EFFECTS OF FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON WATER CHEMISTRY

Forest management can affect the water quality and chemistry of streams found in the watershed. Here, we analyze water chemistry data from the Fernow Experimental Forest located in the Allegheny Mountain Section of West Virginia to detect these changes in water chemistry. Samples were collected weekly from January 2023 – May 2024 from three stands: a control, a stand clearcut and converted to Picea abies (Norway Spruce), and a new growth stand of deciduous Appalachian hardwoods. Samples were analyzed for pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), conductivity, and dissolved Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, SO₄^2-, and NO₃^-. Ionic concentrations ranged from 0.30 to 2.10 mg/L, except for SO₄²⁻, which ranged from 3.46 to 6.50 mg/L, and NO₃⁻ in the Picea abies stand, which ranged only from 0.02 to 0.29 mg/L. A Loess regression with an alpha value of 0.05 suggests statistically significant differences between the three watersheds, with some of the strongest being found in conductivity, Ca²⁺ concentration, and SO₄^2- concentration. DOC, pH, and the concentrations of Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, and NO₃^- were also significantly different between at least two of the different watersheds. A PCA suggests strong evidence that the water chemistry in the Picea abies stand and new growth stand watersheds are much more similar to each other than to the control watershed stand. Preliminary analyses of long-term surface water temperatures, groundwater temperatures, and adjacent watershed chemistry indicate some geological control on watershed chemistry as well. These results underscore the need for a multi-disciplinary approach when quantifying the effects of forestry management practices on water quality.