Objectives:

• To establish relationships between snowpack water equivalents during snow accumulation and melt periods on slopes above Thickett Creek, Gurn Brook and Gurn Spring and to determine how these relationships are changed following logging;
• To establish relationships between discharges during high flows and low flows on Thickett Creek, Gurn Brook and Gurn Spring to determine whether these relationships are changed following logging;
• To establish relationships between snow ablation and discharge during high flows to determine whether these relationships are changed following logging;
• Two additional secondary objectives were also included in the original study plan;
  • To determine short-term impacts of new road construction on sediment levels; and
  • To document any seepage interception and diversion resulting from new road construction.

Experimental Design:

• This paired watershed study uses very small streams. The catchment area of the watersheds do not have distinct boundaries. Measurements include monitoring of the three streams to determine water quantity and timing. Additionally the snowpack is measured on two transects at different elevations in the drainage area of the streams.
• The analysis approach is the time series technique. It is an analysis technique that allows us to analyze the fine structure of a hydrological time series and determine the effects of intervention on that time series.

History:

The study was initiated in 1986. Treatment can take place at any time, however, harvesting has been delayed due to opposition by local water users. Data collection, in cooperation with Slocan Forest Products,  has continued annually to 2001. In addition, piezometers were installed in 2001 throughout the watershed.

Status: Active

Reports and Publications:

Salway, A.A. 1993. Time series analysis of discharge and snow water equivalent data. Thickett Slope, 1988-1992, Calibration Phase. Unpubl. Progress Report. B.C. Min. For., Nelson, B.C.

Salway, A.A. 1988. Ringrose slope - Hydrological research project. 1986-1988. Unpubl. Progress Report. B.C. Min. For., Nelson, B.C.

Toews, D. and Mike Curran., 1992. A review of planning procedures and water protection issues for Ringrose slope. Unpublished report, Ministry of Forests, Nelson, 22 pages.