Forest Hydrological Research at the Cathedral Peak Research Station

Summary The Cathedral Peak Forest Influences Research Station was established in Natal in 1938 to determine the effect of exotic conifer plantations on water supplies. The major investigation is the planting to within one chain of any streams, of six catchments with Pinus patula at eight year intervals. One catchment is to be protected from burning and grazing for an indefinite period to determine the trend of plant succession and the effect on water supplies of the various stages of the succession. An eighth catchment is to be grazed intermittently for five years followed by complete aforestation. The ninth catchment is to be completely planted to Pinus patula and no margins will be left open next to streams. Discharge from all experimental catchments is continuously recorded by means of clockwork instruments. The situation, topography, geology, soils, vegetation and climate of the area are described and mention is made of the nature of the streams and the more important characteristics of the catchments. The technique favoured is that of “whole catchment research” whereby streamflow variables from comparable catchments are correlated. Subsidiary investigations planned to elucidate special hydrological processes such as infiltration, evaporation-transpiration losses and inter-ception will be undertaken. The results of experiments conducted at Cathedral Peak will determine to what extent plantations of exotic conifers in the summer rainfall area of the Union influence water supplies.