Aquatic Conservation Strategy Report

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service June 2017 Aquatic Conservation Strategy Report Horse Creek Community Protection and Forest Restoration Project Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District, Klamath National Forest Siskiyou County, California

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3 Table of Contents Table of Contents... i List of Tables... i Aquatic Conservation Strategy Report... 1 Introduction... 1 Key Watersheds... 1 Riparian Reserves... 1 Watershed Restoration... 2 Watershed or Ecosystem Analysis Recommendations... 3 Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis... 3 Thompson/Seiad/Grider Ecosystem Analysis... 4 Existing Condition... 6 Proposed Treatments... 7 Treatments in Riparian Reserves... 7 Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objectives... 1 Objective 1:... 1 Objective 2:... 6 Objective 3:... 8 Objective 4: Aquatic conservation strategy Objective 4 Summary and Conclusion Objective 5: Objective 6: Objective 7: Action Influence on Objective: th Field Watershed Analysis: Objective 8: Objective 9: Comparison of Alternatives Summary and Conclusion Literature Cited List of Tables Table 1: Watershed Analysis recommendations for Horse Creek Table 2: Watershed Analysis recommendations for Seiad Creek relating to Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives Table 3: Soil burn severity for the 2016 Gap fire by 5th field watershed Table 4: Soil burn severity within riparian reserves (RR) for the 2016 Gap fire by 5th field watershed Table 5: Acres of treatment in riparian reserve by watershed and treatment type Table 6: Acres of treatment by watershed for Alternative Table 7: Cumulative watershed effects model results by 7 th field watershed i

4 Table 8: Proposed channel crossings by alternative and channel type (results from a GIS exercise, channels have not yet been field verified) ii

5 Aquatic Conservation Strategy Report Introduction The Forest Plan contains the components, objectives and standards and guidelines for consistency of projects with the Aquatic Conservation Strategy (aquatic conservation strategy) (Forest Plan, page 4-25). The Record of Decision (ROD) for the Forest Plan (USFS, 1995c) is the guiding document for Forest projects; the Forest Plan ROD incorporates aquatic conservation strategy standards and guidelines from the ROD for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl (commonly known as the Northwest Forest Plan) (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management, 1994b). The Aquatic Conservation Strategy has four components: 1) Key Watersheds, 2) Watershed or Ecosystem Analysis, 3) Watershed Restoration, and 4) Riparian Reserves. Within riparian reserves are standards that prohibit and regulate activities that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives (Forest Plan, page 4-106). This analysis documents the consistency of the project with the Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives at the site scale and the 5th field watershed scale. The consistency is analyzed at the short-term (during implementation up to the first 1 to 2 years) and the longer-term scales (greater than 2 years). This discussion will summarize the comprehensive information provided in the project Aquatic Conservation Strategy Report available on the project website. The report provides detailed descriptions of the existing watershed condition including the important physical and biological components of the 5th field watersheds, a discussion of the natural range of variability for potentially affected processes, and a review of standard and guide consistency by objective. Key Watersheds Since there are no Key Watersheds within the Horse Creek Community Protection project, they will not be further discussed. Riparian Reserves The interim widths defined in the Forest Plan were used to define the Riparian Reserve widths for analysis and project design. For the purposes of this analysis Riparian Reserve includes the interim riparian buffers along intermittent and perennial streams (stream course riparian reserves) and inner gorges. Active landslides, toe zones of dormant landslides and steep-weathered granitic lands are also geologic riparian reserves but for this report they will be referred to as unstable lands to avoid confusion. A detailed description of proposed activities can be found in Chapter 2. Roadside hazard tree removal will take place in riparian reserves. Hazard trees are defined by having a 70 percent or greater chance of mortality within three to five years. Treatment within the Horse Creek Special Interest Area includes hazard tree removal, placing trees with or without root wads attached into the stream channel, and planting hardwood and conifers within the riparian reserves. These treatments will help reduce hazard trees while improving stream function. Outside of the Special Interest Area fire affected trees over 40 inches in diameter with less than a 90 percent chance of 1

6 mortality will be left in order to provide wildlife habitat and increase future large wood recruitment. Trees within the riparian reserves will be cut and left as long as they do not create fuel loading concerns, do not block a road drainage structure, and do not pose a safety threat. Roadside fuels treatment will occur in riparian reserves. Roadside fuels treatments will consist of dead vegetation removal up to 18 inches in diameter. Remaining conifers will be pruned up to seven feet high. These fuels treatment may be beneficial in releasing remaining trees, allowing them to grow larger, and in turn increasing the potential for large wood. Similarly, fuels reduction adjacent to private property will also occur. Treatment will include removing dead vegetation up to 14 inches in diameter at breast height and live understory vegetation including conifer trees up to 12 inches in diameter at breast height to reduce fire behavior activity, specifically reduced flame length and crown fire potential and intensity, to meet desired conditions. Pruning retained conifers up to seven feet high within this zone is proposed to increase canopy base height and reduce the potential for crown fire initiation. The development and maintenance of strategic fuels management zones will occur on a few acres of riparian reserve. The actions will consist of removing dead vegetation up to 18 inches diameter at breast height and live understory vegetation along with live conifer trees up to 12 inches diameter at breast height. Pruning retained conifers up to seven feet high within these zones is proposed to increase canopy base height and reduce the potential for crown fire initiation. Activity-generated fuels will be disposed of by a variety of methods, including manual and mechanical treatments, to meet desired conditions. Site preparation and planting will occur on 458 acres including 125 acres within riparian reserves. Forest stands selected for site preparation and tree planting are predominately plantations composed of standing dead trees generally under 16 inches in diameter at breast height. Both manual and mechanical methods will be used to cut or masticate standing dead trees depending on slope steepness, accessibility, and feasibility. Mechanical equipment used for site preparation within riparian reserves will only be operated from existing roads and landings. Dead vegetation within plantations will be strategically cut, piled, and burned to prepare the site for reforestation activities. After site preparation is completed the prepared area will be planted with nursery-grown seedlings or by allowing natural regeneration. Within salvage units site prep and plant will occur in riparian reserves, but mechanical equipment will not be used there, except for on existing roads, non-system roads, and landings. No salvage harvest will occur within riparian reserves. Both manual and mechanical methods will be used outside of Riparian Reserves to cut or masticate standing dead trees less than 16 inches diameter depending on slope steepness, accessibility, and feasibility. Dead vegetation within plantations will be strategically cut, piled, and burned to prepare the site for reforestation activities. Some dead vegetation may be left standing on harsh sites to improve survival of seedlings by creating shade. In summary, activities which will occur in unstable land riparian reserve include hazard tree abatement, manual fuel treatment, site prep and conifer planting. Activities which will be excluded include commercial timber harvest, and operation of mechanical equipment (except for on existing roads, non-system roads, and landings). Throughout the project, mechanized heavy equipment will not be used in riparian reserves except on existing system or non-system roads and landings. Watershed Restoration 2

7 Treatments within the Horse Creek Special Interest Area include restoration activities. Restoration actions will increase large wood by placing hazard trees in the stream channel and the planting of hardwoods and conifers within riparian reserves. These treatments will help reduce hazard trees, improve stream function and aquatic habitats, and re-establish native vegetation. Watershed or Ecosystem Analysis Recommendations The following 5 th -field watersheds with actions proposed were examined: Seiad Creek-Klamath River and Horse Creek-Klamath River. Ecosystem analysis provide recommendations, not management direction, to be considered in project-level planning. Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis The Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis was prepared in The descriptions and recommendations in the analysis are based on watershed conditions at that time which did not significantly change until the 2016 Gap Fire. Other than the 2016 Gap Fire and the wet winter following the Gap Fire, there have been minor disturbances from fires and other management activities. The Gap Fire burned a high percentage of the watershed at mostly low to moderate intensity although there were large patches that burned at high severity. The Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis describe a number of management opportunities including: decommissioning and stormproofing roads, strategically treating and removing high fuel loading; providing defensible space; promoting and/or maintaining vegetative growth; restoring native vegetation; promoting plantations late-successional characteristics; and maintaining connectivity of late successional forests across the landscape (Table 1). Management activities implemented since the 2002 Ecosystem Analysis are fuels reduction, road stormproofing, and vegetation management/fuels reduction. The project is largely consistent with the recommendations of the Horse Creek Ecosystem Analysis. One exception is the lack of road decommissioning which is outside the scope of the project short sections of new temporary road and re-opening existing roadbeds for use is proposed. Site preparation and planting trees in burned areas will help promote future late successional habitat and large wood in the long term and reduce future fire risk. The project proposes extensive fuels treatments including fuels reduction adjacent to private property, roadside fuels treatment, and strategic fuels management zones. Table 1: Watershed Analysis recommendations for Horse Creek. Management Opportunity Page 6-3, Table 6-1 Hillslope Processes 3. Identify and treat high fuel loading to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire, especially on unstable landforms. Relevance to the 2016 Gap Fire and the Horse Creek Community Protection project The Horse Creek Community Protection project will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire by creating and/or maintaining fuels management zones, private property fuels buffers, and road-side fuels buffers. Site preparation to reduce fuels, and fuels treatment buffers just mentioned, will be implemented on unstable and potentially unstable lands (geologic riparian reserves) where they occur in treatment areas. Hazard tree treatments will occur on geologic riparian reserves where they occur along roads to be treated. None of the other proposed actions will be implemented on geologic riparian reserves. 3

8 Management Opportunity Page 6-4, Table 6-2 Riparian and Stream Areas 4b. Promote and/or maintain vegetative growth, especially conifer, on burned land and on active landslides; and 8. Restore native vegetation, especially conifers, in riparian reserves. Page 6-6, Table 6-4, Forest Health and Fire Disturbance Risk and Hazard 13. Strategically remove fuels (along roads and/or ridges) to break up fuel continuity and provide defensible buffers to high hazard areas. Relevance to the 2016 Gap Fire and the Horse Creek Community Protection project The Horse Creek Community Protection project will promote vegetative growth in burned areas by reducing much of the existing dead fuels, retaining re-sprouting hardwoods, and planting conifers. Native shrubs and hardwoods will be planted within the riparian reserve of the special interest area to accelerate restoration of riparian vegetation and hinder invasion of noxious weed species. All alternatives include roadside fuels reduction, fuels reduction adjacent to private property and fuels management zones that generally follow ridges. Thompson/Seiad/Grider Ecosystem Analysis The Thompson/Seiad/Grider Ecosystem Analysis was prepared in The descriptions and recommendations in the analysis are based on watershed conditions at that time. Notable disturbances in the analysis area were the 2012 Goff Fire which burned large areas of the watershed at mostly low to moderate severity; a winter storm in 2005 with an estimated return period of years; the 2014 Happy Camp Fire which burned different large areas of watershed at low, moderate, and high severity; a summer flash flood following the 2014 Happy Camp Fire that initiated debris flows from high severity burned areas in Grider and Walker Creeks; and the 2016 Gap Fire which burned in face drainages to the Klamath River at mostly (90%) low to moderate severity, followed by a winter with above average precipitation. Management activities implemented since the Ecosystem Analysis was prepared in 1999 include fuels reduction, road stormproofing and upgrading, aquatic habitat improvements and vegetation management. Road decommissioning is planned starting late summer The Thompson/Seiad/Grider Ecosystem Analysis described a number of management opportunities including: improving and/or decommissioning roads; restoring natural stream processes; improving site conditions to promote the growth of large trees and increase large wood recruitment; treating or underburning areas affected by the 1987 fires; improving access for strategic prescribed fire and suppression efforts; developing fire defensible space and safe conditions; reducing fuel loading and stand densities; reducing risk to late successional habitat; planting trees to accelerate development of late-successional forests; maintaining connectivity of late successional forests across the landscape; and implementing opportunities to protect and develop future suitable late successional habitat (Table 2). The Horse Creek Project is largely consistent with the recommendations of the Thompson/Seiad/Grider Ecosystem Analysis. Site preparation and planting trees in burned areas will help promote future late successional habitat and large wood in the long term and reduce future fire risk. The project proposes extensive fuels treatments including fuels reduction adjacent to private property, roadside fuels treatment, and fuels management zone treatments that are strategic. 4

9 Table 2: Watershed Analysis recommendations for Seiad Creek relating to Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives. Management Opportunity Page 6-3, Table 6-1, Hillslope Processes Existing Situation 2 Much of the analysis area has high road densities (>4 miles/sq. mile); many of these roads are not consistent with current land allocations. There are also sediment concerns especially associated with unstable lands. Improve or decommission roads to reduce aquatic resource impacts and meet land allocation goals. Page 6-3, Table 6-2 Riparian Areas Existing Situation 4 High amounts of instream fine sediments are reducing habitat quality. Most impacted streams are Grider, Walker, Thompson, and Seiad Creeks. Restore natural stream processes allowing streams to become resilient to disturbance. Page 6-4, Table 6-4 Fire Existing Condition 9 Areas that burned with low and moderate intensity in the 1987 fires present an opportunity to apply underburning to establish conditions that existed with the influence of frequent fire disturbance. Treat or underburn areas that burned in fires of 1987 to restore conditions that were present prior to fire suppression activities. Page 6-4, Table 6-4 Fire Existing Condition 11 Roads within the analysis area are in need of repair and maintenance in order to provide access and control points for fire suppression and fuels treatment activities. Existing roads that are needed for fire and fuels have been identified in the Access and Travel Analysis (ATA). Improve access for fire suppression and strategic use of roads for prescribed fire and suppression efforts. Develop a system of shaded fuelbreaks. Relevance to the 2016 Gap Fire and the Horse Creek Community Protection project Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) actions were focused on reducing sediment-contributing impacts of the fire with an emphasis on roads. Legacy site treatments connected to the project will further help in reducing sediment impacts and increasing water quality. Road sediment source surveys and risk assessments have been completed on Forest Service roads in the watershed analysis area. Several projects have been completed in the last five years, and additional work will soon be implemented, to stormproof, upgrade, and/or decommission roads in the Seiad Creek watershed. Post 2016 Gap Fire BAER actions focused on reducing post-fire erosion and sedimentation with an emphasis on stormproofing and upgrading roads. The Horse Creek project will not stormproof, upgrade, decommission, or construct road in the Seiad Creek- Klamath River 5 th -field watershed. Existing temporary roads which cross unstable lands will not be used unless slope stability issues can be mitigated (see Project Design Features, Geology-1) Cumulative watershed effects modelling has shown that the action alternatives will very slightly increase the risk ratios for sediment delivery in some of the Horse Creek project 7 th -field watersheds, however, measures will be taken to prevent or minimize this increase (see Watershed project design features in Chapter 2 of EIS). Over 90 percent of the 2016 Gap Fire burn area within the Seiad Creek-Klamath River 5th field burned with moderate or low fire intensity similar to the conditions produced by the 1987 fires. The Horse Creek project proposes to establish fuels management zones to facilitate future prescribed burning treatments and/or provide more options for safely managing wildfires including letting fires burn for resource benefit. See Table 6 for a list of acres of proposed treatments in the Seiad Creek-Klamath River 5th field. The Horse Creek Community Protection project includes fuels management zones to serve as fuel breaks (shaded fuel breaks where over-story canopy exists); road-side fuels reduction buffers; and private property fuels reduction buffers. Fuel management zones and fuels buffers adjacent to private property and roads will facilitate managing wildland fire. Hazard tree treatment will improve safe access. 5

10 Management Opportunity Page 6-4, Table 6-4 Fire Existing Condition 12 Much of the area around residences is identified as having moderate to high fire behavior potential. Develop fire defensible spaces and fire safe conditions in and around residential areas. Page 6-6, Table 6-6 Terrestrial Wildlife Existing Condition 19 Habitat for northern spotted owls has changed over time as a result of fire suppression and management activities. Lack of fire has resulted in the susceptibility of the area to catastrophic loss of habitat from wildfire. Implement Management Opportunities 14a, b, and c to protect and develop suitable habitat for northern spotted owls within LSRs in the analysis area. 14: Change in stand structure has been most evident on south and west aspects and higher on slopes where historically stands are more open. Use prescribed fire to reduce fuels or use mechanical treatments prior to burning where fuel loadings are extreme. 14 a. In late successional stands, reduce stand densities, ladder fuels and ground fuels where they contribute to the risk of large scale disturbance in reserves. 14 b. Protect mid and early seral vegetation in LSRs from loss to large scale disturbance events. Use hand piling or mechanical treatment of fuels in areas that need pre-treatment. 14 c. Promote the development of late successional habitat that is at a lower risk for large scale disturbance. Relevance to the 2016 Gap Fire and the Horse Creek Community Protection project There is fuels reduction adjacent to private property included in action alternatives. The acreage by watershed can be seen in Table 6. Specifically the project is using mechanical as well as hand treatments of fuels by removing understory vegetation and small trees as well as pruning conifers in fuels reduction adjacent to private property units. Strategic Fuels management zones will also be implemented to prevent the spread of future high severity fires, and allow for more frequent and easier to execute prescribed burns. Within the fuels management zones dead and small live diameter trees and vegetation will be removed to help reduce fuels. In site prep and plant units standing dead trees will be cut or masticated and the resulting fuels will be treated with a variety of methods. Salvage units will also see a reduction in fuels as dead trees will be removed. The project as a whole will help implement management opportunities 14, 14a, 14b, and 14c. Existing Condition The project area occurs in two 5th-field watersheds (Table 3 and Table 4). Soil burn severity is used to assess post-fire existing conditions because it best represents the watershed s response to a wildfire. High soil burn severity areas have long-term soil damage and will be relatively slow to naturally recover. Tree canopy here is mostly consumed and absent, and effective soil cover is generally less than 20 percent, consisting of gravels and cobbles, some unburned down wood, and sparse needle cast. Moderate soil burn severity tree canopy is mostly burned with brown crowns present and actively dropping enough needle-cast to produce effective soil cover in many areas. Wildfire typically produces soil water repellency or hydrophobicity, which reduces infiltration capacity and increases hillslope runoff. However, this water-repellency is patchy and discontinuous. Low soil burn severity areas have very little evidence of significant soil heating with essentially no changes in soil color, structure, organic matter or fine root combustion. Table 3: Soil burn severity for the 2016 Gap fire by 5th field watershed. 5th Field Watershed (code) Horse Creek- Klamath River ( ) High Soil Burn Severity (acres) Moderate Soil Burn Severity (acres) Low Soil Burn Severity (acres) Very Low Soil Burn Severity (acres) Outside of Fire Perimeter (acres) Watershed (acres) Percent of Watershed in Fire Perimeter 2,328 6,895 12,454 5,224 71,711 98, percent 6

11 5th Field Watershed (code) Seiad Creek- Klamath River ( ) High Soil Burn Severity (acres) Moderate Soil Burn Severity (acres) Low Soil Burn Severity (acres) Very Low Soil Burn Severity (acres) Outside of Fire Perimeter (acres) Watershed (acres) Percent of Watershed in Fire Perimeter 136 1,622 3,224 1,101 75,625 81,706 7 percent Table 4: Soil burn severity within riparian reserves (RR) for the 2016 Gap fire by 5th field watershed. 5th Field Watershed (code) Horse Creek- Klamath River ( ) Seiad Creek- Klamath River ( ) RR in High Soil Burn Severity (acres) RR in Moderate Soil Burn Severity (acres) RR in Low Soil Burn Severity (acres) RR in Very Low Soil Burn Severity (acres) RR Outside of Fire Perimeter (acres) Percent of RR Burned 401 1,512 3,607 1,703 20, percent ,640 7 percent Proposed Treatments Detailed descriptions of the actions proposed by alternative are in Chapter 2 of the EIS. These actions were assessed for their potential to affect attainment of aquatic conservation strategy objectives. Table 5, below, summarizes the actions proposed in riparian reserves broken down by 5th field watershed. Table 6 shows acres of treatment for Alternative 2 by 5th field watershed. This report analyzes actions that are proposed under Alternative 2 because this alternative will cause the most ground disturbance of all the action alternatives. Treatments in Riparian Reserves For the purposes of this analysis riparian reserve includes the interim riparian buffers along intermittent and perennial streams (stream course riparian reserves) and inner gorges. Active landslides, toe zones of dormant landslides and steep-weathered granitic lands are riparian reserves but for this report they will be referred to as unstable lands to avoid confusion. A detailed description of proposed activities can be found in Chapter 2 of the EIS. Proposed actions in riparian reserves are given in Table 5 below. No heavy equipment will be used in stream course riparian reserves or on unstable ground except for on existing roads and landings, and no natural, live vegetation will be removed from stream banks that will reduce stream shade or bank stability. Roadside hazard tree removal will take place in 1,575 acres of riparian reserves (Table 5). Throughout most of the project area, hazard trees will be targeted that have a 70 percent or greater chance of mortality within three to five years. Within the special interest area, trees with legacy tree characteristics or a minimum diameter at breast height of 40 inches will be subject to a 90 percent probability of mortality standard. For trees under 40 inches diameter at breast height to be subject to a 90 percent probability of mortality standard, at least two of the following legacy tree characteristics must be present is: 1) flat-topped crown that is not the result of mechanical damage; 2) very thick bark (3 inches plus) with fissures closed over (for Douglas-fir, white fir, and red fir) or large flat bark plates at least 4 inches across (for ponderosa pine) or at least 2 inches across (for sugar pine); and 3) large limb size (8 inches plus in diameter). Outside 7

12 of the special interest area fire affected trees over 40 inches in diameter with less than a 90 percent chance of mortality will be left in order to help increase large wood recruitment. Hazard trees within the riparian reserves will be cut and left as long as they do not create fuel loading concerns, do not block a road drainage structure, will not pose a safety threat, and will not result in excessive slash and/or large woody debris in the channel. Roadside fuels treatment will occur in 287 acres of riparian reserves (Table 5). Roadside fuels treatments will consist of dead vegetation removal up to 18 inches in diameter. Pruning remaining conifers up to seven feet high will also occur. This fuels treatment may be beneficial in releasing remaining trees, allowing them to grow larger, and in turn increasing the potential for large wood. Similarly, fuels reduction adjacent to private property will also occur. Treatment will include removing dead vegetation up to 14 inches in diameter at breast height and live understory vegetation including conifer trees up to 12 inches in diameter at breast height to reduce fire behavior activity, specifically reduced flame length and crown fire potential and intensity, to meet desired conditions. Pruning retained conifers up to seven feet high within this zone is proposed to increase canopy base height and reduce the potential for crown fire initiation. Fuels generated in riparian reserves will be piled and burned. The development and maintenance of strategic fuels management zones will occur on eight acres of riparian reserve (Table 5). The actions will consist of removing dead vegetation up to 18 inches diameter at breast height and live understory vegetation along with live conifer trees up to 12 inches diameter at breast height. Pruning retained conifers up to seven feet high within these zones is proposed to increase canopy base height and reduce the potential for crown fire initiation. Activity-generated fuels will be disposed of by a variety of methods, including manual and mechanical treatments, to meet desired conditions. Fuels generated in riparian reserves will be piled and burned. Site preparation and planting will occur in 126 acres of riparian reserves (Table 5). Both manual and mechanical methods will be used to cut or masticate standing dead trees less than 16 inches diameter depending on slope steepness, accessibility, and feasibility. Dead vegetation within plantations will be strategically cut, piled, and burned to prepare the site for reforestation activities. Some dead vegetation may be left standing on harsh sites to improve survival of seedlings by creating shade. Fuels generated in riparian reserves will be piled and burned. Fuel reduction treatments around private property will occur in 371 acres of riparian reserves (Table 5). Treatment will include removing dead vegetation up to 14 inches in diameter at breast height, removing live understory vegetation including conifer trees up to 12 inches in diameter at breast height, and pruning retained conifers up to seven feet high. These fuel treatments are designed to reduce fire behavior activity, specifically reduced flame length and crown fire potential and burn intensity. In general the fuels reduction will use a spacing of 20 to 25 feet, keeping the larger, healthier trees in place. Fuels generated in riparian reserves will be piled and burned. Approximately 0.15 mile of existing road within riparian reserves will be re-opened (Table 5). There will be no salvage, no landing construction or re-construction, and no road construction within riparian reserves. Most of the ground in the Horse Creek Special Interest Area (SIA) is riparian reserve. Treatment within the Horse Creek Special Interest Area includes hazard tree removal, placing trees with or 8

13 without root wads attached into the stream channel, and planting hardwood and conifers within the riparian reserves. These treatments will help reduce hazard trees and improve stream function. Table 5: Acres of treatment in riparian reserve by watershed and treatment type. Treatment Acres of Treatment in RR Alt 2 Acres of Treatment in RR Alt 3 Acres of Treatment in RR Alt 4 Seiad Creek-Klamath River ( ) Roadside Hazard (acres) Private Property Fuels Buffer (acres) Site Prep & Plant Fuels Management Zone Roadside Fuels Reduction Re-Open Existing Roadbed (miles) New Temporary Road (miles) Salvage and Reforestation Existing Landing New Landing Horse Creek-Klamath River ( ) Roadside Hazard Private Property Fuels Buffer Site Prep & Plant Fuels Management Zone Roadside Fuels Reduction Re-Open Existing Roadbed (miles) New Temporary Road (miles) Salvage and Reforestation Existing Landing New Landing

14 Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objectives The following discussion of each objective will be focused on Alternative 2, as it is the alternative that proposes the most actions and will cause the most effects. Objective 1: Maintain and restore the distribution, diversity, and complexity of watershed and landscape-scale features to ensure protection of the aquatic systems to which species, populations and communities are uniquely adapted. Analyses of the distribution, diversity and complexity of watershed features consider effects to: (1) large woody debris (as defined in the Forest Plan EIS, page 3-68) recruitment to streams and (2) pool frequency and depth (as measured by degree of pool in-filling with sediment). Before European contact, trees will grow to site potential size before dying and falling to the forest floor or into a stream channel unless brought down before old age by fire, flood, landsliding, wind or heavy snow. Presumably, there was considerably more large woody debris on the forest floor, in stream course riparian reserves, and in stream channels than there is today. Currently, there is a lack of large woody debris in stream course riparian reserves and stream channels because: (1) trees were removed to construct a dense road system with numerous landings, (2) significant areas of stream buffer RRs were clear-cut harvested and the re-planted or regenerated trees have not re-grown large enough to provide large woody debris, (3) standing trees and down large woody debris is removed by humans at numerous stream crossings, valley bottom roads, and other access within stream buffer riparian reserves, (4) streamside trees were removed on private lands to create pasture and build infrastructure, (5) industrial scale dredging removed all vegetation in the lower Horse and lower Seiad Creek channels and left no soils or unproductive soils for tree regeneration, and (6) 80 years of fire suppression slowed the natural recruitment of fire-killed trees to stream channels (although we are now seeing significant recruitment of large trees to stream channels in lower Horse Creek as a result of the 2016 Gap Fire). Before European contact, pool depth and frequency will fluctuate in response to landsliding events that could cause pool in-filling with sediment and stochastic events that will deliver pulse of large woody debris into stream channels that will create scour pools, plunge pools and dammed pools. Historically, in the range of natural variability, beavers were present that will build beaver dams that created large high quality pools for salmonids and other aquatic organisms. Currently, pool frequency and quality is greatly diminished due to: (1) to chronic sedimentation that causes pool infilling, (2) lack of adequate large woody debris recruitment into stream channels, and (3) near extirpation of beaver. Action Influence on Objective Salvage and Reforestation: Large Woody Debris Conifers on approximately 2,043 acres will be salvaged using ground-based (1,137 acres) and skyline (906 acres) logging systems. None of the salvage is within stream course or geologic riparian reserves. All salvaged units will be subsequently reforested as described in the site- 1

15 preparation and planting section below. Salvage will have negligible effect on coarse and large wood recruitment to streams or large trees in riparian reserves because: (1) salvage will not occur closer to stream channels than one site-tree height for non-fish-bearing streams, and not within two site-tree heights for fish-bearing streams, or to the top of the inner gorge, or to the extent of unstable ground, whichever is larger. The probability of wood entering an active stream channel from a distance greater than one tree height is low (FEMAT 1993); and (2) salvage outside of hydrologic and geologic riparian reserves will negligibly increase the risk of landslides that could deliver or flush out large woody debris. Snags for will be retained based on 100-acre landscape areas according to numerical and diameter standards in the Forest Plan (page 4-26). In any 100-acre area, snags within and outside salvage harvest units may contribute to these standards. Snag retention standards will allow for maintenance of long-term recruitment of coarse wood in upslope areas and large woody debris in riparian reserves. While salvage and reforestation actions will create short-term ground disturbance and remove large (mostly dead) trees from treatment units, these actions will accelerate re-establishment of large trees sooner that if burned areas were not replanted. Pool Frequency and Depth Salvage and reforestation will not directly affect pool frequency and depth because these actions will not occur near stream channels or within riparian reserves. Ground disturbance caused by heavy equipment used to yard trees will slightly increase estimated sediment delivery to streams (CWE analysis; Geology Report). However, the estimated increase in sediment delivery to streams related to salvage and reforestation will be minor and will not significantly increase pool in-filling with sediment at the site or larger scales. Roads and Landings: Large Woody Debris No new road or landing construction will occur within riparian reserves so there will be no direct reduction in potential for future recruitment of large woody debris to stream channels. The probability of wood entering an active stream channel from a distance greater than one tree height is low (FEMAT 1993). Outside of riparian reserves, trees will be cut and removed in small patches where new road and landing is constructed, however, as just mentioned, the probability of large woody recruitment from areas outside of riparian reserves is low. Re-opening of existing roads and landings in stream course riparian reserves will negligibly reduce potential for large woody debris recruitment because only small to medium sized trees and brush will need to be removed trees large enough to qualify as large woody debris rarely occur on existing roadbeds and landings. Therefore, road and landing actions will not reduce existing amounts of large and course woody debris, or significantly reduce the potential for future large woody debris recruitment to streams. Pool Frequency and Depth Ground disturbance caused by road and landing construction and reconstruction will slightly increase risk of landsliding and sediment delivery to streams (CWE analysis; Geology Report). However, the estimated increase in sediment delivery to streams related to road and landing construction will be minor and will not significantly increase pool in-filling at the site or larger scales. 2

16 Hazard Tree Removal: Large Woody Debris The only project action that could have any significant effect on the presence of large trees near streams or on large wood recruitment potential from stream course riparian reserves is hazard tree removal. Considering that the probability of wood entering an active stream channel from greater than one tree height is generally low (FEMAT 1993), the proposed action requires roadside hazard trees identified within the riparian reserves to be tallied, marked, cut and left on site as long as they do not create a fuel loading concern, will not block a road drainage structure or divert flow, and will not pose a safety hazard. Based on past projects it is anticipated that the need to remove felled hazard trees from riparian reserves for the reasons just mentioned will be infrequent. Felled hazard trees in excess of Forest Plan standards and excessive to the needs of restoring stream function could be removed from riparian reserves. Hazard tree treatments will increase or maintain large woody debris loading in riparian reserves in most locations in the short term and long term because hazard trees will be left on site in most instances. Hazard tree felled or toppled within the special interest area may be re-positioned to improve stream function. Felling hazard trees will diminish the supply of trees available for longer term recruitment into channels, particularly in the special interest area reach and lower Fish Gulch where many trees that were killed in the 2016 Gap Fire are now hazard trees that will need to be felled or toppled. Proposed hazard tree removal will have only minor effects the large woody debris levels because: large woody debris will be increased in stream course riparian reserves in the short and long term in most treatment areas; hazard tree felling will significantly reduce future recruitment potential only in the special interest area and lower Fish Gulch; only infrequently will felled hazard trees have to be removed from riparian reserves that could use more large woody debris; hazard trees will be treated in riparian reserves only along roads which is a small percentage of stream course riparian reserves in the project watersheds. Therefore, hazard tree treatments will improve large woody debris conditions at most sites and will not significantly affect large woody debris levels beyond the site scale. Pool Frequency and Depth Moving felled or toppled hazard trees in stream course riparian reserves could cause small localized areas of ground disturbance that could mobilize minor amounts of sediment towards or into stream channels. Erosion and stream sedimentation could result if there is gouging or loss of soil cover occurs. Most risk of sediment delivery to streams will occur in the special interest area and Fish Gulch where riparian reserves burned at high severity and hillslopes leading down to stream channels are very steepage The greatest risk of sediment deliver to streams is within the special interest area where hazard trees will be felled or toppled, then re-positioned to improve stream function, or moved off site for use in future in-stream restoration projects. The amount of sediment delivered to streams is anticipated to be minor because: most hazard trees felled in riparian reserves will not be moved after felling; based on recent observations, the special interest area is getting fairly well loaded with large woody debris from natural recruitment of fire-killed trees so few trees will need to re-positioned to the channel by the time the project is implemented; ground disturbance associated with moving hazard trees felled/toppled in riparian reserves is generally not hydrologically connected to the stream channel; there is anticipated to be few instances where moving or re-positioning hazard trees will result in direct sediment delivery to a stream. Minor amounts of sediment delivered to streams at isolated locations from 3

17 hazard tree treatments within and outside of the special interest area will negligibly increase pool in-filling at the site and larger scales. Fuels Treatments: Large Woody Debris Proposed fuels treatments will occur within 474 acres of riparian reserves and include specific protection measures to ensure that these actions do not reduce the presence of large diameter live trees, snags or downed wood. Fuels treatments will remove dead and live fuels between 8 inches and 18 inches diameter breast height. Fuels treatments will have no direct effect on large woody debris in stream channels because no large woody debris will be removed from channels. Proposed fuels treatments will have no short term effect on large woody debris recruitment potential because no dead or live trees large enough to qualify as large woody debris will be removed. Proposed fuels treatments are likely to improve long term potential for recruitment of course and large woody debris because reducing live vegetation density will release residual trees allowing them to grow faster, and will reduce the risk of high severity fire that could kill trees before they reach large enough size to qualify as large woody debris. Therefore, fuels treatments will maintain and restore coarse and large woody debris at the site and larger scales in the short and long term. Pool Frequency and Depth Proposed fuels treatments will not significantly increase sediment delivery to streams because: (1) most fuel treatment is not within riparian reserves, (2) a large percentage of fuel treatments will be implemented manually, (3) mechanized equipment used for fuel treatments will only operate on existing system and non-system roads and landings while in riparian reserves, and (4) overall, soil cover will be increased due to fine activity fuels (Soils Report). Therefore, fuels treatments will negligibly increase pool in-filling at the site scale and will have neutral effect at larger scales. Site Preparation and Planting: Large Woody Debris Site preparation and planting not associated with salvage will occur on 458 acres of which 99 acres is stream course riparian reserve. Forest stands selected for site preparation and tree planting are predominately plantations composed of standing dead trees generally under 16 inches in diameter at breast height that were killed in the 2016 Gap Fire. Both manual and mechanical methods will be used to cut or masticate standing dead trees depending on slope steepness, accessibility, and feasibility. Site preparation will cut burned brush and small trees and consolidate the resulting fuel into piles which will later be burned. Site preparation will be implemented manually and mechanically. Site prepared areas will be planted with native trees. Hardwood species that resprout after being top-killed by fire will not be intentionally removed from the stand and seedlings will be planted outside of the dripline of the resprouting hardwoods. Activity-generated fuels will be treated using a variety of methods including piling and burning, underburning, or lop and scattering. Reforestation will be accomplished by directly planting nursery-grown seedlings or by allowing natural regeneration. Tree species and spacing will depend on a variety of environmental factors, including considerations of climate change, elevation, slope steepness, slope position, aspect, and 4

18 soil productivity. Reforestation will avoid creation of densely-stocked plantations that will prevent the reintroduction of low-intensity prescribed fire at a later date. Seedling survival rates and competition from brush species will create a natural mosaic of species and stocking densities. Conifer seedlings will be manually released in the season following planting and repeated as necessary to provide for establishment. Manual release will include clearing woody herbs and small brush in a radius around selected trees. Site preparation will not reduce existing large woody debris or the potential for short term recruitment of large woody debris because these treatment areas have primarily smaller firekilled trees and little to no course woody debris (over 20 inch diameter) on the ground. Therefore, site preparation and planting will not reduce large trees, snags, or downed wood in riparian reserves in the short term and will accelerate the development of large trees for long term large woody debris recruitment to streams. Pool Frequency and Depth Proposed site preparation and planting will not significantly increase sediment delivery to streams because: (1) mechanized equipment will not operate on unstable or potentially unstable ground, (2) mechanized equipment will operate only from existing system and non-system roads and landings while in stream course riparian reserves, and (3) overall soil cover will be increased due to fine activity fuels (Soils Report). Therefore, site preparation and planting will negligibly increase pool in-filling at the site scale and will have neutral effect at larger scales. Water Drafting: Large Woody Debris Existing water drafting sites will be used so that no large or medium sized trees will need to be cleared. Existing large woody debris on site might be re-positioned out of the way but will be left in the channel. Therefore, water drafting will have no effect on existing levels of large woody debris in streams or the potential for future large woody debris recruitment to streams. Pool Frequency and Depth Water drafting will be from existing sites so minor to no ground disturbance is expected from accessing and re-opening (if necessary) sites. Minor ground disturbance could occur at drafting sites that have not been used in a long-time due to activities such as brushing, grading, berm removal, etc. Most water drafting sites in the project area have been used recently in the 2016 Gap Fire so will not need much or any re-opening. Re-opening water drafting sites may cause slight alterations of substrate at the immediate drafting locations and very minor delivery of sediment. Once an existing site is re-opened, risk of sedimentation is negligible. Minor sediment delivery from re-opening and using existing water drafting sites will negligibly increase pool infilling at the site scale and will have neutral effect at larger scales. Aquatic conservation strategy Objective 1 Summary and Conclusion: Two measures were used to analyze the effects of proposed actions on the distribution, diversity and complexity of watershed features: change in quantity of large woody debris in stream course riparian reserves; and change in pool frequency and depth. The analyses found that: (1) proposed actions will maintain and restore coarse and large woody debris in riparian reserves at the site and larger scales in the short and long term, and (2) proposed actions will result in negligible to 5