The hydrology of small forested catchments in North-eastern Victoria.  2. Hydrological features of the Cropper Creek Project Area.  L. J. Bren, C. J. Leitch and D. W. Flinn.  September 1983.  34 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

The Cropper Creek Hydrologic Project commenced in 1975 to determine the effects of clearing native forest and establishing Pinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine) plantations on water yield, peak flows, physical water quality, sediment movement, nutrient cycling and stream temperature. In December 1979, the vegetation of one of the three experimental catchments (Clem) was converted from native forest to P. radiata. This report presents rainfall and streamflow data for the five year period, 1975-1979, before Clem catchment was treated.

During the pre-treatment period, streamflows were found to vary by two orders of magnitude between seasons and peak flows each year varied by one order of magnitude. Flows in both the Project Area and the Buffalo River catchment appeared to be significantly affected by sub-surface flow; this probably explains the flow in one of the experimental catchments, Clem, being perennial whereas the other two were ephemeral, despite the area of one of these catchments being 2.5 times that of Clem. Comparisons of runoff between the streams in the Project Area and nearby rivers indicate that flows are diminished by around 25% due to sub-surface flow into the Murray Groundwater Basin.

Also published:

Research Branch and Myrtleford Forest District. (1984)  Hydrology and weed control in the Cropper Creek radiata pine plantation.  Notes for field day, 1 November 1984, State For. and Lands Service, 28 pp.