Water Quality
Oklahoma Forestry Services’ general approach to the development and implementation of Best Management Practice Guideline (Linked to pdf file) is one of education, technical assistance and cooperation. Protection of forest water quality is the responsibility of the landowner, the logger, the land manager, and all others applying practices or using the forest. Through sound and consistent application of Forestry BMP Guidelines, Oklahoma can avoid a costly regulatory program that relies on permits and inspections.
The BMPs lay out a framework of sound stewardship practices that, when consistently applied, will contribute positively to maintaining a high degree of forest water quality. These BMPs are not intended to be all-inclusive. Rational and objective on-site judgment must be applied to insure that water quality standards are maintained.
The most important guidance these BMPs can offer the forestry community is to think and plan before you act. Adequate forethought will pay off in two ways: to avoid unnecessary site disturbance or damage in the first place and to minimize the expense of stabilizing or restoring unavoidable disturbances when the operation is finished.
Contact OFS for help with the implementation of Best Management Practices.
My Water
Do you know which watershed you are in? Where your water comes from? How forests play a role in your water? Is your watershed threaten by development, fire, insects, or disease?
Find out at the US Forest Service’s Forests to Faucets Website
Water Quality and Best Management Practices Publications:
- Water/Forest Relationship Infographic
- Water/Forest Relationship video series
- Southern State and Private Forest Water Supply Publication
- Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality Management in Oklahoma
- Best Management Practices for Forest Road Construction and Harvesting Operations in Oklahoma
- OFS Report: Implementation of Forestry Best Management Practices in Eastern Oklahoma, 2010
OFS Forestry Notes Series – Forestry Practices for Water Quality:
- OFS Forestry Note: A Handy Gauge for Forest and Farm Road Construction Measurements
- OFS Forestry Note: Introduction to Road Stream Crossings
- OFS Forestry Note: How to Install a Forestry Road Culvert
- OFS Forestry Note: Stabilizing Gully Walls and Bottoms with Deflectors and Trees
- OFS Forestry Note: Low-Cost Gully Control Using Fiber Mat and Trees
- OFS Forestry Note: Constructing Small Rocked Fords on Forest and Farm Roads
- OFS Forestry Note: Designing and Constructing Large Rocked Fords on Forest Streams
- OFS Forestry Note: Side-Gully Control Using Trees, Hand Labor, Rock and Other Materials