Jonathan W. Long C, Research Ecologist
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, California, USA
This study evaluated the effects of forest roads on soil erosion following a wildfire in a forest using GIS technology and a watershed soil erosion model. We found that roads could alter flow paths and reroute sediment, leading to deposition and reducing soil loss in a burned forest. WEPP-predicted sediment deposition on road surfaces and in sediment basins were similar to measured deposition.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Running Title: Effect of Roads on Erosion after a Fire