1. Pre-harvest Planning BMPs (continued)

All of these activities can move too much sediment into the forest streams and degrade water quality. Excessive runoff and sediment loads can increase filtering costs for drinking water systems and increase flood potential. Fish eggs laid in stream gravels can become buried in fine sediment and suffocate. Poorly planned timber harvest can destroy natural stream cover, raise water temperature, harm fish and degrade other wildlife habitat. Careful planning can help reduce the potential for nonpoint source pollution and help identify any potentially sensitive areas. A pre-harvest or forest management plan should be developed prior to any site work.