Hydronomic Analysis of Forest Management Alternatives for Environmental Quality: A Case Study of Itasca County

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to develop a methodology that integrates water use and environmental quality parameters into an economic system to evaluate forest management alternatives. The input-output technique was the general methodology used for integrating water use. Direct and direct-plus-indirect water use coefficients (total withdrawn and consumptive) were determined for each of the 34 economic sectors in Itasca County, Minnesota. An example was developed from the harvesting alternatives of clearcutting, strip cuts, and selection cuts. A zero water use coefficient was used for timber production, under water surplus conditions, and the water required was 44 million gallons. This value was low in relation to the increased water yield. Under assumed water scarcity situations, the water use coefficient was 175,560 gallons/dollar of output for timber production, and the water required became 16.2 billion gallons which was much greater than the increased water yield.