Abstract
Run-off is generated at logyards at sawmills and dryland sorts when mobile water interacts with woody debris. Logyard run-off can contain a range of constituents with the potential to have an adverse impact on the receiving environment. Many geoclimatic, operational and physical factors contribute to the volume and characteristics of run-off, and a management tool to predict relative environmental risk from different sites would be of value. In this study, we attempted to develop such a tool. A survey was devised and distributed to logyard operators in British Columbia. The survey provided information on site characteristics, volumes and types of wood processed, operational practices, the incidence of run-off, run-off treatment practices, as well as the ultimate receiving environment. Qualitative and quantitative data from the survey were subjected to statistical analyses to: (1) determine the factors that contributed to risk; (2) assign relative risk ratings to each site; and (3) rank facilities according to their potential to impact the receiving environment. Multidiscriminant analysis was used to determine which factors were correlated to environmental risk posed by run-off. Eighty-nine percent (64/72) of the facilities had visible run-off. Sixty-six percent (42/64) of the facilities fell into the high risk category with the remaining 34% (22/64) being low risk. In order of importance, volume of wood stored onsite (largest contribution), frequency of run-off events and colour intensity of run-off (smallest contribution) were factors that significantly contributed to risk and were correlated positively. The methods employed in this study could be applied as management tools to identify sites for further assessment and evaluate the need for remediation. Key words: wood leachate, run-off, logyard, dryland sort, environmental impact, toxic, remediation
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.