Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

The “Forest Management Hydrological Modeling Tool” ARD project will create a scientifically-sound, web-hosted hydrological modelling application for inter-provincial use in Alberta and BC by GIS foresters, forestry consultants & planners to investigate the cumulative effects of proposed forest development and climate change on hydrological indicators of concern in a watershed. Selkirk College will partner with the universities of British Columbia and Northern British Columbia; MacDonald Hydrological Consultants; the Foothills Research Institute of Alberta; forestry major Interfor; family-operated Kootenay region forestry companies Atco Wood Products and Kalesnikoff Lumber; and BC Timber Sales, a Crown Corporation, to produce: Process-based hydrological models for watersheds of the Monashee, Selkirk and Purcell ranges: to drive analysis of disturbance and climate change scenarios using hydro-climatic data and represent dominant hydrological processes across the study regions. A web-based watershed assessment tool: easily accessible by forestry professionals, professional hydrologists, and land managers to support watershed assessment and decision making at relevant spatial and temporal scales, enabling users to interactively evaluate cumulative effects of landscape disturbance (forest harvest plans) and climate change on key indicators. Industry Training: workshops with industry partners during application development and for training on the beta version web tool; an illustrated guide to describes model use/processes; courses for forest industry partners focused on the influence of land cover and climate impacts on watersheds to support risk management framework development. Contributions to Knowledge: publication of a technical report detailing hydrological modelling methods and initial findings; submission to a peer-reviewed journal demonstrating application of hydrological modelling platform to identify the physical characteristics of areas and/or watersheds of high hydrologic sensitivity to forest disturbance; and publication of a technical report and submission of a manuscript to peer-reviewed journal providing guidance on evaluating the hydrologic effects of forest disturbance. This approach supports risk-based forest management, allowing forestry managers and planners to quantify and minimize the likelihood of harmful hydrological or geomorphological impact to aquatic values at risk related to landcover and climate change.