Development of a hillslope model for predicting erosion and water quality impacts of wildfire in SE Australia

Abstract

Forest fire is known to lead to increases in sediment and nutrient yield from burnt catchments. A program of hillslope-scale field measurement was initiated following a severe forest wildfire in Victoria in 2003 to quantify the changes in site properties and erosion processes due to the fire. Experimental methods included rainfall simulation, overland flow studies, water repellence testing, concentrated flow erosion measurement, vegetation cover assessment, and ring infiltrometer measurements. (Graph Presented) The results from a series of 100 mm h-1 rainfall simulation experiments over a two year period are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, and indicate that; • there is a large natural season..