Continuous streamflow data have been collected over varying periods of record in eight first to second-order watersheds, one third-order watershed, and the fifth-order watershed in the H. J. Andrews. Watersheds 1, 2, and 3 comprise a low-elevation (442 m to 1082 m) set of experimental basins with Watershed 2 serving as the control. Watersheds 6, 7, and 8 comprise a high-elevation (863 m to 1190 m) set of experimental basins with Watershed 8 as the control. Watersheds 9 and 10 are a low-elevation pair of small watersheds with Watershed 9 as the control. Mack Creek is a control basin and has not been harvested. The gauged portion of 5th-order Lookout Creek comprises nearly all of the Andrews Forest.
The watersheds originally supported a mixed conifer forest containing approximately 50,000 board feet per acre (440 m 3 /ha). Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl.) Lindl.), incense-cedar (Libocedrus decurrens Torr.), and sugar pine (Pinus Zambertiana Dougl.) predominated in the old growth. Occasional ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) and western hemlocks (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) were also present. Occupying adjacent drainages, the four watersheds comprise 171, 169, 123, and 120 acres (69.2, 68.2, 49.8 and 48.6 ha). These Coyote Creek watersheds are referred to as GSCC01 , GSCC02, GSCC03 and GSCC04 (control).
The three headwater tributaries of the Alsea River are Deer Creek, Flynn Creek and Needle Branch located in Lincoln County, approximately 16 kilometers south of Toledo, Oregon. All three streams eventually flow into Drift Creek and ultimately into the Alsea Bay. Mean precipitation was reported as 244 cm per year over the pre-logging period, 1959-1965. Generally, 100-year-old Douglas-fir was the principal commercial species red alder as the important hardwood.
The Bull Run watersheds, which are designated Fox Creek 1 (FC-1), Fox Creek 2 (FC-2), and Fox Creek 3 (FC-3), are 59 ha, 253 ha, and 71 ha in size. Sideslope gradients of the watersheds average only 5-9 percent but range up to 60 percent near the watersheds' outlets. The relatively gentle topography is representative of perhaps 25-30 percent of the Bull Run Municipal Watershed. Elevation ranges from 840 m to 1070 m.
