Water as an ecosystem service is of particular importance in the forests of the Sierra Nevada, where downstream agricultural, industrial, ecological, and domestic uses are of critical importance to economic, environmental, and public health. Research at the Center aims to determine how forest health, structure, and management influence water availability and quality. Examples of research questions include:
- What are the impacts of forest thinning on water yield, quality, and seasonal flow
- Snowpack, soil moisture, stream runoff, and evapotranspiration as they relate to forest health, structure, and management activities
- Changes in water flow and availability as a result of changing climate
- What are the ecological and financial values of forests and water as an ecosystem service?
Selected Publications:
Forests and Water in the Sierra Nevada: Sierra Nevada Watershed Ecosystem Enhancement Project
Full Citation: Bales, Roger C., John J. Battles, Yihsu Chen, Martha H. Conklin, Eric Holst, Kevin L. OHara, Philip Saksa, and William Stewart. 2011. Forests and Water in the Sierra Nevada: Sierra Nevada Watershed Ecosystem Enhancement Project. Report.