Post-Fire Watershed Response; Snow-Talon Fire, Montana

Reduction of vegetation and the presence of water-repellent soils following fire can change the flow of water by reducing the stability of the soil and thus increasing the likelihood of erosion and mass failure. This loss of soil can cause issues for water contamination, increased stream sedimentation, debris flows and property damage.

To mitigate potential problems after fire, commonly a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team will be assigned to the area. This project assesses what areas are a priority based on factors which may include burn severity, slope, and soil type. This project modeling effort will save time in determining specific areas within the fire perimeter to be treated to help limit the damaging effects of runoff on soil erosion and sediment impulses to streams.

Principal Investigator: Eric Tangedahl