At the University of Melbourne, Pat Lane and the team have been
working hard on field work and data analysis on a number of fronts.
In the next issue they have promised to provide some detailed
results on the effects of prescribed fire and thinning on water
outcomes.
The following is just a brief update on recent activity and
progress:
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Pat Lane and Gary Sheridan setting up erosion
measurement plots at the Longcorner Creek controlled burning
experiment
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The prescribed fire project
Data analysis from the catchment-scale experimental burn effect
on water quality is almost complete, and a paper is in preparation
to be submitted by the end of the year. Analysis of erosion
plot data for model development is also close to
completion.
The effect of thinning on water supply catchments
Sandra Hawthorne has been working hard through challenging
logistical and technical issues and is nearing the end of the field
component. She is also deep in data analysis of both
ground-based LAI data, LiDAR and Quickbird images, and streamflow
analysis. Some interesting results are beginning to emerge
and we look forward to the 'story' emerging in the next year.
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Ground based measurement of LAI
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Salvage logging and hydrology at Croppers Creek
This has also posed considerable challenges since the fire, with
a very dynamic erosion system causing multiple instrumentation
issues. Thanks to dedicated technical staff we have gotten on
top of these issues and are collecting high-quality data.
Hillslope erosion process experiments and catchment mapping are
underway or completed to provide model parameters. On the
water yield side, analyses of post-fire flows is soon to begin, and
modelling of pre-fire pine water use has been successfully
concluded and is soon to be submitted as a paper.
Mixed-species plantation water use efficiency
The work on mixed-species plantation water use efficiency by
David Forester has also been completed and almost written up.
