Water Quality Changes after a Fire at Stengl Lost Pines

Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station in Bastrop, Texas is a critical region for studying pine-oak forests and water quality. Water quality at this research station has not been analyzed, so this study will be novel and impactful for research and conservation. After a recent forest fire in 2022, the forest suffered varying burns, leading to varying levels of damage. The severity of the damages will likely impact the water quality differently. By studying two ponds and a creek within this forest station over a year, I aimed to analyze forest recovery after a severe disturbance event from a water-quality lens. I looked at water quality over time to determine how water quality changes after a forest fire. The parameters that I tested are: phosphate levels, nitrate levels, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and water temperature. Studying these parameters gives an idea of the short term water quality over time. I found that the pH was consistently more basic after the fire. I also found that the total dissolved solids and conductivity both tended to increase after the fire. Lastly, I did not obtain enough consistent data to find any trends with Nitrate and Phosphate levels. Overall, this fire deeply impacted Stengl Lost Pines and its forest structure, forest succession, and water quality.College of Natural Science