US EditionClear-cutting forests linked to 18-fold increase in frequency and size of floods
ONTARIO, CANADA, JUL 17 – The study shows clear-cutting causes long-lasting flood increases, with flood frequency rising up to 18 times and average flood sizes growing by 47%, researchers said.
- A study published on 17 July 2025 by scientists from the University of British Columbia found that clear-cutting forests significantly increases both the frequency and magnitude of floods in North Carolina watersheds.
- The study analyzed two nearby watersheds logged in the late 1950s and found that differences in slope direction affect flood responses, with north-facing slopes retaining more moisture.
- Flood frequency in the north-facing watershed rose between four and 18 times, with average flood sizes increasing by 47% and the largest floods more than doubling, whereas the south-facing watershed experienced little to no change.
- Lead author Dr. Younes Alila highlighted that the findings provide strong support for the need to improve analytical approaches, stressing that the effects of logging vary depending on the location, method, and specific conditions under which forests are harvested.
- The findings imply that forest management must consider landscape-specific factors to reduce long-term flood risks and that these models can help predict vulnerable areas in regions like British Columbia.
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Clear-cutting linked to 18-fold rise in extreme floods, UBC study finds - Scientific Inquirer
Clear-cutting can make catastrophic floods 18 times more frequent with effects lasting more than 40 years, according to a new UBC study. In one watershed, these extreme floods also became more than twice as large, turning a once-in-70-years event into something that now happens every nine. “This research challenges conventional thinking about forest management’s impact on flooding,” said senior author Dr. Younes Alila, a hydrologist in the UBC f…
municipalinfonet.com
Education News CanadaUniversity of British Columbia - Clear-cutting linked to 18-fold rise in extreme floods, UBC study finds
Clear-cutting can make catastrophic floods 18 times more frequent with effects lasting more than 40 years, according to a new UBC study.In one watershed, these extreme floods also became more than. . .
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