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Comparisons of sediment losses from a newly constructed cross-country natural gas pipeline and an existing in-road pipeline

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Sediment loads were measured for about one year from natural gas pipelines in two studies in north central West Virginia. One study involved a 1-year-old pipeline buried within the bed of a 25-year-old skid road, and the other involved a newly constructed cross-country pipeline. Both pipelines were the same diameter and were installed using similar trenching and backfilling techniques. Erosion was measured from both pipelines at the outfall of waterbars, and sediment losses were expressed on a per area basis to compare the pipeline segments. Average sediment yields per sampling period (i.e., generally individual storm events) were a magnitude larger from the pipeline installed in the skid road than from the cross-country pipeline. Compaction and poor vegetation establishment on the skid road pipeline appear to have resulted in excessive runoff and elevated soil losses, even though the skid road segments were less steep and shorter than the cross-country pipeline segments. Reducing compaction to encourage infiltration and successful vegetation establishment is essential for controlling sediment losses, regardless of the land management activity or type of disturbance.

Parent Publication

Citation

Edwards, Pamela J.; Harrison, Bridget M.; Holz, Daniel J.; Williard, Karl W.J.; Schoonover, Jon E. 2014. Comparisons of sediment losses from a newly constructed cross-country natural gas pipeline and an existing in-road pipeline. In: Groninger, John W.; Holzmueller, Eric J.; Nielsen, Clayton K.; Dey, Daniel C., eds. Proceedings, 19th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2014 March 10-12; Carbondale, IL. General Technical Report NRS-P-142. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 271-281.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/47433