Upper Green River Area Rangeland Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement Table of Contents. Table of Contents

Transcription

1 Chapter 1. Purpose of and Need for Action... 1 Introduction and Document Structure... 1 Background... 1 Purpose and Need for Action... 3 Purposes of the Upper Green River Rangeland Area Project are to:... 3 Need for Action... 3 Gap between Desired and Existing Conditions... 6 Proposed Action Decision Framework Public Involvement Significant Issues Relationship to the Forest Plan Direction Desired Future Conditions at the Forest Plan Level Standards and Guidelines Chapter 2. Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action Introduction Alternatives Considered in Detail Alternative 1 - No Livestock Grazing (No Action Alternative) Alternative 2 - Grazing as Currently Permitted and Current Management Alternative 3 - Modified Grazing Management (Modified Proposed Action and Preferred Alternative) 66 Alternative 4 - Modified Grazing Management with Riparian Emphasis Items Common to Action Alternatives (Alternatives 2, 3 and 4) Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study Comparison of Alternatives Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Introduction Rangeland Vegetation Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Riparian Areas Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Fisheries Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Wildlife Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) - Threatened and Management Indicator Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) - Experimental, Non-essential, and Sensitive Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) - Threatened and Critical Habitat Affected Environment Environmental Consequences North American Wolverine (Gulo gulo) - Sensitive Affected Environment a

2 Environmental Consequences Amphibians: Boreal Toad, Columbia Spotted Frog, and Boreal Chorus Frog Boreal Toad (Anaxyrus boreas) - Sensitive and Management Indicator Species Affected Environment Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiuentris) - Sensitive Affected Environment Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata) - Management Indicator Species Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) - Sensitive Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) - Sensitive Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - Sensitive, MIS Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) Sensitive, MIS Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) Sensitive Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) - Sensitive Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Harvest Management Indicator Species (Elk, Mule Deer, Moose and Pronghorn) Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Brewer s Sparrow (Spizella breweri breweri) - MIS Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Migratory Birds Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Socio-Economic Resources Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Soil Resources Methodology Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Botany: Sensitive and Management Indicator Species Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Recreation and Related Resources Affected Environment Environmental Consequences Cultural Resources Affected Environment b

3 Environmental Consequences Relationship between the Alternatives and Federal, Regional, State, Local, and Tribal Land Use Plans, Policies and Controls Short-term Uses and Long-term Productivity Unavoidable Adverse Effects Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources Literature Cited Chapter 4. Preparers and Contributors Glossary Appendices Appendix A: Past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future activities considered for the cumulative effects analysis Appendix B: Response to Comments Adaptive Management (also referred to as progressive design features in specialist reports) Cultural Resources Document Fisheries Hydrology Monitoring NEPA Range Recreation Riparian Socio-economic Soils Wildlife Appendix C: Monitoring Plan Range Vegetation Monitoring Livestock Grazing System Monitoring Riparian Condition Monitoring Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species Monitoring Heritage Resource Monitoring Index List of Tables Table 1. Areas of concern or areas that are not meeting resource objectives... 8 Table 2 Description of Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) in the Upper Green River project area Table 3. Permitted livestock grazing and actual use within the UG River area under Alternative Table 4. Existing range structural improvements in the six allotments of the UG River project area Table 5. Permitted livestock grazing within Upper Green River project area under Alternative Table 6. Alternative 3 Modified Grazing Management: Livestock Grazing Strategy Table 7. Proposed structural improvements in the Beaver-Twin Allotment Table 8. Proposed structural improvements in the Noble Pastures Allotment Table 9. Proposed structural improvement in Mud Lake/Fish Crk rotation of the UG River Allotment Table 10. Proposed structural improvements in the Mosquito Lake rotation in the UG River Allotment. 97 Table 11. Proposed structural improvements in the Tosi Crk/Teepee Crk/ Kinky Crk rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment Table 12. Permitted livestock grazing within the UG River project area under Alternative Table 13. Alternative 4: Livestock Grazing Strategy c

4 Table 14. Proposed structural improvements in the Noble Pastures Allotment Table 15. Proposed structural improvement in Mud Lake/Fish Crk rotation of the UG River Allotment 135 Table 16. Proposed structural improvements in the Mosquito Lake rotation of the UG River Allotment 139 Table 17. Proposed structural improvements in the Tosi Creek/Teepee Creek/ Kinky Creek rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment Table 18. Differences in livestock grazing management among action alternatives Table 19. Summary of effects on resources by alternative Table 20. Comparison of the alternatives ability to meet the purposes and need for the project and ability to address issues Table 21. Actual forage utilization at permitted livestock numbers and season of use Table 22 Comparison of ground cover objectives for Region Table 23. Stream bank stability, bank vegetative cover and alteration for Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) sites Table 24. Sixth field hydrologic units in the Upper Green River analysis area Table 25. Criteria for determining riparian conditions class based on WHAM data Table 26. Effects of past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions on indicators applicable to the fisheries resource Table 27. Wildlife species considered for analysis Table 28. Number of grizzly bear mortalities on the Upper Green River project area from Table 29. Effects of past, present and foreseeable future activities on grizzly bears and gray wolves Table 30. Indicators/risk factors for amphibians, their habitats and the rationale for indicator selection 371 Table 31 Summary of riparian conditions in the project area, assessed using various field methods Table 32. Summary comparison of existing condition of amphibian habitat and effects of alternatives Table 33. Effect of livestock management actions on amphibians by grazing unit and alternative Table 34. Cumulative actions relevant to the cumulative effects analyses for amphibians, Upper Green River Rangeland Project Table 35. Desired conditions for Greater Sage-grouse nesting and summer habitats Table 36. Grazing Guideline for Greater Sage-grouse Seasonal Habitat Table 37. Past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions used in cumulative effects analysis for Greater Sage-grouse Table 38. Acres of each major vegetation type and habitat grouping (bold) in each allotment in the Upper Green River project area; capable grazing lands except as specified Table 39. Indicators for analyzing effects on migratory birds on the Upper Green River project area Table 40. Soil quality assessment, detrimental disturbance, and capable acres by pasture Table 41. Region 4 sensitive and management indicator species that have known occurrences or potential habitat in the project area Table 42. Trails within the Upper Green River project area Table 43. Consistency with Federal, State and Local Requirements.557 List of Figures Figure 1. Vicinity map for the Upper Green River project area, Bridger-Teton National Forest... 4 Figure 2. Badger, Beaver-Twin, Noble Pastures, Roaring Fork, Wagon Creek and Upper Green River Allotments... 5 Figure 3. Map of areas not meeting resource objectives within the Upper Green River project area Figure 4. Desired Future Condition classification from the Forest Plan (U.S. Forest Service 1990) Figure 5. Structural improvements maintained under Alternative Figure 6. Map of the six allotments, pastures and existing structural improvements in the Upper Green River project area under Alternative Figure 7. Badger and Beaver-Twin allotments under Alternative Figure 8. Noble Pastures Allotment under Alternative d

5 Figure 9. Roaring Fork Allotment under Alternative Figure 10. Wagon Creek Allotment under Alternative Figure 11. Upper Green River Allotment contains four pasture rotations Figure 12. Mud Lake/Fish Creek Rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment under Alternative Figure 13. Mosquito Lake Rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment under Alternative Figure 14. Tosi Creek/ Tepee Creek Rotation, Kinky Creek Pasture in the Upper Green River Allotment under Alternative Figure 15. Gypsum Creek Rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment under Alternative Figure 16. River Bottom Pasture and livestock driveway, also known as the Green River Drift Trail Figure 17. Map of the six allotments, pastures and structural improvements in the Upper Green River project area under Alternative Figure 18 Badger and Beaver-Twin allotments under Alternative Figure 19. Noble Pastures Allotment under Alternative Figure 20 Roaring Fork Allotment under Alternative Figure 21 Wagon Creek Allotment under Alternative Figure 22. Mud Lake/Fish Creek Rotation of the Upper Green River Allotment Figure 23 Mosquito Lake Rotation of the Upper Green River Allotment under Alterative Figure 24. Tosi Crk/Teepee Crk/Kinky Crk Rotation in the UG River Allotment under Alternative Figure 25. Gypsum Creek Rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment under Alternative Figure 26 River Bottom Pasture and livestock driveway Figure 27. Map of the six allotments, pastures and the existing and proposed fencing on the UG River project area under Alternative Figure 28. Badger and Beaver-Twin allotments under Alternative Table 29. Proposed structural improvements in the Beaver-Twin Allotment Figure 30. Noble Pastures Allotment under Alternative Figure 31. Roaring Fork Allotment under Alternative Figure 32. Wagon Creek Allotment under Alternative Figure 33. Mud Lake/Fish Creek Rotation of the Upper Green River Allotment Figure 34. Mosquito Lake Rotation of the Upper Green River Allotment under Alterative Figure 35. Tosi Crk/ Teepee Crk/Kinky Crk Rotation in the UG River Allotment under Alternative Figure 36. Gypsum Creek Rotation in the Upper Green River Allotment under Alternative Figure 37. River Bottom Pasture and livestock driveway Figure 38. Existing vegetation types in the Upper Green River project area Figure 39. Lands capable, suitable and not suitable for livestock grazing in the UG River project area. 182 Figure 40. Photo comparison of Wagon Creek in 1996 (left) and 2009 (right) Figure 41. Location of stream monitoring sites (MIM sites) in the Upper Green River project area Figure 42. Location of PFC stream monitoring sites Figure 43. Big Twin Creek with willows along the stream bank indicating stable banks Figure 44. Big Twin Creek livestock crossing in 2009 (left) and in 2013 after four years of rest Figure 45. Little Twin Creek has an older age class willow community with thick herbaceous understory along banks and is sinuous Figure 46. Stream crossing on Little Twin Creek in 2009 (left photo) and in 2013 (right photo) Figure 47. Miner Creek (MIM site #6) in the North Beaver Pasture of Beaver-Twin Allotment has riparian vegetation supporting stable stream banks Figure 48 North Beaver Creek (left photo) and Packer Creek (right photo) in the North Beaver Pasture of Beaver-Twin Allotment have riparian vegetation supporting stable stream banks Figure 49. Tosi Creek focus area had sloughing along the right stream bank and trailing Figure 50. Klondike Creek (MIM site #5) is slightly sinuous (right photo) with grasses and some sedge on the stream banks (both photos in 2009) Figure 51. Roaring Fork is in excellent condition with vegetated stream banks, high width to depth ratio with wide meanders, and cobble/gravel bed material e

6 Figure 52. Wagon Creek in the Wagon Creek Allotment has gravel/ rock armored banks with willows. 237 Figure 53. Crow Creek segment at the pasture boundary (2013) with pedestaled willows and absence of herbaceous riparian vegetation Figure 54. Raspberry Creek has well vegetated stream banks and a well-developed flood plain Figure 55. Strawberry Creek has vegetated stream banks and cobbles in the steam bed which contribute to armoring the banks Figure 56. S. Fork Fish Creek at the MIM site #1 Figure 57. S. Fork Fish Creek at MIM site # Figure 58. Wagon Creek (MIM site #15) vegetation was predominantly grass with some sedges intermixed Figure 59. Wagon Creek (MIM site #16) Figure 60. Soil compaction and hummocks in the 57-acre meadow area near Kinky Creek Figure 61. Tepee Creek in 1982 (left photo) lacked vegetation and banks sloughing compared to 2009 existing conditions with vegetation on banks (right photo) Figure 62. Gypsum Creek is well vegetated with stable stream banks Figure 63. South Gypsum Creek is well vegetated with sedges and willows establishing on sediment deposited from the 2007 fire Figure 64. Dispersed campsites along the Green River at Forest Service Road 600 bridge crossing Figure 65. Properly functioning condition assessment site #1 contained a mixture of willow and sedge.246 Figure 66. PFC site #4 consisted primarily Figure 67. Shrubby cinquefoil and sagebrush alongside the stream bank at PFC site # Figure 68. Map of the distribution of Conservation Populations and historical occurrence of Colorado River cutthroat and Yellowstone cutthroat trout and historical distribution within the project analysis area280 Figure 69. Fisheries habitat monitoring locations for MIM sites, sediment core sample sites, water temperature logger sites, and proper functioning conditions assessment locations Figure 70. Riparian condition class assessment of the Upper Green River Rangeland analysis area Figure 71. Habitat boundaries for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem Figure 72. Breeding sites, breeding zones buffered by ⅓ mile buffer, and grazing utilization (cage) monitoring sites in the Upper Green River project area Figure 73. Regression of total herbaceous retention on key forage use in mesic meadow-willow and shrubby cinquefoil-silver sage communities Figure 74. Distribution of boreal toads on the Bridger-Teton National Forest based on data collected prior to and post 2012 (Estes-Zumpf et al. 2014) Figure 75. Locations of important breeding areas for boreal toads in the Bridger-Teton National Forest based on data (Estes-Zumpf et al. 2014) Figure 76. Distribution of amphibian chytrid fungus that tested positive (red circles) or negative (black circles) for the disease Figure 77. Historical to 2013 amphibian detections in the Upper Green River project area Figure 78. Distribution of Columbia spotted frogs on the BTNF (Estes-Zumpf et al. 2014) Figure 79. Greater Sage-grouse connectivity and general habitats with habitat monitoring locations in the Upper Green River project area Figure 80. Greater Sage-grouse nesting area in the Upper Green River project area Figure 81. Developed and dispersed recreation sites and trails in the Upper Green River project area Figure 82. Dispersed campsites in the Upper Green River corridor Figure 83. Designated Wilderness, Wilderness Study Area, Wild and Scenic Rivers, Research Natural Area, and Special Interest Area f