Monitoring the impacts and persistence of fine sediment in the Prairie Creek watershed: 1989-1998 [review draft]
Klein R. 1999. Monitoring the impacts and persistence of fine sediment in the Prairie Creek watershed: 1989-1998 [review draft]. Redwood National and State Parks. Arcata, CA
Excerpt from executive summary: "This report presents the results of nine years of monitoring physical stream processes and conditions in Prairie Creek, Humboldt County, California. In October, 1989, an early season rainfall event caused erosion from earth moving areas of the Prairie Creek Bypass highway construction project. In November, 1989, Redwood National Park and USFS, Redwood Sciences Lab, were contracted by Caltrans to conduct a biological and physical monitoring program. The objective was to evaluate the effects and persistence of fine sediment deposited in Prairie Creek and several tributaries from the October, 1989 storm. Detailed annual reports on monitoring results were prepared beginning in 1990. Findings from the physical monitoring components are summarized." The first five years of the study were dryer than average, whereas the last four years were unusually wet. It is important to view the results in this context. Results indicated that that the effects of the 1989 bypass erosion event were most likely gone as of WY1998. The effectiveness of monitoring methods are discussed.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Klein, Randy
- Date of Issue
- 1999-04-07
- Publisher
- Redwood National and State Parks
- Units
- REDW
- Keywords
- Construction, Erosion, Highway 101 Bypass, Human Impact, physical monitoring, Prairie Creek, Redds, Sediment, Storm, Watershed