The Alaska Forest Research Center,-^ began a program of research in 

 1%9 to determine the physical effects of logging on salmon streams. 

 The principal objective of the study is to determine whether logging 

 by Forest Service standards4/ resiilts in damage to the spavming facil- 

 ities of salmon streams. The project is carried on as a part of the 

 forest management program and wiU assess only the physical changes 

 which occur. The biological aspects will be analyzed by trained 

 fisheries biologists. This report presents a summary of the results 

 of research for the first five-year period. 



Four streams were selected in 1%9 for long-term study. No cutting 

 had previously been made on any of the adjacent watersheds. These 

 streams, selected because they are representative of small- to medium- 

 size island streams, are located in the Kasaan Bay area, Prince of 

 Wales Island, 



The study is divided into two main parts: (l) collection of quanti- 

 tative information on the type and extent of physical change which 

 takes place in these streams prior to logging, and (2) quantitative 

 change following logging. Two watersheds will be logged; two will 

 not be logged. It will be noted that Old Tom Creek is referred to 

 only occasionally in this summary. This is because a satisfactory 

 rating curve has not yet been developed for Old Tom and consequently 

 discharge in second-feet cannot be shown, 



Precimtation. soils and run-off 



Precipitation is generally heavy in Southeast Alaska and is well 

 distributed throughout the growing season. The least amount of rain- 

 fall occurs during the months of May, June and JvHy, and ranges from 

 10 to 15 percent of the annual. No pronounced summer drought occurs. 

 Streams of the Alexander Archipelago and of the mainland have 

 typically short drainages which empty into salt water. The watersheds, 

 which are generally small, have soils with thin, poorly developed 

 mineral horizons, and deep unincorporated organic layers. Many muskegs, 

 consisting of deep, poorly deccanposed and waterlogged organic materials, 

 are found in the drainage area. The prevalence of large quantities of 

 organic matter in these soils is conducive to high water holding 

 capacity. The impermeable nature of underlying materials, steep slopes, 

 and general shallowness of the soils, however, severely limit ground- 

 water storage. In addition, soils are usxoally near saturation in 

 this region of high precipitation. Runoff, consequently, is generally 

 rapid, except in streams vrtiich head in lakes, and streams are fre- 

 quently reduced from maximum to minimxm flow within a short period of 

 time after rainfall stops, 



2/ Cooperating agencies include the U, So Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 the Fisheries Research Institute, the Water Resources Division of 

 the U, S, Geological Survey, and the U, S, Weather Bureau, 



4/ The Alaska Region of the U, S, Forest Service has long incorporated 

 certain standard provisions in timber sale contracts and agreements 

 for protecting salmon streams. Adequate safeguards are included in 

 the logging plan to protect the spawning beds from damage. Pro- 

 tective claiises prohibit roading or yarding timber down stream beds, 

 felling timber or leaving logging debris in stream channels, divert- 

 ing streams, and others. These clauses, in most cases, are drawn up 

 to deal with individual sitiiations, 

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