Hydrological response to thinning a small jarrah ( Eucalyptus marginata) forest catchment

Abstract

The jarrah ( Eucalyptus marginata) forest on a small catchment was thinned early in 1983 to study the effect on catchment hydrology. The thinning reduced canopy cover, basal area and stocking about two-thirds. Rainfall during the pre and post-treatment periods was 21% and 10%, respectively, below the long-term average. Streamflow increased from 0.5% of rainfall (4.3 mm) before thinning to 7.6% of rainfall (90 mm) 9 years after thinning. Streamflow duration increased, with the largest increases in streamflow in the wet winter months of June-October. The deep groundwater level at a midslope location increased by 8 m and at a valley location by 4 m in the 8 years after thinning. There was no indication of a new equilibrium being reached for either streamflow or groundwater, thus further increases in streamflow and groundwater level are likely.