Book Description

Two hydrologic models were adapted to estimate postfire changer in water yield in Pacific Northwest watersheds. The WRENSS version of the simulation model PROSPER is used for hydrologic regimes dominated by rainfall: it calculates water available for streamflow onthe basis of seasonal precipitation and leaf area index. The WRENSS version of the simulation model WATBAL is used for hydrologic regimes dominated by snowfall; it calculates water available for streamflow based on seasonal precipitation, energy aspect and cover density. The PROSPER and WATBAL models estimate large postfire increases in water available for streamflow only for fires that have removed more than 50 percent of the leaf area are cover density, respectively. Guidelines for selecting appropriate models, and tables and figures for calculating postfire water yield are presented. This simulation approach should be useful for estimating long-term effects of fire on water production within the framework of land management planning.