Decision Memo - Elko Grade Improvement Project, Jarbidge Ranger District, Elko County, Nevada

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1 Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Ruby Mountains/Jarbidge Ranger Districts P. O. Box 246 Wells, NV File Code: 7730 Date: February 28, 2011 Route To: (7730) Subject: To: Decision Memo - Elko Grade Improvement Project, Jarbidge Ranger District, Elko County, Nevada Forest Supervisor Background The Charleston-Jarbidge Road (FSR 56748) provides important seasonal access to the town of Jarbidge and surrounding National Forest System lands. The northern portion of this road runs parallel to Bear Creek before descending to the West Fork of the Jarbidge River where the road ends near Bonanza Gulch. This section is often referred to as the Elko Grade. Figure 2 shows a Google-Earth view of the project area and identifies several key landmarks. Figure 2: Isometric view of the project area; looking uphill/upstream. JARBIDGE RIVER BEAR MEADOWS Project Project Project area; shown in yellow. The Elko Grade road segment was originally constructed as a full-bench cut with an in-sloped template orientation. Maintenance practice over the years has created a significantly tall outside berm as well as a deeply incised inside ditch. No drainage relief structures exist along the entire two-mile long road segment in question. During spring snowmelt and storm runoff events, the inside ditch collects all surface discharge from upslope areas as well as runoff from the road surface itself. Discharge volumes can at times exceed 15 cfs for durations of many days in the case of snowmelt runoff. During such events, sediment is mobilized and delivered to the Bear Creek and Jarbidge River drainages at points where failures develop in the outside berm. Significant sediment loss has occurred since the road was constructed due to maintenance practice and erosion during runoff events. Little surfacing material remains on the road surface as a result which impairs road maintenance and repair operations. The purpose of this project is to repair the drainage system along the targeted segment of the Charleston-Jarbidge road to America s Working Forests Caring Every Day in Every Way Printed on Recycled Paper

2 eliminate features that concentrate runoff and promote sediment delivery to Bear Creek and the Jarbidge River drainages. Proposed Action Project work will begin slightly north of the northern limit of Bear Creek Meadows and will continue for approximately two miles to the northeast to a point in the vicinity where the road descends through the 6,900-foot elevation contour. Construction activities will require the following work activities: 1. Removal of all hazard (dead) trees and some non-hazard (live) trees plus other vegetation in the ROW. Small diameter materials may be chipped and utilized as mulch for erosion prevention. Large diameter wood will be disposed of in a suitable manner. 2. Removal of the outside berm by shifting its location into the inside ditch. 3. Stabilization of the cut-slope by layback or other suitable methods. 4. Reorientation and shaping the road template into an out-sloped configuration. 5. Construction of rolling dips or installation of culverts at suitable intervals to provide for diversion of runoff should excess accumulation occur do to rutting and/or snowpack anomalies. 6. Disposal of excess soil and rock materials at existing materials borrow sites. Implementation will occur using Forest Service (force account) crews and equipment. Work will start as soon as the weather permits and is scheduled to be completed before July 1, Construction The construction sequence will be as follows: I. Timber removal a wood chipper will be used to mulch small vegetation; mulch will be disposed on-site adjacent to the road. Some limbwood/slash may be disposed of through pile burning under a project specific burn plan. Large timber will be harvested and disposed via one or more methods including firewood sale and/or onsite disposal as large woody debris left on the forest floor adjacent to the roadway. Timber to be hauled off-site for firewood or other use may require the use of a dump truck or a logging truck(s) equipped with a self-loader apparatus. If off-site disposal for firewood sale is determined to be the best use for the wood, the most likely site for disposal will be the Jarbidge town waste transfer site located 2 miles north of Jarbidge. II. Outside berm removal, filling of the inside ditch, and shaping of the cut-slope embankment will be accomplished during a single pass with an excavator. Outside berm and excess outside road template material will be relocated to the inside ditch where prescribed in the road log. Additional material from the cut-bank will be brought down as necessary to create a stable cut-bank surface and to develop adequate material for out-sloping the road surface. The cut-bank will be laid back at a 1:½ ratio where feasible and where cut-bank treatment is specified in the plans. III. A dozer and grader will move material as necessary to create an out-slope template orientation where prescribed and to provide feed material for the mobile rock crusher

3 after the template surface is properly established. All rolling dips required in the design will be constructed during this phase. IV. Two culverts required by the project will be installed with headwalls and tail-walls. Grade control structures will be added upstream of culvert inlets as necessary to prevent head-cutting (see notes in road log for detail). Each grade control structure will form the upstream boundary of the catchment basin at the culvert inlet. V. Traffic control measures, including full road closure, will be implemented to protect the public during operations. Environmental Protection Measures The following measures would be implemented as necessary to reduce environmental impacts: Sediment control measures including use of silt fencing and/or slash windrows would be used to protect the Bear Creek watershed from increased sedimentation due to runoff from this project during and immediately after construction. Standard Noxious weed prevention measures will be implemented for weed control. Reclamation measures will include seeding of all disturbances with a weed free native seed mix. Migratory bird nesting season would be protected by limiting tree cutting from mid-may until mid-august. Decision I have decided to implement the road improvement project as described above. This action is categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment because it fits within Category 4 repair and maintenance of roads, trails and landline boundaries. (36 CFR 220.6(d)), and there are no extraordinary circumstances related to the proposed action.. The categorical exclusion is appropriate in this situation because potential effects are minor or non-existent. I considered the following factors in this determination: a. Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species- )Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat The project would have no effect on the listed bull trout, or its critical habitat, found in the Jarbidge River watershed. (Biological assessment dated February 28, 2011) Species proposed for federal listing or proposed critical habitat - There are no species proposed for listing or proposed critical habitat in the project area. Forest Service sensitive species The project may impact individuals of Flammulated Owl, but is not likely to cause a trend towards federal listing or loss of viability. (Biological Evaluation dated January 10, 2011) b. Wetlands, Floodplains, Municipal Watersheds The work will not occur in any floodplain or wetland. A portion of the work will occur in the Bear Creek municipal

4 watershed that serves the town of Jarbidge. Impacts to the watershed are expected to be minimal given the limited amount of work and the use of environmental protection measures described above. c. Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas The work would not take place within congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas and therefore there would be no effect to these areas. d. Inventoried Roadless Areas The project is not within any inventoried roadless areas and therefore, there would be no effect to inventoried roadless areas. e. Research Natural Area. The project is not within any research natural area, therefore, there would be no effect to these areas. f. American Indian and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites. Tribal consultation did not identify any American Indian religious or cultural sites within or near the project area. g. Archeological sites, or historic properties or areas Cultural surveys for the project were completed in SHPO concurred with the Forest Service s determination that the project would not have an adverse effect on the road which is a historic property. (SHPO letter of January 18, 2011) No other historic properties were identified with the project area. Public Involvement This proposal was listed in the January of 2011 Schedule of Proposed Actions. A scoping letter was mailed to interested parties on November 8, Elko County Board of Commissioners wrote a letter of support for the project. The State Historic Preservation Office supported the proposal as submitted, the Nevada Division of State Lands also commented on the proposed project. The Division had concerns about impacts to the visual quality of the area and asked that tree removal be limited to maintain the scenic integrity of the area. The Forest Service shares this concern and it has been addressed by limiting the amount of tree removal to only that necessary for project success. The Forest Service Interdisciplinary Team has reviewed all of the comments and has concluded that relevant issues have been properly addressed. A summary of all comments is included in the project record and is available for public review if requested. Tribal Coordination Information letters were sent to local tribal governments on November 8, The project was also discussed at a consultation meeting with the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley on November 29, No concerns or issues were raised by tribal governments in regards to this project.

5 Findings Required by Other Laws This decision is consistent with the Humboldt National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as required by the National Forest Management Act. The project was designed in conformance with Forest Plan standards and incorporates appropriate Forest Plan guidelines for recreation, fisheries and water quality. The project is also in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Clean Water Act, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Implementation Date This project will be implemented on or after the decision date depending on weather and ground conditions. Administrative Review or Appeal Opportunities This decision is not subject to administrative appeal. Contact Person For additional information concerning this decision or the Forest Service appeal process, contact Mike Balen, Engineer, at (775) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, w rite USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call (202) (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. /s/gar Abbas GAR ABBAS District Ranger