Leonia Project Travel Analysis

Transcription

1 Travel Analysis Planning (TAPS): Leonia Project Travel Analysis On January 12, 2001, 36 CFR Part 212 was published in the Federal Register and became effective. This Rule amended the Administrative Policy on Forest Transportation Systems under Forest Service Manual (FSM) 7700 by establishing requirements for the administration of the forest transportation system, including roads, trails, airfields, and provisions for acquisition of rights-of-way and requires identification of the minimum road system needed for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System (NFS) lands (per 36 CFR 212.5(b)(1)) and use of a science-based roads analysis at the appropriate scale in determining the minimum road system (FSM ). To paraphrase section 7702, the objective of the Travel Management Policy is to provide a road system that is safe, responsive to the public and agency needs, environmentally sound, affordable and efficient to manage. Travel Management includes making decisions on opportunities to: 1) Maintain and reconstruct needed roads; 2) Decommission unneeded roads; and, 3) Add new roads. According to FSM 7712, travel analysis is not a decision-making process. Travel analysis assesses the current forest transportation system and identifies issues and assesses benefits, problems, and risks to inform decisions relating to administration of the forest transportation system and helps to identify proposals for changes in travel management direction. Background and Scope: The Leonia project area is within the Boulder Grizzly Bear Management Unit (BMU) and does not currently meet the management criteria established by the 2001 Biological Opinion for the continued implementation of the Forest Plan. The BMU is not meeting core habitat (currently 50% in core and the recommendation is 55%). In addition, the BMU is exceeding the recommendation of no more than 26% of the BMU having a Total Motorized Route Density >2 miles/square mile (includes open and restricted roads as well as motorized trails and railroads - 35%). Because we are currently not meeting these recommendations, the local interdisciplinary team is looking at opportunities for improvement trends that this project may provide. Travel analysis will be needed into the future for the entire Boulder BMU, however, that analysis is outside the scope of this project. The scope of this analysis is limited to the roads (as there are no other motorized systems such as trails) located within the Leonia project area, and portions that extend just beyond the project area boundary but may be used for access, hauling or other project activities. Objectives: 1. Discuss the condition and use levels for existing roads in the Leonia project area 2. Identify any risks to resources from existing roads and management opportunities 3. Determine the need for existing roads and make recommendations 1

2 Issues: 1. Road effects on resources, specifically grizzly bears and grizzly habitat 2. Access for veg. and fuels management, the public and private lands (patented mining claims). Leonia IDT input on transportation in the project area: Leonia TAPS Interdisciplinary Team Members (meeting on 10/18/2010): Brett Lyndaker (Wildlife), Jennifer Borg (Fuels Specialist & Project Leader), Brandon Glaza (Hydrologist), Pat Behrens (Silviculture), Risa Devore (Lands/special uses), Anita Hanson (Contract Specialist, INFRA), Gerry Ann Howlett (Roads & GIS), Sandy Gore (GIS Specialist), Lee Colson (Fire/Fuels) Not TAPS meeting, but provided input to recommendations: Mike Tymrak (Sales Admin/road mngr.), Jamie Wynsma (timber stand improvement), Jennifer Costich- Thompson (Botanist), Dan Myers (AFMO) Overview: As part of the TAPS, each NFS motorized route in the Leonia project area was identified and assessed for management recommendations and to fix any database discrepancies. The status was known for all the roads in the project area and they are coded correctly in INFRA. The project area is rather small (<2000 acres) and as such there are only a handful of roads to analyze they are all restricted or have a barrier except the main Katka road (314) and 314UH (both of which are open ). Discussions also included a few undetermined or spur roads. A table is included summarizing road status, follow-up actions and recommendations. The following table shows the current status of each road (black text), the use and management needs (blue text) and follow-up actions and IDT recommendations (red text). Road Current Status, Management & Project Need IDT Recommendation 314 Open Main Katka road. This road is paved; for the most part it is in good condition, though there are some substantial potholes along portions of this road. IGBC 4; Level 4 Maintenance (9.74 miles) 314UF* 314UG* Use/Management This road would be utilized for timber hauling and travel to and from the project area. Barrier IGBC 3 (the fact that this is coded as Barrier makes me wonder why it s a U-road??). No Maintenance Level assigned (U-road) (0.36 miles) Use/Management look at decommissioning this road, currently impassible (Roads, Silv., botany, fire, TSI, okay to decom.) Barrier IGBC 3 (spur off the 314UF). No Maintenance Level assigned (U-road) (0.23 miles) Decommission 0.36 miles Decommission miles 2

3 Road Current Status, Management & Project Need IDT Recommendation Use/Management look at decommissioning, currently impassible (Roads, Silv., botany, fire, TSI, okay to decom.) Open (.71miles) IGBC 4 & Impassible (0.02 miles) IGBC 1 No Maintenance Level assigned (U-road) (0.73 miles) 314UH* A A According to Tymrak this road accessed old mining claims and was then utilized for timber harvest and a landing site. INFRA shows it as Open. Reconnaissance shows that the northern half is not drivable and the original access point at the southern end is not drivable, however access has been re-routed by the public (approx. ½ of the road is drivable and being used by 4x4 pick-ups and ATVs). Use/Management this road is redundant to the main 314 road and would have little impact to other resources if decommissioned (would show an improvement for wildlife if decom). For decommissioning, barricades in the form of large boulders would be necessary minimizing ATV use may be tricky, as the access point is flat and generally open off the main 314 road though it would prevent use by 4- wheel drive and high-clearance vehicles the northern portion needs to remain as current status to access mines. IGBC 2 (restricted). This road is gated, limiting public use from 11/16 to 03/31 of each year; administrative use only during this time. This road falls within the project area boundary, but will not be used for project related activities. Level 2 Maintenance Use/Management Not needed for project activities; maintain current status IGBC 2 (restricted). This road is gated and public use is limited to 11/16 to 03/31 of each year; administrative use only during this time. This road falls within the project area boundary, but will not be used for project related activities. Level 2 Maintenance Use/Management Not needed for project activities; maintain current status IGBC 2 (restricted). This road is gated and public use is limited same as the dates above. Level 2 Maintenance (2.66 miles) Use/Management This road would be utilized to access the northern portions of units 1, 7 and 8 for project related activities (including underburning) and potentially for a haul route for these units. Brett would like the IDT to consider storage of this road from the main switchback to the end of the road for longterm management in the BMU. IGBC 2 (restricted along with 2612) Level 2 Maintenance (0.76 mile) Decommission 0.73 miles Storage See enclosed map, storage would not be for the entire length of the road - approximately 1.0 miles of 2.66 miles 3

4 Road Current Status, Management & Project Need IDT Recommendation Use/Management this segment is technically outside of the project area, but part of the 2612 system so it is included here. Not needed for project activities keep current status. IGBC 2 (restricted along with 2612). No Maintenance Level assigned (U-road) (0.51 miles) 2612UA 2111 Use/Management this road segment is technically outside of the project area, but part of the 2612 system so it is included here. It is drivable and in good shape. Not needed for project activities it is an undetermined road; it exists on the landscape but is not part of the system. decommissioning this segment of road. IGBC 2 (restricted). Road is gated and public use is limited to 11/16 through 03/31. Level 2 Maintenance (1.96 miles) Use/Management This road would be utilized as a haul route and for other project related access, including prescribed underburning following timber harvest. Brett would like the IDT to consider storage of the entire length of this road following completion of project activities Decommission 0.51 miles Storage, entire length 1.96 miles Recommendations: see table above 314UF, UG, UH: These roads are undetermined they are not a maintained system road, but are known to exist on the landscape. The IDT determined these roads were not needed for future management in the area and decommissioning would take minimal work; pull any pipes, waterbar where necessary and make the roads impassable (314UF and UG are already impassable). 2612: This road will be used for project related activities, but was determined not to be needed for future management up to and likely exceeding 10 years. By storing the portion of this road beyond the major switchback (starting just before the stream crossing) we will provide and improvement opportunity within the management recommendations of the 2001 Biological Opinion for the continued implementation of the current Forest Plan (1987). The IDT recommends this road be stored (pipes pulled, waterbars installed, and otherwise made hydrologically inert along the stored portion and bermed or barriered and made impassable). 2111: This road will be used for project related activities, but was determined not to be needed for future management up to and likely exceeding 10 years. By storing this road we will provide and improvement opportunity within the management recommendations of the 2001 Biological Opinion for the continued implementation of the current Forest Plan (1987). The IDT recommends this road be stored (pipes pulled, waterbars installed, and otherwise made hydrologically inert and bermed or barriered and made impassable). A temporary road (up to 2 miles in length) is being proposed off of this 2111 road to access timber in Units 1, 3, 7 and 8. If constructed, it will be obliterated following project related activities. 4

5 Classifications: 36 CFR 212.1, Administration of the Forest Development Transportation System and FSM 7700 Forest Transportation System part 7705 defines roads as one of the following: a. Classified Roads. Roads wholly or partially within or adjacent to National Forest lands that are determined to be needed for long-term motor vehicle access, including State roads, county roads, privately owned roads, National Forest System roads, and other roads authorized by the Forest Service. Roads are given an IGBC (Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee) code to further define the status of each road for open road density, total road density, and determination of core habitat within a Bear Management Unit (BMU) a. IGBC-1: Impassable; not drivable b. IGBC-2: Restricted; generally gated to restrict access c. IGBC-3: Barrier; earthen barrier or berm or other structure to prevent passage d. IGBC-4: Open; drivable b. Temporary Roads. Roads authorized by contract, permit, lease, other written authorization, or emergency operation, not intended to be a part of the forest transportation system and not necessary for long-term resource management. c. Unclassified Roads. Roads on National Forest System lands that are not managed as part of the forest transportation system, such as unplanned roads, abandoned travelways, and off-road vehicle tracks that have not been designated and managed as a trail; and, those roads that were once under permit or other authorization and were not decommissioned upon the termination of the authorization. Other Definitions: Storage The road maintains a Classification but it is closed and made impassable, as it was decided the road does not have a short-term need. Levels of treatment may be similar to that of decommissioning. However, it remains in the system to address potential long-term management goals. Decommission Activities that result in the stabilization and restoration of unneeded roads to a more natural state (See Rule, 212.1, p. 3217). By definition, this road is no longer needed, thus it is removed from the system, has no classification and is no longer maintained. It cannot be utilized for future management, unless the effects are analyzed for. See the roads management visual at the end of this document. Maintenance Level (FSH section 12.3): Level 1 This level is assigned to intermittent service roads during the time management direction requires that the road be closed or otherwise blocked to traffic. Basic custodial maintenance is performed to protect the road investment and to keep damage to adjacent resources to an acceptable level. Drainage facilities and runoff patterns are maintained. 5

6 Level 2 Assigned where management direction requires the road be open for limited passage of traffic. Traffic is normally minor, usually consisting of administrative, permitted, dispersed recreation, or other specialized uses, or a combination thereof. Hauling may occur at this level. Vehicles are limited to high clearance. Level 3 Assigned where management direction requires that the road be open and maintained for safe travel by a prudent driver in a passenger car. Traffic volumes are minor to moderate; however, user comfort and convenience is not considered a priority. Generally, the traveled surface is not smooth. Level 4 Assigned where management direction requires the road to provide a high degree of user comfort and convenience. The roads are normally double lane and paved. Some may be aggregate surfaced and dust abated. Functional classification of these roads is normally arterial. Level 5 Assigned where management direction requires the road to provide a high degree of user comfort and convenience. The roads are normally double land and paved. Some may be aggregate surfaced and dust abated. Functional classification of these roads is normally arterial. 6

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