The North Coast Regional Water Quality Board established an Independent Scientific Review Panel to investigate the links between timber harvest activities, water quality and flood impacts in several watersheds in Humboldt County. As a member of the Panel, PWA's Dr. Andy Collison helped to review scientific evidence, conduct interviews with stakeholders and carry out field visits that investigated the geomorphic and hydrologic consequences of timber harvesting, road construction and decommissioning and Best Management Practices (BMPs).

The project demanded scientifically rigorous and objective reviews that synthesized information on meteorology, forest and watershed hydrology, landslides and soil erosion, sediment transport and deposition and fluvial geomorphology. The conflicting demands of various stakeholder groups, such as loggers, residents, environmental interests and state agencies, proved to be a challenging aspect of the project. The final report outlined a strategy for calculating future sustainable harvest rates, reduced flood hazards and water quality impairments due to sediment deposition and restoration of the impacted river and floodplain areas.