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Welcome to the Virginia Department Of Forestry

Monitoring Water Quality

Photo: Forest stream.

In Virginia, loggers are required to protect water quality, and the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) created Best Management Practices (BMPs) as guidelines for proper timber harvesting. To ensure voluntary compliance with these guidelines, the VDOF began conducting Best Management Practice Field Audits in 1993. Conducted twice a year, the field audits provide a useful tool in gauging status of Virginia's water resource. Summary reports of the field audits are available below in PDF format.

Best Management Practice (BMP) Effort, Implementation, and Effectiveness Field Audit

The field audit serves three purposes:

  1. to identify current levels of effort in attempting to use BMPs, whether or not BMPs meet technical specifications,
  2. to identify current levels of BMP implementation as compared to the technical BMP implementation standards documented in the VDOF BMP handbook.
  3. to identify effectiveness levels for BMPs that have been implemented to VDOF standards.

The Field Audit Process

Timber harvest sites are inspected by VDOF personnel or industry cooperators. From a list of these inspected sites, a total of 30 timber harvests are randomly selected. Sites must have been inspected during the six months prior to the audit date.

Using the list of 30 harvest sites, the Field Audit Team members divide into groups and travel to a timber harvest location. As part of the inspection, team members identify current levels of

BMP effort

Effort measures the attempt to use best management practices. The question asked is: "Has an effort been made to use best management practices regardless of VDOF technical specifications (yes or no)?" Read the BMP Effort Trend Analysis. (English; PDF format)

BMP implementation

Implementation measures the attempt to implement best management practices to the standards described in VDOF technical guidance. The question asked is: "Were all necessary best management practices applied to technical specifications as expressed in the VDOF best management practice manual (yes or no)?" Read the BMP Implementation Trend Analysis. (English; PDF format)

BMP effectiveness

Effectiveness measures whether BMPs that meet technical specifications have been fully effective. Questions asked include: "Does sedimentation from surface runoff exist now because technical specifications have not been effective?" and "Does the potential exist for sediment from surface runoff to develop because technical specifications have not been effective?"

Data answering these questions are collected and recorded at each site using a standardized BMP Effort, Implementation, and Effectiveness Audit Sheet. The audit sheets are the basis for the Field Survey Summary Reports.

Best Management Practices Audit Reports

2007

2006

BMP Quarterly Review: Measured Statistics

2005

2004

2000-2003

Ten-Year

Last modified: Tuesday, 03-Feb-2009 14:54:03 EST