what are the critical needs?

“…These responses may persist several years after fires. Langford (1976) and Kuczera (1987) investigated long-term water yield responses from Eucalyptus regnans forests in Victoria, Australia and showed that water yield gradually declined to a minimum after about 27 years as stands regenerate following fire and increased again as the stands age. Models predicting changes in water yield with forest age for mountain ash, mixed species, and snow gum forest types estimate that the difference in water yield between fire and nofire scenarios is C13% of the mean annual flow for the River Murray (Watson et al, 1999;Murray-Darling Basin Commission, 2007).…”

The effects of bushfires on hydrological processes using a paired-catchment analysis

“…6. The change in averaged streamflow and precipitation using the total number of years to calculate the average observations reported by a number of researchers (Langford, 1976;Helvey, 1980;Cornish and Vetessy, 2001).…”

“…With long-term fire data from 1949 to 1994 in southern California, Loaiciga et al (2001) also found the signal of annual streamflow increase up to 20-30% in fire-impacted water years (with 3 year carryover effect) relative to non-fire years. A group from Melbourne, Australia (Langford, 1976;Kuczera, 1987;Cornish and Vertessy, 2001;Watson et al, 2001) showed that fire in Eucalyptus forest was followed by a 2-3 year increase in streamflow, then decreases in streamflow over the following one to two decades when re-growth was established. They pointed out that a difference in transpiration is the most likely cause in the mature forest consuming less water than the re-growth forest.…”

“…When the control and treated parts of the catchment are calibrated against each other using several years of data before and following fire, the catchment response to the fire can be evaluated. There are many documented studies using this method (e.g., Langford, 1976;Helvey, 1980;Homes and Wronski, 1982;Kuczera, 1987;Cornish and Vertessy, 2001;Loaiciga et al, 2001;Roberts et al, 2001;Townsend and Douglas, 2000;Watson et al, 2001) employing techniques of analysis such as double-mass curve, flow duration curve, statistical regression and others. On the other hand, paired-catchment analysis must be used with discretion.…”

Forestry and Water Conservation in South Africa: History, Science and Policy

“…51 Yet he told Adams that he 'should certainly not raise any objection' if Adams saw it as a sufficiently important issue to appoint a conservator specifically for the colony. 52 Milner recommended that Adams invite Hutchins to write an interim report on the colony. 53 Milner's recommendation was based on his own decision to invite Hutchins to the Transvaal.…”