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Emergency Erosion Stabilization at White Wolf Meadow 2527 Post 2021 Lukens Fire
Yosemite National Park » Emergency Erosion Stabilization at White Wolf Meadow 2527 Post 2021 Lukens Fire » Document List
This project proposes to implement emergency meadow soil and streambank erosional hardening features in meadow ID 2527 at White Wolf following the 2021 Lukens Fire. Hardening measures using primarily onsite materials include:
1.) Construction of a crib-wall log feature approximately 4 feet high by 4 feet wide and 6 feet long at one pond site mid-meadow where deep meadow soils burned. This crib wall feature using logs cut from downed trees in the meadow 6-10" (dbh) will ensure a pond in the meadow will not fail from shear stress from hydraulic pressure exerted on a weakened (burned) side wall where the crib wall feature will be placed by hand and partially embedded in the soil.
2.) Stabilization of the main perennial stream channel mid meadow where a headcut has newly formed from deeply burned soils and toppled uprooted trees at risk of further erosion from higher water flows. Approximately 12 -24, 4-foot wooden (1" x 2" cedar) stakes will be staked in the center and just upstream of the headcut to act as slash anchor points, Slash generated from cut logs used in the crib wall feature will be strategically placed around the anchored stakes to act as erosion control and water velocity dissipaters to slow erosion. Additionally, willow cuts will be taken from within the meadow and plugged into areas between the stakes and slash to further stabilize and slow the headcut.
3.) Lastly, soil plugs and sod may be collected from within vegetated unburned areas within the meadow boundary and placed into bare (i.e., burned) areas of the meadow.
All remaining burned areas within the meadow will be monitored by establishing 1m x 1m plots (using PVC and corner markers - e.g., rebar with caps) and photo point monitoring to monitor natural regeneration of vegetation and succession in the meadow. The main headcut will also be delineated with markers to track the erosion or stabilization of the feature. All three-emergency erosional hardening features should be expected to take one week to construct. All future meadow monitoring should be expected to last at least the next 3-5 years and likely beyond.
1.) Construction of a crib-wall log feature approximately 4 feet high by 4 feet wide and 6 feet long at one pond site mid-meadow where deep meadow soils burned. This crib wall feature using logs cut from downed trees in the meadow 6-10" (dbh) will ensure a pond in the meadow will not fail from shear stress from hydraulic pressure exerted on a weakened (burned) side wall where the crib wall feature will be placed by hand and partially embedded in the soil.
2.) Stabilization of the main perennial stream channel mid meadow where a headcut has newly formed from deeply burned soils and toppled uprooted trees at risk of further erosion from higher water flows. Approximately 12 -24, 4-foot wooden (1" x 2" cedar) stakes will be staked in the center and just upstream of the headcut to act as slash anchor points, Slash generated from cut logs used in the crib wall feature will be strategically placed around the anchored stakes to act as erosion control and water velocity dissipaters to slow erosion. Additionally, willow cuts will be taken from within the meadow and plugged into areas between the stakes and slash to further stabilize and slow the headcut.
3.) Lastly, soil plugs and sod may be collected from within vegetated unburned areas within the meadow boundary and placed into bare (i.e., burned) areas of the meadow.
All remaining burned areas within the meadow will be monitored by establishing 1m x 1m plots (using PVC and corner markers - e.g., rebar with caps) and photo point monitoring to monitor natural regeneration of vegetation and succession in the meadow. The main headcut will also be delineated with markers to track the erosion or stabilization of the feature. All three-emergency erosional hardening features should be expected to take one week to construct. All future meadow monitoring should be expected to last at least the next 3-5 years and likely beyond.